any suggestions on cleaning new to me hasselblad bodies/lenses?

illumin8em · May 18, 2009

Just bought a Pelican ProCase full of Hasselblad. Praticaly had to pry them from the fella selling them to me. Things are kinda dirty looking, any suggestions on cleaning? No way I could afford hundreds of $ in pro cleaning. Looking to do as much as I can myself.
2 500cm bodies
4lens
50mm,80mm,120mm,150mm
2 extention tubes
prism view finder

Andrew Moxom · May 18, 2009

Letting a Hasselblad go is like a father letting his daughter get married..... You want to make sure the person taking them from you will look after them!!! So imagine what that must me like for two!!! At any rate, if the equipment is dirty, I would recommend a CLA on the bodies at least... If you are strapped, then send one in and you'll have a known good body with a back up should you need it. The lenses are more than likely okay, but if they are dirty too, then chances are the prior owner used them hard. If they are CT lenses, then I would CLA them, while newer CF, CFE, or CFi lenses are generally more reliable. I would clean the outside of the lenses myself only lending the shutters to CLA.

jmg1911 · May 18, 2009

lI am not at all sure what kind of dirty we are talking here, but if it is just exterior grunge, nothing beats a damp, not wet, microfiber cloth. Get your hands good and wet with plain water, dry them with the cloth and repeat until the cloth feels slightly damp, then rub gently. Can't hurt anything this way, not even the glass if you are at all careful.

Thomas Wilson · May 18, 2009

Good advice from Andrew. Let's talk magazines. You should check the dark-slide safety mechanisms before you use them.

Check to see that with the slide fully seated, the shutter can not be released. Also check to see that with the slide removed, the magazine release button can not be fully deployed.

You may also replace the light seals (foam & foil) as preventative maintenance. Replacement seals can be had very cheap on-line, and it's an easy DIY job. I generally store the backs with the slides removed to reduce the "Memory" effect of the added pressure on the foam. If you want to shoot right away without fear of a light-seal leak, put a piece of black electrical tape over the slot and leave the slide out. I still do that out of habit.

I just "Serviced" 4 backs this afternoon and was amazed at the amount of gunk that found its way into the slide chamber (between the cover plate & magazine frame). A cotton swab with a dab of lighter-fluid cut the grime quite well. Another swab with a dab of dry-lube left the track silky-smooth.

Good luck and have fun.

aoresteen · May 18, 2009

Google David Odess. 'Nuf said.

Q.G. · May 19, 2009

Thomas Wilson said:
You may also replace the light seals (foam & foil) as preventative maintenance.

The foil only if damaged.
Else there is no need, and you can keep a new foil as a spare, and/or only order the foam bits.

The foam will need redoing every once and again, no matter what.

Philippe-Georges · May 19, 2009

If you want to clean a camera, in the rue sense of the word, then when the dirt is off (washing fuel D100 is OK) rub the synthetic and aluminium surfaces with Ballistol (= old German gun oil). It rejuvenates them and protect against degrading and 'new' dirt sticking. This is particularly good for the old Leica's vulcanite and the alike, but good too for leather, the 'rubber' coating of the focusing rings on lenses and sealings (I use it on the foil).
An other advantage is that when the camera coms from a smoker, it neutralises the nicotine smell...
Ballistol is semi organic, very fine so it enters the surface structure, moister repellent, duos not stick and I like the smell of it...

Good luck,

Philippe

illumin8em · May 19, 2009

I guess I could better explain. First noticed a smell coming from the case that the cameras were stored in. The smell actually stays on the hands aft. I can only explain it as a milldew mold type of smell, but then again it smells similar to the inside of my tool box that I keep in my jeep, (which I think smells that way becuase of the oil that is put on the tools to thwart corrosion.) The actual "dirty" spots better explained as dust on the lens, on the mirrors, maybe the inside of the viewfinder. I can certainly see all kinds of dust on the inside when I am trying to focus the lenses. It makes this function quite hard.

I saw some of this when I was checking the equipment over when buying, but I just passed it off as the way 30+ year old equipment is going to be. Maybe I was wrong, I am certainly starting to wonder. The things that is hanging me up the most, is that the smell form the box, or atleast the foam inside the box (which I have already contacted Pelican about replacing) is causing my asthma to act up.

Andrew Moxom · May 19, 2009

sounds like Mold!.... I'd be very diligant in removing it... A CLA sounds in order for that as the lens elements, focusing helical, mount, shutter will likely all be coated in it. Same for the bodies. It is pretty insidious stuff.

John Koehrer · May 20, 2009

Toss the insert for the case. Getting the odor out may be that simple but not in my life. Clean the inside with a baking soda solution & dry it if it still smells, try baking soda dry, in the case for a couple of days.
I'd set everything in the sun for a couple of days & see if that will deodorize it. If not it would be off to see the CLA person.

zenrhino · May 22, 2009

Andrew, et al: Would storing the cameras with silicon dessicants ameliorate the mold/mildew issue or just dry out and damage the foams?

Sirius Glass · May 22, 2009

Storing the cameras with silicon dessicants would ameliorate the mold/mildew issue. Not storing in leather cases in damp conditions would make a difference too.

Steve

illumin8em · May 23, 2009

Sirius Glass said:
Storing the cameras with silicon dessicants would ameliorate the mold/mildew issue. Not storing in leather cases in damp conditions would make a difference too.

Steve

So are you saying that getting some packets (which i have no idea where to buy, but will look into it) will fix/make better my current problem? Or is this preventative measures? If this is mold, I need to get it off the equipment. I was in the middle of lightly cleaning off things so that I could better assess the situation when I noticed what seemed to be small hair particles on one of the lenses. This has not wiped off. It is also in between the focussing screen on one camera. I say in between because it seems that it is comprised of two pieces of glass?

This stuff was stored in a heavy duty pelican case, but... the O ring gasket thing is missing so I am guessing this is how moisture was allowed in.

This is all starting to bum me out.

Q.G. · May 23, 2009

Using dessicants will not improve the situation, no. Just help (maybe) its getting worse slow down.

There are only two things to do: clean it properly. And then store it properly.
Moving air, warmth, and sunlight are your friends when trying to keep clean equipment free of fungus.
Stagnant moist air, unless sterile, is your enemy.

The O-ring allowing in air may have also let the fungus in.
But a case with O-ring that does not allow in air will trap any moisture and create an ideal incubator for any fungal spores present.

So avoid leather cases (good advice that), but also avoid sealing your equipment in a Pelican incubator.
But if you do put it all in a sealed Pelican case, do use a dessicant.
It helps. But only if it is fresh and if you use enough of it.

Sirius Glass · May 23, 2009

illumin8em said:
So are you saying that getting some packets (which i have no idea where to buy, but will look into it) will fix/make better my current problem? Or is this preventative measures?

What Q.G. said. I said it more completely then I did and when I came back, he took care of the full answer.

Steve

any suggestions on cleaning new to me hasselblad bodies/lenses?

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