HTS 1.5 - Seeking Opinions

[Drchevalier]

It has been a VERY long time since I last shot with a view camera and there are times when I miss the tilt and shift capabilities.  Would any photographers with experience with the HTS 1.5 care to offer input on this device?  My camera is an H4D-40 and the intent is to use the HTS with either the 28mm or 80mm lenses, as I understand it is supported with both of these.

Documentation on the Hasselblad site is rather skint and as it is a special order item where I live, I don't care to lose a deposit to discover it's not really suitable.

I presume that focus is manual, but that ttl metering will still work.  I also presume that all controls are manual so one is shooting only in manual mode (not an issue, more a question).  I also note that another member has posted questions about focusing capability.  Since I expect all automation is lost, focusing will be at the actual aperture not wide open and that there is no depth of field preview.  Since I've never seen the device I am guessing about a lot.

My use cases are landscape/architecture and field of focus control for commercial layout.

Thanks kindly,

Ross

[NickT]

It has been a VERY long time since I last shot with a view camera and there are times when I miss the tilt and shift capabilities.  Would any photographers with experience with the HTS 1.5 care to offer input on this device? 

Hi Ross
First up it might be worth mentioning that you should not expect the range of movements that you had with a view camera. Note too that shift and tilt are locked in the same axis, that means you can rise-fall/tilt or shift/swing but you can't rise/swing or shift/tilt. (Hope that makes sense).

My camera is an H4D-40 and the intent is to use the HTS with either the 28mm or 80mm lenses, as I understand it is supported with both of these.

Yes the HTS works with the 24 28 35 50 80 and 100

Documentation on the Hasselblad site is rather skint and as it is a special order item where I live, I don't care to lose a deposit to discover it's not really suitable.

I presume that focus is manual, but that ttl metering will still work. 

No AF (or focus confirmation) or metering..

I also presume that all controls are manual so one is shooting only in manual mode (not an issue, more a question). 

Correct

I also note that another member has posted questions about focusing capability.  Since I expect all automation is lost, focusing will be at the actual aperture not wide open and that there is no depth of field preview.  Since I've never seen the device I am guessing about a lot.

Focus is wide open, the lens will stop down when you shoot as without the HTS, DOF preview works (though the button is difficult to get to with the HTS mounted so you might want to remap the stop down button.

My use cases are landscape/architecture and field of focus control for commercial layout.

Thanks kindly,

Ross

I shoot 90% in studio and use the HTS quite often (think 3/4 shot of pizza) so I can't comment on how difficult it is to use on location, perhaps others will chime in.

HTH
Nick-T

[rsmphoto]

Yes, I use it on location (interior and exterior architecture) exclusively, since they introduced the HTS - with the 28 and 35 mainly.  Focusing can be tricky, but I shoot tethered and just check. DAC and lens cast correcting in Phocus work great.  On my HTS, I find the tilt, even when locked tightly can at times move .2 or so when a large amount of shift is used, so I have to check.  I had it sent back for adjustment to fix this, but it still does it. Other than that it works and does it's job well.

[paulgrundy]

I agree with rsmphoto about always having to check that the tilt is zeroed if just using shifts.
You need to be careful with Hasselblad lens hoods vignetting and the bellows lens hood cannot be rotated to aline with the sensor when using diagonal shift.
But optically it is brilliant.

[davidthescot]

I used an HTS extensively for architectural photography two or three years ago.  I did not shoot tethered as I am sure you will agree carting the camera, HTS etc and a tripod and a laptop around outside often far from a vehicle is a total pain.  I found focussing to be quite difficult specially when using tilt and shift together such that i was getting a hit rate of around 50%.  Eventually I gave up and sold my HTS.  I am now rather regretting this and I am girding my loins to spend the money on buying another one.  I am doing this because I am doing more interiors and still life work where the HTS would prove invaluable.

 

[Dustbak]

I bought Davids HTS 

I agree,  outside with architecture it is fairly difficult to assess sharpness. It is fairly easy to miss focus. Fortunately I use it mostly with table top work where I find it an extremely useful tool.

On occasion I do regret selling my 300 to David though 

[hvk]

Yes, I use it on location (interior and exterior architecture) exclusively, since they introduced the HTS - with the 28 and 35 mainly.  Focusing can be tricky, but I shoot tethered and just check. DAC and lens cast correcting in Phocus work great. 

This is similar to my own experience, except I always use it untethered. Focusing is hard but after a bit of practice I get it right most of the time.
Metering still works when you shift it less than a certain amount. I meter at zero shift to get a ballpark and use the histogram for fine tuning.
I love the ease of use compared to a technical camera.

Handling (for example changing lenses) could still be better, especially when using gloves in cold weather. 
The extension thingy (to make clearance at the tripod attachment) is a pain to use. 
Switching from a horizontal to a vertical frame takes forever and involves using an allen key...


/Henrik

[davidthescot]

Yes, I use it on location (interior and exterior architecture) exclusively, since they introduced the HTS - with the 28 and 35 mainly.  Focusing can be tricky, but I shoot tethered and just check. DAC and lens cast correcting in Phocus work great. 

This is similar to my own experience, except I always use it untethered. Focusing is hard but after a bit of practice I get it right most of the time.


The extension thingy (to make clearance at the tripod attachment) is a pain to use. 
Switching from a horizontal to a vertical frame takes forever and involves using an allen key...


/Henrik

I used mine with a Really Right Stuff L Plate on my H3/4 and an Arca Cube.  No problems on clearance with this method and easy to switch from horizontal to vertical

[KeithL]

I'd probably be using the HTS now if it wasn't for the pesky 1.5x lens factor.

As things stand there's no wide-angle tilt/shift Hasselblad option for their DSLR cameras.

I'm forced to look elsewhere.

[hvk]

I used mine with a Really Right Stuff L Plate on my H3/4 and an Arca Cube.  No problems on clearance with this method and easy to switch from horizontal to vertical

Good info! I am using a RRS head with no clearance for the horizontal position. Does the Arca allow unlimited downward shift?

/Henrik

[rsmphoto]

The extension thingy (to make clearance at the tripod attachment) is a pain to use.  
Switching from a horizontal to a vertical frame takes forever and involves using an allen key...

Aha,

I use an RRS L bracket, one of the RRS small QR mounts, and a Manfrotto 410 geared head which allows for clearance of the HTS - NO need for the extension thingy! Never have used it.

As for the tethering thing, I confess I always use an assistant so he gets the workout every day.

[Drchevalier]

This was awesome, thanks to all for the guidance.  I download the manual after posting my question and did discover some answers but am very grateful to the people who have real world experience.  I do tether inside but for outdoor work will have to practice or order that thunderbolt to firewire adapter for the MB Air to tether everywhere.

Thank you all very much,

Ross

[Drchevalier]

The HTS arrived today, and contrary to description, it is used and the mounts are scratched.  So I have let the dealer know that this is not acceptable and to get me a new one. 

That said, the first thing I discovered is that I could not mount the camera with HTS on my RRS BH-55 ball head as the L-plate is so far forward the front of the clamp on the BH-55 interferes with the frame of the HTS.

Nuts.

I went into my kit and pulled out the 192 Precision Plus kit I use with the Panoramic head.  By using the 192 with the bubble at the rear, and the back to back B2-MAS and B2-FAB clamps, I can tighten the clamp onto the L-Plate and then slide the other side on to the 192 rail.  This gives me a reasonably quick tripod mount and without sacrificing stability.  The rail is a bit long when positioned to not interfere with the shift range on the HTS but it does give me an easy look down bubble level and I can still get my eye to the viewfinder to focus without problems.

Has anyone discovered the secret button sequence to display the HTS information on the LCD display in addition to on the grip?  As others have noted, the index marks are not completely accurate and it would be nice to be able to see this info on the LCD on the back.

I did follow the manual suggestions to create a profile to be able to use the stop down and mirror up functions and that was a good idea.

Ross

[NickT]

That said, the first thing I discovered is that I could not mount the camera with HTS on my RRS BH-55 ball head as the L-plate is so far forward the front of the clamp on the BH-55 interferes with the frame of the HTS.

Hi Ross
Did the HTS not come with the spacer block?

Nick-T

[Drchevalier]

Hi Nick,

It did come with the spacer block, but I misplaced that camera bottom plate a while back when I put the L-Plate on the camera and frankly I was underwhelmed by the quality of the spacer block.  I did find another alternative cheaper than my first solution which is to use the L-Plate cable relief spacer.  It's not quite as quick because it locks to the camera via Allen key rather than knob, but it is smaller.

Ross