FIXED: Hasselblad 500CM lens moves when shutter released

I just bought a 500C/M that has clearly seen some miles, but seems to be in good shape overall.
However, I've noticed that whenever the shutter is released, the lens shifts back a little in the mount. More specifically, it feels like it pitches down at the bottom of the mount, where the cocking and release couplings are. It's much more noticeable with heavy lenses like the Distagon 50, but it's there even with the Planar 80.

The lens is for sure mated properly and locked in. It doesn't sit cockeyed in the mount, the catch locks with a decisive click and the release button pops out smartly, the index sits at the 12 o'clock position (right between the E and the L in the nameplate), and there's no more than half a degree of rotational play.

As this is my first Hassy, I don't know if this is normal, bad but tolerable, or a sign of a serious problem, and whether it's fixable. I've been led to believe the Hasselblad V cameras were designed specifically to be maintained and repaired for a long service life, so I imagine it is repairable, it's just a question of how involved and how much it will cost.

Not normal. Not tolerable either. Sounds like the lens is not properly mated and locked on the body.

It's definitely mated and locked. The release button pops out and the catch falls into place with a positive click, the lens doesn't sit cockeyed in the mount, and rotational play is no more than a half degree.

If you grab the lens, does it wiggle in the body or are you detecting the movement only when shutter is released or are you detecting movement when winding the camera (cocking by the lens).

I can wiggle it by grabbing it.

On closer inspection, the shift happens when the mirror flips and the barn doors open; it will stay in that position until the shutter is tripped and the shutter button released. When it shifts back during firing, the lens release button shifts with it by the same amount. It remains in that shifted position until I release the shutter button.

I think that the outer shell of the camera is slightly loose. This could explain the loose back as described in your other thread.

Check this video:

You don't need to remove the baffles or knob as shown in the beginning. Just try tightening the screws at the bottom, removing the tripod plate if necessary?

On a second thought, it could be the front bayonet plate that is loose.

OAPOli said:

I think that the outer shell of the camera is slightly loose. This could explain the loose back as described in your other thread.

Click to expand...

OAPOli said:

On a second thought, it could be the front bayonet plate that is loose.

Click to expand...

Both! The screws holding the tripod plate (which also hold the shell onto the body) were loose, as was the bottom screw holding the bottom of the bayonet plate.

In concert with the scratches near the barely-functioning MLU lever, quite a bit of scraped-away metal on the forward lower edge of the body, and the missing spacer washers for the front two tripod plate screws, I think a previous owner rather clumsily attempted to repair something.

The camera now works better than when I bought it, as the actuator for the MLU (the “S lever,” I think the service manual calls it) was bent inward, which ended up jamming the camera my first couple attempts at reinstalling the body into the shell. I drew a line on the picture of the bent S lever showing how far off of straight it was.

It now has no discernible lens movement relative to the body, and a functioning MLU!

@markaudacity good job!

A note. When putting back the body onto the shell, the body should either be flush or slightly proud of the shell.

I would have returned it and screamed for my $$ back.

Typical recoil from a real Zeiss lens

retina_restoration said:

I would have returned it and screamed for my $$ back.

Click to expand...

I got a very good deal on it, and since I was able to fix it so simply, I’m still happy. I like fixing things, so I actually saw a reason to open it up as an opportunity. Seeing how simply the body comes out of the shell and how accessible the whole mechanism is gives me a great deal of confidence in its repairability.

I am like you, I don't hesitate to buy a camera or lens cheap because of a problem. I was in a local camera store and there was a guy trading some camera gear in and the store didn't want a EF 16-35mm f2.8 v1 because of a loose collar. I offered him $30. Took it home googled loose ring for that lens and sure enough I found that all you need to do is remove the rubber ring and tighten the 3 screws. I know the lens is not the best version but for $30 how can you go wrong.

markaudacity said:

Both! The screws holding the tripod plate (which also hold the shell onto the body) were loose, as was the bottom screw holding the bottom of the bayonet plate.

In concert with the scratches near the barely-functioning MLU lever, quite a bit of scraped-away metal on the forward lower edge of the body, and the missing spacer washers for the front two tripod plate screws, I think a previous owner rather clumsily attempted to repair something.

The camera now works better than when I bought it, as the actuator for the MLU (the “S lever,” I think the service manual calls it) was bent inward, which ended up jamming the camera my first couple attempts at reinstalling the body into the shell. I drew a line on the picture of the bent S lever showing how far off of straight it was.

It now has no discernible lens movement relative to the body, and a functioning MLU!

Click to expand...

Well done!

You've essentially performed artificial respiration on a great body and brought it back to life!

campy51 said:

I am like you, I don't hesitate to buy a camera or lens cheap because of a problem.

Click to expand...

Yep! It’s bitten me a couple times, I own a $40 EOS-1V in perfect shape because of this.