Hasselblad SWC Pics

[jan normandale]

More good shots. 🙂

Jan - how long have you had the SWC?

Hi Chris, I got it back in May of last year. It's a great camera once you start thinking about how you can use it. There's a totally unique look to the photography which I like because it's so distinctive.

A friend on flickr from the UK uses one a lot and kept pestering me about getting one. Another friend from Portland OR who also uses an SWC put me onto a camera that was being sold by someone in CA. I bought that one.

It's like there's an SWC cult. Here's links to the two culprits who ganged up on me. ;D

Phil Bebbington : Terrorkitten
Gary Gumanow: gumanow

 

[ChrisN]

Hi Chris, I got it back in May of last year. It's a great camera once you start thinking about how you can use it. There's a totally unique look to the photography which I like because it's so distinctive.

A friend on flickr from the UK uses one a lot and kept pestering me about getting one. Another friend from Portland OR who also uses an SWC put me onto a camera that was being sold by someone in CA. I bought that one.

It's like there's an SWC cult. Here's links to the two culprits who ganged up on me. ;D

Phil Bebbington : Terrorkitten
Gary Gumanow: gumanow

Jan - this is scary. I was looking at Gary's site and gallery, just last night! The world is a small place. 😱

 

[Pirate]

Do any of you guys actually use that bubble level? It's nice to have, but I havn't used it yet.

 

[jan normandale]

@ Chris, Gary is a fine photographer and I consider him a friend on flickr. He shoots a SWC, Rollie TLR and a Leica. He’s non stop photography. All his images are uploaded based on prints he makes then scans for the web. Yes the world is a small place for special interest people like us.

@Pirate, I use the bubble level consistently. It ensures the horizon line doesn’t look out of wack and also ensures my comp doesn’t suffer too much distortion from vertical rise of the camera’s lens. Hope this helps

 

[MikeL]

DeYoung

 

[Pirate]

More. A couple are cropped, but they are all from the SWC. And mine is the "Super Wide C" as it says on the side. I love uncoated lenses.

 

[robklurfield]

I just paged through this thread for the first time. These are certainly wonderful cameras, including the DIY ones. That said, I think most of the credit for the stunning images here must go to all of you talented photographers. Wow! Some very inspiring work here.

 

[ChrisN]

Glassworks by Another Chris, on Flickr

 

[jan normandale]

Glassworks by Another Chris, on Flickr

Chris! This is excellent. I really like this for all the various linear plays and the spatial relationships. It's a good one!

 

[ChrisN]

Thanks Jan - it is an interesting building (and recycling/re-purposing of an old building) with a lot of interesting features. It is now home to the local glass-blowing and glass-working community, and they make some wonderful works. The suspended metal structure is one of a series of coal hoppers that formerly fed the boilers for the electricity generators. I've been in the building many times but never before stood, and looked, in that particular spot. This is one of those those shots that the SWC excels at, and I love the tones I get with HP5 in medium format.

 

[jan normandale]

...it is an interesting building (and recycling/re-purposing of an old building) ....... This is one of those those shots that the SWC excels at, and I love the tones I get with HP5 in medium format.

I have a liking for these hoppers and see them in glass plants, power generation plants and steel plants .. all the same purpose but all different construction.

HP5+ is a fine film and it's a great substitute for the now "lost" Fuji Neopan 400. I usually use HC110 with it. Sometimes Rodinal. I should really try Ilford's DDX with it.

You're absolutely right about the kind of shots the SWC excels at and this is a great example.

 

[David R Munson]

How would SWC users characterize the viewfinder in practical terms? I've heard wildly varying opinions. I know there are different viewfinders, but at their worst, how bad are they? If I happen to get one with something less than ideal, is is still good enough for documentary work?

 

[Pirate]

How would SWC users characterize the viewfinder in practical terms? I've heard wildly varying opinions. I know there are different viewfinders, but at their worst, how bad are they? If I happen to get one with something less than ideal, is is still good enough for documentary work?

I think it's good enough, but I'm still an Amateur. The Viewfinder does bubble things a bit, unlike the lens, so you have to think a little bit. Mine is clear and clean though and as long as you are aware of the couple inches of parallax difference from finder to lens, everything should come out fine. What I've seen in my finder is what I've gotten on film so I can't complain about it.

About the lens coatings- I thought any early lens not listed as *T was an uncoated lens. I must have missed the references to that through this thread. Anyone know for sure? I thought I was using an uncoated lens.

 

[raid]

I once held such a camera in my hands, and I was debating to buy it or not for $1500. I made the mistake of not buying it. It is a camera that I am bound to buy one day since I want to use such a lens on 120 film.

 

[sc_rufctr]

I think it's good enough, but I'm still an Amateur. The Viewfinder does bubble things a bit, unlike the lens, so you have to think a little bit. Mine is clear and clean though and as long as you are aware of the couple inches of parallax difference from finder to lens, everything should come out fine. What I've seen in my finder is what I've gotten on film so I can't complain about it.

About the lens coatings- I thought any early lens not listed as *T was an uncoated lens. I must have missed the references to that through this thread. Anyone know for sure? I thought I was using an uncoated lens.

As far as I know all of the SMC's have coated lenses.

Mine's been sitting on a shelf in my bedroom waiting to be used.
Just so busy with work and everything. 😡

 

[ChrisN]

Can't let this thread die! Where's all the SWC shooters? (Hope this isn't too big for most folks.)


Darling Harbour by Another Chris, on Flickr

 

[MikeL]

 

[Phantomas]

OK, I'm going to spoil this thread by posting my horrible results 😀

I'm new to SWC and shot a few rolls. Few things I discovered:
- the lens is wider than I have "envisioned" (I knew it was wide, but was still surprised when I looked through the viewfinder).
- the above means that I need to get VERY close to take photos
- getting in very close means focusing very close (often at min distance)
- focusing at min distance means HUGE focus errors.
- I think I will forego using the viewfinder with this cam, bubble is much more important imo

All in all I'm not yet quite sure about the cams suitability for me. I want to love it, so I'l try it some more. I'm somewhat used to scale focusing, but seem to mess it up more often with SWC. Other than that, the camera, I mean the lens, is Amazing!


Here are the shots I'd normally care for and that got messed up:


















One turned out OK, by accident 🙂






And here are the ones I'd normally not care much for, turned out perfectly (as far as my skills allow). Now this, I guess, teaches me that focusing further is more full-proof, but at the same time goes against my style - given the FL of the lens I NEED to get close in to get the shots I like.







(This one's kinda nice though):









Well, I'll keep practicing. Otherwise I'll just sell it to one of you 🙂

 

[Renzsu]

Yeah, I guess you're off best with iso400 film and stopping down a bit to minimalise focus error.

 

[ChrisN]

OK, I'm going to spoil this thread by posting my horrible results 😀

I'm new to SWC and shot a few rolls. Few things I discovered:
- the lens is wider than I have "envisioned" (I knew it was wide, but was still surprised when I looked through the viewfinder).
- the above means that I need to get VERY close to take photos
- getting in very close means focusing very close (often at min distance)
- focusing at min distance means HUGE focus errors.
- I think I will forego using the viewfinder with this cam, bubble is much more important imo

All in all I'm not yet quite sure about the cams suitability for me. I want to love it, so I'l try it some more. I'm somewhat used to scale focusing, but seem to mess it up more often with SWC. Other than that, the camera, I mean the lens, is Amazing!


Here are the shots I'd normally care for and that got messed up:



One turned out OK, by accident 🙂

Well, I'll keep practicing. Otherwise I'll just sell it to one of you 🙂

You have a few good shots there - I like these two.

It takes some time to get the hang of this camera. For my purposes the wide angle combines with the great depth of field available by stopping down to f/16, so grab some 400 iso film (as Renzsu suggests) dial up f/16 and pre-focus for hyperfocal (set infinity just inside that red mark to the right of the centre focus mark). That will give you reasonable focus sharpness down to 1 meter. If you regularly shoot closer than that, focus a bit closer and read the focus depth available between the two red marks.

Once you have the focusing under control, then to learn how to control and use the perspective available with this great lens! I'm still working on this one!


Darling Harbour by Another Chris, on Flickr