Joining the Xpan world (plus first question)

[PHOTO24]

Hi all !

Working in the panoramic field over last few years with Noblex and MF plus panoback, I always fell in love with the xpan, even the new price was always shocking (especially for the 30mm). But now the time has come to get me one, since it is discontinued !
There is no more stock of new ones here in Singapore, but I got a used one (Xpan I) on friday. I really enjoy using it and to feel the difference to my digital equipment makes me appreciate again the need for proper shooting with only 19 images a roll.

Question: Do standard redfilter and polarizer work ?

Feel free to surf to www.panorama-gallery.com showing panoramas from Xpan to Technorama by 30 photographers all over the world.

cheers
Sven

 

[Jon Graham]

Sven,

I cannot answer your question, but welcome to the forum and thanks for the great link to Panorama Gallery!

 

[wdenies]

Hi,
Welcome to the Xpan society.
Visit the dedicated XPAN gallery.
Normal filters should work without any problem.
Pol. filter will be a little bit tricky because you can not judge the effect through the finder. Searching in the Xpan and general forums should give tricks on using a pol. filter on a RF.

Wim

 

[whitecat]

Welcome, I am a member of the gallery also.
gg

 

[OscarGarrido]

You're welcome

 

[Terence T]

Hi Sven,

Glad to see you here as well. Looks like your panorama collection is growing nicely. MF next?

Terence

 

[ZeissFan]

If you're shooting transparency film, Hasselblad recommends the use of a centre-spot filter to compensate for the light fall-off in the corners. If you plan to add a polarizer, I believe you will need to get a low-profile filter, if you plan to stack the polarizer on top of the centre-spot filter.

If you're planning on shooting infrared, I think the XPan (I) uses a small LED to count film notches during the film advance and would therefore fog the film. This was corrected in the XPan II, if I recall.

However, if you're simply shooting b/w, then you'll be OK. If you use a regular filter, then don't combo it with the centre-spot.

The owner's guide says you can use two low-profile filters stacked, but only one regular filter at a time.

 

[Ben1]

"If you're shooting transparency film, Hasselblad recommends the use of a centre-spot filter to compensate for the light fall-off in the corners. If you plan to add a polarizer, I believe you will need to get a low-profile filter, if you plan to stack the polarizer on top of the centre-spot filter."

This is correct, but you only need use the centre filter for shooting at apertures greater than f8!!.. ie f8, f5.6 and f4... hasselblad does not reccomend the use of the filter if stopping down beyond f8...the booklet doesnt give a reason but i suspect due to de-linneation. However, i pretty much leave my centrefilter on permanently and havent noticed any problems at f11 etc...
By the way, the 90mm does not require the centre filter at all.

As for polarizers... i use a Hoya 49mm linear polarizer. Was very hard to find.
You need to find a polariser that has some sort of marking, either on the turning ring (like mine) or on the fixed part. Some do have markings all around, in which case would be easier.
Because the xpan is a rangefinder, you aint lookin through the lense, so like previously said, you cannot judge the polarising effect looking through the finder.
You have to take the filter off... hold it in your hand the way it would line up on the camera, and turn the polarizing ring untill you get the effect u want. If the ring doesnt have markings, use a paint pen or similar and put little dots around it so u can reference the right spot... re-attach the filter and line it up, then meter and shoot.

There is another alternative, and that is to buy 2!!
One for the camera, and one for your hand use... the one in your hand u look through and get the polarising effect u want, then make the exact setting on the filter on the camera!!

This does sound like a pain in the bum... however, for me it was a godsend. It has made me slow down the shooting process and take time to get things right.

Hope this is okay, i wrote it in a hurry. 🙂

 

[BlackCloud]

Clarification

Clarification

To clarify the previous post, I believe the poster was addressing the 45mm lens. I agree that the Ct filter is not recommended by the mfr or needed at F11 & 22. However, with the 30mm, the ctr filter is recommended AND NEEDED at all aperture settings.

Agreed, the 90mm never needs it.

 

[tron]

I also use the ND filter on my 45mm at all times without having any problem.

I do not use the ND filter on the 90mm.

I have tried using the C-PL this way - I learnt it from Lee Frost's book on Panoramic Photography. I screw an adapter ring (49 to whatever diameter, just make sure it is not biggere than your C-PL) onto the TX-2. I handhold the C-PL to find the setting I want. I then simply stick it onto the adapter ring with blu-tack.

It works.

 

[Finder]

...the booklet doesnt give a reason but i suspect due to de-linneation.

It is because of vignetting. The aperture is vignetted toward the edge of the frame. Only at f/11 or smaller that the full aperture is used. Vignetting is then a matter of the cosine 4th law.