Fun with the Hasselblad 907x

Vince Lupo said:
I think it’s a combination of both - the large sensor has a great dynamic range and not only captures a lot of information, but also enables one to ‘massage’ it in a number of different directions (I’m only using PhotoShop CC and Adobe Camera RAW). I think the same can be said for the Nikon Z7 and its sensor, as I find almost the same amount of flexibility with its files. Plus the resulting prints look more or less like the images on screen, so I don’t have to fight with them much at all.

I kinda wondered about the monochrome sensor too - I’ve had both the first Leica Monochrom and the 246 as well as the M-D, and I have to say that sometimes I was able to get almost as nice prints from the M-D as the 246. So for me the jury is still out, especially now after having made prints from both the 907x and the Z7. I’m a believer in the Ansel Adams school of thought: The negative is the score and the print the performance, so in a contemporary sense the digital file is the score and the post-production and resulting print is the performance. As it is, the 907x provides a great score from which to work.

As an aside, the one challenge I still have with the camera is how I want to handle it (and still getting used to a camera without a viewfinder). The accessory grip is nice, but oftentimes I find that it doesn’t necessarily help me keep things steady. The pistol grip I modified to fit works great and has the benefit of a thumb-actuated shutter release, but the grip itself can sometimes get in the way while the camera is hanging around my neck. I’ve almost settled going back to just the plain, unadorned camera (even without the optical viewfinder). Guess what they say is true - simpler is in fact better!
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These many months with a lot of free time I went over all the 135 negs mostly shot with Leica, and 120 negs shot with Rolleiflex and SWC all handheld street photography shot over 20 years and concluded my Leica photos were mostly crap percentage wise while the 120 street photos were fine with one keeper per 12 frame roll. Maybe waist level composing/shooting is more appropriate for me so I am giving the 907x a lot of thought. I am used to holding the SWC without a grip so handling not an issue.
 
Rayt said:
These many months with a lot of free time I went over all the 135 negs mostly shot with Leica, and 120 negs shot with Rolleiflex and SWC all handheld street photography shot over 20 years and concluded my Leica photos were mostly crap percentage wise while the 120 street photos were fine with one keeper per 12 frame roll. Maybe waist level composing/shooting is more appropriate for me so I am giving the 907x a lot of thought. I am used to holding the SWC without a grip so handling not an issue.
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One thing you can do is to arrange to have a ‘virtual demo’ via the Hasselblad website. I signed up for one prior to having purchased the camera and found it to be a big help. The Hasselblad regional rep spent about 45 minutes with me (via Zoom) and showed me all the features as well as answered some questions I had. Definitely worthwhile.
 
Godfrey said:
...So last Wednesday, I fitted the 907X with the XCD 21mm lens and drove down just before sunset. Well, I thought it would be just before sunset, but I was delayed and the sun had already set ... I was going to be testing out the custom grip I rigged up for the camera, but thankfully I had my PD Travel Tripod with me. 😀

I only had time for a shortish walk, about a half hour or so, but I can see I need to go do this a few more times. Here are ten photos, all with the 21mm lens at about ISO 1600 and about f/5.6-f/6.8 ... I hope you enjoy them!

Open For Outdoor Dining - San Jose 2021
50916753106_971b06597d_b.jpg


Enjoy! G
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Hi Godfrey,

I like all the colour pictures, but "Open For Outdoor Dining - San Jose 2021" is a standout for me. Maybe because it reminds me of Hopper.
Cheers,
 
While I think it is a wonderful tool and I would surely love one, I think the images you present here are as responsible for driving the GAS as much as the image quality.

Nice stuff.
 
jerrybro said:
While I think it is a wonderful tool and I would surely love one, I think the images you present here are as responsible for driving the GAS as much as the image quality.

Nice stuff.
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Many thanks Jerry -- I think a lot of times (most times maybe!) I don't think my photography lives up to the privilege of owning a camera such as this. Sometimes, however, I think the blind squirrel does get an acorn every once in a while 🙂
 
More beautiful photos, Vince! Marvelous stuff. 🙂

It turned out that the A16 back I acquired and paired with the CFVII 50c on the 500CM body on my walk a week or so ago had an extremely badly damaged dark slide seal. So bad that extracting the dark slide for my second session with it ripped a big chunk of it out through the slot...

Of course, I processed the film anyway and hunted through it for what I might find renderable. It is pretty bad... But I did find four renderable frames in the mess. These two are my favorites:

50955450677_3d39c5c491_b.jpg

Tree - Santa Clara 2021

50955450687_7e0e2fcccb_b.jpg

House - Santa Clara 2021​

All:
Hasselblad 500CM, A16, Makro-Planar 120mm f/4, Ilford XP2 Super

I like the feel of the 645 format in horizontal only orientation too, more than I expected. It lends a certain "cinematic" feel to the framing notions.

The A16 magazine has been sent to David Odess for a thorough going over. It'll be like new when I get it back. 🙂

G
 
I recently picked up a 503cx + 60mm Distagon with the eventual plan of getting a CFVII, I must say I’m really enjoying the system since it pairs with my SWC nicely. I’m debating whether to sell the Rollei and Pentax 67 kits now!
 
Vince Lupo said:
Jeez I don’t know - I kinda like the eerie feeling that the A16 back gives you in its present condition!
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jsrockit said:
Yeah, I have to agree... happy mistakes for sure.
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Thanks! Yes, but keeping the back in that condition would make it a pretty restricted use piece of equipment... LOL!

I can contrive to make other mistakes ... 😀

G
 
lcpr said:
I recently picked up a 503cx + 60mm Distagon with the eventual plan of getting a CFVII, I must say I’m really enjoying the system since it pairs with my SWC nicely. I’m debating whether to sell the Rollei and Pentax 67 kits now!
Click to expand...

Yes, a 500 series body and a couple of lenses works well in complement to the SWC and the digital back. I consider the next bit I might want is a Flexbody, to get another take on using these great V series lenses.

With respect to the other stuff, it's all good equipment, for sure. I'm concentrating on the Hasselblad gear for my "system" kit, but have the Fuji GS645S Wide 60, a ReallySoSubtle 6x6 Pinhole, and the Voigtländer Perkeo II for when I want a different form factor/performance option. The fact that the Hasselblad V gear is now both film and digital capture, and the range of lenses and accessories I'm slowly accreting for it, puts it in a different class of versatility. 🙂

G
 
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