Carl Zeiss Biogon imaging capabilities

On a certain day in January, I visited Kashima Shrine (Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture), one of the three major shrines in Japan, to mark the New Year. I arrived at the shrine at around 7:30 in the morning, so the shrine grounds were dimly lit, and I had no choice but to give up taking photos with my CCD digital back. However, Mitarai Pond, a famous photo spot, is located right next to a square, so the sun was slanting at this time of day, which was a nice touch.

　 　　

Koi fish were swimming in the crystal clear water. The large tree lying on top of the torii gate was reflected on the water, creating a solemn atmosphere as if it was covered in living things. According to the official website, the shrine is always filled with more than 400,000 liters of spring water a day, and it seems that it was used as a place of purification in ancient times.

Although the pond was small, it was perfect for a wide-angle camera. I placed the 903SWC on the camera bag on the ground and took a picture while checking the level at the top of the viewfinder. I was surprised by the beautiful image from the first shot. Even through the unclear LCD of the old digital back, the quality of the lens was apparent.

　 　　

When I checked this shot at full size on a computer, it was completely back-focused (the focus was on the background, not the torii gate), but it looked normal as a photo. Because I couldn’t use live view with the old CCD digital back, the focus and framing were “somehow” rough, and I took the shot several times while checking the preview, and the one I posted is one that looked relatively calm.

As expected from a wide-angle camera, it produces crisp images with little distortion without any digital correction. Of course, I had heard that it was an excellent lens, but even when used digitally, the images do not feel particularly old-fashioned, and even have a sense of elegance.

　 　　

We headed north from Kashima City and arrived at Oarai Beach. The Ibaraki coastline faces beautifully to the east, so it is known for its beautiful sunrises. I grew up in Fukuoka, Kyushu, and lived close to the sea in an area close to the Itoshima Peninsula, so since moving to Tokyo, there are times when I feel an overwhelming desire to see the sea.

I was hesitant to go out that day because of the cold weather forecast, but it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. This was a blessing for this series, which focuses on medium-format CCD digital cameras, and the compact size of the 903SWC made it easy to take photos. If the camera is too light, it’s difficult to take photos, and if it’s too heavy, it’s a hassle.

　 　　

　 　　

Even though it is an ultra-wide-angle lens, it is difficult to focus by eye and requires experience and practice. Even if it is not so noticeable with film, it is completely visible with digital. What’s more, if you are not careful, the photo will be tilted easily, but even if you press the shutter roughly, the image will be better than you can imagine, so it is a pure pleasure to take pictures.

What is the Hasselblad SWC

The Hasselblad SWC (Super Wide Camera) series is a unique medium format camera designed exclusively for the Biogon 38mm. This lens performance (high resolution and low distortion) is realized because of the special design that does not have a mirror, and thanks to this, the camera itself is compact in size.

This time, the attachment of a third-party digital back has made the camera slightly larger and reduced the sense of uniformity in appearance, but it still gives it the feeling of being a practical camera, and that’s not a bad thing.

The first wide-angle dedicated camera equipped with a Biogon 38mm was the SWA in 1954, followed by the SW in 1956 and the SWC (1959). This was followed by the SWC/M (1979), this model 903SWC (1988), and the 905SWC (2001). As an aside, the currently popular digital body “907X” also seems to have continued the same naming sequence from 903 → 905 → 907.

The 905SWC, the final model in the SWC series, has a lead-free lens design from an environmental perspective, and there seems to be some debate among fans that the 903 takes better pictures. Although it is true that it is easier to improve optical performance with lead, there has been a 13-year gap, and by that time it was likely that they were also considering using it for digital photography. I imagine that the overall lens performance has improved, but of course I have never even touched it, so I cannot confirm this.

The new viewfinder on the 903SWC is packed with gimmicks, including a magnifying lens inside the viewfinder that allows you to check the focus ring, aperture, and shutter speed. Also, the level at the top is reflected in the viewfinder, so you can check the level while looking through the viewfinder.

The viewfinder frame is only a rough guide and tends to result in out-of-focus or tilted photos, but it is true that this mechanism is a help.

The choice of Leaf Aptus-II 10

I thought about what kind of digital back would be best for enjoying the 903SWC to the fullest. Of course, the best size would be 6×6, the same as film, but unfortunately, such a sensor does not exist. On the other hand, the currently popular 44×33 would be heavily cropped, making it a completely different camera that is not super wide at all.

Considering that Hasselblad has a genuine 645 film magazine (A16), the 645 full-frame sensor is probably the best. However, if we get into the details, even the largest sensor has a long side of 53.9mm, which is just a little short of the original light receiving area of ​​56 x 56mm. It’s really within the margin of error, but it does slightly diminish the super-wide feeling. It’s all a matter of feeling.

Sensor and film size comparison:

Therefore, I requested the editorial department to get the “Leaf Aptus-II 10.” This model is the “Aptus-II 10R,” but without the sensor rotation mechanism. Although the area does not reach that of a 645 full frame, the long side is 56mm, exactly the same as the film light receiving surface.

I thought that I could use the entire edge of the square by simply cutting off the top and bottom. I wanted to make the most of the super wide camera.

*In this case, wide refers to spaciousness, but this time we are intentionally interpreting it as referring to width.

Although it has a unique sensor size, it is a well-established model equipped with a DALSA CCD (56 megapixels) with 16-bit recording. The differences with the original Hasselblad digital back are that it is simply larger in size, it uses pure 16-bit recording instead of interpolation processing, the aspect ratio is 3:2, and if you reattach the back, you can shoot in portrait mode.

Since the 903SWC is a lens-shutter camera, all you need to do is connect the sync contacts on the lens to the digital back, but this time it just didn’t work and I had some difficulties at first. I would take one picture out of every five or six shots. In the end, I was able to eliminate all sync errors by changing the camera settings on the digital back from “Hasselblad 500 Series” to “Other” or “Large Format.” If you’re having trouble with shutter sync on the Aptus, give this a try.

Also, there are some points to keep in mind when attaching a digital back to the 903SWC. With early models of Hasselblad’s genuine CF/CFV backs, or the current Aptus series, the battery interferes with the tripod mount and cannot be attached as is. This time, I used an aftermarket “SWC900 Series Pillow Adapter KY” to raise the battery level.

　 　　

As an aside, the Aptus I used this time had over 600,000 shots, and although there were some areas where the color unevenness of the sensor was noticeable upon closer inspection, it is probably not an issue for hobby photography (I made some simple corrections to the color unevenness in the sample images). This was my first time using a digital back with over 600,000 shots, and I really felt the strengths of a back type without a physical shutter.

Shooting experience and practicality

　 　　

In recent years, the term “photography experience” has become a hot topic on social media, but the image in the viewfinder of the SWC is not particularly beautiful, focusing by eye requires practice, and even getting the camera level while hand-holding the camera is quite difficult.

I use medium format cameras because I want the results (output) rather than the shooting process, so to be honest, the SWC series was not a model I was keen to use. I am well aware of the strict focus requirements of medium format digital cameras, so I thought that the yield would be so poor that I would have a hard time even taking sample photos.

But when you actually try it, it’s actually really fun.

It’s easier to use than I expected, and the pictures it takes are better than I expected. The camera is compact, of course, but it’s also a dedicated ultra-wide-angle lens, so it’s clear what it can’t capture, which I think makes it easy to take pictures.

　 　　

　 　　

I shot this one at a minimum distance of about 30cm. It was difficult to focus and level the subject when I held the camera by hand. I wished I could at least have a live view. As long as the focus was right, the image would be sharp even at close range.

By the way, these photos are of Nanatsubora Park in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. It is a British landscape garden that has also been used as a filming location for movies, and I had always been interested in it, so I decided to stop by. The afternoon light is very beautiful.

　 　　

Although the Biogon 903SWC takes good pictures, it does not have the flawless optical performance of modern lenses. Because I chose a large sensor with a long side of 56mm this time, the image at the very edge feels soft, and the image quality is noticeable in the out-of-focus areas.

If you want to take full advantage of this camera’s potential and get the perfect shot, you should mount it on a tripod, measure the distance and focus accurately, use a sonic or laser rangefinder (as long as it’s not too distracting), or even use another camera as a rangefinder.

Using live view with a digital back equipped with a CMOS sensor can solve the issues of focusing and framing, but in that case you would have to go through the same process as with a view camera: lock the shutter with a bulb, adjust the focus, then close the shutter, set the shutter speed again, and finally release the shutter (if that’s the case, you could also choose to use view camera lenses with CAMBO or ALPA).

The latest genuine digital back with an electronic shutter would make shooting with SWC much easier. On the other hand, there is a danger that it could end up being just an ordinary 4433 mirrorless camera that is a little difficult to shoot with.

　 　　

　 　　

Final Thoughts

　 　　

This is not limited to cameras, but all technology has evolved with the aim of being “easy and error-free.” I believe we are already in an era where anyone can take photos easily and without mistakes.

Meanwhile, digital backs have evolved, and models that allow you to take pictures with an electronic shutter while viewing the live view have appeared, but the mainstream sensor size has become smaller. In this Reiwa era, the choice to attach a large CCD sensor and use SWC is a real crazy play.

I think there are some differences from the original 6×6 format, but even though I produced a lot of out-of-focus and tilted photos, I found the “just right” light and easy to use feel, neither too heavy nor too light, and the gap between the images taken and the feeling several times better than when they were taken, to be genuinely interesting. What’s more, the design is cute, so I think I understand why so many people around me are SWC users.

Now that anyone can take pictures easily, restrictions and limitations activate the brain. This can be useful in other areas of photography and in everyday life. Many creative ideas are born from restrictions.

If convenience and ease of mind are your top priority, I don’t think there’s any reason to go out of your way to choose medium-format digital. Of course, shooting for work is a different matter, but I think it’s not a bad thing to have the “freedom to fail” every once in a while.