HASSELBLAD HC 50mm F3.5 type-2
Review and Photo example of the HASSELBLAD HC 50mm F3.5 (Type 2).
Table of contents
- Gallery
- Review
- Specifications
- Accessory compatibility
- AF support
- About FUJINON lens
- Reference links
- Update history
- About Affiliate link
Gallery
- Sample photos taken with the X2D
- Sample photos taken with the X1D / X1DII
Review
The Hasselblad HC 50mm Type 2 is a 50mm focal length lens for Hasselblad H series cameras.
Since it is an HC series, when used with a medium format camera HxD, it covers sensor sizes up to 40 x 53.4mm, and the focal length is approximately 34mm.
This lens can be used with X1D, X1DII, X2D, and 907X via X H Lens Adapter or XH CONVERTER 0.8. Also, x1.7 teleconverter and three types of EXTENSION TUBES H (13mm/26mm/52mm) can be used.
- Focal length approximately 40mm F3.5 when using X H Lens Adapter
- Focal length 32mm F2.4 when using XH CONVERTER 0.8
Focal length 69.5mm, maximum aperture F5.6 when using x1.7 teleconverter via X H Lens Adapter*
Since the lens I own has an orange dot, I purchased it knowing that if I updated the firmware to 19.1.0, I would be able to use autofocus (AF) with the X H Lens Adapter and XH CONVERTER 0.8. When I checked the lens information on the X1DII, the firmware was 18.0.0 and the number of shutters was approximately 3000.
The AF focusing speed is faster among HC/HCD lenses, and the AF focusing accuracy is fine, so I rarely use it for MF. The lens construction is a retro-focus lens with 11 elements in 7 groups, and when you hold it in your hand, it feels heavy and bulky, contrary to the impression you get from the compact housing.Its weight is higher than the bright medium telephoto lens HC 100mm F2.2. It’s also heavy.
The system weight is 1kg for the lens alone, and when you add the converter (175g or 430g) and camera (766g), the system weight is 2-2.2kg, which is relatively light for an X1D-II with an HC lens.
When it comes to backlight resistance, you need to be careful when the sun enters the field of view, as contrast may drop depending on the angle.A hood is required when outdoors, but a hood is large and bulky, so it is often used without a hood.
The weak point of this lens is that the minimum focusing distance is 0.6m, which means you can’t get very close.
To compensate for this, if you use the Hasselblad Macro Converter for H Lenses, which is said to be optimized for the HC50mm-2 type, the minimum shooting distance will be 0.4m, but the maximum shooting distance will be limited to 0.6m. Therefore, this product is a high-performance extension tube. If you can increase the focus range of the HC 50mm from 0.4m to ∞ by installing this converter, this is a product that you will want to purchase without hesitation.
Since it is a type II lens, the lens performance has improved, and along with the improved peripheral image quality and less noticeable distortion, this lens is often taken out for landscape photography such as street snapshots, and is often used when taking short trips or walking. It would be nice if it were a little lighter and more compact, but it can’t be helped because it’s an HC lens.
I started using the HC 50-110 zoom, and this lens and the HC 50-110 have exactly the same focal length and aperture f-number, so considering its convenience in the field, I often use the HC 50-110 zoom.
When this lens was upgraded to type II, I would have liked the following changes to be made to differentiate it from zoom lenses.
- Change to HCD lens
- Improved aperture F value to 2-2.5
- Downsizing of lens barrel
- weight reduction
- Minimum shooting distance 0.35m
Specification
| Item | Type-2 | Type-1 |
| focal length(mm) | 50 | ← |
| Maximum aperture | 3.5 | ← |
| Minimum aperture | 32 | ← |
| Lens configuration | 7groups in 11elements | 9groups in 10elements |
| Minimum distance(m) | 0.6 | ← |
| Lens length(mm) | 85 | ← |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 77 | ← |
| Filter diameter(mm) | 77 | ← |
| Weight(g) | 975 | ← |
HC 50mm 2型レンズ仕様書（英語）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 can be used.
- Image circle covers up to medium format film size.
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 lenes(HC 50mm)
The HC50mm Type 2 should have been renewed along with the orange dot lens with an improved shutter unit, so the FUJI film brand (SUPER EBC FUJINON) should not exist (the author has never seen it).
The HC50mm Type 1 is distributed under the FUJI film brand (SUPER EBC FUJINON) and the HASSELBLAD brand. The FUJI film brand does not support AF, and the HASSELBLAD brand depends on the firmware as described in the “AF Support” section.
FUJINON brand HC lenses are not supported by HASSELBLAD and are no longer supported by FUJI FILM, so they cannot be repaired in case of failure. The following is an example.
FUJI brand HC lenses are sold at low prices, but care should be taken when purchasing them.
Since HC lenses are manufactured by FUJIFILM, the FUJIFILM GFX series, which has the same sensor size as the X1D, X1DII, and 907X, also offers a mount adapter (H MOUNT ADAPTER G). This one is exclusively for MF (manual focus), but it can use the lens shutter as well as the mechanical shutter on the camera side.
Reference links
- HASSELBLAD HC 50mm official web site
- HASSELBLAD H series Extentsion tube official web site
- Hasselblad Lens Production Year Confirmation web site
Update history
- 2024.03.24
- 2022.03.21
Affiliate Link
- Some external links are advertisements and clicking them may generate income for the site administrator.
