Hasselblad 203FE review & compare with Hasselblad 500C/M

[@JMaxwell1000]

Great presentation! The Planar 110/f2 has an absolutely stunning bokeh - so the entire system is worth it just for that fact alone. Simply stunning lens.

[@Anarki2U]

Yes go for the Zeiss Planar 110mm 2.0, but also the Zeiss Distagon 50mm 2.8 is a very good "must have" lens !

[@seantomlinson3320]

Neat, thanks. Saw one of these up on Fred Miranda and I had to find out just what it is. What a special camera.

[@Anarki2U]

I had the Hasselblad 500 C/M camera, but I got tird of the blackened top view in the finder when using a macro or tele lens, so I got the Hasselblad 2000 FC camera and l got the lenses Zeiss Distagon 50mm 2.8, Zeiss Planar 110mm 2.0, Zeiss Tele-Tessar 350mm 4.0 and Zeiss Mutar 2X, a great set of lenses, I can very highly recommend these 3 Hasselblad F-lenses plus the 2X ! For the 500 C/M camera I had the Zeiss Macro-Planar 120mm 4.0 and the Zeiss Tele-Tessar 250mm 4.0, but the Zeiss Planar 110mm 2.0 with the Zeiss Mutar 2X was so good that I did not need the Zeiss Macro-Planar 120mm 4.0 and Zeiss Tele-Tessar lenses 250mm any more.

[@MarcS4R]

i would love to get the Tessar 350...saw some amazing samples with it

[@andyvan5692]

Alastair, the reason the mirror can't auto return is the baffle system is separate, and connected, for the safety of the film, you have to cock the shutter, to wind the film, and place the baffle down to remove a lens, or back {saves the lens rear element or internals getting dust or moisture in it}.

[@Anarki2U]

I had the Hasselblad 500 C/M, but I got tird of the blackened top view in the finder when using a macro or tele lens, so I got the 2000 FC and later the 50mm 2.8, 110mm 2.0, 350mm 4.0 and Mutar 2X, a great set of lenses ! For the 500 C/M I had the 120mm 4.0 macro and the 250mm 4.0, but the 110mm 2.0 with the Mutar 2X was so good that I did not need the 120mm and 250mm any more.

[@magnusmalmberg2842]

Bought my 203 just for the 2/110 lens. Hasselblads finest.

[@parratt-world]

Me too, but then couldn't resist the 150mm. Ha ha ha

[@Anarki2U]

Try also with the Zeiss Mutar 2X ! And try the Zeiss Distagon 50mm 2.8

[@MarcS4R]

@@Anarki2U Distagon 50 is amazing

[@andyvan5692]

one more advantage to the battery 200 series, the DARKSLIDE also acts as a shutter lock, like the 500 series! BUT also prevents accidental metering system activation in your bag, or during transport, saving battery life.

[@johnhjung2619]

this works like a 501cm without a battery. put it in c mode and set settings on lens

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

HA! Thanks for that little tidbit. I didn't know this thing did anything without a battery. And you're right - it does work just like a 500cm, including having the mirror not return until the crank is wound. However, I think one should point out that you do need to use a c or a cf lens (or a cfe or cfi lens) on the body - it won't work with an f or an fe lens because they don't have any shutters in them. I appreciate you telling me that - it'll save my bacon one of these days.

[@obican]

@@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird I thought only the 2000 series worked without a battery, TIL. You can probably still use an F or FE lens that way with a flash, that was a neat little trick older series 500C/M and 500C were capable of: The flash sync socket on the body is timed to the shutter curtains so you can use shutterless lenses with flash.

[@andyvan5692]

@@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird WAIT, I've been looking into a 205Fcc and they DON'T work without a battery! they fire, but can't re-cock without it!! no matter which lens you use. {you need this shutter to close, as the in-body focal plane shutter replaces the baffles, so once fired, you can't even get the mag off it, safety reasons! }

[@TK6917]

Is it possible to use the leaf shutter insetea of panel in the 203fe to acheive faster flash sync?

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

I don't have the camera in front of me, but I believe you set the shutter speed on the 203fe body to 'c' and then you use a C, CF or CFi (CFe) lens as you would on a 500-series body.

[@jirivacek1452]

hello, if possible i like to ask you for little hint wih FE hasselblad. When you attach prism viewfinder, how then looks metering display on ground screen, will it become mirror reversed in viewfinder? Many thanks for any reply. And thank for your videos about photography too!

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

Sorry - I have been meaning to pick up my 203 to confirm, but with both the waist-level-finder and the prism the information on the display is legible and correct. I’m not sure how they do it, but I have never seen the info reversed, both with and without the prism.

[@jirivacek1452]

@@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird Thank you very much for this valuable info! I have to save for that prism finder. Or maybe even have to re-align my ground glass by service. I had aquired 110mm lens recently (which is my dream come true) DoF is really thin so i realised how hard is to focus on the go with basic waist level finder. I suspecting even that maybe ground glass is not perfectly aligned. With 80mm 2.8 i am able to focus correctly, but with 110, i have too much focusing errors. Again thank for your valuable content. Wish you all best.

[@akeeh]

203FE (and 202/205 models) has a small switch in the slot where waist level finder and prism slide, the attachment foot of both of them are shaped a bit differently and when attached, the prism foot will press this switch and waist level finder doesn't, allowing the camera to detect if to reverse the display content or not. The display has text segments like DIFF and ISO two times on the display, normal on the other side and reversed on the other for this purpose, A and M letters on the edges of the screen will switch sides depending if WLF or prism is used as they A and M are already symmetric shapes and look the same mirrored, it's a neat design for the constraints of a small display. If curious to see how it works in practice, the switch is located in the shallow groove on the left side if the display (battery side of the camera) and can be gently pressed with a piece of paper or thin cardboard to switch between normal and mirrored.

[@mikemalloy1681]

Which lens is that for the 203FE? You did not say. I have a 503cw and would like to try the 203fe.

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

Ah, it's the 110F2 lens for just the 200/2000 version cameras. One of my favourite lenses.

[@MarcS4R]

i have a 110/2 F (not FE) lens, about to buy a 203FE.could i shoot it in Aperture Priority ? for some reason i thought it would only work with an FE lens only.

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

Well, it does work, but it isn't a perfect system. With an FE lens you just set the aperture and the camera does the rest. You focus and compose (and meter - very important) normally with the lens wide open (like in any other camera system) and then the lens stops down when you take the photo. With the F lens, you have to use the depth-of-field lever on the lens to pre-stop it down before you compose so you can meter the scene correctly and you can expose the film correctly. I find it is only an issue when I'm at f8 or f11 and it can be hard to see sometimes, through the viewfinder. Also - remembering to actually use the depth of field lever is important. Setting the aperture doesn't work unless you use the DOF lever. However, in saying that I really should double-check to make sure. I'm *fairly* confident that's how it works.

[@MarcS4R]

@@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird thanks for your reply man. i got my 203 FE today, but the metering is a little confusing. if i shoot wide open , with my F 110 do i still have to stop the lens down to meter correctly ? the values i got wide open in aperture priority seem to be correct but i wanted to ask before i waste some film :)

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

@@MarcS4R Nope, if you're shooting wide open then the metering *should* be correct. No need to stop down at F2 - only at smaller apertures. Careful about hitting the max shutter speed, though. I find in bright light the '2000' is blinking in the viewfinder and I need to stop down. Also, there is no protection for a battery that is installed backwards. You will fry your electronics if you make that mistake. I ALWAYS make sure that the '+' symbol on the battery matches the '+' symbol on the battery cart before I insert the battery. Just a little tidbit in case you don't already know that. Oh, and congratulations on the new camera!

[@davidperry4924]

@@MarcS4R Marc do you mind sharing what you paid for it?

[@MarcS4R]

@@davidperry4924 sure 850 euros David. the lens arrived faulty, so the dealer paid to get it CLAd

[@iNerdier]

Heh. Interesting you have the same problem with your Mamiya 6, I've learnt to never trust the meter on mine. I think it's mostly because it's not through the lens but anything backlit I just have to remember to completely forget even trying. I inherited a Hasselblad 500C from my grandfather and it's what got me into photography really, I shot it at art school a few years ago. You've kind of sold me on a 200 though now, not that I can afford it.

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

Funny (and not in a good way) about the Mamiya 6 light meter. It took me at least a dozen rolls to figure out how it worked. I found the easiest way to get it close was to put +1 stop on the exposure compensation. We'll do a video on the M6 soon. As for the 203, well, yes, it's a fabulous camera but I'm not convinced it's essential. A Hasselblad is essential, but not necessarily the 200-series.

[@rossa7215]

Never used a Hasselblad with internal meter, but trying to nail exposure on a backlit scene is one of the toughest situations to expose for. Have to decide what you want to be the most important part of the frame, then be ready to interpret your light readings. On the 203FE, I don’t know if I would buy one now. (And the capabilities of that camera are very attractive!) One-They are still pricey. Two-They are all electronic and if anything breaks it becomes a paperweight because no one will repair (at least in the US). I recently bought a 503CX, and then added a 2000FCW. Regarding the 2000, One-Much simpler camera overall, and you still get the capability of 1/2000 shutter. Two-They can be had for 25% the price of a 203FE. I paid $550 for mine. Yes, there is that very delicate shutter, but on the FCW Hasselblad added a safety mechanism for it. When you remove the magazine, the shutter curtains retract into the body so they are out of the way. I also like that I can share lenses on both bodies since the lenses I have are all CF. Yeah, I know I am missing out on the extra stop of speed on the F/FE lenses, but I simply don’t have a budget for them. No offense Mr Bird! I’d love a 110/2.0. Maybe someday.

[@Anarki2U]

The Hasselblad are designed to hold in your palm of the left hand so you use your left hans pointing finter to trigger the shutter button.

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

I'm a terrible southpaw (left-handed) and I'm always using cameras the wrong way!

[@boisNgyrls]

He didn't prep for this video? He kept saying "I am not sure", "I never use that"

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

Not sure I follow? Can you elaborate?

[@1911geek]

Another speaker racing against time speakers, the how much I know complex. moving on

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

Can you clarify? Is this a comment on how quickly I speak? Or on the equipment being old? Or what, exactly? It feels like you're trying to bring forth an insult but I might be totally misunderstanding what you have written.

[@arricammarques1955]

@@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird 'Am I speaking to fast for you?' LOL

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

@@arricammarques1955 It's a bad habit. One I constantly try to work on.

[@eyebidder]

this was painful!

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

Why?

[@cruscante]

Prononciation à la limite de l'entendement

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

And I'm from the West Coast of North America, where I'm told we barely have any accent! My apologies for any issues with communication. If you read through some of the other comments, it's something that I'm constantly working on. My elocution leaves quite a bit to be desired, even after all the videos we have done - and all the feedback we have received. I hope you were able to *mostly* understand what was said, and I assure you, my later videos are better than the earlier ones. Thanks for the feedback.

[@cruscante]

@@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird Oh, Sir you do not need to apologie, istead it is ME who should apologize for my too swift and harsh comment. The problem for me consists in reconcile my passion for photography with all these tutorials spoken in English since I am just a french-italian speaking person and due to the velocity of your elocution I missed some interesting points of your scholarly presentation much to my frustration ( sorry for my awkward english- even my German is better). My compliments for your work anyway.

[@UnderexposedwithAlastairBird]

@@cruscante You are too kind, thank you. Regardless, my aim is to be able to communicate effectively to everyone - and I appreciate the reminder to not assume everyone can follow me as well as a native-speaker. Also, if you have any questions or would like any opinions, by all means let me know - I'm always happy to discuss Hasselblad cameras (and any other camera, really)