Hasselblad 1600F shutter release problem

[Karl K]

I recently acquired a nice Hasselblad 1600F with the 75mm Ektar. The problem is when winding it, the mirror flips down, which is normal, but at the end of the winding of each frame, the mirror flips back up and the shutter releases, without even my having touched the shutter release button.

The shutter speeds seem accurate and the focal plane shutter curtains are not damaged.
The small red/white window which indicates that the shutter is cocked or uncocked never turns red, indicating cocked.
I guess that's why the shutter release button does nothing at all.

Any ideas?
Is this something that is a relatively easy fix?
If not, who can you recommend to service a Hasselblad 1600F?

Hasselblad no longer services these vintage cameras and my own repairman has no experience with focal plane Hasselblads.

Thanks.

 

[elekm]

Are you in the U.S., UK or elsewhere? That will help people make recommendations for you.

 

[agfarapid]

Try Essex Camera (camerarepair.com) in New Jersey. They might be able to help.

 

[Karl K]

I'm located in NJ, USA.
Thanks for the Essex Camera lead.
I'll call them.
Any other suggestions?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hasselblad repair is in New Jersey. I do not know if they will still work on 1600Fs.

 

[Jeff L]

What about David Odess? I have read others recommending him.

 

[Karl K]

Jeff: I wrote to David Odess, as you suggested. Here is his reply:

Karl,
I'm sorry, but I do not service the 1600F camera bodies. It is my
understanding that there is nobody in this country who still services them.

Regards,
David Odess
www.david-odess.com

I guess I'm out of luck.

 

[outwest]

I had one that wouldn't work. I took it apart and got to the innards and messed around with it until I had it about 80 percent working. At this point you have little to lose. Once I had the body working the Ektar lens was outstanding.

 

[Kiev88user]

Hi there. This sounds like the pronged clutch is not engaging properly - please see my website http://kiev88.atwebpages.com/page3.htm and scroll down to 'Shutter curtains', see the left hand image with the red circle. Now you can actually see this if you remove the lens and very slowly wind the shutter. There is a lever in the winding gear which presses the prongs of the clutch together - you should be able to see it happening. The Salyut camera is a clone of the Hasselblad 1600F and works in exactly the same way. Sadly the mechanism wears with time and this is a classic symptom. The lever in the winding gear has a follower on it which follows a cam under the winding knob - if this wears the clutch is not fully engaged (there is a click latch which snaps into place, and is unfastened when the shutter releases). Any attempt to dismantle will likely end in disaster - I have replaced this very component in my Salyut and it took a huge amount of time to get it back together/working correctly.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Karl K]

Steve: Is it worth repairing? If it is the clutch, could it be repaired and how much would you estimate that it would cost? Obviously, any estimate that you make is subject to inspection, but I'm curious.
Thanks.

 

[Kiev88user]

Hi Karl.
Unfortunately it may not be repairable as there are no new spares available at all for Hasselblad 1600 or 1000F cameras and the Russian parts won't fit due to subtle differences in design. Due to the high risk factor (!) I don't repair other folks Hasselblads or the Ukrainian copies - even as it is your Hassy is worth good money to a collector. I'm not sure if you are based in the UK but there is a chap called Tom Page, 01923 800588, who repaired my Pentacon Six for me. Now he may know of someone who could at least dismantle the winding gear and see if a simple adjustment could bring it back to life. Otherwise Euro Photographic Services http://www.ileicestershire.com/profile/329592/Leicester/Euro-Photographic-Services/ (Ed Trzoska) may be able to help.

Cheers,

Steve