* before the model

[yaacovk]

Hello.
in the Hesselblad cameras.
i payed attention that there is some models that there is a * sign before the model number.
for example: *503CXi or *503cw, what is it mean?

Yaacov.

 

[obviouslygene]

What I read was, these *s denote that they had Japanese QC, because dealers in Japan wanted to distinguish their wares from grey market peddlers.

 

[winger]

I've only heard that the * after the T on a lens meant it had the newer multicoating. My 503cxi doesn't have an * on the model name and I haven't seen it with the model name before.

 

[yaacovk]

I've only heard that the * after the T on a lens meant it had the newer multicoating. My 503cxi doesn't have an * on the model name and I haven't seen it with the model name before.

Yes because that is made in Sweden, i didn't intent to tha * in the lens...

 

[yaacovk]

I've only heard that the * after the T on a lens meant it had the newer multicoating. My 503cxi doesn't have an * on the model name and I haven't seen it with the model name before.

Thnak you.

 

[Sirius Glass]

What I read was, these *s denote that they had Japanese QC, because dealers in Japan wanted to distinguish their wares from grey market peddlers.

I just learned something today.

I've only heard that the * after the T on a lens meant it had the newer multicoating. My 503cxi doesn't have an * on the model name and I haven't seen it with the model name before.

I am in that group too.

 

[obviouslygene]

If you search "japan star hasselblad" you'd see some information on them. I have no idea why they would do that. But some sellers price the Japan star ones higher than the ones without. I have a *503CW

 

[AgX]

What I read was, these *s denote that they had Japanese QC, because dealers in Japan wanted to distinguish their wares from grey market peddlers.

But that would imply that Hasselblad produced two qualities and marketed them seperately.

 

[Sirius Glass]

But that would imply that Hasselblad produced two qualities and marketed them seperately.

OR one quality marked two different ways.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Holy crap! Just searched eBay for one. The * is actually on the camera itself. I've never seen that or heard about them until now.

Likewise - learned something new.

 

[RSalles]

The "T*" comes from modern MC and "pearheaps" is related to the japanease market.
I never heard of a Zeiss lens made in Sweden, that's news to me. I heard about 3 factories in Germany, Singapore (Zeiss Voigtlander Rollei), Mamiya factory and Kyocera... And now in South Korea for the Samsung cell phones.


Cheers,

Renato

 

[winger]

Here's a line from Ken Rockwell (I know, I know, but it came up as a high hit on the search I did) - "The star on my body (★ 503 CX) means it was originally sold in Japan. The Japanese importer had Hasselblad do that to help them combat the gray market; it's the same camera everywhere."

 

[obviouslygene]

Yup, same camera. What winger's last post said. Or, like what I stated in post #2, "...to distinguish their wares from the grey market."

 

[obviouslygene]

The "T*" comes from modern MC and "pearheaps" is related to the japanease market.
I never heard of a Zeiss lens made in Sweden, that's news to me. I heard about 3 factories in Germany, Singapore (Zeiss Voigtlander Rollei), Mamiya factory and Kyocera... And now in South Korea for the Samsung cell phones.


Cheers,

Renato

I believe winger was talking about the star on the body. Like this.

 

[AgX]

Here's a line from Ken Rockwell (I know, I know, but it came up as a high hit on the search I did) - "The star on my body (★ 503 CX) means it was originally sold in Japan. The Japanese importer had Hasselblad do that to help them combat the gray market; it's the same camera everywhere."

That makes sense to me.
That would be similar as for instance the designation policy of Canon of their EOS series.

 

[Alan Gales]

Here's a line from Ken Rockwell (I know, I know, but it came up as a high hit on the search I did) -

That's ok. Love him or hate him, Ken does have some useful information on his site.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That's ok. Love him or hate him, Ken does have some useful information on his site.

Yes, even a broken clock is correct twice in twenty four hours.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

That's ok. Love him or hate him, Ken does have some useful information on his site.

He has the best Nikon Lens Compatibility chart on the internet.

He also has interesting reviews of older (film) cameras and lenses.

Some stuff on his site is obviously for humorous effect.

 

[Alan W]

I hope the people that just looked at this information left him a "tip".$5 or so.

 

[Arklatexian]

OR one quality marked two different ways.

Or one quality that after traveling more than halfway around the world in a container would sometime have screws and other parts vibrate "loose". At one time, Hasselblad (as well as Leica, Rollei and I am sure others) would service new cameras before shipping them to dealers. It DID make a difference where you bought your equipment and not just for warranty protection. I had one friend who bought both his Leica and his Hasselblad in a city in Latin America that was a "free-port" regarding import duties and other taxes. The first cameras he looked at did not work properly right after unwraping them from factory wrappings. The clerks simply put them on a shelf and opened other new cameras which worked fine. I can only assume the "defective" equipment was later serviced in the shop and sold to someone else. When I bought my Hasselblad and Leicas, I made sure of the history of the equipment before buying them........Regards!

 

[AgX]

This is the first time I learn about cameras of major manufacturers getting harmed during original export.
One may imagine though that during grey-market further transport the packaging gets harmed.

Both are issues I never thought of before. And still am reluctant to see them as substantial.

 

[Larry the sailor]

Yes, even a broken clock is correct twice in twenty four hours.

Unless it is a 24 hour clock...

 

[fdonadio]

Unless it is a 24 hour clock...

Well, then it's correct once every 24h!


Cheers,
Flavio

 

[MattKing]

What if it loses one minute each day ?

 

[fdonadio]

What if it loses one minute each day ?

Get it fixed or trash it!


Cheers,
Flavio