Hasselblad 501C - tripod plate

[kal800]

Hi, finally I got the solution. I've asked Hejnar Photo for custom made arca plate for Hasselblad. With the help of my measurements the prototype plate was manufactured and I received it just today. It fits perfectly, although it is a bit thicker than original plate, but it is due to the Arca standard.

 

[Michael Mutmansky]

Hi, finally I got the solution. I've asked Hejnar Photo for custom made arca plate for Hasselblad. With the help of my measurements the prototype plate was manufactured and I received it just today. It fits perfectly, although it is a bit thicker than original plate, but it is due to the Arca standard.

Are they going to start producing a replacement foot/AS plate? I'm in for one if so.

 

[Michael Mutmansky]

I just wanted to update this thread with some info from Hejnar Photo... first, Chris is great! I emailed him and got a plate for my 501C with no problems.

But I mentioned to him that I had a SWC/M that I would love to have a plate for as well, and he emailed me back that he has one for the 903SWC. So we did a few measurements and determined that they aren't the same plate. Different hole pattern.

Chris was all up for figuring out the new plate and getting it produced, so I worked with him on a couple of prototypes and just this past week I received the final production version (anodized, etc.) and it fits perfectly.

There is a bit more to swapping out the plate on a SWC/M compared to a 501C, but nothing too extreme. You need to have decent micro screwdrivers and allen wrenches and forceps, but it was all trivial.

I wanted to say that in my experience, Chris is highly recommended and I'd guess that there are a few people on this formu who would be interested in an Arca Swiss plate to swap out on the SWC/M body and Chris now has it available.

Hasselblad SWC/M camera Plate

www.hejnarphotostore.com

He also has it listed on Ebay.

Note that there are a few different SWC bodies, so you have to be careful... I have a 1985 SWC/M body that includes the bubble level in the body. The next year. they shifted to the SWC/M that DID NOT include the bubble level. I suspect (but I don't know) that this body is probably more like the 903SWC and you may need to buy that plate if you have that version... But, I'm just guessing. The point is, Chris will work with you to figure out what you need just be aware that there are subtle variants in the bodies so you need to just work it thorugh a bit to get the right one.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

I have been using the Hasselblad tripod coupling system for decades, not only for the Hasselblad cameras, but with a detachable Hasselblad sole (that's how it is commonly named) on all my other cameras, like the Linhof, too.
I use it on my Fujifilm X-Pro 3, although with a little extension for the unfolding rear screen...

It is extremely interesting as it is very strong, flat (only a few millimeter) and light; and the (older-) tripod coupling is rather easily found used, but the sole isn't...

But the sole is still sold new by Hasselblad for the X system: https://www.hasselblad.com/x-system/accessories/quickplate, and it was sold separately for the X-Pan too.
And the tripod coupling is stil available for the H system too: https://www.hasselblad.com/h-system/accessories/tripod-quick-coupling-h
I have to admit that the new stuff is rather costly...

 

[K-Photo]

Great forum, I've been reading along here quite a bit. Now I had to register to be able to contribute something or ask questions.

It's great that there is the possibility of the camera plate via Hejnar Photo, after Arca-Swiss plates from Clearsight can no longer be found.

But has anyone already tried this Hejnar Photo plate with a 501cm / 503 cx? I'm asking because I'm afraid the camera plate is thicker than the rubber feet, which means that the Hasselblad won't stand stable and it isn't as "low profile" as she could be. Am I right in my assumption?

The rubber feet should be about 5mm (0.2 inch) high, the Arca-Swiss plate from Hejnar Photo has a profile of just under 7mm (0.27 inch).

Alternatively, it would be an idea to mount a rubberised plate with integrated Arca-Swiss: https://www.proaim.be/products/proaim-snaprig-medium-baseplate-stand-for-dslr-dslm-cameras-bp213 The width and depth seems perfect, but this adds more than 120g to the setup. However, I have ordered the Proaim Baseplate and will be happy to report back if needed.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Great forum, I've been reading along here quite a bit. Now I had to register to be able to contribute something or ask questions.

It's great that there is the possibility of the camera plate via Hejnar Photo, after Arca-Swiss plates from Clearsight can no longer be found.

But has anyone already tried this Hejnar Photo plate with a 501cm / 503 cx? I'm asking because I'm afraid the camera plate is thicker than the rubber feet, which means that the Hasselblad won't stand stable and it isn't as "low profile" as she could be. Am I right in my assumption?

The rubber feet should be about 5mm (0.2 inch) high, the Arca-Swiss plate from Hejnar Photo has a profile of just under 7mm (0.27 inch).

Alternatively, it would be an idea to mount a rubberised plate with integrated Arca-Swiss: https://www.proaim.be/products/proaim-snaprig-medium-baseplate-stand-for-dslr-dslm-cameras-bp213 The width and depth seems perfect, but this adds more than 120g to the setup. However, I have ordered the Proaim Baseplate and will be happy to report back if needed.

I use Arca-Swiss tripod adapter [mount] for my 503 CX and 903 SWC.

Welcome to APUG Photrio!!​

 

[Michael Mutmansky]

If your intent is to place the camera on a flat surface like a table and have it quite stable for shooting purposes, the product you have shown will probably be better than the Hejnar product, because it has a much wider base (but the rubber feet make make it a bit less rigid than you may desire). The Hejnar plate is a few mm thicker than the rubber feet on my 501C, which I think uses the exact same base feet as your 501CM.

However, the Hejnar plates are an ideal replacement for the original Hasselblad system plates for a different reason, in my opinion. They are very close to the same size as the original, so they aren't sticking down off the bottom of the camera in a substantial manner. That means they are AS compatible and don't have the bulk of another mounting plate on the body.

That makes it easier to store the camera in a bag and also much more comfortable to hand-hold the camera because there isn't a 10mm metal plate sticking off the bottom of the camera. That was the main reason I didn't just get a generic AS plate to screw onto the camera (in fact, I did have one of those on there until I gat the plates from Hejnar).

Actually, the Hejnar plate has a 3/8" screw hole in the bottom so it would be possible to use BOTH solutions... just add the Proaim plate when you need the wider base, and use the Hejnar permanently mounted when you don't and wish to be more compact.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that depending on your tripod head, the somewaht low-profile design of the Hejnar plate may be a problem to mount the camera on the head. If the head AS clamp is thick/wide or if the locking screw/level is short and high on the clamp, it is possible that the rubber feet on the camera could interfere with the head in some way when attempting to place it on the head or when locking the camera to the head. Mine don't interfere, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility that interference could occur.

 

[Ai Print]

I was about to send a stock Hasselblad foot from one of my Hasselblad bodies to SK Grimes to see if they would make me an Arca compatible one when I found the Hejnar Photo ones on eBay. So of course I looked for them offline and found that they offer several different ones and for a bit less money when buying directly vs eBay.

I have to say this is a game changer for me as I use three major camera systems in my work and all but Hasselblad V use Arca type plates as do some dozen tripods. I am not at all a fan of cobbling plates on top of plates or constantly needing to swap out an Arca Clamp for a Hasselblad one, I have occasionally forgot to make that adjustment and been SOL when in the field.

So last week, I ordered 6 of the 7 plates I need for my Hasselblad system. I ordered three of the ones for the 503CW since they fit my Flexbodies and 350mm SA perfectly and ordered 3 of the 501CM ones for my 501CM's. Chris only had three left so I will get the last one once he gets more made in about a month.

Now everything is as smooth as butter, I can bring my X2DII with its RRS plate on it along with my V system and have seamless transitions of gear. Stoked!

To Michael's point above, the challenge with the plate is having an Arca type clamp clear the hard rubber feet on late model V system bodies. So in the photos bellow you see my 350mm on my Gitzo traveler before I milled the knob side rail down to clear the feet of my 501CM. My Acratech head and older Kirk clamps work perfect and the knob on my tiny Oben CF tripod (1LB) hits the foot a little bit, so I may or may not look for a longer knob. Also pictured are Hassy plate and Arca plate on two separate 50CM's. I thought about using the 503CW plates on everything but they are taller and would not work as well on the 501CM bodies as the dedicated plates do.

Anyway, this is exactly the solution I have been wanting for years and I am really happy with it thus far.