Bronice vs Hasselblad Image Quality

[Steve M.]

I am thinking of selling my 'blad (too much money tied up in it, backs are a little fiddeley, but otherwise no complaints!) and was looking at the Bronica SQ as a much cheaper alternative, but I'm not convinced on the lenses. If you do some googeling, nearly everyone says that there is little if any difference between the Bronica lenses and the Hasselblads. In other words, the Bronica lenses are "good enough". But when I look at sample photos on flickr the differences seem to be pretty darn evident!

I'm just looking at the 80 2.8's, which would be the only lens I would want, but the Planar on the Hasselblads looks a lot sharper and has better bokeh than the Bronica lenses.

Is it just me, or do others see it? I wonder if there's anyone here that switched to Bronica because they saw little difference between the IQ's, or went the other way because they saw the Hasselblad lenses as better? This is always the problem when I look at web images of different lenses. I can't determine if it's the lens, or if the photographer just nailed it and it would have been a great shot w/ a Holga.

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Here's a comparison including Hasselblad and Bronica lenses.

http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/MF_testing.html

 

[Krosya]

I think Bronica is "good enough". BUT.....It's lenses dont produce the same look that Zeiss does. I used to have a Hassy and sold it for the same reason as you describing, but I tried several sytems before parting with it. Closest thing that got me to Hassy look and some features were 2 systems - Kiev 88 - great lenses, not so good mechanically, so I sold it and KowaSix - superb lenses, leaf shutters, much cheaper. Kowas do handle differently, but when you get used to it - it's good. I have a model without interchangable backs and I never miss that feature - after all 120 film goes through much faster than 35mm. I have now a Kowa system that cost me less than 10% in Hassy money and I have more lenses and accesories for it than I ever had for the Hassy. I do miss Hassy at times, but not when I look at the results.

 

[Steve M.]

Yes, that's the problem I'm having too. I bought an Iskra from FEDKA, loaded film into it, and took the film right back out and sent the camera back. It probably produces great photos but I refuse to use the thing. The build quality is, well, bad. Advancing the film to the #1 position felt awful. The thought of using the camera regularly was not much fun. So a Kiev or Pentacon Six are out.

Well, for now I am 90% happy w/ my Rolleiflex T, and I have that 6x6 mask in my Bessa RF (thanks Krosya!), so I'm just gonna let sleeping dogs lie for now. But I'll give the Kowas a look see too. Thanks guys.