REVIEWS - Hasselblad 110mm F2 Planar FE

OVERVIEW

In 1977 Hasselblad released the 110mm F/2 Planar for the 2000 and 200 focal-plane shutter cameras. The 110mm F/2 Planar is often cited as one of the finest lenses made by Carl Zeiss, and considered by many photographers as the best portrait lens. Over 25 years there have been five versions. Overall the lenses are optically, mechanically and operationally identical, there are some minor changes with each generational update.

The 1st-3rd versions are the original F versions with no electrical contacts. These earlier models have a reputation for the aperture blades sticking in the open position. The 4th version introduced ~1991 added electrical contacts to communicate with the 205 TCC cameras. FE versions are identified by the two blue stripes on the side. The 5th version introduced ~1999 replaced the two rear lens elements with a cemented group and a rear baffle was added.

The square baffle chops off the edges on the rear element, and this alters the shape of the bokeh orbs - making them a squarish shape when shot wide open. On the plus side, when stopped down to F5.6, the squared-off side combine with the aperture blades to create a somewhat rounded aperture. The square baffle supposedly reduces flare as well. I do not have enough experience with the 4th vs 5th generations to say whether that is true or not. If planning to shoot mostly wide open, a 4th Generation lens may be more desirable (no chopped bokeh orbs).

BUILD QUALITY

Everything is metal or glass except for a couple switches the rubber grip on the focus ring. The focus ring is well dampened, but somewhat stiff. The aperture clicks in 1/2 stop increments. When used via on non-Hasselblad V body, the lens is 100% manual, thus stop down metering. There is an aperture preset button, so it pretty easy to focus wide open and then close down the aperture with a button push.

Hasselblad used their own filter connection system. With the Bay system the filters lock into place with a 1/2 twist. Filters attach very quickly and easily. The filters do not get stuck on the lens when the temperature changes. The 110mm Planar is a Bay 70 size. Hasselblad sold UV and polarizer filters in Bay 70 size, and even a Bay 70 to 77mm filter thread adapter. FotodioX also makes a Bay 70 to 77mm step up ring.

HANDLING

Comparing the 110mm Planar to other medium format lenses, the 110mm Planar is compact and lightweight given its fast aperture. The Hasselblad 110mm is very usable on the Canon 1Ds Mark III, but the Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro-Planar ZE is easier to shoot. The obvious differences include - the Zeiss 100mm ZE (review here) is lighter and has auto aperture. Perhaps the less obvious reason is the Zeiss ZE's wide open sharpness. The Zeiss ZE is sharper and more contrasty at F2, so the view presented in the viewfinder is crisper, sharper - the images are more likely “pop” into focus.

The Leica S2 and Hasselblad 110mm Planar also balance well. The Leica S-V Adapter is rock solid, the viewfinder is big and bright and focus confirmation works fairly well. The Leica viewfinder is massive, and with the Leica microprism / split image focus screen, focusing the Hasselblad 110mm is pretty easy. I feel more confident with the S2 / 110mm combo than I do with the 1Ds3 / 100 ZE combo.

Focusing the Hasselblad 110mm Planar on the Mamiya 645AFD II and Phase One DF 645AF bodies is not easy. The Phase One viewfinders are not as crisp or bright as the Leica S. The focus confirmation beep is hit or miss. With the Leica S I am more likely to play with F2, whereas on a Phase One system the aperture is usually at F5.6 in hopes of mitigating focus errors. But, the Phase One system can provide a full-frame 645 experience with a digital back like the IQ3-100.

OPTICAL PERFORMANCE

The Hasselblad 110mm F/2.0 Planar’s optical formula is nearly identical to the formula used in the Contax 100mm F2 Planar, and the rendering is similar too (click here for a direct comparison). As the diagram below shows, the Hasselblad and Contax formula and element count are very similar. The recently announced Leica 100mm F2 Summicron-S ASPH was added as an interesting data point - note its "Planar-like" formula:

Optical Formula Comparison

In terms of Zeiss 110mm Planar's character, the Contax 100mm F2 Planar, Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro-Planar and Hasselblad 110mm F2 are similar in their rendering or "fingerprint". The newer SLR versions have better wide open performance; however, at the consequence of smooth bokeh (see end of the Zeiss 100mm ZE review). While most people will find the Hasselblad 110mm acceptably sharp at F2, the 110mm F2 Planar is more about the aesthetic of its rendering rather than its wide open sharpness. My experience with the Hasselblad 110mm is haunted with out of focus images, so I do have a slight bias:

• The Hasselblad 110mm has a nice rendering wide-open, but I would not categorize it as sharp. There can be a degree of halation (or perhaps veiling) at F2 at times.
• Compared to the Contax 100mm F2 Planar and Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro-Planar ZE, the Hasselblad 110mm Planar easily has the most color fringing in the bokeh areas.
• The Hasselblad 110mm does have slightly smoother bokeh, but that is partially because of the Hasselblad‘s 10mm in added reach. In use on a 35mm full-frame dSLR the Hasselblad 110mm feels more like a 135mm FOV than a 100mm FOV.
• The Hasselblad 110mm seems to hold up better at F8 and F11; both Contax and Zeiss 100mm Planars begin to suffer from diffraction beyond F5.6.
• The Hasselblad 110mm has a closer minimum focus distance than the Contax 100mm F2 Planar. The Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro-Planar ZE wins this contest with its 1:2 magnification.
• The Hasselblad 110mm is susceptible to veiling and lens flare, so using the lens hood is a good practice. I have noticed some double imaging / reflection from stray lights when shooting at night.
• Due to the large medium format image circle, there is essentially zero light fall-off in the corners with the Hasselblad 110mm on the Canon 1Ds Mark III.

REVIEW CONCLUSION

If buying the Hasselblad 110mm for a Nikon D810 or Canon 5Ds-R, I suggest considering a Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro-Planar ZE / ZF instead. The Zeiss ZE/ ZF lenses have auto aperture, full EXIF, are lighter and smaller, and come with warranties.

The real magic of the Hasselblad 110mm Planar happens when using a larger-than-full-frame 35mm SLR sensor. The Hasselblad 110mm was designed for the Hasselblad 6x6 negative, so the larger the negative (sensor), the closer we get to seeing the lens’ intended performance and character. While focusing on the Mamiya / Phase One 645AF bodies was a bear, in terms of a net result, I felt those sensors showcased the Hasselblad 110mm’s potential the best.

While the "for-dSLR" recommendation is pretty weak, it is easier to recommend the Hasselblad 110mm to medium format shooters. With today's EVF based 44x33mm medium format cameras, the Hasselblad 110mm would be on my wish list. If shooting Hasselblad V system, especially if shooting film, the Hasselblad 110mm is a no-brainer.