Hasselblad 500C/M Filter + Lens Cap

I bought a 500C/M with a Planar 80mm in absolutely mint condition. It came with a UV filter and two lens caps. One cap (50369) fits directly onto the lens but can’t be used with the filter. The other cap (51640) fits over the filter, but when I try to remove it, it unscrews the filter too, no matter how tightly I’ve secured it.

Is there a filter + cap combo that lets me easily attach and remove the cap without unscrewing the filter? It also needs to be compatible with the hood, which I’ll definitely want to use from time to time.

Right now, I’m just using the hood and filter, but since the camera’s in such great shape, I’d like to use a cap too, at least until it starts showing wear and I stop caring.

Also, has anyone tested these old original Hasselblad UV filters and compared shots without them? Do they degrade image quality? Should I even bother using them? I’m used to keeping a filter on my Rolleiflex at all times because if the lens gets damaged, the whole camera becomes basically useless and too expensive or hard to service. But with the Hasselblad, I can always just swap the lens. It’s something I’d definitely want to test myself, but if someone already has, I’d love to hear about it.

50369 fits to the outer bayonet, which the filter do not have.

51640 fits to the inner bayonet, which the filters have, so they work with filters.

The filters have tabs that friction into the bayonet to hold them in place, they usually need to be re-bent towards the filter (my preference) or radially out a bit to generate more friction so they stay on. You want the filter to have a bit more friction than the lens cap so it does not come off with the lens cap.

itsdoable said:

50369 fits to the outer bayonet, which the filter do not have.

51640 fits to the inner bayonet, which the filters have, so they work with filters.

The filters have tabs that friction into the bayonet to hold them in place, they usually need to be re-bent towards the filter (my preference) or radially out a bit to generate more friction so they stay on. You want the filter to have a bit more friction than the lens cap so it does not come off with the lens cap.

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Would that scratch the filter mount on the lens?

hiroh said:

Would that scratch the filter mount on the lens?

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Possibly - just like threaded filter mounts get scratched.

UV filters, pro and con. You opened up a topic with feverish opinions on both sides.

My comments are based on a career as a commercial studio photographer. We used everything from medium format to 8x10.

Never in my experience did anyone that I knew use a UV (or skylight) filter.

They are two parallel glass surfaces, which by nature tend to catch stray light and reflect it between themselves, creating loss of contrast.

If you look at a cutaway diagram of a lens design, all elements are either convex or concave, to help reduce internal reflections.

Sure, if you are using the lens in a location where salt spray, or similar, is a risk, certainly covering with a filter can offer protection. But otherwise I personally would never use such.

Related discussion is the use of a lens hood. Indoors generally not needed, but 100% of the time when I shoot in daylight there is a properly sized lens hood on to keep out stray light.

Enjoy!