hasselblad 40mm cf won't focus

jojoman2 · May 5, 2016

I just bought a hasselblad and a 40mm cf lens. I've never used a hasselblad before, and I'm not familiar with the lenses, so I feel like I'm either missing something painfully obvious or there's something really wrong with the lens. I can't get anything to come in focus when I adjust the lens--any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

J

Ai Print · May 5, 2016

If it is the CF then I assume you have the FLE version with the second ring for adjusting the floating element?
Also, are you not hitting focus on anything at any distance?
What body and finder and do you have & do you have other lenses that *are* working with it?

Sirius Glass · May 5, 2016

Are you saying that when you turn the barrel closest to the camera body, it does not turn? Or there is no change of focus in the view finder?

jojoman2 · May 5, 2016

there is no change of focus in the viewfinder. also the shutter always fires at the same speed

jojoman2 · May 5, 2016

I bought the 501cm. Nothing at any distance hits focus when I pull up the magnifier and turn the lens. The 40mm is the only lens I have, the finder is the standard for the body I guess and the acute matte d focus screen is in it.

Thanks for the help guys

Sirius Glass · May 5, 2016

It sounds like the lens is defective. Can you return it? If not, where do you live so that we can direct you to someone who can help you or the nearest Hasselblad repair person?

Ai Print · May 5, 2016

I assume that it was sold to you as a pair in which case I would return both.

I have two 501CM's and they are great cameras but since you have limited experience it seems safest to return both for a refund.

Sirius Glass · May 5, 2016

What Ai Print said.

jojoman2 · May 5, 2016

I purchased them separately unfortunately. I'm going to try to return the lens and keep the body as it came with a nice screen.

Just as an update, I can get the focus to adjust and some things to come in a bit clearer, but nothing ever snaps into focus.
I also took off the back covering to see if the shutter speed in the lens was accurate--it is. The mirror of the 501cm doesn't sync up with it though, am I wrong in assuming that it should?

Thanks all

jojoman2 · May 5, 2016

The lens is also very stiff...

Ai Print · May 5, 2016

jojoman2 said:
I purchased them separately unfortunately. I'm going to try to return the lens and keep the body as it came with a nice screen.

Just as an update, I can get the focus to adjust and some things to come in a bit clearer, but nothing ever snaps into focus.
I also took off the back covering to see if the shutter speed in the lens was accurate--it is. The mirror of the 501cm doesn't sync up with it though, am I wrong in assuming that it should?

Thanks all

OK, well this is a bit different then.

Again...do you have any other Hasselblad lenses to compare it to? Hasselblad CF lenses can be stiff, they are made that way to retain a precision alignment to the film plane. But stiff is kind of a relative thing so that and other reasons are why I ask if you have another lens. You should only need to use your thumb and pointer finger to turn the lens, anymore than that and it is too tight, it won't move fast like a 35mm SLR / RF lens but it should turn smoothly and firmly.

The 40mm has a lot of inherent depth of field so it will not exactly "snap" into focus like an 80 or longer. What I would do if I were you is take off the finder and if you have a loupe that is at least 6X, carefully hold it up to the screen and check focus that way. Also, the way an "FLE" lens works is that you first focus the lens, then look to see what distance it is at and then dial that in as close as you can on the FLE ring. Then, make the final focus adjustment again using the regular focus ring. Check it out on high contrast scenes outdoors to see if it is working correctly or not, that can make a difference in perception of focus...and focus is fairly critical in medium format.

Also, take the back off and then fire the shutter a few times to see if the cameras shutter is synchronized correctly with the shutter in the lens. You should be able to see the light through the lens for the expected amount of time, 1/60th, 1/8th, 1/2, etc.

The lenses can go out of whack in terms of in lens shutter vs camera shutter timing, I had to send my 60mm CF in this year due to just that reason, I was getting half dark frames.

jojoman2 · May 5, 2016

The 40mm is my only lens. I live in new jersey so I can drive to Hasselblad in Union and have them look at the camera, which I think I'll do before I contact the seller. The lens was advertised as being in mint, showed up with a nice fat fingerprint in the middle of the glass (gotta love it). There is some slight wear on the body of the lens but nothing major. The camera shutter and the lens shutter are fairly well synced until 1 second. I'll try the camera outdoors tomorrow, I've only been checking it in rather dim indoor light.

I try to photograph with some spontaneity and was hoping this camera would be as quick to operate as a wide angle rolleiflex. It will still be a fast shooter with some handy pre focusing, but does the original 40 lens have a looser action to it? The lens does indeed turn with only my thumb and index, so I'm guessing this is normal for the cf. Most of my shots are between 1 and 2 meters, so if I leave the fle ring dialed in at the notch between 2 and .9, would that be optimal for reflex type shooting?

Thanks,

Jon

Ai Print · May 5, 2016

A visit to Hassy NJ would be good, they will know right away.

As far as being a fast shooter, kind of not but that all depends. If you are shooting with 400 ISO indoors, not so much. But if you are using say, Tmax 400 pushed to 800 outside ( my favorite combo for TMY2 ) then you can keep the shutter speed at 250 or 500th and get good depth of field in working at F8-F16.

People did weddings with Hasselblads for decades but it took some mastery to overcome the slower turning focus rings, dealing with slow top shutter speeds and mirror slap. Some used add on focus handles that help greatly in that regard, I never use them because "event" fast is not at the top of my list in using the Hasselblad V system where as changing film backs and lenses fast is. I find I can do equally as well with my 501CM and an 80mm 2.8 as I can with my Rolleiflex 80mm 2.8D in most cases, but it takes getting into a zen-isn place with any camera to make it a fluid performance, that comes only with enough experience.

If the C version of the 40mm is faster to turn, it won't be by much, they are still beefy helicoids you are dealing with. The focusing with the Rollie's make them considerably faster and easier to focus, that's for sure.

ic-racer · May 5, 2016

Before sending the lens back, check to see if it focuses at the film plane. Could be viewfinder and or mirror is(are) buggered on the camera body.

Theo Sulphate · May 5, 2016

jojoman2 said:
... Most of my shots are between 1 and 2 meters, so if I leave the fle ring dialed in at the notch between 2 and .9, would that be optimal for reflex type shooting?

Yes, that's correct. Even if the FLE ring is set incorrectly, you will not get terrible shots or perceive focus to be bad. The FLE setting is a fine-adjustment of the focus which will be apparent only on large prints (I speak from experience of using the 50 CF FLE).

ic-racer said:
Before sending the lens back, check to see if it focuses at the film plane. Could be viewfinder and or mirror is(are) buggered on the camera body.

Yes, definitely do that. You probably don't have a groundglass to place at the film plane with the back removed, but you may be able to substitute thin paper. Aim the camera out a window from a darkened room and focus on a distant object.

RalphLambrecht · May 5, 2016

jojoman2 said:
I bought the 501cm. Nothing at any distance hits focus when I pull up the magnifier and turn the lens. The 40mm is the only lens I have, the finder is the standard for the body I guess and the acute matte d focus screen is in it.

Thanks for the help guys

There is probably nothing wrong.The lens has two focusing rings to optimize close-up focus and sharpness.Use the closest to the filter to set the range and then the one closest to the body to fine-tune focus
good luck.

John Koehrer · May 7, 2016

RE:#12) At 1sec. you have to hold the release button in until the shutter times out or you don't get the correct exposure.

Theo Sulphate · May 7, 2016

John Koehrer said:
RE:#12) At 1sec. you have to hold the release button in until the shutter times out or you don't get the correct exposure.

That's right - even for faster speeds (1/2s - 1/15s) it's good to get into the habit of listening for the shutter to complete its cycle (bzzzzzzt) before letting up on the release.

jojoman2 · May 8, 2016

thanks so much for the information everyone. really helpful

hasselblad 40mm cf won't focus

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