But how many Hasselblads?

Rolleiflexible · Jun 4, 2023

The Guardian ran an article about Paul McCartney's photographs from 1963. Sir Paul commented that he often took photos of the press corps, and the article included one of them, which I attach for your viewing pleasure.

By my count, the frame includes at least three (3) Rolleiflexes, and a couple of 35mm SLRs.

How many Hasselblads? :-D

Maybe they just got left in the boot of the Volvo.

warden · Jun 4, 2023

Now you've done it.

Paul Howell · Jun 4, 2023

In the early 60s TLR were very common for press work, Hasselblad's were more often used in Studio work. Most used were Rollies or perhaps a Japanese TLR, as they were light, easy to carry, the wider view of a 80mm lens could be cropped into for a print in a newspaper. When I Freelanced for the Sacramento Union the paper's Hasselblad was only used for fashion work, by then even portraits were most often shot with 35mm.

Sirius Glass · Jun 4, 2023

Paul Howell said:
In the early 60s TLR were very common for press work, Hasselblad's were more often used in Studio work. Most used were Rollies or perhaps a Japanese TLR, as they were light, easy to carry, the wider view of a 80mm lens could be cropped into for a print in a newspaper. When I Freelanced for the Sacramento Union the paper's Hasselblad was only used for fashion work, by then even portraits were most often shot with 35mm.

Yes, correct

kennethwajda · Jun 4, 2023

What was Paul shooting with a pinhole camera? Good thing he stuck to music, focus wasn't his greatest skill.

faberryman · Jun 4, 2023

kennethwajda said:
What was Paul shooting with a pinhole camera? Good thing he stuck to music, focus wasn't his greatest skill.

I think he was shooting a Leica M2 with a Leica lens that had character.

neilt3 · Jun 4, 2023

kennethwajda said:
What was Paul shooting with a pinhole camera? Good thing he stuck to music, focus wasn't his greatest skill.

faberryman said:
I think he was shooting a Leica M2 with a Leica lens that had character.

It was the 60's man !
He was probably focussing on the butterflies or pink elephants !

kennethwajda · Jun 4, 2023

neilt3 said:
It was the 60's man !
He was probably focussing on the butterflies or pink elephants !

Yep! Ha!

kennethwajda · Jun 4, 2023

faberryman said:
I think he was shooting a Leica M2 with a Leica lens that had character.

I thought he was a Pentax Spotmatic guy. I am joking because that photo of the press feels like nothing is in focus.

AnselMortensen · Jun 5, 2023

He was probably running backwards while taking that photo.
Cue "Hard Day's Night" movie.....

250swb · Jun 5, 2023

I think maybe the guy on the left with the Rolleiflex should have been shooting with a Hasselblad, at least he'd have seen his finger in front of the lens.

Rolleiflexible · Jun 5, 2023

kennethwajda said:
I thought he was a Pentax Spotmatic guy. I am joking because that photo of the press feels like nothing is in focus.

Oh come on. He’s a musician in his 20s who just landed in the US for the beginning of the insanity that became Beatlemania, shooting a scrum of jostling subjects. I think he did pretty well with focus under the circumstances.

Rolleiflexible · Jun 5, 2023

AnselMortensen said:
He was probably running backwards while taking that photo.
Cue "Hard Day's Night" movie.....

Next to Yellow Submarine, the greatest movie ever filmed.

perkeleellinen · Jun 5, 2023

I bought the newspaper on Saturday and lookng at that photo in newsprint 4" wide, it doesn't look that soft. In fact, I hadn't even spotted the focus concerns until I saw the larger scan here.

kennethwajda · Jun 5, 2023

perkeleellinen said:
I bought the newspaper on Saturday and lookng at that photo in newsprint 4" wide, it doesn't look that soft. In fact, I hadn't even spotted the focus concerns until I saw the larger scan here.

Maybe the scan is the issue and Paul got it right. He did with most things he tried.

John Wiegerink · Jun 5, 2023

Rolleiflexible said:
Next to Yellow Submarine, the greatest movie ever filmed.

Nope, not even close! Caveman, staring Ringo Star is the best. Just my opinion of course.

Steven Lee · Jun 5, 2023

Interesting... looks like people indeed used the folding sports finder on a Rolleiflex! One unfortunate side effect of not using my Rolleis more frequently is that I keep forgetting about this feature.

Chan Tran · Jun 5, 2023

kennethwajda said:
What was Paul shooting with a pinhole camera? Good thing he stuck to music, focus wasn't his greatest skill.

He didn't want to compete with his girlfriend Linda Eastman and made her looked bad. He wanted to marry her.

kennethwajda · Jun 5, 2023

Chan Tran said:
He didn't want to compete with his girlfriend Linda Eastman and made her looked bad. He wanted to marry her.

Chivalry! Yes!

JPD · Jun 6, 2023

Chan Tran said:
He didn't want to compete with his girlfriend Linda Eastman and made her looked bad. He wanted to marry her.

Did he use Eastman Kodak materials?

Chan Tran · Jun 6, 2023

JPD said:
Did he use Eastman Kodak materials?

I guess he did but that's irrelevant as Linda Eastman is not related to Eastman Kodak or George Eastman.

C Jensen · Jun 6, 2023

The answer is two, or one. Clearly it is obvious to a casual observer, Paul took this photo with a Hasselblad. its reflection is clearly visible in two camera lens in the photo. I can almost make out the serial number of the lens. scan is terrible.

JPD · Jun 6, 2023

Chan Tran said:
I guess he did but that's irrelevant as Linda Eastman is not related to Eastman Kodak or George Eastman.

That's the driest reply I have got for a joke so far this year.

Sirius Glass · Jun 6, 2023

JPD said:
That's the driest reply I have got for a joke so far this year.

I could drink to that!

Rolleiflexible · Jun 7, 2023

C Jensen said:
The answer is two, or one. Clearly it is obvious to a casual observer, Paul took this photo with a Hasselblad. its reflection is clearly visible in two camera lens in the photo. I can almost make out the serial number of the lens. scan is terrible.

That would explain the focus issue.

But how many Hasselblads?

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency