HASSELBLAD HC 300mm F4.5
Review and Photo example of the HASSELBLAD HC 300mm F4.5.
Table of contents
- Gallery
- Review
- Specifications
- Accessory compatibility
- AF support
- About FUJINON lens
- Reference links
- Update history
- About Affiliate link
Gallery
Review
The Hasselblad HC 300mm F4.5 is a 300mm focal length lens for Hasselblad H series cameras.
Since it is an HC series, when used with a medium format camera HxD, the sensor size covers up to 40.2 x 53.7mm, and the focal length multiplied by the sensor magnification is approximately 197mm.
X1D, X1DII, 907X, and X2D are used via either X H Lens Adapter or XH CONVERTER 0.8.
- Focal length 240mm F4.5 when using X H Lens Adapter*
- Focal length 192mm F3.5 when using XH CONVERTER 0.8*
- Focal length 408mm F7.1 when using X H Lens Adapter and H x1.7 teleconverter
- The focal length is the equivalent focal length when using a 44x33mm sensor.
AF-compatible telephoto lenses that can be used with medium format cameras include this lens and the Tele-Apotessar T350mm F4 for CONTAX 645. Please see the specification table for the differences in lens specs. I have never purchased and used the Tele-Apotessar T350mm F4, but I was able to try it out on a camera (LEICA S Typ007) at a camera store. As is obvious, the lens is heavy. When the teleconverter is attached, it weighs more than 4kg, making it feel even heavier. There is a difference of about 1 kg between the entire camera system, but I felt that the HC 300mm was slightly better for handheld shooting.
I have purchased the HC300mm twice, and the first purchase was a FUJINON brand lens at a bargain price. Since this model does not have an orange dot, the shutter speed is limited to 1/800, and autofocus (AF) cannot be used with the X H Lens Adapter* or XH CONVERTER 0.8.
The MF feel was good, and I was able to use the EVF’s focus magnification function to shoot exactly where I wanted without any problems.
When using the X H Lens Adapter, there are no particular problems even under backlighting, and the image output via Phocus is focused without disturbance to the periphery, and there is no visible vignetting. I found it to be good enough to use with a 44×33 sensor.
The lens itself weighs 2kg, and if you add the converter (175g or 430g) and camera (766g), it weighs about 3kg, so you won’t want to carry it around in your hand. If you add an x1.7 teleconverter to it, the weight will increase to 3.5kg (+500g).
Unfortunately, the old HC300mm had frequent communication failures between the lens and the body, so I had to return the lens and only used it for about two weeks.
For my second purchase, I found an almost unused Orange Dot lined up at a familiar camera store, and the price was very attractive, so I decided to purchase it.
The HC300 with lens firmware 19.1.0, called Orange Dot, was able to use AF with the H x1.7 teleconverter attached to the X1DII. The AF focusing speed is slow, similar to old compact digital cameras.
When I checked the AF focusing speed on the X2D, which has improved AF, I found that it was not that different from the X1DII. It takes a certain amount of time to focus when photographing the moon, so I find it difficult to use AF to photograph a hawk migrating across the sky over Shirakaba Pass. I couldn’t visit the mountain pass in 2023, but what about 2024?
X2D now supports AF when used with a teleconverter with firmware v3.1.0 on December 1, 2023. However, the X2D’s in-body image stabilizer (IBIS) does not function when used with the HC300+ HC1.7 teleconverter. I keep ordering improvements from Hasselblad, so I hope they improve with the next firmware.
Specificaton
| Item | HASSELBLAD HC300 | CONTAX 645 Tele-Apotessar |
| focal length(mm) | 292 | 349.5 |
| Maximum aperture | 4.5 | 4 |
| Minimum aperture | 45 | 45 |
| Lens configuration | 9elements in 7groups | 9elements in 8groups |
| Leaf blade | – | – |
| Minimum distance(m) | 2.45 | 1.9 |
| Lens length(mm) Distance form mount frange | 198 | 273 |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 100 | 114 |
| Filter diameter(mm) | 95 | 95 |
| Weight(g) | 2120 | 3610 |
| Option Tele converter | x1.7 | x1.4 |
| Specs when equipped with teleconverter Focal length / F value / Weight (g) | 510 / F7.1 / 2585 | 490 / F5.6 / 4120 |
| List price(Yen) | 738,815 | – |
HC 300mm lens Specification documents PDF
Accessory compatibility
- Extension-Tube-H (H13/H26/H52) can be used.
- The image circle covers up to medium format film size.
- Converter H 1.7x (x1.7 teleconverter) can be used.
- X H Lens Adapter* and XH CONVERTER 0.8* can be used.
- X2D firmware 3.1.0 (released 2023.12.1) allows IBIS to function in combination with XH CONVERTER 0.8*.
- X2D firmware 3.1.0 (released December 1, 2023) allows IBIS to function in combination with the X H Lens Adapter*.
- HTS 1,5 TILT AND SHIFT ADAPTER cannot be used.
- X2D firmware 3.1.0 (released 2023.12.1) causes IBIS to not function in combination with Converter H 1.7x (x1.7 teleconverter), regardless of whether X H Lens Adapter* or XH CONVERTER 0.8* is used. .
- As of 2022.09.22, lens error 46 occurs with the combination of X2D and Converter H 1.7x.
- The above has been improved with X2D firmware 1.0.5 released on 2022.12.15.
- With old firmware, IBIS does not function in combination with X H Lens Adapter* and XH CONVERTER 0.8*.
AF support
For the orange dot lens, AF is available on the X1D,X1DII,907X and X2D, but it only works with the latest firmware 19.1.0, so if you have 18.0.0, you need to update the firmware. In fact, when I purchased the camera, the firmware was 18.0.0, so the AF did not work when I tried it. After purchasing the camera, I updated the firmware and was able to get the AF to work.
If you have firmware 17.0.0 or earlier, you cannot update the firmware because the firmware area is not enough for 19.1.0.
The AF speed when used with the X1D,X1DII,907X and X2D is not quite as fast as that of a professional SLR, but if you choose a high contrast area, the camera will focus without hesitation, which is easier to use than fast but confusing AF, and is sufficient for my needs.
About FUJINON lens
There are HC lenses from the Fujifilm brand SUPER EBC FUJINON that can be used with the HASSELBLAD HC camera, but only lenses with a maximum shutter speed of 1/800. Compared to the latest maximum shutter speed of 1/2000, the range of expression is narrower. Also, because the lens firmware is old, it is not possible to apply HC lens firmware 19.1.0, which is required to use autofocus (AF) on XCD mount cameras X1D, X1DII, 907X, and X2D.
Therefore, AF cannot be used even if it is attached to an XCD mount camera via two types of mount adapters, X H Lens Adapter, and XH CONVERTER 0.8.
Fuji Film brand HC lenses are not covered by Hasselblad’s repair support, and since Fuji Film no longer provides repair support, there is nothing that can be done in the event of a breakdown. Fuji Film brand H lenses are sold cheaply, but you need to be aware of this when purchasing.
If it is a Hasselblad brand HC lens, even old lenses can be repaired at Hasselblad for a fee.
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 camera’s mechanical shutter but also the lens shutter.
Reference links
- Hasselblad HC 300mm official page
- HASSELBLAD H series extension tube official page
- Hasselblad Lens Production Year Confirmation Site
Update history
- 2024.03.21
- 2022.1229
Affiliate Link
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