Last updated on 2026-03-22
Early planar cameras for medium format digital cameras
A review and photo examples of using the HASSELBLAD V PLANAR 80mm 6-element lens with the HASSELBLAD X series.
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Table of contents
Gallery
- Sample photos taken with the HASSELBLAD X2D.
Review
1．Overview
The Planar 80mm 6-element lens is an old Hasselblad V-mount lens.
The Hasselblad X-series has a medium format digital sensor of 44mm x 33mm, so a factor of 0.8 is applied, which is equivalent to 64mm in 35mm format.
The aperture is almost evenly spaced from F2.8 to F22 without half stops. It is a C-type lens with no electrical contacts. It has a rotation angle of about 250 degrees from infinity to the shortest distance of 3 feet (0.914 m). The one I own is a silver non-T* type with a preview button, and the serial number indicates that it was manufactured in 1956. The mount surface is engraved with “MADE IN GERMANY WEST FOR HASSELBLAD”.
2．Usability
I don’t have another Planar 80mm, so I haven’t been able to compare the image quality, but I like the soft depiction that comes with an old lens.
The lens itself covers 6×6, so there are no complaints about the peripheral area even on medium-format digital sensors.
Rather, I think it’s wonderful that a 67-year-old lens is still so usable in 2023. It makes me think of lenses as assets.
When using a V lens with a Hasselblad X-series camera, the sensor shutter is used for shooting. Therefore, when shooting with a fast-moving subject or when moving the camera after shooting, an indescribable rolling distortion occurs.
The mount adapter uses the genuine adapter shown below, but since it does not have a mechanism to drive the lens shutter, it is simply a tube that connects the body and the lens.
The focus ring is at the very front, but when you use the mount adapter, it is in a good, easy-to-use position. The aperture preview button is a bit stiff and needs to be handled carefully. It’s nice to have a preview button so you can play around with the mount.
In the comments, we have been advised that “The preview button on old Hasselblad lenses, such as 6-element lenses, will break if it is not operated while attached to a Hasselblad V system body,” so please be careful when operating the preview button with a mount adapter. We cannot guarantee that your valuable lens will not be damaged.
3．Add Info.
The chrome-colored lenses of the HASSELBLAD V-mount C series PLANAR are classified as follows: nonT* from around 1956 to 1961 was a “6-element lens”, nonT* from around 1960 to 1973 was a “7-element lens”, and T* from around 1971 to 1972 was a “7-element lens”. The black C lenses and CF lenses that came after were “7-element lenses”, and the CB lenses returned to the orthodox planar format with 6 elements. It is unclear whether the early 6-element lenses and the CB 6-element lenses have the same configuration.
Specification
| Item | P80 | C-P80 | CB-P80 | CF-P80 | C645-P80 | HC80 |
| focal length(mm) | 80 | ← | ← | ← | ← | ← |
| Maximum aperture | 2.8 | ← | ← | ← | 2 | 2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | 22 | ← | ← | ← | 16 | 32 |
| Lens configuration | 4群6枚 | 5群7枚 | 5群6枚 | 5群7枚 | 5群6枚 | 5群6枚 |
| Leaf blade | 5枚 | ← | ← | ← | ? | ? |
| Minimum distance(m) | 0.914 | 0.9 | ← | ← | 0.7 | ← |
| Lens length(mm) | 52 | 51.7 | 64.7 | 65 | 67 | 84 |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 76 | 78 | 83.2 | 82.5 | ? | 70 |
| Filter type | B50 | ← | 60 | ← | 72 | 67 |
| Weight(g) | 458 | 465 | 550 | 510 | 524 | 475 |
| Release date | 1956 | ? | ? | ? | 1999 | ? |
Reference links
- ZEISS Discontinued Lenses Datasheet
- Sanyohdo Camera Store’s 6-elements lens web page
- Photo Yodobashi’s 6-elements lens web page
- How to find out when your Hasselblad was made
Update history
- 2025.2.13
- 2024.03.07
- 2023.05.04
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- Italicized links in the text are advertisement links that take you to other sites.
- If you find any images used on this site problematic, please contact us via the comments or inquiry form, either as the rights holder or their representative. We will review the matter and take appropriate action.
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