Which Hasselblad Body To Purchase?

[Discussion about features of Hasselblad.]

: Not if they use our Rollei 6003/8. Then the Hasselblad's features are
: rudimentary.

[More Hasselblad discussion.]

: The 6003 and 6008 are much less than the 205/203/201 with far more
: features and lenses and accessories. If you are looking in our
: neighborhood than you should also look at our literature. I would be happy
: to send it to you.

Bob,

I think it would be a good idea for you to limit your subject matter to
general photography or answers to specific questions about cameras which
you handle. Butting into Hasselblad discussions with messages urging the
participants to purchase Rollei gear IMHO is commercial solicitation
which is not permitted in most newsgroups.

Will

: Correct me if I'm wrong (CMIIW) -- afterall, I haven't seen the pro-
: duct literature on the 203FE -- but I would tend to think that the 203 can also
: serve in the same function toward metering as any other Hassy. That is,

From what I've read you should be able to get aperture priority with ALL
Hasselblad lenses without any metering prism. The camera body does
everything. However, the cost of the camera body, plus the new backs
should be astronomical. I'm assuming that the prices will be about the
same, if not higher, than a comparable Rollei.

I'm not trying to put down Hasselblad since I own a 553ELX myself, but
their prices have historically been very, very high. Check out the
201TCC. At $6000 it's really hard to justify the price. However, I would
take a 203FE in an instant if it were selling for anything cheaper than
$3000. It's definitely a camera to really OWN.

Just a note on the reliability. I bought my 553ELX used and it hasn't
given me a problem at all. In fact, I still have a year left on the 3
year warranty. However, I bought the 120mm lens NEW and it crapped out on
me within two months. In fact, the lens was sent to Hasselblad on the 4th
of November and it doesn't look like I'm going to get it back until the
middle of December. Now I need to go out and RENT lenses for the camera.
Luckily, however, lenses are readily available to rent almost everywhere
(unlike Rollei, where there's only a very small rental outlet in a given
major city).

Nathan

< Most other photogs using leaf-shutter lenses (e.g., Mamiya, Bronica,
etc.) would
marvel at this feature of 20X series put out by Hassy.
Not if they use our Rollei 6003/8. Then the Hasselblad's features are
rudimentary.

<The other point brought up about "BIG BUCKS" is relative 8). "Like I
can really
afford the stuff" 8(... However, I think the general perception is that
Hassy offers good and lasting value for the money -- CMIIW 8). My
recommendation? You may want to look into the 205TCC esp. since it has
a wide array of metering options (e.g., AE, EV, spot, zone,
The 6003 and 6008 are much less than the 205/203/201 with far more
features and lenses and accessories. If you are looking in our
neighborhood than you should also look at our literature. I would be happy
to send it to you.

Bob
differential,...). >

Correct me if I'm wrong (CMIIW) -- afterall, I haven't seen the pro-
duct literature on the 203FE -- but I would tend to think that the 203 can also
serve in the same function toward metering as any other Hassy. That is,
the 203's meter also can display the exposure readings in EV, and there-
upon allow the user to do this settings on CF lenses. The point is, I
think, is that TTL metering and TTL/OTF flash metering are useable with
either the shutter-leaf lenses or the shutter-less lenses offered
by Hasselblad... Another point is, CMIIW, that with the CF lenses you'll
get instant-return mirror while using the leaf-shutters. Most other
photogs using leaf-shutter lenses (e.g., Mamiya, Bronica, etc.) would
marvel at this feature of 20X series put out by Hassy. The other
point brought up about "BIG BUCKS" is relative 8). "Like I can really
afford the stuff" 8(... However, I think the general perception is that
Hassy offers good and lasting value for the money -- CMIIW 8). My
recommendation? You may want to look into the 205TCC esp. since it has
a wide array of metering options (e.g., AE, EV, spot, zone,
differential,...).

Unless you want to spend BIG BUCKS, 503+PME is pretty much the only choice.
Or ELX+PME if you don't mind the weight, (non-vignetting mirror though).

By the way, if you use CF lenses, there is no reason that you want the
203 in which AE does't work with CF lenses.

Ginger
Optical Sciences Center
University of Arizona