Zeiss 40mm f/4
Distagon T✻ FLE for HASSELBLAD (1982-2000)
Zeiss Distagon T✻ 40mm f/4 CF FLE (fits HASSELBLAD V system, 33.180 oz./940.7g and takes 93mm drop-in filters with filter adapter as shown, 1.5'/0.5m close focus, about $1,400 used if you know How to Win at eBay, or get it used at KEH.) bigger. I got this one at this link directly to them at eBay. Never buy at a retail store or other dealers; you'll pay way too much and have very limited options if you don't like it.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally-approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Use only the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
October 2025, January 2017 HASSELBLAD Zeiss Contax Mamiya LEICA Nikon Canon All Reviews
Why fixed lenses take better pictures
The ZEISS 40/4 CF FLE is a spectacular lens, visibly just as sharp and distortion-free as my 38/4,5 BIOGON.
It's ultrasharp out to the corners at every aperture, and has no visible distortion. The SWC isn't visibly better, and this lens has much less light falloff than the SWC — but the SWC takes much easier to find B60 (or Series VIII) filters.
This 40mm lens takes impossible-to-find 93mm drop-in filters, presuming you have the filter adapter as shown. You can find B60 filters for the SWC at B&H, at Adorama and used at eBay, but 93mm drop in filters are nearly impossible to find and probably don't come in the types you need.
For this 40mm, use an 86×1.0mm to 95×1.0mm step-up ring in place of the two-piece Hasselblad 93/40 adapter ring, and then you can use regular 95mm screw-in filters.
The 86 -> 95mm adapter rings sold on eBay from China typically use an incorrect 0.75mm thread pitch for the 86mm threads, so be careful since they won't fully attach to the lens. Don't force it and these rings will work well, too.
With filters sorted out, the huge advantage of this 40mm lens is that you can see what you're doing, focus and meter through the lens, while with the SWC you're guessing distance, always using an external meter and guessing at what's actually in your picture with the SWC's goofy peephole finder.
This 40/4 weighs 32.150 oz. (911.5g) with no filter adapter. The two-piece filter adapter weighs 1.030 oz. (29.3g).
It sells for about $1,400 used today in 2025 if you know How to Win at eBay. It sold for about $1,500 used back in 2017, so it's a stable classic.
B&H sold it new for $3,995 in December 1995, which onsidering inflation is equivalt to $8,000 in 2025.
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