CF 350/5.6 lens - tripod mount?

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Michael H. Cothran

I have looked at various pictures of the CF 350 lens, and cannot see a tripod mount. Am I correct in presuming that it does not have one??

ChrisL

Quote from: Michael H. Cothran on December 08, 2017, 03:19:41 PM
I have looked at various pictures of the CF 350 lens, and cannot see a tripod mount. Am I correct in presuming that it does not have one??

You are correct, but there are after market solutions:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DSLRKIT-Quality-Tripod-Mount-Hasselblad/dp/B008CP96RS

A very low production lens, only around 3,400 were made.

Michael H. Cothran

#2
Thanks for the corroboration. Unfortunately, the link you provided stated that there is no shipping to the US. However, I did find the same bracket on Ebay, coming from China. It makes one wonder what Zeiss was thinking to produce such a mammoth lens while not considering proper support for it.

I would never mount that lens on any camera body without some frontal support. That said, several years ago I purchased a few "parts" from Really Right Stuff to make a custom lens cradle to help support an HCD 35-90 zoom on an H4D camera. Even there, I thought that lens was a little to front-heavy for my thoughts. The custom bracket still works great, and is adaptable to any lens - the camera body mounts firmly in the rear, and is adjustable for fore & aft balance. In the front is a yolk which cradles the lens, and is also adjustable.

Since you've confirmed that there is no tripod mount on the CF 350, I could certainly use this same RRS custom bracket to support the 350, mounted to my X1D, utilizing a Kipon Hass>X1D adapter, which I have also just purchased. There are quite a few CF 350's up for grabs on Ebay, and at reasonable prices. I've considered this lens for birding and other wildlife adventures.

Thanks again for your corroboration. Much appreciated.

ChrisL

#3
Quote from: Michael H. Cothran on December 09, 2017, 05:13:36 AM
Thanks for the corroboration. Unfortunately, the link you provided stated that there is no shipping to the US. However, I did find the same bracket on Ebay, coming from China.

The Amazon.uk link, and apologies for that, is from a Chinese supplier, presumably going via a UK site to the US from China is not the best route both shipping and currency/tax wise !

The CF 350 suffers, in all respects except cost, by comparison with the Superachromat lens which has the Hasselblad system tripod quick mount under the centre of gravity of the camera and lens combined. Zeiss implied in the data sheet that the CF was hand holdable: "compact and easy to handle despite its long focal length" so a tripod collar may have gone against that marketing niche.

I have quoted this paper before: http://static.hasselblad.com/2015/02/the_evolution_of_lenses.pdf

The HC 210mm is arguably a better performer than the Superachromat  but no tripod mount, if you are going to be shooting static on the tripod then stopped down that CF is probably best bang for the buck.

sog1927

Hasselblad used to make a tripod mount for this lens and the Variogon (same mount). I don't know the part number.