* Sharp at every aperture * Contrast and colour apear accurately- neutral using Fuji Provia. * Distortion is well controlled * Well built, only second to Leica.

* Heavy vignetting without supplied 1.5 stop centre grad filter- turning the lens into a f/9 lens. * Price to most people, but if you are using for business as I am, hopefully the results will pay of the lens in no time.

An absolute must for people using the Xpan for Landscape and cityscape photography. Also good for reportage, but expect some distortion of people in the background- away form the centre of the frame, even with the camera perfectly horizontal. Lens performance is very similar to the Leica M series in colour reproduction, but falls just short in punch! Flare resistence is fantastic for such a wide lens with a view like 17mm lens and a perspective of a 30mm lens! Using the extrenal viewfinder takes a bit of practice, but once mastered becomes quite a breeze. First get the exposure, focus, then compose. I recently shot the Australia Day Parade and Chinese New Year celebrations and while it was quite a challenge the results were superb. Don't buy the X-Pan unless yo can afford this lens. Many people who can't afford this lens would tell you that it isn't necessary, but the 45mm doesn't fit enough top and bottom into the image. A great lens at a high price, but well worth it and the results will long be remembered after the burden of the investment fades.

Customer Service

Great so far for advice and delivery

Similar Products Used:

* Linhof technorama 617S III * Leica M6 and lenses

Nice wide angle. Well made Center filter included plus hood and good carrying case Sharp Clear viefinder.

Big fall off at the edges PRICE hood placment gets weird when your are using caps PRICE Bulky viewfinder Not fast enough Lack of pararell correction. Have to use two viewfinders (focus, exposure and framing)

"included" lens that comes with xpan is just not wide enough. This lens (30mm) solves that problem. It is wide enough to cover 99% of my landscape encounters. It is a slow lens and value of it is not justified by the price. It is TOO EXPENSIVE. Xpan with viewfinder and 30mm makes a big unit that is not so portable anymore. Some edge darkening can be seen but that''''s where center filter comes in. Again price does not justify the value but once you get it you will kind of forget what you paid for it.

Customer Service

None yet and I hope it stays that way

Similar Products Used:

45mm, 12mm and 15 from voigtlander, 21 for contax g series

Tremendous angle of view, which makes it great for candids with groups of people and for travel photography. The external viewfinder is absolutely fantastic - looking through is a revelation.

A great deal of vignetting when shooting into the sun. As the angle of view is so wide, this can start to be a problem. Or, if it is sunny and the sun is directly overhead, colors tend to be washed out.

I love this lens. I rarely take it off the camera, which is good as the camera feels strange with the external viewfinder for the 30 mounted but using the 45 or 90. It is easy to handhold at low speeds, so the slow aperture is not an issue.

Customer Service

Very weak - primarily as Hasselblad communicated very poorly with me. I dropped the lens (so it was somewhat loose) while living in London and sent it to Hasselblad UK to be fixed. Hasselblad UK sen

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