Hasselbald 501CM jam - Help!

ted_smith · Sep 10, 2012

Hi

My Hasselblad 501CM seems to be 'jammed'.

I used it a few weeks ago in dry weather. All seemed to be OK. On the way home, with the camera in my bag, the heavens opened and I got totally soaked - rining wet. However, though the bag was wet, the inside seemed dry as it has a membrane inside that seems to stop the wet. So I thought nothing more of it.

This morning, I loaded a new roll of film and tried to wind the the viewer. However, it wouldn't go forward. With the dark slide removed, I pressed the shutter and though it fully depresses, nothing happens and I cant wind the viewer on. I now cant remove the lens either, because, I assume, it think its locked between an exposure?

What might I have missed? What might I be doing wrong? Or is it proper jammed?

Aron · Sep 10, 2012

Bring it to an authorized repair centre, with the camera in their hands they will be able to help better. Water is a great enemy of fine mechanics, it's best to respect it like seamen do.

brucemuir · Sep 10, 2012

If you are brave at heart (not really difficult) do a google search and check the procedure.
The lens and body "key" most likely got misaligned although the only time I've seen it happen is when removing/installing a lens.

You need a screwdriver to come in from the rear with the film back removed.
The only real danger is if you slip off the slotted key with the screwdriver and scratch the rear element of the lovely Zeiss you have mounted.
There is a tool made for this purpose but a screwdriver works with care.

jeffreyg · Sep 10, 2012

I vote for the tool mentioned by Bruce Muir. It has two sides that are shielded with one for the lens and one for the body. Although it's not often needed .. don't leave home without it. If that doesn't solve your problem I agree that a repair service is the way to go. There are other parts that can go.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

ted_smith · Sep 10, 2012

Thanks guys for the help so far. Incidentally, is anyone reading this from the Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire area of the UK who I might be able to visit with said camera just for them to check it is actually jammed and not me being stupid? It will be a great way to have a brew and talk about Hasselblads!

Can you actually name this screwdriver so I know what to search for or provide a link to buy it from? Many thanks

Willie Jan · Sep 10, 2012

http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Jamming-Jam-...287?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad305a597

summicron1 · Sep 10, 2012

i get the feeling you recently acquired this camera? I vote for going to a repair person/dealer and letting them look at it -- any cost is an investment in sanity as well as good equipment. If someone very very familiar with the camera says "all you need is this little tool," and shows you how it works, and it does, then buy the tool and send them a thank-you card. While there also buy a pro-pack of film. That is how they make their money.

illumiquest · Sep 10, 2012

As long as you're careful you can also use a flat head screwdriver which fits.

ted_smith · Sep 10, 2012

WillieJar - thanks for the link. Will that work for the 501CM, too. It states for the 503CX?

For any UK folk reading this, Amazon UK sells them too for £20 : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fotodiox-Camera-Repairing-Tool-Hasselblad/dp/B002KEL9T0

Also, the picture shows the curtains open. On mine they are closed if I take the film back off and pressing the shutter has no effect. How does one manually open the curtains?

brucemuir · Sep 10, 2012

You need to manually open the "barndoors"

All 500 series bodies can have this problem, 501/501/500 doesn't matter.

Ted, if you do this yourself be sure you look around and read abit on how it's done.

Willie Jan · Sep 11, 2012

ted_smith said:
WillieJar - thanks for the link. Will that work for the 501CM, too. It states for the 503CX?

For any UK folk reading this, Amazon UK sells them too for £20 : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fotodiox-Camera-Repairing-Tool-Hasselblad/dp/B002KEL9T0

Also, the picture shows the curtains open. On mine they are closed if I take the film back off and pressing the shutter has no effect. How does one manually open the curtains?

I use it on my 501cm also.
I bought one from china years ago for a few bucks.

Sirius Glass · Sep 11, 2012

I hope that this helps:
http://www.dmin-dmax.fr/photoe2b.htm

bdial · Sep 11, 2012

Here's another info link that may be helpful
http://www.david-odess.com/faq.html#q18

However, in spite of their internet reputation for jamming, Hasselblads aren't prone to jamming just sitting around.
Are the body and lens cocked? If so, can you remove the lens?

lxdude · Sep 11, 2012

ted_smith said:
Hi

My Hasselblad 501CM seems to be 'jammed'.

You didn't have a jam sandwich in the bag with it, did you?

ted_smith · Sep 17, 2012

Guys

I had a crack at it. The "light jam" technique did not work. I could see it moving the lens elements as I turned it, but no release! I ventured to Step 3 (removing the small black cover) but a) I lost my bottle and b) I don't have screwdrivers small enough for one of the screws. I feared I was going to make it worse.

I have asked my friend RJ (lives in Jersey, used to frequent APUG) if he has ever had this problem and if he would have a go at it for me. If not, then I guess it's £250+ to have Hasselblad Repair do it for me (unless anyone in or near Derbyshire want to do it for me for a little pocket money?!) :-(

Thanks for all the links and useful tips gents.

ted_smith · Sep 26, 2012

BDial....

Are the body and lens cocked? If so, can you remove the lens?

As pof this evening, everything apart from the lens is free....I can crank the winder, roll the film on, remove and reinsert the dark slide, remove the film back. The curtains flip open and shut when the shutter is pressed. I just can't remove the lens. I have tried the screw turning trick to no avail, despite using the specialist Hasselblad screwdriver.

As I don't have another lens, not being able to remove the one that is on it (80mm Plannar CB) is not a major issue right now, but that's assuming it is actually working properly. It looks to me like it is but I am not a trained eye.

Sirius Glass · Sep 28, 2012

It sounds like it is time for a Hasselblad repairman.

film_man · Sep 30, 2012

In the jammed position are the shutter leaves closed? Ie can you see through the lens (or down the chimney)? If not try that screwdriver/tool thing again, you have to keep going even after you think it finished to lock into the release position.

I had this happen to my 501CM in the past a couple of times. It happened when the shutter button was pressed just a bit so the lens fired but the rest of the body didn't, once it was as the camera was bouncing inside the bag, the other when I had it over my shoulder and the button got caught in my belt as the camera was swinging back/forth while walking.

film_man · Sep 30, 2012

Also, if you do get it serviced well it is expensive but then you'll get a fully serviced camera. There are others who do Hasselblad repairs, I know sendeancameras and JDCamtech do them. I've tried sendean for a A12 back repair and an OM 50 lens repair and they did the job ok. Haven't tried the other guy but he seems to have tons of spares for C lenses too and I really need to get my C lenses serviced!

batwister · Oct 1, 2012

I'm in Derbyshire and shoot on a Hasselblad, but I wouldn't dare go near the mechanisms myself. I think the labour costs on Hasselblad repairs speak for themselves. Had something similar happen myself, on a snowy day. There was a "crank" sound when I pressed the shutter, my heart skipped a beat and the aperture blades were half closed. Couldn't take the lens off until I turned that screw. As I turned it the aperture blades began to close. The problem was with the body though, a spring broke upon pressing the shutter, obviously due to the low temperature. It's strange that the lens won't come off after turning the screw and perhaps indicates that the screw on the lens has broken, leaving it locked in place. Is there tension when turning the screw?

Black On White in Bristol - £70 + VAT for body, £75 + VAT for the lens. Lens price was quoted from March this year, body April of last.

EASmithV · Oct 4, 2012

$250#? That's insane. Send it to David Odess, you'll probably save money even with the international shipping.

Why is the same thing in the US 2x the price in the UK?

heterolysis · Oct 4, 2012

I have a 500EL/M with this problem. I acquired it as such, and I figure it was most likely a dead battery in the body that stopped it from cocking properly.

Thanks for the link to the tool, I've been eyeing it for ages, but am too scared to dig around in there with a screwdriver! $20 to salvage a Zeiss lens that hasn't been used in years. Done.

I had a lens that was "fired" but was off a body and couldn't be reattached. I cranked it back into the correct position, but the amount of rotation made me wary of trying it on the EL/M---I wasn't sure I could securely hold the body/screwdriver while turning it so far.

EDIT: Totally missed pg.2 of the thread (Woops). Sounds like a bigger issue than just cranking the mechanism. Hope you can get it fixed for less than 250 quid!

film_man · Oct 7, 2012

EASmithV said:
$250#? That's insane. Send it to David Odess, you'll probably save money even with the international shipping.

Why is the same thing in the US 2x the price in the UK?

£250 is if you take it to Hasselblad. How much does Hasselblad US charge for a repair?

brucemuir · Oct 7, 2012

film_man said:
£250 is if you take it to Hasselblad. How much does Hasselblad US charge for a repair?

They won't say until they look at it.

Sounds like your problem is something other than the run of the mill jam.
Like maybe something with the lens release linkage in the body? ? ?

ted_smith · Oct 23, 2012

All

Apologies for the late reply. I thought everyone had stopped discussions but there is half a dozen new ones since I last read.

Re the Hasselblad prices - in fairness, they said to send it for an £80 service, where they spend an hour servicing it, re-aligning screws etc and checking it over. Only if a confirmed fault was found would it be the £250.

But that doesn't matter because a few days after my last post, odly enough, I was just holding my Blad and admiring it generally, and I tipped it upsdie down, at which point I heard a little click. Surprise surprise, the lens then came off. My friend RJ rekons the lens to body screw might just be slightly out of line. I have shot a roll wit it since but not had it developed so can't confirm all is well, but the camera now seems to be OK, having sat in a warm and dry house for a few months. I suspect the damp bag that I left it in was the cause of all this.

Hasselbald 501CM jam - Help!

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