Hasselblad Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 120mm

The Hasselblad Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T 120mm f/4* is a specialist close-focus prime for the Hasselblad V System, designed for photographers who want high image quality across product, studio, close-up and general photography.

Unlike a conventional macro lens designed solely around maximum magnification, the 120mm Makro-Planar is particularly useful across close and medium working distances. That makes it a natural choice for product photography, still life, artwork, detail work and studio portraits.

Its 120mm focal length also gives you more working distance than a standard lens, while the longer perspective works beautifully for tighter compositions and portraiture. On Hasselblad's square 6×6 format, it sits between the normal 80mm and classic 150mm portrait lens.

The T* designation identifies Zeiss's multi-layer anti-reflection coating, while the V System design incorporates a leaf shutter into the lens.

Best for

• Product photography
• Close-up photography
• Still life
• Artwork and reproduction work
• Studio photography
• Portraits
• 6×6 medium-format photography
• Hasselblad V System users
• Collectors
• Photographers wanting a high-quality close-focus Zeiss prime

What to expect

The 120mm Makro-Planar is better thought of as a close-focus specialist than a modern 1:1 macro lens.

On its own, it reaches approximately 1:4.5 reproduction, so it won't fill the frame with tiny subjects in the same way as a modern 1:1 macro. Hasselblad extension tubes and bellows can be used when greater magnification is required.

Its strength is versatility across close and medium distances. For film scanning-sized objects, product work, still life, details and portraits, you get the characteristic control and slower, deliberate working style of the Hasselblad V System.

The built-in leaf shutter also makes the lens particularly useful in the studio, where Hasselblad's V System allows flash synchronisation at all shutter speeds available on the lens.

Developing

This lens was designed for the Hasselblad V System, primarily using 120 medium-format film.

Developing depends on the film loaded into the camera. Colour negative film will commonly use C-41 processing, while black and white and slide films require their respective processes.

The lens can also be adapted or used with compatible digital backs and digital camera systems. That doesn't change its classification here, which remains Film because the Hasselblad V System is its native photographic system.