Hasselblad 500CM - What Am I Missing?

[TimVance]

If I was buying a Hasselblad again, I would skip KEH and go straight to http://www.david-odess.com/

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

While I'm actively pursuing my 500C/M setup, questions regarding filters suddenly surfaced in my cranium. Accordingly, I'm looking for a continuation of the sage counsel given thus far.

As I intend to shoot black and white film exclusively, I wondered what filters are recommended?

Does Hasselblad have a unique method of attaching filters?

Again, thanks in advance for the help.

Yes, Hasselblad has a proprietary filter attachment system. The old C lenses use Bay 50 filters (a very hard size to find, and the bay 50 - ??mm filter adapters are hard to come by as well). The CF lenses take a Bayonet 60, which you can get a Bayonet 60-67mm adapter ring for, and the filters still fit on the front of the lenses without interfering with accessories like lens shades. For B/W shooting, typical filters would be yellow, orange, green and red. I'd start with just yellow and orange until you get comfortable with what they do, then look into the green and red filters as they require more compensation, and generally produce more dramatic effects that may or may not be what you wanted to get.

 

[erikg]

A polarizer is very handy to have.

 

[jerrybro]

The more I use my Blad the more comfortable I'm becoming with it. For practice I chase my dogs in the yard with it. I'm getting used to the long focus throw and focusing with the flip up magnifier. A left hand grip made handling easier, I was always afraid of dropping it before. I'll likely pick up a PME prism which should make chasing the dogs easier. I like the ability to configure the system for whatever I'm going to shoot, and the optics are excellent. It is my most used system, at the moment.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

BACKGROUND - I am the son of a retired pro shooter. As a kid I spent countless hours in my father's dark room as his youthful assistant. That was a long time ago. My career path went outside of photography, but I've reached an age (58) where I have time to rekindle and pursue this passion. For the past few years I've been shooting various Canon DSLR's (7D, 1D4, & 5D3). While my digital shooting has been fun, it is not as rewarding and satisfying as I had hoped. I have a strong yearning to pursue black and white image-making and I want to start shooting film again. I've determined to begin with a medium format camera and I am extremely fond of the 6x6 format. In addition, my wife is a 1st generation Swedish immigrant. Accordingly, it would appear that I have no choice but to become a Hasselblad shooter. My medium photography targets would primarily be photographed from a tripod and long exposures will sometimes be employed.

Based upon my research of APUG and a few other sites, I intend to obtain and start this endeavor with a 500C/M chrome body, A12 back, and 80mm f/2.8 Planar lens.

QUESTIONS:

1. Is there a particular 'vintage' of Hasselblad bodies that is better than others? I've read that the workmanship of the 1970's - 1980's is excellent.

2. Is there a particular series of lenses that would be preferred for my intended use? While I think the chrome lenses look marvelous, it is my understanding that any of the C/CF/CB/CFi/CFE series lenses will work on the 500C/M.

3. Are there certified Hasselblad repair facilities in the southwest USA that can provide reliable CLA and repair services? I live/photograph in Arizona.

4. Any thoughts on eBay Japanese sellers as a source for my intended purchases?

5. What am I missing or forgetting to ask before I take the plunge?

Thanks in advance for your help and generous counsel.

Welcome to APUG. YOU CAME TO THE RIGHT PLACEI'm a big Hasselblad fan. you are buying into a system that has the right tool for any photo job.I PREFER THE C LENSES TO KEEPthe handling consistent, but all zeiss lenses are excellent

 

[John Koehrer]

Bullshit.

Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2

+1
Consistency if far more important. Ask anyone that uses LF stuff with their much older shutters.

Another agreement to go with the later lenses using the B60 filters.

 

[JDW22]

Well, I pulled the trigger and made a purchase from KEH. I got a 500CM Chrome 'Late' body with a waist level finder, 80 F2.8 CF T* lens, and an A12 Chrome 6x6 Back. It is supposed to arrive early next week and I must admit to being very excited to begin my journey back into analog photography. Thanks to everyone for their comments and recommendations - it made my purchasing decisions much easier.

I guess it's time for me to buy some film

 

[TareqPhoto]

Well, I pulled the trigger and made a purchase from KEH. I got a 500CM Chrome 'Late' body with a waist level finder, 80 F2.8 CF T* lens, and an A12 Chrome 6x6 Back. It is supposed to arrive early next week and I must admit to being very excited to begin my journey back into analog photography. Thanks to everyone for their comments and recommendations - it made my purchasing decisions much easier.

I guess it's time for me to buy some film

This will be a big mistake now, holding Hasselblad 500CM and start shooting, you fallen down in a very deeeeeeep hole and difficult to get out of it now.

Big big big congrats in that deep hole .............................. sorry i mean with 500CM kit.

 

[Tom1956]

Good luck. Now learn how to hold the camera in your left hand with left forefinger on the release, and forefinger on the right hand to trip off the mirror lockup before pushing in the release. Those C's jump like a bullfrog. Although and EL is pretty steady because of all the weight of batteries and motor.
Anyway, that's how I use MY C/M. I talk myself into believing the pre-release cuts down on the big jolt.

 

[jerrybro]

Thats how the addiction starts. I bought the same kit from the same place with the addition of a lens hood and an extra back. Then came a focusing screen change. Then the hand grip. Now a flash to fit on the grip. Oh, and I might need a prism, and an extra back. That 50 fle sure looks nice, and the 150 with an extension for portraits would be sweet. Wow, those ELMs are cheap. And then there is the ......

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I know the feeling, but you have to spend all that money on something, might as well be on Hasselblad equipment.

 

[mgb74]

Don't ignore the older "C" backs; they are often very reasonably priced. The only drawback is that, when you load the film, you have to advance to the first frame by sighted through the "porthole" door. Just make sure that the little door stays shut on it's own. And expect to change the lightseals.

 

[Tom1956]

Don't ignore the older "C" backs; they are often very reasonably priced. The only drawback is that, when you load the film, you have to advance to the first frame by sighted through the "porthole" door. Just make sure that the little door stays shut on it's own. And expect to change the lightseals.

I put my late-model backs with the crank in a forgotten drawer and use the old-style ones. Those cranks might have a foldaway feature but they always get hooked on something and I keep having to back-turn them and re-stowing them. Nuisance.

 

[Jan-Peter]

Dear JDW22;

good idea!! - I have bought my Hasselblad 500 CM in 1985 with a Planar CF80mm, a Distagon CF50mm and a Sonnar CF150mm as well as a Carl Zeiss Mutar x2, which is excellent, and three 120 magazines; recent years I could luckily hold of a Distagon CF 30mm, an exhilarating lens!

Now the camera itself is still absolutely working fine. So the lenses do with the exception of the Sonnar CF 150mm where the apperture run dry and it won't work on automatic anymore, however, still in manual mode!

If you buy lenses watch for dried out apperture and time mechanic - meaning that you ought to have the garantee of taking it back in case!

Only buy 120-Magazines; as any other sizes has the difficulty of finding fresh and up-to-date films, since they have discontinued 70mm and 220 sizes! - Try whether the magazines are still light-proof! If not the seal has to be replaced - which you might do yourself if you find the seals. - Also make sure the distances from one exposure to the next run alright. - Also here buy with the garantee of taking it back in case.


Anyway - I wish you good luck and a lot of fun with your Hasselblad!!

Jan-Peter - Southern Germany

 

[TomWB]

I'm like some of you, got my first Hasselblad (503cx) earlier this year from Keh, as a 54 yo eyeglass wearer wanted to comment on the viewing. Even though I used a tlr for decades, I find the wlf harder to use on the Hass unless on a tripod. Maybe it's psychological, my tlr had no option other than wlf and the hassy has all these options. The mind plays tricks on you as you get older, and tricks on your bank account. The Wildi manual is a good reference if you can find one, I read up on stuff before purchasing.

Yesterday I took delivery of a chimney finder and pm5 prism (the non metered version). the chimney finder is pretty sweet, can take glasses off and it has built in diopter adjustment. The 45 deg prism finder has no built in diopter adjustment, but I understand you can add a corrective lens for that. I could have bought a pm45 with built in diopter adjustment, however it would not work for me it only goes to -2 and I'm more a -3. Plus the PM45 is 2-3x the price of the PM5. For me focusing through the pm5 is glasses on, similar to focusing through the wlf without the flip down magnifier... Just thought I would throw that out there.

Hopefully I'm "done" with Hasselbald purchases for a while, I do have the 50, 80, and 150 cf lenses all bay 60 filter. I did get a bay60-xmm adapter at fotodiox, about $10 so I can use my existing BW and polarizer filters.

Speaking of backs, KEH has had the hassy 35mm (a2035) back for sale for at least 8 months, but they want over $1,000. Good grief.