Fungus in Hassleblad 500 body check

jerye · Aug 29, 2022

Hi all,

Just checking to see if what I have got in my new to me Hassleblad body is actually fungus. I think typically fungus appears on the lense so just wanted to check - anything I can do about it as well?

Thank you.

Sirius Glass · Aug 29, 2022

Those white dots look like fungus to me. Return it, the next one will be better.

Welcome to ~~APUG~~ Photrio!!

Eff64 · Aug 29, 2022

jerye said:
Hi all,

Just checking to see if what I have got in my new to me Hassleblad body is actually fungus. I think typically fungus appears on the lense so just wanted to check - anything I can do about it as well?

Thank you.

View attachment 314609 View attachment 314610

To me, what that is is irrelevant. The whole area around the body opening is filthy. These are easy to buy in good condition if you keep an eye out. I would return that one for a full refund.

Side note-the coatings in these are frequently cracked, and that in itself is not cause for concern. But this is something else.

AgX · Aug 29, 2022

You twice wrote "Hassleblad", deliberately or by Freudian slip... which already indicates the way to handle this sample.

Concerning fungus, this is hard to tell from such photo. For instance, some rubber foam shows decay this way, though that part at the left seems varnished, also some metal corrosion does so. Anyway, it does not look like fungus to me.
But I see at least another issue, that may become troublesome. (Though I myself got an SLR with same issue, not hampered by it.)

But as indicated above, if you feel at unease with that sample due to its state, try to return it.

mshchem · Aug 29, 2022

Yes, hard to tell, could be corrosion. I've seen a Hasselblad that was stored for 20+ years in a home near the ocean. Looked beautiful on the outside, there was corrosion on the inside,

gone · Aug 29, 2022

Whatever it is, it sure doesn't belong there, so yes, send it back. I've never seen anything like it, although an old Iskra folder had something similar inside. That was more like a reaction of the metal or something though, what the op has looks like a medical text book example under dermatology :>(

Light Capture · Aug 30, 2022

Looks like one of 503 bodies with palpas coating.
Piece with white dots is plastic and snaps on the grooved shaft behind (older metal mirror catch cover is secured with C-clip behind corner of the mirror - can be seen when mirror is up).
Sometimes this plastic degrades in this way. I didn't check if it's fungus or not but it usually cleans easily. Peroxide and ammonia or some other fungus/mold solution recommended. Just in case. So far, I didn't see it affect anything else in the body.
Wouldn't recommend pulling the cover off since there is a spring behind. When mirror lockup is engaged, there is a good view of the cover from both sides.
Palpas coating behind the mirror catch cover looks clear as far as it can be seen on attached picture.

AgX · Aug 30, 2022

First time I hear the term "palpas". I searched for it and the result seem to refer to that cracked cover material, which I referred to as "another issue" of that camera sample.
Maybe you can be more specific on this palpas material.

Light Capture · Aug 30, 2022

AgX said:
First time I hear the term "palpas". I searched for it and the result seem to refer to that cracked cover material, which I referred to as "another issue" of that camera sample.
Maybe you can be more specific on this palpas material.

Palpas is newer Hasselblad material used to cover internal surfaces in order to be less reflective.
It's very soft and cracks and deteriorates but doesn't affect performance.
Also goes lighter in colour with time but it still stays largely non reflective.

Fungus in Hassleblad 500 body check

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