{"overview":"The Hasselblad 120mm f\/5.6 S-Planar T* is a Carl Zeiss-designed short telephoto macro lens for the Hasselblad V-system 6x6 medium format cameras. Optimised for close-up and flat-field reproduction work, it carries the Zeiss T* multi-coating and was intended for users needing higher corner-to-corner sharpness at close distances than the standard 80mm Planar could provide.","market_narrative":"At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the 120mm f\/5.6 S-Planar T* have ranged from £189 to £288, with the two recorded 2024–2025 results sitting around a £238 midpoint. These are saleroom wholesale levels rather than dealer retail, so clean, fungus-free examples typically sell for noticeably more once marked up by specialist dealers in 2026, and cosmetic or optical faults push the price paid well below this band.","buying_guide":"Inspect the front and rear elements carefully under a torch for fungus, haze and coating scratches, as the T* coating is soft and older copies frequently show cleaning marks. Rack the focus helical through its full travel to confirm it is smooth and free of stiffness or grittiness, check the aperture blades for oil migration and sluggish actuation, and look for signs of element separation or balsam deterioration, particularly around the edges of the cemented groups.","specs":"Short telephoto 120mm macro lens with a maximum aperture of f\/5.6, Zeiss S-Planar optical design and T* multi-coating, for the Hasselblad V bayonet system.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Hasselblad 120mm f\/5.6 S-Planar T* worth today?","a":"Based on recent UK auction hammer results, the lens sells for roughly £189 to £288, with condition, coating cleanliness and focus smoothness driving where an individual copy lands in that range."},{"q":"How much does a 120mm f\/5.6 S-Planar T* sell for at auction?","a":"The two most recent UK saleroom prices we have on file are £189 in March 2025 and £288 in January 2024, so current value sits around the mid-£200s before dealer markup."},{"q":"Is the 120mm S-Planar T* a true macro lens?","a":"It is a close-up optimised Zeiss S-Planar design intended for flat-field reproduction, but like most V-system macros it typically reaches 1:1 only with the addition of an extension tube rather than on the lens alone."},{"q":"What should I check before buying one?","a":"Prioritise optical cleanliness (no fungus, haze or heavy coating marks), a smooth focus helical and dry aperture blades, as these are the faults that most commonly knock the price down at auction."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Only two sales records are available and no SPECS or variant data was supplied, so market range is indicative rather than statistically robust."}