Is Hasselblad Still a Camera Company?

I read Michael Reichmann's Wretched Excess on Hasselblad's dress ups of the NEX-7 and RX100 and sell them for an insane amount of money. Beyond the basic cameras that's made by Sony, everything else is bling-bling.  I don't doubt there are lots of people out there with so much money they don't know what to do with, and won't blink an eye and drop seven grand on a NEX-7, er, I mean the Luna, but to the majority of us who actually use cameras to shoot pictures, all this makes no sense. I fully get where Hasselbling is going. They target a very small group of people who buy these cameras as fashion accessories, or as a show-off piece. There are people who are addicted to acquire stuff that are out of the norm. Just think how many "special edition" Leica models has been introduced and you know there is a market out there.

I will shamefully admit that I am addicted to camera gear; I am addicted to using old lenses to take pictures; I am addicted to weird optical stuff that can be made to take pictures, and now dangerously on the verge of bicycle addiction. I don't blame those who buy Lunas and Stellars, but the tactic employed by Hasselblad is simply wrong. It ruins the reputation of a company often associated with great photographic equipment, prestige, and the mark it has left in the photographic history (images taken from the moon). Perhaps, Hasselblad wants to be the next Hermes and LV, selling excessively expensive accessories. What a shame.

Shot from the backyard - Sony NEX-6 & Elgeet Cine Navitar 2 inch f1.5 @ f1.5.

Wollensak Raptar 50mm f1.5 C-Mount - Photo Set

The Wollensak Raptar 2 inch (50mm) f1.5 is the last c-mount lens I purchased, and that was last year.  So, I have been pretty good at NOT buying a lot of lenses. I figured I really should use more of what I have already got. Most c-mount lenses vignette severely on the NEX cameras, including this one. In many ways, that's one of the charm of this kind of lenses; it's a hardware based vignette feature and no Photoshop is required :)

I really like this lens. Not only because it's optically interesting, but the build quality is first rate. The chrome finish looks gorgeous; decades passed and it is still beautiful. Very happy to have this lens. In fact, I like this one more than the Kodak Anastigmat 50mm f1.6, even though it does not have the close focusing capability as the Kodak. Both lenses are superb but the excessive swirling of the Kodak sometimes drives me crazy.

Bokeh - NEX-6 & Wollensak Raptar 50mm f1.5. Click for larger.

Bokeh #2 - NEX-6 & Wollensak Raptar 50mm f1.5. Click for larger.

Glenpine in Black & White - NEX-6 & Wollensak Raptar 50mm f1.5

The Jay Walker - NEX-6 & Wollensak Raptar 50mm f1.5

Must, Resist...

I am weak when it comes to camera gear purchases.  The situation is made worse now that I don't have my old NEX-5N, which I am enamored of.  It has excellent image quality and dynamic range.  The Panasonic G1 that I am using now was a good camera, but I find that its high ISO capability leaves me wanting.  The noise over ISO 400 looks like two generations behind the NEX-5N.  In fact, it reminds me of the Canon 1Ds I used to have.  Excellent low ISO, but noisy over ISO 400.

More than a few times I almost pulled the trigger and bought the NEX-6, but kept reminding myself that it would be cheaper after Christmas, and that the Panny G1 will tie me over.  But, I have been spoiled by the NEX-5N.  Sigh.

"Girls" - Panasonic G1 & Wollensak Raptar 50mm f1.5. Click for larger.

Sunset at Port of Toronto

We have been having a lot of rain the last few days, but yesterday evening we saw a beautiful sunset, which is a treat.  More rain is expected in the next few days, thanks to Hurricane Sandy.

Sunset at Port of Toronto - NEX-5N & Wollensak Raptar 50mm f1.5. Click for larger.

More Samples from Birns & Sawyer [Tewe] 200mm f3.2

The more I use the Birns & Sawyer [Tewe] 200mm f3.2, the more I like it.  I didn't have a very good impression of it the first time I used it and found that its bokeh was somewhat distracting.  Then I found that for some scenes, no matter what lens you use, the bokeh will look awful.  This lens is growing on me.

Fall Colours - NEX-5N & Birns & Sawyer 200mm f3.2. Click for larger

Park Benches - NEX-5N & Birns & Sawyer 200mm f3.2. Click for larger

A Look Back at the First EVIL Camera - Panasonic G1

Out of guilt, I took the Panasonic G1 out yesterday.  It was literally collecting dust.  Besides, the Wollensak one inch (25mm) Cine Raptar hasn't seen the light of day since I got it, because its imaging circle is too small for the NEX-5N.

First thing that jumped to my mind was how good the viewfinder is, even against the very best on the market (Sony external viewfinder for the 5N).  Yes, it's not as crisp and detailed as the Sony, but proudly holds its own.  Considering the G1 is four years old, this says something.  

In some ways, I prefer the colour from the Panasonic than the NEX-5N.  It seems more vibrant and pleasing to look at.  But when it comes to image quality, the NEX-5N is clearly the winner.  Even at ISO 320, the G1 shows lots of noise, compared to the G1, thanks to the larger sensor and better on-chip noise reduction of the NEX-5N.  The G1 reminds me of the original Canon 1Ds, where low ISO quality is superb, but anything above ISO 320, it gets very noisy.

The G1 is still a very capable camera.  Certainly it's no worse than when it was introduced four years ago.  We tend to want the latest and greatest, and forgetting that older equipment can still make beautiful images.

Lunch with the birds - Panasonic G1 & Wollensak Cine Raptar one inch f1.9. Click for larger.

Pink Dahlia - Panasonic G1 & Wollensak Cine Raptar one inch f1.9 @ f1.9. Click for larger.

Leaves - G1 & Wollensak Raptar two inch f1.5.

Sunset in the City

Sunset -- Panasonic G1 & Cine Kodak 3 inch f4.5

I think the one feature I missed the most in the NEX-5 is the view finder.  It just does not feel natural to me taking pictures without the view finder, not to mention very hard to get critical focus.  The G1 series of cameras are still one of the best for manual focus lens.

Tried out the tiny Cine Kodak 3 inch (75mm) f4.5 c-mount lens.  I mean it's really small for a 75mm lens but, like all the Kodak cine lenses I have, it never disappoints in the optical department.  On the G1 it has a bit of vignette with the hood on at infinity.  Not a low light lens, but a good lens.