LEICA S with HC f4 80mm

Medium format digital photography kit for walks

A review of using the HASSELBLAD HC80mm with the LEICA S typ 007.

Gallery
Review
Specification
Options
Reference links
Update history
Affiliate link

Gallery

Review

Details of the HASSELBLAD HC80mm (hereafter referred to as HC80) are detailed in the link.

The linked page uses an X2D-100C camera body, so the lens is used in manual focus, but if you attach the HC80 to a LEICA S via the LEICA S adapter H, you can shoot with autofocus like a HASSELBLAD H camera.

My impression of using the HC80 in autofocus mode is that the focusing speed is slower than modern cameras, but as long as you use the LEICA S’s single central focus point and focus in the center, the focusing accuracy is satisfactory. It focuses properly except for subjects with very low contrast. If you move the lens to change the composition from the focused position, the focus position will change, so the photographer needs to correct it while looking through the viewfinder. You can’t expect the camera to focus automatically where you want it to, like the latest multi-point focus points.
The focal plane is relatively thin at the F2.8 aperture, so I think you need to practice to get the hang of it in order to focus on the desired spot.

The camera weighs 1.3kg, the lens 0.5kg, and the LEICA H adapter C 0.3kg, making it a light equipment when combined with a medium format lens, with a total weight of 2.1kg. The fact that it is around 2kg is a lightweight item is probably due to my addiction to medium format.

A medium format lens similar to the HC80 is the PLANAR 80mm F2 (C645-P80) for the CONTAX 645. The HC80 and the CONTAX 645 PLANAR 80mm use double Gauss type lenses, and both have six lenses, and although there is a difference in the bonded surfaces, they are similar in lens construction. The C645-P80 has a half-stop brighter maximum F-value, so the front group of lenses is larger in diameter. The minimum shooting distance for both is 0.7m, so there is no difference in usability. As of 2024, the PLANAR 80mm F2 has risen in price to around 300,000 yen, making it difficult to obtain.

In addition, the HASSELBLAD V-mount C series PLANAR lenses are classified as follows: for chrome bodies, nonT* from around 1956 to 1961 had 6 elements, nonT* from around 1960 to 1973 had 7 elements, and T* from around 1971 to 1972 had 7 elements. The black C lenses and CF lenses that came after had 7 elements, and CB lenses returned to the orthodox planar format with 6 elements. It is unclear whether the early 6 elements and the CB 6 elements have the same lens configuration, but the CB 6 elements have almost the same lens configuration as the C645-P80.