Hasselblad 1600F

[mitica100]

I just acquired an old Hasselblad 1600F from 1950 and wanted to see if anyone knows how to date the month/day of manufacture. I know the camera has been made in 1950 (has serial number starting with CS) and Hasselblad produced about 300 cameras of this kind which were supposed to be destroyed due to a bad shutter. Out of 300 there were destroyed something like 130. I'd be curious if the one I have escaped that 'execution', which would make it quite rare.

Thanks in advance.

Dimitri

 

[Moopheus]

But wouldn't that also mean you have a Hasselblad with a bad shutter?

 

[mitica100]

Not all of the cameras of that batch had the bad shutter. As I understand it, Hasselblad wanted to destroy the entire batch.

 

[paul ron]

SOmething I found on the net, I hope it helps...

Dating a Hasselblad
You can date the manufacture of your Hasselblad bodies and backs using the following serial number code. The first two or three digits indicate the item number, then the next two letters the manufacture date. Older cameras/backs may start directly with the date letters. Using the chart, I find that my 203FE body (serial #18SV113xx) was made in 2001; and the prism finder PM-90 (serial #411ET1xxx) was made in 1996.

V H P I C T U R E S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

You can also date the lens manufacture. Zeiss doesn't use Hasselblad's VHPICTURES, but if you take the lens off the camera and look at the rear element, there should be a 3-digit or 4-digit number in red lettering on the inner shroud. You may have to focus the lens to infinity or to the closest focus distance in order to reveal it. This is the manufacturing date code. In order to decode it:

The last two digits are the month
The first one or two digits are the year. Add this to 1957.
So my 50mm C Distagon has a date code of '806'. This means it was made in June of 1965. My 80mm C T* has a date code of '1605'. This means it was made in May of 1973. This only works with older C and CT* lenses apparently.

CF lenses use a different code: one letter and two digits. The letter is the month (A=Jan; B = Feb; C=March; D= April) and the two digits are the year flipped. So 28 = 82 = 1982. So F58 = June 1985.

My 80mm CFE lens does not have a visible date code, so if I wanted to know when it was made, I would have to look up the serial number (there are charts in some books).

 

[mitica100]

Thanks for the info, it helps me with identifying the manufacture date(s) of other Zeiss lenses. The 1600F that I was inquiring about was made in 1950 but it came with an Ektar 80/2.8, which I failed to mention. Mea Culpa!!

I did write to Hasselblad in Sweden but have no reply yet.

 

[JosBurke]

I have a 1955 1000F that is a good 8/10 condition that I recently gathered from fleabay---just learning how to use it as I'm normally a 500 series user---it also has the Kodak Ektar and a '55 back--shutter seems accurate and the lens is super clean--not a mark on it and coated---I'll be using one of my modern A-12's though as I'm sure the light seals on the old back are shot---I'll be posting results--my biggest gripe is the focus screen--it's a fresnel type with center spot and likely not original--my complaint is the graininess on par with Beattie screens--yuck!!! If i actually get into using it I will have a better screen installed but I'm just trying it out at this point---I bought it to match that 1955 Supreme Wide Angle and they make for a sweet pair !!!

[/IMG]

 

[Paul Kirchhoff]

1600F

The 1600F exists in two different series:

The early 1600F does not have the two letters to distinguish the year, has a filmtransport and timing knob in unpainted alu with black lettering and was originally fitted with a Kodak focusingscreen that shows a little "V" in the center.
From this camera a total of 300 were produced.
Only an estimated 150 are believed to have survived as a number of the early cameras were taken back by Hasselblad and used for spares.
The early cameras were unreliable due to problems with the complicated shutter mechanism.
These cameras were supplied with a Kodak Ektar lens.

The series two has the additional two letters that indicate the year of manufacture starting in 1950 with the CS prefix.
It can be distinguished by the black painted knob for transport and timing and of course the two letters with the serial number.
At the end of production in 1953 a total of about 3.300 serie two cameras were produced.
The series two had an improved shutter mechanism and was a much better camera.
In the U.S. the series two was sold with the Kodak Ektar lens.
In Europe later series two cameras were available with Carl Zeiss Tessar lenses.
The camera that was mentioned here is an early serie two produced at the end of 1950.

It is still possible to have this camera serviced by a few camera specialists that take pride to keep Victors cameras in working condition.
My 1600 F was recently serviced and is still going strong.
It is part of a collection of early Hasselblads and is kept company by a 1000F and some early Super Wides.

 

[Mark Layne]

The 1600F exists in two different series:

The early 1600F does not have the two letters to distinguish the year, has a filmtransport and timing knob in unpainted alu with black lettering and was originally fitted with a Kodak focusingscreen that shows a little "V" in the center.
From this camera a total of 300 were produced.
Only an estimated 150 are believed to have survived as a number of the early cameras were taken back by Hasselblad and used for spares.
The early cameras were unreliable due to problems with the complicated shutter mechanism.
These cameras were supplied with a Kodak Ektar lens.

The series two has the additional two letters that indicate the year of manufacture starting in 1950 with the CS prefix.
It can be distinguished by the black painted knob for transport and timing and of course the two letters with the serial number.
At the end of production in 1953 a total of about 3.300 serie two cameras were produced.
The series two had an improved shutter mechanism and was a much better camera.
In the U.S. the series two was sold with the Kodak Ektar lens.
In Europe later series two cameras were available with Carl Zeiss Tessar lenses.
The camera that was mentioned here is an early serie two produced at the end of 1950.

It is still possible to have this camera serviced by a few camera specialists that take pride to keep Victors cameras in working condition.
My 1600 F was recently serviced and is still going strong.
It is part of a collection of early Hasselblads and is kept company by a 1000F and some early Super Wides.

My 1952 1600F works fine so far but my repairman said he never wants to see it in his shop, so I'm glad to hear somebody still will work on these. My 60mm Distagon is a wonderful lens
Mark

 

[mitica100]

Thanks Paul for the invaluable info! Now I know which of the 1600F cameras I have.

 

[gregcomollo]

The 1600F exists in two different series:

The early 1600F does not have the two letters to distinguish the year, has a filmtransport and timing knob in unpainted alu with black lettering and was originally fitted with a Kodak focusingscreen that shows a little "V" in the center.
From this camera a total of 300 were produced.
Only an estimated 150 are believed to have survived as a number of the early cameras were taken back by Hasselblad and used for spares.
The early cameras were unreliable due to problems with the complicated shutter mechanism.
These cameras were supplied with a Kodak Ektar lens.

Paul, I recently acquired a 1600F with the V in the center of the ground glass in full working condition. I am looking into having this appraised for insurance reason. Would you be able to share your source of information? And i would also be interested in the contact information of anyone who would be willing to work on this. - It would also be good of me to note that the knob is black with white number and "MADE IN SWEDEN; BY VICTOR HASSELBLAD AB GOTHEMBURG" unpainted on the outside of the knob.


Thanks!

 

[outwest]

The 1600F I had came with the 80 and 135 Ektar lenses. Both lenses were superb. I picked up a Tessar to do a comparison and there was none, the Ektar made it look like a coke bottle (well, no Zeiss Tessar is a coke bottle, but the Ektar was definitely superior. Hasselblad's history book says that they went to Zeiss only when Kodak became too expensive. My camera had the V focusing screen and was serial number 10500 IIRC (the numbers started at 10000) so the V got to at least 500 cameras.

 

[diser]

80mm Ektar in perfect condition is somewhat rare. Most of the lenses have fungus, sticky operations, scratches.

Having "V" in the viewfinder doesn't mean it was there originally. This screen may have been changed later.