i have nikon d100,s iam ready to upgrade to pro level the hasselblad
h1 with the kodak pro plus back seams the best way to go, but do i
need the h1, would  a hasselblad 550 other other hasselblad work as
well? i am looking to create high quality images for fasihon and
glamour and am trying to put together the best in lens quality and
digital output. what do the pros use.

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Clarification of Question by lucybuck-ga on 20 Jan 2004 07:34 PST

perhaps this will help my favorite photograper is brent weston, i
would like to get the same quality with fashion images as he did in
digital,i was hoping that by going to a better quality camera and lens
system this would help?

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 22 Jan 2004 17:41 PST

I'm not really sure how to approach an answer to your question. Can
you please detail what you're execting as an answer? For example, my
wife is a professional digital photographer. I could post an answer by
telling you what high-end digital camera she uses, or alternatively I
might be able to find out what various photographers use in their
businesses. Please let me know how to proceed.

Regards;
tutuzdad-ga

Hi, Lucy

I'm NOT a pro but the impression that I have is that Nikon is not the
best when it comes to digital. Dunno about Hasselblad.

I get the impression that Canon are the kings of digital but I've gone
for a Sony myself.

Bryan

Hi, Lucybuck,

I love Hasselblads. What a great medium format system! Unfortunately,
it's been a long time since I did any fashion photography, so I don't
know what digital equipment today's pros are using. Of course, some
fashion shots are still done on film, but that's not what you're
interested in.

Various Hasselblad models, as I'm sure you know, accept digital backs,
though some of the combos can be clumsy. Even old Hasselblad lenses
are incredibly sharp. If you can afford the pricey H1, its lenses, and
its digi back, it sounds like a good system (I don't own one). If your
budget is limited, you can get used Hasselblad cameras, used lenses,
and used digi backs. They should perform well, assuming that you buy
them from a reputable seller. I've bought new and used Hasselblad
equipment, and have never had a problem with either. I can give you
the names of some reputable used equipment dealers, if you want to buy
in the USA.

Here's a site that talks about various digital backs that fit the H1 Hasselblad:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/mf-backs.shtml

Here's a review of the H1:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/hasselblad-h1.shtml


You should note, however, that the H1 is designed to shoot the 645
format, not the classic square format.

There are some questions you should ask yourself: Do you need the H1's
autofocus? I wouldn't. Do you need the built-in meter? Pros use a
hand-held meter (I'd use either the Minolta or the Zone VI spot meter,
depending on what I was shooting). Do you need the small built-in
flash? I'd use a third-party flash, and often more than one of them
(along with myriad diffusers, reflectors, scrims, go-bos, etc.)

I'm curious, though. If you do some fashion photography, even
part-time, haven't you met some of your area's other fashion shooters?
If you live in a place with a small population, you'll find it hard to
make a living specializing in fashion photography, assuming that
that's your goal.

G'luck,
dtc

Hi again,

I had another thought about using the H-series Hasselblad for fashion
shots. Fashion-shoot art directors and photographers frequently want
to have shallow depth of focus in the photos, so that the model and
the clothes stand out. Photographers using 35mm systems often use long
lenses--up to 600mm isn't uncommon. Besides the inherent shallow depth
of field that these lenses give, the photographers further limit depth
of field by shooting these lenses wide open (aperture not stopped
down). The longest lens available for the Hasselblad H-series is
210mm, if I recall correctly. Hasselblad makes 350mm and 500mm lenses
for its 500-series cameras.

Yes, there's a 1.7X teleconverter for the H-series, but I'm not a big
fan of teleconvertors. Plus, the 500-series has them, too.

I would guess that Hasselblad will build a longer H-series lens one
day, but that's mere speculation.

In the meantime to do fashion work, you'd use what lenses--the
50-110mm zoom, plus the 210mm? Have you considered backup equipment?
Every pro photographer needs backup equipment (I carry at least two of
everything when I'm on location). The H-series would make this an
expensive proposition, though you could get around it by just carrying
an H-series 80mm lens, in case the 50-110 goes bad (not the optimal
replacement, but you could manage). But what about a backup body and
digital back? The first time you have to say, "Oops, we have to stop
the shoot; my equipment broke and I don't have a spare," is the last
time you work for that art director, ad agency, or manufacturer. Just
food for thought.  :-)

dtct

Hi again. Do by any chance mean Brett Weston--that's "Brett" with two
Ts--rather than Brent Weston? I don't know a photographer named Brent
Weston, and a quick Google search didn't introduce me to any.

Brett Weston, son of Edward and brother of Cole, is, indeed, famous,
and rightly so. He didn't do much commercial work, though. Can you
give me some examples of the fashion work you're referring to, please?
A web reference would be good, if you have one. I have a book or two
of Edward Weston's work, but I think I only have a small number of
Brett's work scattered among various anthologies.

Or am I misreading you, and you mean that you'd like to do make
fashion photographs that approach Brett's overall level of work?

And there's something else I need a clarification on. You wrote, "...i
would like to get the same quality with fashion images as he did in
digital...." Are you saying that Brett Weston did digital photography?
I never read about him doing any digital work. In fact, there's a
famous story about his burning 60 years' worth of negatives on his
80th birthday. Why? He didn't want anyone else printing them after his
death.

Or are you saying that you'd like to match the quality of Brett's work
by using your digital equipment?

dtc

thank you for the input, it is brett weston,i only have one of his
books,but it is one of mine favorites. What I meant about digital was
if brett was using digital what tools would he be using today? The
luminous-landscape is a good site. What i am looking for is to match
equipment with quailty. If i was to do the level of work that somone
like weston was able to do, what cameras lens would be the best to
buy? hope this helps,thanks mark

Hi,

I'll probably have time this evening (Sunday, eastern time zone, USA),
to follow up. Thanks for the extra info.

If you see this comment before then, please tell me if you're still
interested mainly in fashion and glamor photography, as you mentioned
in your original question.

And how accomplished a photographer are you? Intermediate, advanced
amateur, starting-out pro? Other? Do you want to make a living from
photography? Do you know how to print black and white photos in a
traditional darkroom? Would you consider non-digital equipment and
methods?

dtc

I would guess if Brett Weston were alive today and doing serious
digital photography, he'd be using Hasselblad equipment. I know he
used Hasselblads for his medium-format photography, so I see no reason
why he'd use something else for digi work (unless he dropped down to
35mm for extra portability).

But I'm sure you know that his best work was shot on large format. I
think Weston would have continued using it. In case you're unfamiliar
with the gains in image quality between formats (assuming all other
factors to be equal), think of it this way: Going from medium format
up to 4x5" gives a much larger jump in quality that going from 35mm to
medium format. (And the image quality jump from 35mm to medium format
is already big!) Now imagine jumping from 4x5" to the 8x10" format.
Another huge jump in quality (imagine contact printing an 8x10"
print). And then there are even larger camera systems...

Though it'll probably get there one day, digital photography isn't
ready to match the best photographs made by a master printer using
traditional means and top-notch paper. Have you had a chance to see
first-class black and white prints in person? I mean prints by Ansel
Adams, Edward Weston, and Brett Weston, as well as other master
printers. (Cole Weston, Brett's brother, wasn't as good a printer as
Brett or his father.) Unfortunately, traditional black and white
printing is becoming a dying art. Few photographers seem interested in
making the finest prints. An OK-quality print is acceptable to many
photographers. I've even seen gallery exhibits where the quality of
printing was unacceptable, and that's sad. If you'd like to learn
about making first-class black and white prints, I recommend two Ansel
Adams books, _The Negative_  and  _The Print_.

To get back to your comment and without knowing the level of your
photography, I'd say that if you want to learn photography in general
and you want to move to medium format, buy some used non-digital
Hasselblad equipment. The 500-series bodies and their lenses are
super. If you're solely interested in digital cameras, yes, the
Hasselblad H1 system would be good. Can you afford about $20,000,
though, for a full system? (And remember what I said in an earlier
comment: If you're doing professional photography, you have to have at
least two of everything. Backing up medium format equipment with 35mm
equipment won't give you a good reputation.)

The bottom line: If you aspire to match the quality of Brett Weston's
best work, buy a good large format camera and lenses, and learn how to
make world-class prints in a traditional darkroom. I'm afraid that
there's no way around that. If you'd be happy merely emulating Brett,
then any good camera system will do you well.

If you're not hoping to make at least a part-time living with your
photography, I see the Hasselblad H1 system as overkill. Unless you
have unlimited funds, is it worth spending that much money?

If you give me more information about yourself, I can tailor my
comments to your level of photography. And if you have specific
questions about fashion and glamor photography, feel free to ask.

Here's a web site you might like to explore (includes a great Brett Weston link):
http://www.williamgregory.com/links.htm

dtc