Michael,

You work with both Hasselblad H1/H2 and Linhof/Rodenstock HR lenses, right?

-How is the performance of the Hasselblad lenses compared to the Rodenstock?
-And what is the differences between Hasselblad H1 and H2?

The Rodenstocks are better, but not by a huge amount. Of course to use them you need to use a view camera, a very different approach to shooting.

I would say that it's not worthwhile to switch to a technical camera just for the slightly better lenses. You should need to have movements and the other features beyong just lens quality. The HC lenses are very good indeed.

The H1 / H2 difference are just in updated firmware. Nothing all that critical.

Michael

H1 uses the regular batteries in their grip. While H2 has rechargeble batteries that can power the digital back.
You can buy the rechrgeble batteries for H1, but it will not power the digital back, while H2 will. Of course this is applicable only for Hasselblad back. So if you plan to use a different back then Hasselblad, then don't bother with H2. H1 will do fine & save yourself $500 to upgrade.

How is the autofocus (speed/precision) on H1 compared to H2 ?

FYI: the HR digital lenses are mainly showing the difference in multishot, although a difference can be seen as well with single shot, especially with a well detailled subject. The HR stands for High Resolution and resolves much more than any "normal" medium format lens. Hasselblad H1/H2 lenses are "normal" analog lenses, renamed "Digital". There exist no other MF real digital lenses than the newly introduced Sinaron Zeiss AF digital, designed for the Sinar m MF camera. With the resoltuion of the backs increasing, the lens resolution becomes now critical as well. No need to shoot with a 39 MPx back if you dont have the lens to resolve it! Stick to a 22 MPx back.

Aon

This sounds like marketing speak rather than real-world experience. Have you ever done a side by side comparison between the two and then made large prints from the files using a 39MP back? I have, and as I wrote, the improvement in resolution is real, but not huge, and in my view (pardon the pun) not worth switching from an H type camera to a technical camera, simply for the resolution increase.

Michael

Dear Michael,

Yes, I did the test, and still doing it on almost a daily basis. Call it marketing speak, nevertheless the difference is there and real. The simple fact that you are writing that there is a difference puts me right, isn't it? Now one can argue about what is a huge and what is a small difference. I agree that if you reproduce a simple white or uniformly colored piece of paper you won't see any difference at all. Fact is that many of the museums, car photographers, etc ... are using multishot WITH HR lenses, simply because the normal digital or normal analog lenses can't give them the last out of it. This is even more true when it comes to 16-shot with an increase by 4 times of the resolution. However, I don't want to start an argument about it: each one has the right to consider "his" quality as being enough for "his" needs. And I certainly did not mean to offence anybody because he is using "only" normal lenses and is happy with the quality he gets.

Aon

Michael,

I've attached 2 files: one taken with a "normal" analog 180mm and the second with a 180mm HR, both taken on a technical camera (p3). I have exported it into photoshop, without any USM or other alteration applied to the files. Please have a look on it: I doubt one can say that ther is not a huge difference.

Aon

unfortunately my attachments did not "attach". I must be doing something wrong, but can't figure out what. However, for those wishing to have it, I can send it offline if you provide me your email.

aon

I think the issue being discussed was image differences between the hasselblad HC system and the digital HR lenses and not the analog large format or view camera lenses.

I have not done a direct comparison yet but when i use my aptus back with my digital rodenstock lenses vs hasselblad HC lenses, there does not seem to be a huge difference. I have thought about doing a side by side at some point. The one thing I noticed and again this was not a controlled study but when i use very small apertures there appears to be more image degradation with the digital lenses compared to the hassy HC lenses. Again, this is my gestault after making a few large prints but at different times and subjects. Mark