3rd party longer lenses

[Conner999]

I do not own the 300 and keep waffling about buying it (don't know how often I would use it), but ~US$1800 (plus adapter) for a strong performing 300mm leaf-shutter lens w/full native support is pretty compelling.  The longest HC glass I've owned is 210mm and it was stunning. Idiotically sold it. I've also owned the HC 1.7 and it's about as good as a TC gets.

I do own the XH and XH 0.8 and the latter is a no brainer. I was skeptical, but it does improve lens performance, especially outside the center, reduces CA and open up things by 2/3EV, which the body recognizes. When mounting our HC80 with it, the lens comes up on the body as a 55/2.2 with the FoV as it the 80 were mounted natively on a H6D-100/H5D-60. DoF is SKINNY. Our 28mm/F4 becomes a 19mm/F3.2, etc. Nothing else changes in terms of operation (focus peaking, etc). 

I have used adapted glass extensively on DSLRs (up to the monstrous Mamiya M645 300/3.8 APO) and Fuji GFX-50S and once you start getting into telephotos, especially in medium format, the biggest issues become handling (and thus vibration).

You can save money on the glass, but then end up having to spend good coin and time playing MacGyver trying to find good adapters and lens supports/aftermarket collars to use the thing effectively - and thats w/o dealing with the slow e-shutter on the X.

In short, a good native-mount older manual HC telephoto with a strong collar and adapters designed for it is worth strong consideration.

[pjrankin]

I've had pretty great success using the Pentax 645 150mm-300mm on my x1dii (120-240ish FF equiv), it's incredibly sharp and lightweight and I'm considering adding their 1.4x extender to it to bring it to 166-332mm FF equiv. all in including a fotodiox adapter came to approx €400 shipped from Japan. The only downside is E shutter of course, so very light wind conditions only to prevent dreaded blurring.

[JCM-Photos]

The x1.7XCD is built and designed to go deep inside the XCD135 lens being integrated in its optical design.

This 1.7 extender can also be mounted on adapters to third party lenses but as it is then far from the lens I notice always heavy image vignetting.
I tried it with Zeiss CF 180, Zeiss CF 250 superachromat, Mamiya Sekor C 300mm and in all cases vignetting was way too high.

Using the lens system extender like for example the Zeiss Mutar 2x on CF lenses and then a V to X adapter works perfectly well, and specially well with the CF 250 superachromat

[sanglier]

Since the time that the X series came out, hasselblad could have offered us a long focal length like 400 or 500 mm.
Maybe one day?  Otherwise, it's all DIY. IMHO.

[PeoOrvendal]

I ended up picking up a Hasselblad Zeiss Tele-Tessar CF T 350mm f/5.6 in mint condition, and got an XV adapter. I have a 503cx as well, and this way, I get a telephoto lens I can use on both setups (at the cost of having to use the e-shutter). There also works with the XCD 1.7x tele-converter, giving me a ~600mm option too. After all of this together and mounting it to my X2D, I decided to order the Hasselblad lens tripod mount right away before attempting to put this monstrosity on my tripod... I'll post a few photos with this setup once I get a chance to head out into the field.

[MGrayson]

I ended up picking up a Hasselblad Zeiss Tele-Tessar CF T 350mm f/5.6 in mint condition, and got an XV adapter. I have a 503cx as well, and this way, I get a telephoto lens I can use on both setups (at the cost of having to use the e-shutter). There also works with the XCD 1.7x tele-converter, giving me a ~600mm option too. After all of this together and mounting it to my X2D, I decided to order the Hasselblad lens tripod mount right away before attempting to put this monstrosity on my tripod... I'll post a few photos with this setup once I get a chance to head out into the field.

You might consider a long-lens support rail. In fact, I would not dream of using that combo without one. Here's X2D, XV adapter, 1.4XE, and 350/5.6 on a Hejnar rail.

[AndrewM]

I ended up picking up a Hasselblad Zeiss Tele-Tessar CF T 350mm f/5.6 in mint condition, and got an XV adapter. I have a 503cx as well, and this way, I get a telephoto lens I can use on both setups (at the cost of having to use the e-shutter). There also works with the XCD 1.7x tele-converter, giving me a ~600mm option too. After all of this together and mounting it to my X2D, I decided to order the Hasselblad lens tripod mount right away before attempting to put this monstrosity on my tripod... I'll post a few photos with this setup once I get a chance to head out into the field.

You might consider a long-lens support rail. In fact, I would not dream of using that combo without one. Here's X2D, XV adapter, 1.4XE, and 350/5.6 on a Hejnar rail.

This is quite the setup! Impressive.
This thread has given me some hope about using longer lenses with my X2D and adapted Zeiss V lenses. I have a XV Adaptor and 250/5.6 CF lens, would a XCD 1.7x tele-converter work with that or would i be better off getting an older V Converter 2XE?

[MGrayson]

I ended up picking up a Hasselblad Zeiss Tele-Tessar CF T 350mm f/5.6 in mint condition, and got an XV adapter. I have a 503cx as well, and this way, I get a telephoto lens I can use on both setups (at the cost of having to use the e-shutter). There also works with the XCD 1.7x tele-converter, giving me a ~600mm option too. After all of this together and mounting it to my X2D, I decided to order the Hasselblad lens tripod mount right away before attempting to put this monstrosity on my tripod... I'll post a few photos with this setup once I get a chance to head out into the field.

You might consider a long-lens support rail. In fact, I would not dream of using that combo without one. Here's X2D, XV adapter, 1.4XE, and 350/5.6 on a Hejnar rail.

This is quite the setup! Impressive.
This thread has given me some hope about using longer lenses with my X2D and adapted Zeiss V lenses. I have a XV Adaptor and 250/5.6 CF lens, would a XCD 1.7x tele-converter work with that or would i be better off getting an older V Converter 2XE?

Now that I have the XCD 1.7x, I can do the experiment. The original V 2XE works very well on the 350/5.6 SA shown above.

[JCM-Photos]

I ended up picking up a Hasselblad Zeiss Tele-Tessar CF T 350mm f/5.6 in mint condition, and got an XV adapter. I have a 503cx as well, and this way, I get a telephoto lens I can use on both setups (at the cost of having to use the e-shutter). There also works with the XCD 1.7x tele-converter, giving me a ~600mm option too. After all of this together and mounting it to my X2D, I decided to order the Hasselblad lens tripod mount right away before attempting to put this monstrosity on my tripod... I'll post a few photos with this setup once I get a chance to head out into the field.

You might consider a long-lens support rail. In fact, I would not dream of using that combo without one. Here's X2D, XV adapter, 1.4XE, and 350/5.6 on a Hejnar rail.

This is quite the setup! Impressive.
This thread has given me some hope about using longer lenses with my X2D and adapted Zeiss V lenses. I have a XV Adaptor and 250/5.6 CF lens, would a XCD 1.7x tele-converter work with that or would i be better off getting an older V Converter 2XE?

Now that I have the XCD 1.7x, I can do the experiment. The original V 2XE works very well on the 350/5.6 SA shown above.

Oh yes it works so well when I use this combo Mutar 2x + CF 250 SA
sad that Phocus has no optical correction for Mutar combos
Phocus optical correction exists for the CF 250 SA so I use it also with the Mutar,
It works exceptionally well

[davidjiang]

One important fact you may not be aware of, and that no one else has mentioned yet, is that the XCD 1.7 tele converter works perfectly with the HC 300 lens, yielding a 510mm telephoto. Since you already own the XCD 135 plus the 1.7 converter, the HC 300/4.5 lens would definitely be the best and obvious choice for a long telephoto.
And, of course, with the HC 300 lens, you would utilize its own built-in leaf shutter, without having to use the dreaded electronic shutter required with all other 3rd party lenses. You would need the standard XH adapter to mount. And yes - I do own & use this equipment.
Great Blue Heron - HC 300 + XCD 1.7 converter with XH adapter.

Great shot indeed!
The HC300 orange dot is so difficult to find on the 2nd hand market, mint one asking $5,000 and more! But I am still really interested!
May I ask how about the AF performance on X2D? include HC300 + XH adapter, HC300 + XH adapter + XCD 1.7, and HC300 + XH 0.8 if you also have this combo.
Really appreciate your valued advice!

Best

[Bob Foster]

Hello David,

Patience may help in acquiring an HC 300 (orange dot) at a more reasonable price. I purchased one in mint condition with a low shutter count about a year ago for ~$3500.

The true focal length of the HC 300 (per Hasselblad is 292mm. Adding a 1.7X teleconverter to the optics thus produces a focal length of a bit over 496mm. Autofocus and image stabilization do work when using the HC 300 (orange dot) with my X2D. Nevertheless, despite the published limits of 500mm neither image stabilization nor auto focus are available with either the X converter 1.7 or the HC converter 1.7 on my X2D. EXIF data is available in full with use of these combinations.

With either the HC 300 + XH Adapter or the HC 300 + HC 1.7 Converter + XH Adapter I have to pixel peep at greater than 200% to see any signs of chromatic aberration on or adjacent to a reflective metal surface. The corners are a bit softer than the XCD 135 with or without its' dedicated teleconverter. The XCD 135 is an exceptional lens. The HC 300, with or without use of the HC 1.7 teleconverter, is suitable for all but the most critical work. Given the smaller size of the X2D sensor compared to either 6X6 (nominal) for film or 53.4X40 as in the H6D100c you have use of the best portion of the image circle, it's my opinion that you'd have to carefully select a situation where an image produced by either the 250 or 350 Super Achromat were clearly, in every respect, superior. Contrast is often better with the HC 300 probably due to advances in coatings.


I can't recommend use of the X converter either alone with the HC 300 (HC 300 + XH adapter + X converter 1.7) or in addition to the HC 1.7 converter (HC 300 + HC converter 1.7 + XH Adapter + X converter 1.7). Overall image quality did not approach the Hasselblad standard that I hoped for given a calm atmosphere and use of a very solid tripod and head. In addition, these combinations produced a strong and very odd color fringing, cyan and orange that was readily visible without magnification in Phocus, Phocus was unable to satisfactorily remove the fringing, The fringing was a bit worse on the edges and corners than in the central 70% of the image. Lightroom and Photoshop work well on ordinary purple and green fringing, and less than optimally in an odd instance like this. The defringing tool in Affinity does not appear to be biased to efficiently remove purple and green but will readily remove any fringing color. As the edges and corners were more affected than the center I treated those areas on an additional layer, I noted above that the X Teleconverter was designed for use with the XCD 135. Perhaps this is why things did not work well with the HC 300.

I do not own an XH Converter, thus I can't offer anything from experience.

The HC 300 is heavy. With or without a converter I can't emphasize the need for an truly best quality tripod and head enough. I fully agree with Matt Grayson that long lens support is essential.

Only when the atmosphere is truly calm can good results be expected.

I'll add to this that inequalities in temperature on and near the earths surface can be as bad or worse. This creates a form of mirage that can cause some of the elements within an image to appear to slowly drift, wiggle, or move  very rapidly ("snap")  by as much as a full degree.

Bob

[davidjiang]

Dear Bob

Thanks so much for the hands-on experience sharing!

It is truly helpful for me in the situation of no chance to try.

Great to learn that the the IQ of HC 300 + XH adapter is par with XCD 135 (w/wo 1.7) except corners. and also it is a pity that the AF will not work with any teleconverter. I agree that the X1.7 is dedicated for XCD 135, so the performance downgrade on HC 300 can be expected.

Totally agree with you and Matt that the lens support is critical for telephoto especially greater than 300mm. and appreciate the alert for the mirage phenomenon near ground (I have occasionally notify some when shot in Africa).

I will wait patient for a good price, around $4000 will be good

BTW, do you have any experience or insights for the FF telephoto lens work on 4433, such as Canon EF 328/428? beside the AF and aperture change challenge, does the IQ can reach HB standard? (I have adapted the TS-E 17L before X2D upgrade the firmware to 3.1.0, the performance is amazing from f5.6 corner to corner, without shift too much).

Thanks again for your warm and professional experience sharing!

Best
David

[JCM-Photos]

My trials to use the X 1.7 X extender from the XCD135 with third party lenses gave poor results in terms of vignetting.

As the extender is before the adapter ring and too far from the third party tele it gives strong bad vignetting.

The Zeiss Mutar 2X gives superb results with Zeiss CF Apo teles.
The problem with the 250 Superachromat is that it only opens at f:11 what makes V camera focusing impossible on the ground glass, so you have to focus with LV.
Other problem is the limited shutter speed of 1/500s what makes handhold shooting impossible, only tripod and mirror prerelease can give sharp digital images.
Used on X cameras you have the rolling shutter problem you have to deal with.

[MGrayson]

I had an HC 300/4.5, but stupidly sold it when I got the 350/5.6 SA. With the X2D, I find that AF is seldom accurate enough and I'm always doing manual adjustments - especially at large apertures. It's not that the AF fails, it's that it often focuses on the wrong thing. Focus peaking, which works across the entire frame, shows me the band of focus and I can move it to suit.

So I would happily use a non-orange-dot HC 300 for its shutter alone. And with IBIS, it is possible to use magnified manual focus, even hand-held.

This was hand-held and without IBIS (Leica S) 1/750 sec



And on a tripod..



Great lens. Did I mention I was stupid for selling it?

Matt

[Bob Foster]

David,

Autofocus does indeed work with the HC 300 plus the XH adapter. As Matt noted the result of such use  can almost always benefit from a slight manual adjustment. Ibis works with this combination but I am past the age where I'd attempt to use this lens handheld. I routinely shut Ibis off when using a tripod.

Autofocus does not work with the HC 300 plus the H 1.7 teleconverter plus the XH Adapter I did not attempt to try use of Ibis.

I'm willing to try a Nikon 500mm f4 with and without a 1.4 X teleconverter and my Novoflex adapter. However, the weather forecast shows that the next suitable time when conditions might be suitable is shortly after dawn on 3 April.

Bob