Hasselblad 150mm Sonnar lens for the C series was/is a great lens for model head shots, Senior Portraits, and other people pictures that best include head and shoulders only. The lens is very sharp--certainly as sharp as any portrait lens needs to be. It can be used for wider body shots, especially three quarters length views, but few studios have the room to go far enough back to accommodate much more than this. It could be used outdoors, but again, for full body shots, you have to back up so far that you may lose the desirable proximity for a good working distance,which requires a certain closeness for directing and receiving directions.
I have owned half a dozen of these lenses over the years. I also have owned or do now own the newer version of the lenses, which are said to be much improved with their new coating, and design features. Unless I get a bargain for these newer lenses, I don't consider the typical price difference not be worth the gain. All work well with modern films or high-res digital cameras.
All work well with Softars, which diffuses the image sharpness anyway. A lens hood will limit most reflection or flare problems, as will proper light arrangement.
This lens, in original form, wears well. The newer ones are said to wear even better. Medium format, whether using film or digital technology provides a bigger image to begin with. However adapter are made to fit this lens for manual use to all of the popular camera brands, and it performs well with both digital and film in this way to.
If I were starting a photography business on the side and on a low budget--a pay as you earn proposition--depending on what type of photography you were to emphasize, I would probably recommend this as your second lens--and in some cases, your first. I would acquire a good Hasselblad EL/M body and shade for it, a couple of backs of your preference and a Waist level or 45 degree finder. I would also want to have as many mega-pixel digital SLR in any popular brand as well, and adapters for all your Hasselblad lenses as well.This would be a starting set-up. Adding a used digital back is a good next step.
This lens can be used with various length extensions too--but you'll need to take care to work out the exposure compensation when not using TTL metering. For old-times, and those so-inclined, the lens can even be used in an enlarger, turned backward on the lens-board, to good advantage. Used with a pro-shade or similar bellows system, vignettes and other special effects attachments, whether commercial or homemade are good with this lens too, as it does not show a hard edge in such configurations.
Another good use for this sharp lens is in doing both macro, using one of several auxillary close-up attachment options, and landscapes. Although the depth of field may be limiting in some macro uses,in some cases, a shallow focus or the closer field of view is actually desirable. And, while the first thought for landscapes is a very sharp wide-angle lens, pros who do landscape shots and postcards for a living, know that the narrow field of view and the medium telephoto advantage of the 150mm Sonnar is very useful when physical obstacles prevent getting any closer, and/or when an exaggerated background, such as a hazy setting sun, a flower, or similar iconic image is wanted. I have used this same technique in still-life macros and product sets. Since I collect cameras and lenses, I literally have my choice of any camera/lens--still I select this sweetheart for many important shoots. http://stores.ebay.com/Military-Optics_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm
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