Changed my format status today

bimmey

Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
98
Location
New Hampshire
Format
Multi Format
After following JM's thread about entry into the world of medium format, I decided to take the plunge. Since purchasing a darkroom set up with 6x6 capability, I've been shopping for a MF system. Taking Sirrus Glass's advice I bought a Hasselblad kit. Only because I've always wanted one, and a deal that could not be refused came my way.

Checking on Craigslist for a dry mount press, I came across an add for a 503CW with A12 back and 80mm Planar CFE. Price $1250. The gentleman had bought it new for his wife who ran two rolls of film through it (one of which is still in the back). It is truly mint. The location was in Northern Maine, about a 6 hour drive, but what better place to try it out than Acadia National Park.

This development has put setting up my darkroom into high gear.

Steve
 

Alan9940

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2006
Messages
2,429
Location
Arizona
Format
Multi Format
Welcome to the MF fold! I've had my 500C/M for 30+ years and, though I don't shoot it nowadays as often as I used to, it's still a wonderful camera to use and the results speak for itself.

Have fun!!
 

jspillane

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2012
Messages
240
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Format
Medium Format
Truly the classic body/lens combo, in fresh iterations. You'll be very happy with the camera and lens. Although CFE's are great, I do find a lot of pleasure in shooting with the old C lenses - I'd recommend picking up a bargain-basement 120 S-Planar C or 150 Sonnar C for the experience.
 

Ai Print

Subscriber
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
1,292
Location
Colorado
Format
Multi Format
Congrats and *great* deal on a very nice kit! Being the last in the line of the V system, the 503CW body alone can often sell for as much as you paid for the whole kit you just got.

Now get your self a nice Rodenstock 80mm F4 Apo Rodagon N and you are truly set, the prints from that Zeiss 80 and the 80 Rodagon are unmatched.

If I may make a suggestion, try to get a couple of A12 backs in good condition sooner than later, I have noticed the price of them ratcheting upwards in the past few years and the selection thinning a bit. I prefer the ones just before they started putting the darkslide holders on them ( more compact ) as they have the nice slide in square for the cardboard film info and the "12" on the release button.

There is probably more great info on Hasselblad on here than any other site so keep reading up and have a great time shooting that 503!
 
Last edited:

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,391
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
Welcome to the wonderful world of Hasselblad!
 
OP
OP

bimmey

Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
98
Location
New Hampshire
Format
Multi Format
Thanks for the welcome gents. Looking forward to gleaning some good information from this forum. Plans are to use it mostly for black and white. Landscapes, stills, and portraits. A 50mm is next on the list, but I'll pick up a back or two as well. Contrast filters are a bit pricey for this beast! Anyone know a good source for filters?
 

bdial

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
7,470
Location
North East U.S.
Format
Multi Format
Welcome, and congratulations

My favorite source for filters is the PHSNE show in Boston, but it won't be on again until around April.
 

Arklatexian

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,777
Location
Shreveport,
Format
Multi Format
Sirius Glass said:
Welcome to the wonderful world of Hasselblad!
Click to expand...

Now Sirius Glass, you see what you have gone and done! Are you able to sleep at night hooking people on Hasselblad kits? Why, because of you, I just bought another B50 Pro Shade with masks. Why you? Because I must blame this purchase on someone and you are handy. Of course the fact that they don't sell for much certainly did not hurt any..........Regards!
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,130
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Sirius is without Hasselblad shame.
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,391
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format

Sure go ahead and blame me. I can handle it. My ex still accuses me of causing droughts, too much rain, high temperatures, low temperatures and Earth's slowing rotation rate.
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,391
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
MattKing said:
Sirius is without Hasselblad shame.
Click to expand...

Ever since I traded in an inherited 6x6 TLR that I never liked for my Hasselblad, I have been as happy as a pig in shit.
 

Down Under

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
1,086
Location
The universe
Format
Multi Format
Your Hasselblad is my Rolleiflex - my four Rolleis, in fact.

I owned a 500CM kit for about ten years as part of the promotion for my interior design architectural practice. Alas, in that time I used it about as many times. Hasselblads are incredibly beautiful photo-machines, but I found I could never quite get used to the, for me, "unusual" ergonomics. Having cut my teeth, so to say, on TLRs in my teens and twenties, I tend to use my Rolleis much like 35mm cameras, and this I found I just couldn't do with the 500CM.

As well, while my 'blad looked to be in pristine condition, I now suspect mine had been used almost to death as their Number One Work Horse in a busy studio - everything about the camera and the four backs (two A12s and two A16s, the latter pair almost never used) had to be serviced within 12 months of my purchase, and the backs I found regularly went out of spacing alignment or the felts fell off or whatever, and had to be serviced, at hideous costs (this is Australia after all, if one here owns a Hassie, Rollei or Leica then one is related to the Getty clan and repair prices go up accordingly). One time even the winding crank fell off the camera and the repair shop insisted the entire unit plus the body mount had to be changed. I walked out on hearing this and installed a A$50 wheel winder which slowed down the shooting somewhat, but didn't bankrupt me.

Truth was that in my dream of dreams, what I really wanted as a camera was a Hasselblad SWC with one back. True minimalism. Again, work and finances being as they were (urban myths aside, most architects really do not make pots of money, and if you consider the amount of mental and physical work and research that goes into a project, most times we are really going slowly backwards on most projects in terms of financial return to our practice for the time and effort we put in), I just could not justify buying the wide angle camera. One of my (very few) life's regrets, this.

In 2012 I had the camera serviced in Singapore (Stephen Lee did a truly wonderful job on it) and I finally sold it last year, to someone who is again using it semi professionally. Like a greatly loved family kitten or puppy, it went to a good home.

I am still checking a few online sites for that elusive affordable SWC. Hasselblad shame, not. It's pure lust!
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,391
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
Lust is good, but GAS feels ever so much better.
 

Ai Print

Subscriber
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
1,292
Location
Colorado
Format
Multi Format
bimmey said:
Contrast filters are a bit pricey for this beast! Anyone know a good source for filters?
Click to expand...

6 of my 9 CF, CFi and CFe lenses are bay 60 so I keep it real simple by using bay 60 to 67mm step up rings. That way it keeps the cost way down and I use those high quality B&W Schneider filters on lots of other lenses to boot.

You can't stack filters on a lens like a C or CF 50mm Distagon without getting vignetting but it works fine with just one. If a 50mm is your next lens, consider getting the 50mm F4 FLE in CFi since it is still reasonably priced in the used market and it is Bay 70 to allow for more than one filter. You can even use bay 60 filters on it with an adapter which I have just in case I decide to replace my otherwise excellent CF FLE. Otherwise the 50 CFi is the same optical formula as the bay 60 CF version.

No matter what, the use of a bay 60 to 67mm step up ring is pretty much the way to go in using filters on V system lenses, quite a savings and a more verstile use of a broad filter system.
 
Last edited:

Slixtiesix

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
1,408
Format
Medium Format
Wow! That is a tremendous bargain for such a Hasselblad kit. My congratulations.
 

removed account4

Subscriber
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
29,832
Format
Hybrid
have fun steve
and good luck feeding the hassy !
12 frames a roll is a steady diet of silver ..
 

John Galt

Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2017
Messages
357
Location
Rivendell
Format
Medium Format
Welcome bimmey to the forum and to Hasselblad. I also just started with my first 'blad, a 1969 500C that I purchased from a friend near Belfast, ME last winter. Sirius Glass has been a great help to me also. Where are you in NH? I grew up in Webster.
 

ac12

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
720
Location
SF Bay Area (SFO), USA
Format
Multi Format
Such a DEAL !!!
I'm jealous.

Now you need another A12 back, and you are set.

As for B&W filters, an option to the Bay 60 filters is, to get a Bay60 to 67mm adapter, then use the easier to find and cheaper 67mm filters. You also have a greater assortment of 67mm filters to choose from.
 
OP
OP

bimmey

Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
98
Location
New Hampshire
Format
Multi Format
Hey bdial, I have not been to the PHSNE show in a long time. Is it still in Newton?

A Rollie TLR may still be in the cards for me ozmoose. Had one 20 some years ago and really liked it. The Hassy is just something I always lusted for.

Ai Print and ac12, thanks for the Bay 60 to 67mm adapter. That will make getting filters easier and affordable.

John, I live in Georges Mills. The Hassy kit I bought was in Bass Harbor Me. Think that's why it lasted a week on craigslist. It's funny, I usually do a lot of research before making such a gear purchase.
The ad had no image, and the contact number was a Texas area code. Some flags went up. I had been looking on e-bay and KEH at 500 and 501 kits, so the price looked good. It was not until I got home and priced it out that I realized what a good deal it was. Whoot Whoot, I finally got to be "that guy" I read about that gets the deals that keep me going to flea markets. (and coming up empty)

Steve
 

TheFlyingCamera

Membership Council
Advertiser
Joined
May 24, 2005
Messages
11,546
Location
Washington DC
Format
Multi Format
Another filter option is to get one of those Lee super-high-tech universal gelatin filter adapters (aka a plastic frame with a rubber band) and use the 4x4 inch Lee gelatin filters. For obvious reasons using a polarizer with that adapter is a bit of a pain, but just about everything else is perfectly good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…