MichaelErlewin
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
|
Count Me In…
If you will have me, I’m up to spending more time around this forum. This is my introduction.
From my discussion with ‘Flash’ in this post, I’m reminded of the joy of photographing and, in particular, with what I would call great walk-around lenses. I tend to forget about those because for many years all I cared about was the process of photographing, and not so much the end results, and not how much trouble they are to use. As a focus stacker from before it became popular, I remember being ridiculed for stacking focus because it was somehow like ‘cheating’ they would say. Times change.
I started with photography in 1956 when I was fourteen years old, using a Kodak Retina 2a (35mm slides), three close-up lenses, a light meter, and a small tripod… and went from there. I was doing serious close-up photography even then. I enclose a photo from when I was 14 years old.
And so, I don’t understand why the vitriol for the outstanding work of Lloyd Chambers. Of course, I believe you have to go behind the curtain of subscription and study Chamber's exhaustive work on various cameras and lenses. If you have not done that, you can’t know what is available there. IMO, it’s a lot better than any books I know!
However, it’s true that Chambers is not so concerned about what are called ‘walk-around’ lenses that are probably not up to landscape or architectural work, but just good all-around lightweight cameras with lenses that match for snapshots and whatever else we can produce with them. We need those too.
Attacking Chambers personally for having a subscription service makes no sense to me because making a living as a professional photographer in 2024 is no laughing matter, which is why I chose to be an amateur and made a living doing something that was more lucrative. I do photography because I love it. I’m not saying there are not professional photographers who do well, just that in my experience they seem to be the exception in these times and not the rule -- a sensitive subject. I’m retired.
In my own world, I have learned about photography most by doing photography, yet have had a few photographers from whom I have learned, starting with Bjørn Rørslett of Nikon Gear, but also Thom Hogan, and others. I also spent some time on Luminous Landscape, and occasionally peeked into Fred Miranda. And of course Lloyd Chambers.
However now that I have drank the Kool Aid of the Hasselblad system, things are changing. I’m looking for fellow Hasselblad users and Fred Miranda seems to have some, like right here.
I am somewhat new to Hasselblad lenses, but I had a Mamiya RZ67 (and lenses) years ago, as well as many view cameras, and then the first Hasselblad mirrorless, the X1D, which at the time, IMO, was not ready for prime time for my work. I also had the first GFX-50, and a slew of Sony DSLRs, and also their video cameras.
For a long time, many years, I have settled on Nikon F-mount cameras, mostly their digital bodies, from the first Coolpix, on to the D1X, and on up the line D700, D3X, D3, D300, D800, D810, D850,. I have had over 150 lenses, mostly for Nikon, and also have owned the Z7, Z7II, Z9, and Z8… plus almost all the Z lens primes with an “S” mark, but only a couple of long lenses. I’m a closeup photographer for the most part.
However, and this for me is a real inflection point, with the Hasselblad X2D, my photographic life has changed…. abruptly. The X2D is just that good, IMO, and as a minimalist, it’s right up my alley. I don’t miss the bells and whistles of the current DSLRs and I have a bunch of Nikons if I do.
Those that keep telling me that the GFX color is as good (or better) than the Hasselblad color system, I have to politely disagree. I can’t see it and I’m not blind.
I have all the technical cameras that I need and have mounted my X2D on the Cambo Actus Mini-G, where I can shoot with many large-format lenses. I also have the Nikon-X2D adapter and can shoot my many F-mount Nikon lenses and I do.
Which brings me back to this post. I have to thank “Flash,” Gordon Cahill, who correctly pointed out to me that I did not know what I’m talking about when I commented on the new XCD V lenses, some criticisms I learned from Lloyd Chambers. My mistake was to parrot or repeat what Chambers laid out clearly in his subscription blog, the imperfections of the XCD V series, without proving this for myself.
For many years I have tested any lens I have myself and I have many free books on that, especially close-up and macro lenses.
http://spiritgrooves.net/e-Books.aspx#Photography
Chambers is not wrong, yet there is a caveat IMO, which is: “IF” you are using these XCD V lenses for landscape and architecture. Chambers does not talk much about ‘walk around’ lenses other than just that. And I pointed out to Lloyd Chambers recently that I remember when, in his subscription blog, he first got the Sony A1. He was ecstatic and he was like walking around just being thrilled with the freedom and joy it gave him from what else was available at the time. To me, that’s what it’s all about and why I’m an amateur. I think that’s what’s happening to me with the Hasselblad X2D.
I suggest that if you have any technical questions about what Chambers posts, that you subscribe and look at his coverage of the Hasselblad lenses. It is as good and thorough as any I have seen. If there are better ones, please send me the link. Then we could discuss where he is not accurate if he is. Anyway, let’s talk about the X2D and its lenses.
I think that those of us who are using the more technical cameras perhaps forget the enthusiasm of a good all-purpose “walk around” camera; I know I have. And the moment I picked up my X2D I was filled with that kind of joy, and I find that with the X2D, its uplifting me from my decades of close-up stacked focus and turning me loose on the world. With the X2D I want to take photos of just about everything, including (heaven forbid) people!
What am I doing different now that I have the X2D, aside from having fun? For one, since I’m known for my photographs, I’ve been invited to and doing at least four music concerts or events this summer. They offer me artist parking, all-access passes for my wife and myself, food, and companionship, since my background was performing music back in the day and my daughter performs at most of these. I am used to being backstage, and for me this is about as fun as it gets at 83 years of age.
And to ‘Flash’, thanks for calling me out and I just threatened my marriage by ordering (after reading your notes) a used XCD 55mm f/2.5 and will see for myself what it can do for my work, which I should have done in the first place. My guess is that it will be more about convenience, lightness, and ease of use than about image quality. I’ll give a report if anyone is interested.
I should add some closure here. After hearing what Gordon had to say, and the
Brouhaha that followed, I heard what he pointed out, only to find out a few days later from another lens expert (that I also know personally), who is IMO the best photographer I have ever seen, told me personally the same thing about this Hasselblad 55mm V lens exactly. He uses it all the time.
Now this particular photographer is someone who designs not only lenses but also helped to design my new camera, the Hasselblad X2D. He built into the X2D features that are crucial to me, and he was part of a team of experts who designed a particular lens I would like to own, the Hasselblad XCD 80mm f/1.9. And this photographer was responsible (on the X2D) for the FW updates, e-shutter, standby-sleep mode, and the mark II evolution. In fact, as mentioned, he says he uses the XCD 55mm f.2,5 all the time and speaks highly of it.
Certainly he too knows what he is talking about and it turns out that I didn’t know what I was talking about because I was just parroting someone else’s comments (which comments were published publicly) without first verifying if those comments were true for me. And so, I hope there is more Hasselblad and lens discussion possible here on the forum.
Here is one of my closeup photos when I was 14 years old with my Kodak Retina 2a.
And here is one of my nature photos that I have been doing for many years, and which the X2D prompted me to not do any more of. LOL.
And finally, here is me just getting started with the X2D, a photo taken today with the XCD 21 lens of a jar of honey that resulted from a trip to a local Amish farm.
|
