The 30mm F-Distagon C f/3.5 is a fish-eye lens with and ultrawide 180 degree angle of view. It is the only lens in the entire Hasselblad system which produces obvious rectilinear distortion in the form of curvature of straight lines not passing through the centre of the field. However, straight lines through the centre of the field, such as a horizon, remain straight. Circles parallel to the film plane and with the field centre at their centre are reproduced as circles. 

So the photographer can elect to use the 30mm Distagon in two ways. Conventionally for conventional pictures in which the distortion is hardly noticeable. (The camera must then be level, and straight lines in the image must pass through the centre of the field.) Or as a lens for truly different pictures. In other words, the photographer can choose to utilise the optic's aberration to produce a consciously distorted image to confound the viewer. "Distorted" images may be very useful in e.g. advertising and fashion contexts.

Since you can check out your composition on a focussing screen, excessive distortion of perspective can be avoided. And with a Hasselblad spirit level on the cameras' accessory rail it becomes easy to level the camera. The 30mm Distagon is supplied with three filters and a neutral glass or a filter is an integral part of the optical system of this lens and must always be used. The 30mm F-Distagon differs from the other Hasselblad optics by having a permanently attached lens shade tailored to the ultrawide angular field. This is because even a normally shallow lens shade would cut off the corners of the 180 degree wide image. 

SKU: PRE-4147