Hasselblad or.... ? (medium format lens suggestion)

[Emanuele]

Hi all,

I am looking for suggestions and thoughts on my idea: I am thinking of selling my FSQ85EDX, to fund a TEC Maksutov.
To replace the BabyQ I am thinking of picking up a Medium Format lens, like an Hasselblad (older model and relatively inexpensive.)
It must be rather fast though (F4 or less), and around 300-350 mm in Focal length.

Anybody can make a suggestion on which one to get?
I would use my FLI ML8300 + FLI CFW2-7.

Thank you,
E.

[Carlos Milovic]

I've heard that Pentax lenses are also good (and less expensive). I wonder if Mamiya lens are of similar quality... but they also are very affordable.

[Emanuele]

Thanks Carlos for chiming in.
I am also looking for criticism on this idea: is it worth it? Is it not?



Thank you!
E.

[Carlos Milovic]

Google for Richard Crisp's site. I've seen there ccd images taken with the Pentax lens.

[Nigel Ball]

Emanuele

I've done a fair bit of work with Medium format lenses and my QSI583

There is a wide choice of MEdium format lenses adn Pentax seem to be a popular choice. I was put off Pentax by an experienced imager who commented that he thought the colour correction wasn't that good. I opted for Hasselblad and have a 150mm f/2.8 and a 50mm f/4. The 150mm I stop down to f/4 as the stars in the corners are better. I did originally have a 150mm f/4 and this produced excellent results.

I use a Robofocus to achieve focus and have also made a small Bahtinov mask for the lens. There is a full account on my website of this project http://www.nigelaball.com/Projects/widefieldcamera.html which also contains some details of back focus distances for the various manufacturers. In the gallery area there are several images I've taken with the Hasselblad 150mm. I've only used the 50mm once or twice as the sampling is 22 arc seconds / pixel and it doesn produce a soft image.

I've also found that the Hasselblad is not as well colour corrected at the Blue end (see image below) which obviously affects the Blu filter and also the OIII filter - with the later I get an inverse vignetting effect.

I haven't tried any focal length longer than 150mm although a friend of mine ises a 250mm Hasselblad lens with his QSI 583. http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_image.php?id=187


Hope this helps

Nigel

[Emanuele]

Thank you for your thoughts and experiences on this Nigel.

What I am wondering, in the end, is: is it worth it? Is it worth it to sell the BabyQ and use a lens instead?
I found a Leica Telyt 180mm F3.6 APO  lens which is incredibly good.

Would you sell your FSQ to image only with a lens, and keep 2000euros in your pocket?

E.

[Nigel Ball]

Would you sell your FSQ to image only with a lens, and keep 2000euros in your pocket?

No!  

I love my FSQ and as good as shooting a wide field is with these lenses is I still like imaging through the scope.  8)

[RBA]

What I am wondering, in the end, is: is it worth it? Is it worth it to sell the BabyQ and use a lens instead?

The FSQ is the best "camera lens" money can buy (for astrophotography).
Adding a camera lens may be a smart move.
Replacing the Q with a camera lens, only may make sense if you need the money IMHO.