Hitting the streets with the Hasselblad X-Pan  By Robin Schimko

October 17, 2017 Analog, film, Hasselblad, News, Street Photography, User Reports 20
Hitting the streets with the Hasselblad X-PanBy Robin Schimko

Hi Steve, Its been a while since I submitted my last user report. Today I have something new for you or should I rather say something old? You seem to enjoy your new Hasselblad as much as I enjoy my old Hasselblad X-Pan.

Earlier this year I started to shoot film and the first camera I got was the X-Pan. I had the opportunity to get one in good condition for a very good price. Since I shot my first roll I am addicted to this camera. The images it delivers are so cinematic, it’s almost unreal.

Most of the time I use it for street photography and occasionally for portraits.

Getting a good composition with this camera can be a challenge since the field of view is so much different. However, with a little bit of practice it will get easier over time and the whole process is very enjoyable.

I started with black and white film but now I prefer to shoot color and most of the time I use some variant of Kodak Vision3 motion picture film. It’s a bit more work when developing but it’s very cheap and the results are fantastic.

I also started a Youtube channel where I take my viewers along with me by filming with a GoPro on top of my camera.

Here are a couple of images that came out of my X-Pan over the last 6 months.

Thank you for reading! 🙂

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_real_sir_robin/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc-9JMcDZSh6R4OXuWX6Gag
Website: http://www.fotodesign-rs.de http://www.hochzeitsfotograf-rs.de

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20 Comments

  1. Love your pics, especially that one of Buddy Hackett.

    The XPan/TX series cameras are remarkable. I recently sold my TX-1 and Xpan, but have kept my TX-2. There is nothing like them. Essentially a medium format camera in a 35mm package (the length of the negative is the same as the length of a 6×7 negative).

    The lenses are easily as good as my Leica glass.

    Kind regards
    Huss

  4. Is the viewfinder 100% coverage? Is what you see what you get? Thank you. Great job with the composition and timing. Cheers, Mike

  5. Just very impressive to use the wide framing this way for street grabs. All of them very cinematic, especially the old man in the hat leaning in. Usually panoramic shots call attention to how wide the frame is – call attention to the crop – but these just seem appropriate to the material being presented, and the fact that they are super-wide panos just disappears behind the subject matter. Very narrative and very inspiring. Thank you.

  6. Yes, really good compositions for your debut. Slight vignetting, as quite common in some situations. Center filter isn’t really a must for the 45.
    Also interesting colors! Seems a bit desaturated perhaps post process work.
    Lovely camera indeed

    • Thank you! I did only some minor adjustments on these. Yes, the filter is not really needed for the 45mm and as far as I know it is pretty expensive?

      • Yes, about 300 or so. Hasselblad doesn’t supply it already, but still some dealers do. I definetely am not for it.

  7. I’ve directed two movies with film, one in 35mm another in Super 16mm, then one in Digital, not saying that they are any good nor that I merit any better judgement because of this. Just saying that I do like film, its texture, grain…

    But in general I don’t take for granted nostalgic photography in film for the sake of it as so many do (“oh, I miss film so much”; “film was the real thing”: digital these days can do most anything, from what I see around). Normally, it seems to me just an excuse for lack of sharpness, badly used grain etc. Normally. And then, of course, to each their own, people should have fun with what they enjoy. And there are wonderful results with film, of course, let me be clear. And your pictures are a real good demonstration of a good use. The first three in color seem as if they belong to a very cool film. Thanks for sharing!

    • Thank you! Film is the way to go if you enjoy the whole process like I do. However, I shoot mainly digital when it comes to professional stuff.

  8. I find these really exciting. And the dog surveying the lovers on the sands is very amusing. Come again sometime!

  10. “Getting a good composition with this camera can be a challenge”. Ha ha, well you nailed that then! I have never thought about shooting street with a panoramic field of view but these are great. I love the four colour shots at the top of the post, the composition and colour rendering are fantastic.

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