Hasselblad 500C back blocked

[Boris Mirkov]

So, I was all set to do a shoot with on Hasselblad 500C and four loaded A12 backs but every single one did the same - after the first shot I cock the camera but the back advance won't budge! I guess there is no need to explain my stress from that day. What did I do wrong?

 

[Boris Mirkov]

Also, I am looking but not able to find a list of different V-series backs. Anyone?

 

[Xmas]

With a hasseblad 500c you push the shutter button wind the lever push the shutter button until you shoot 12.

Then insert dark slide fit new back and start at top.

You don't touch the back only the shutter release and wind on lever (or knob if you have the exposure meter knob or simple knob)

You have the option of winding to the end of film with the back still on the camera using the wind on lever or with the back off the camera using the backs wind on lever after 12...

There are other options but I don't use them.

You need to down load the user instruction manual it is free

 

[bdial]

Presumably these are known to be working camera and backs.
When you say the "back advance won't budge", what exactly do you mean?
The camera is mechanically geared to the back, and if the back is jammed somehow, I don't think the camera would wind at all.
When the backs were loaded, did the backing paper get routed under the little lip at the top of the pressure plate? Were the backs then wound until frame 1 was showing in the frame counter (the crank should have stopped at that point).

 

[benjiboy]

Have you removed the dark slide ?!, because it sound to me that you haven't.

 

[Nuff]

Once you load the film into a back, and wind the film with the back's lever. You don't touch it until you finished the 12 photos.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Once you load the film into a back, and wind the film with the back's lever. You don't touch it until you finished the 12 photos.

Exactly. Exposures 1-12 the body crank advances the film. After the film is loaded do not touch the crank lever on the back until the last frame is shot. Then use that to wind through to the end.

 

[jcc]

So, I was all set to do a shoot with on Hasselblad 500C and four loaded A12 backs but every single one did the same - after the first shot I cock the camera but the back advance won't budge! I guess there is no need to explain my stress from that day. What did I do wrong?

Can you elaborate further on this? You mean the number in the window won't advance? You mean the film is not correctly spooling to the other? How do you know the back is not advancing?

 

[Boris Mirkov]

Thank you all for the answers.

OK, so what I did that was wrong is trying to advance the back itself.

When I loaded the back, put it on the body and shot the first frame I advanced the knob on the body but the number on the back was still 1. A moment ago I tried one of the backs on again. I have just shot whole film, the number was 1 all the time and I could wind the camera way over 12 shots. Shouldn't it stop after the 12th? When I opened the back, it seems it didn't go pass that first shot! It is apparent that the camera is not advancing the back. Why is that?

 

[jcc]

When loading the film, after you line-up the film's double arrow with the cartridge's red triangle, and loading the cartridge into the back casing... did you wind the film-back (clockwise, if you're looking at the counter window) until the knob stops? Sounds like you missed this step, from your description of the problem. This initial winding sets the film inside the back to the ready position. You can turn the knob counter-clockwise afterwards to have the handle sitting out of the way.

Do not turn the knob clockwise again, until you are ready to spool the film to the end. You wound the film knob till it stops (this is the initial winding). After a shot has been taken, any further clockwise winding will advance the film unnecessarily. Turning the main knob on the camera will advance the film to the next ready position.

Another reason for your troubles... It could be that when you mount the film-back onto the body, the small windows -- one on the body, and one on the film-back -- are mismatched. When you mount the two, make sure they are either, both red or both white. One red, while the other is white will cause a mis-time with the winding.

Hopefully this makes sense, or at least, helps.

 

[Boris Mirkov]

@jcc
I have inserted the film by the manual, with initial winding of course. I see the small windows and by the looks of everything, they should match, one on the body has that toothed half-wheel going out of the body plane quite nicely and looks as if it grabs its back counterpart good, I don't see that as a problem...

 

[jcc]

The half-gear on the body should be on the flat side when mounting or unmounting the film back. It only sticks out, to turn the film back's gear, during mid-wind.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

You need to down load the user instruction manual it is free

Do this.

 

[Len Robertson]

It may help you to look at a video on loading the film back and see if there is any step you may have missed. This one is for the A12 back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mySAtAN4DOk
I know you said you have A12 backs, but here is a video on loading the older style C12 back, if that is what your backs look like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XqqljXcKzI

If you remove the film back from the body, can you fire the body and shutter, then wind the body and fire again? You should be able to look through the rear of the body while doing this and see light through the shutter as it opens. It seems possible there is a problem with the body or shutter rather than anything with film loading.

Len

 

[itsdoable]

I have just shot whole film, the number was 1 all the time and I could wind the camera way over 12 shots. Shouldn't it stop after the 12th?

Check it without film in the back. The back will advance without film in it - you can wind it to #1, and when you advance the camera, the counter on it should advance as well. If it does not, something is wrong. The back will only prevent the camera from shooting after the counter reaches 12 (unless you have an old non-"A" back).

Check that the gear on the back of the camera body rotates when you wind it (with the back off).

if you want, you can advance the gear in the back with a small screw driver or awl, it should slowly advance the counter.

 

[jerrybro]

One of the "legends" I heard before I bought my blad was how hard it was to load the backs correctly. Hogwash. It is easy to load correctly. However, it is also easy to load incorrectly. The backs are both simple and complex, and I may be the first one to say it, but the documentation is not as clear as it could be.

Check the youtube videos. Once you get it, it does become easy. The only part that makes me nervous is the fold on the take up spool. On one of my first rolls I didnt do it right, and I'm not certain what I did wrong. Oh, and never use a staple gun to secure the tape on a finished roll, that is always wrong.

 

[Tom1956]

I like the old backs without the crank. That stupid crank doesn't stay stowed down. It's all over the place, in the way.

 

[Xmas]

@jcc
I have inserted the film by the manual, with initial winding of course. I see the small windows and by the looks of everything, they should match, one on the body has that toothed half-wheel going out of the body plane quite nicely and looks as if it grabs its back counterpart good, I don't see that as a problem...

The camera is used with one hand under the camera pushing the release the other winding the body handle you can fire it faster than a 35mm you don't remove the hand from the wind on lever or the finger from the release.

With a 220 back you can still burn a film under 30 seconds, this is a fast handling camera.

Read the manual more carefully or super glue right hand to wind on lever,

 

[Boris Mirkov]

@jcc
It is on the flat side when I am putting the back on.

@Len Robertson
I inspetced the body, works fine with light going through. Thank you for the videos, I have seen a few of them and loaded the backs by the manual and videos. I was really careful while loading the backs and I am pretty sure that I didn't do anything wrong there.

@itsdoable
I just tried what you told me, the number is 1 all the time and the little round window on the back is black before initial winding, goes white when it winds to the first shot and after exposure goes red along with the window on the body but when I wind the camera the backs window stays red unlike the body's which is white again. I checked the gear, works good.

@jerrybro
Thanks, will remember the no-staple gun advice.

Also, to all: I did read the manual and tried to do it as it was written but I still found room to make some mistake...

 

[jcc]

When you crank the body, with the back detached, does the half-gear on the upper-right of the body revolve? I think you hinted at this before but didn't say if it goes from flat to teeth, then back to flat.

 

[Xmas]

when you fire the camera it needs to tell the back it has been fired the back changes its white window to red.

when you wind on the camera the half toothed wheel needs to make a complete turn under load.

the back winds on the film and sets the window to white

So remove back fire camera and block the wheel from moving if the body winds on but the wheel does not you need to send the body off for repair or take it apart yourself...

 

[Boris Mirkov]

It does the whole revolution, as I see...

 

[Xmas]

unless the back is not held tight to the camera that will bring up the white flag. Does the back get pushed away from the body when you wind on?

Please try winding on again with your finger or thumb blocking all movement of the body's wheel the back needs considerable force on its toothed wheel to wind on the film. If the wheel slips under load the red window will remain red.

 

[randyB]

I would suggest a trip to a repair person, if one is not close by then try to find another photographer who uses Hasselblad and have him/her check your camera for correct operation. A 500C body is fairly old and may need to be serviced. Once repaired it should last a long time, they are great cameras.

 

[mikebarger]

I have two transition C's that I had serviced by David Odess when I first got them and they have served me very well.

Mike