Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/11/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>Anyone have any experience with medium format here ? I'm looking at some >use Hasselblad equipment with some perverse longing, and am wondering how >the quality (pictures, lenses and body construction, that is) compare with >Leica quality. Anyinput would be apprecaited. Thanks. It's a different ballpark, with the Hasselblad being very highly visible: Even non-enthusiasts can tell it's expensive. Very, very expensive. I have serviced the 500c and found it relatively simple internally (I did not service the lens, which is where a lot of the complexity lies), and stoutly constructed. The body itself is literally armor-plated in a very thick casting. Craftsmanship is top-notch. It is relatively awkward to use handheld, even with a prism finder, and I do not enjoy using boxy SLRs in this manner. It's wonderful on a tripod, in which case, the waist level finder and large viewscreen become very effective compositional aids. Certain aspects, such as film loading, double-exposures and film back removal are antiquated, particularly when compared to a far more modern design such as the Rolleiflex 6008, I have not used any of the recent lenses. Results with old glass yielded good results, with some moderate tendancy to flare, but it held detail well in highlights overall. Color rendition seemed a bit warmer than the slightly newer Zeiss Planer that was sold with my Rolleiflex SL66, but essentially, they gave identical results which were of very good quality. The Hasselblad and the Leica M are so very different in the way they handle as to make direct comparisons difficult. Suffice to say that you will not impress your friends with stories of how you were able to walk around unobserved with your Hasselblad :-) If you want a big Leica, get a Mamiya Six: In many ways, it's more comfy to use than the M, and it's lenses are of excellent quality. Lots heavier than the M, though. - --------------------------------------------------- Specialist in interesting, quality junk. Seeking Kiev 60 and Horizont-202 related items. - ---------------------------------------------------