HASSELBLAD HC Macro f4 120mm

Older macro lenses that cannot use XH-Converter 0.8

A review and Photo example of the HASSELBLAD HC Macro 120mm F4 (FUJINON label).

Gallery
Review
Specification
Reference links

Gallery

The sample photos were taken with
- HASSELBLAD X2D
- HASSELBLAD X1D-II
- HASSELBLAD X1D-II +HC-x1.7 Converter

1．Overview

The HASSELBLAD HC Macro 120mm F4 is a 120mm focal length macro lens for Hasselblad H series cameras. There are two types, Type I and the improved Type II. Here, we will introduce the unimproved Type I.
The link to Type II is provided below.

I knew that the lens’ autofocus would not work when used with the HASSELBLAD X1D, the camera I used when I owned the HC 120mm Macro, so I purchased the FUJINON-labeled lens for the HC 120mm Macro at a low price.

When used with the medium-format HxD camera, the film covers a sensor size of 40.2 x 53.7 mm, and the focal length is approximately 82.5 mm.
With the X1D/X1DII (907X), this lens can be used with manual focus via the X H Lens Adapter. When using the XH-Adapter, the focal length is 96mm.

However, there is another miscalculation here. If you use the mount adapter XH CONVERTER 0.8 to connect the HC 120mm to the HASSELBLAD X camera X2D, X1D, X1DII, or 907X with firmware version 17 or earlier, the lens will not be recognized and you will not be able to take pictures. The compatibility table is as follows.

	XH-adapter + HASSELBLAD X camera	XH-Converter x0.8 + HASSELBLAD X camera
HC 120mm I type Firmware 17 or earlier	○: Photography allowed	×: Shooting not possible
HC 120mm I-type Firmware 19.1	○: Photography allowed	○: Photography allowed
HC 120mm II type Firmware 17 or earlier	○: Photography allowed	×: Shooting not possible
HC 120mm II-type Firmware 19.1	○: Photography allowed	○: Photography allowed

This was a big miscalculation, as I thought a cheap lens would be fine for manual focus.

The HC Macro 120mm F4 is compatible with the teleconverter (CONVERTER H1,7X).

If you attach this lens to the X H Lens Adapter* with the H1,7X between them, it becomes a 6.3/202mm telephoto macro with the same minimum shooting distance of 0.39m. As explained on the converter page, the lens becomes a little darker, but you can take more magnified shots with less image degradation.
As it is a macro lens that requires a large amount of extension, the lens body is large and heavy. This lens and the 4.5-5.6/35-90 zoom are almost the same weight.

2．Usability

The HASSELBLAD HC Macro 120mm F4 is the seventh HC/HCD lens I have acquired. When I attached the lens to the X1D and checked the lens information, the firmware was 13.0.0 and the number of shutters was about 4000.

In terms of operability, the wide focus ring makes manual focusing easy. The lens’s appearance is characterized by a narrow, puckered tip.

In addition, this I-type lens does not appear when developing, but when enlarged with the EVF, purple fringes may be visible on subjects such as leaves and pottery.

When using the HC Macro 120mm with the X1D/X1DII/907X and X H Lens Adapter, there is no difference in the lens’s functions as a lens between the Fujinon brand and the Hasselblad brand, and the question is whether or not it can be repaired in the event of a breakdown. If you are using it as a MF macro lens, it is not a bad choice to choose the FUJINON brand, which can be purchased at a lower price.

3．Summary

In conclusion, to sum up the HASSELBLAD HC Macro 120mm F4, it is a huge and heavy life-size macro lens.

It takes some courage to carry it around, but the images it produces are impeccable, so it’s the lens to take out when taking close-up shots.
However, with the I-type, some distortion can be noticeable when the aperture is wide open, so it’s best to use it at around F8.

○Accessory compatibility

Converter H 1.7x (x1.7 teleconverter) can be used.
Extension-Tube-H (H13/H26/H52) can be used.
HTS 1,5 TILT AND SHIFT ADAPTER cannot be used.
Image circle covers 645 film size.

○AF compatibility (HC120)

Autofocus does not work on the HC Macro 120mm lens with either the old firmware (17.0 or earlier) or the extended firmware (19.1) on the HASSELBLAD X-series cameras, X1D, X1DII, X2D, or X907.

Autofocus works on the HASSELBLAD H-series cameras and LEICA S-series cameras.

○About FUJINON lenses

The HC 120mm Macro is available from the Fujifilm brand SUPER EBC FUJINON and can be used with HASSELBLAD H and X series cameras, but only with a maximum shutter speed of 1/800, which narrows the range of expression compared to the latest maximum shutter speed of 1/2000.

Fujifilm brand HC lenses are not covered by Hasselblad repair support, and Fujifilm has also discontinued repair services, so there is nothing you can do if they break down.

Fujifilm brand HC lenses are sold at low prices, but you should be aware of this when purchasing. Hasselblad brand HC lenses can be repaired by Hasselblad for a fee, even if they are old lenses.

Since HC lenses are manufactured by Fujifilm, a mount adapter (H MOUNT ADAPTER G) is also available for the Fujifilm GFX series, which has the same sensor size as the X1D, X1DII, 907X, and X2D. This is for MF (manual focus) only, but you can use not only the mechanical shutter on the camera but also the lens shutter installed on the lens.

Specification

The difference between the HC120mm Type I and Type II is that the basic lens configuration is the same, but the lens arrangement and lens thickness are different, as can be seen from the PDF distributed by Hasselblad. The MTF curves, which are one of the lens performance indicators, are also different. From the MTF curve diagram, it appears that the Type II has improved performance overall, including at full aperture. An overseas review site stated that the Type II is superior in terms of depiction at full aperture, but that there is no noticeable difference when the aperture is stopped down to around F8.

Item	Value	note
focal length(mm)	118.7
Maximum aperture	4
Minimum aperture	45
Lens configuration	9groups 9elements
Minimum distance(m)	0.39
Lens length(mm)	166
Lens max diameter(mm)	96
Filter diameter(mm)	67
Weight(g)	1410

HC Macro 120mm(I型) lens specification

HC Macro 120mm(II型) lens specification

Reference links

Update history

2025.6.4
2024.04.23:modified article
2022.02.26:firest post

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