Hasselblad 503CX - focussing screen does not fit?

[Tom Cross]

Hi all, this is an odd one! So I sold one of my Hasselblads (503CX) as I hadn't used it in a while. Long story short, the buyer changed his mind and instead of just returning it he claimed it didn't focus properly. Anyway I got it back today and it seemed ok. However I took out the focussing screen to check it hadn't been scratched etc and when putting it back I cannot fit the WLF over the top. Comparing it to my 500CM the focussing screen seems to sit slightly higher although I cannot see why and the faces it sits on look to be clear.

Has anyone experienced this before? Seems very strange that it came out and then wouldn't fit a few mins later. It is a genuine Acute Matte D screen, although I cannot fit any other screens either.

 

[Light Capture]

Screen height, adjusted by 4 calibration screws underneath, calibrates focus on Hasselblad cameras

When it's adjusted bit higher than usual, screen retainers are harder to slide on the screen top.
It doesn't mean that adjustment is wrong if screen is higher. You can check if it fits by sliding retainer manually by pushing raised edges on screen retainer.
Hasselblad body insert is fully adjustable and there's some tolerance in fit between body insert and shell.

There is a foam under the mirror on non-GMS (Gliding Mirror System) Hasselblad cameras.
If that foam deteriorates, in most cases it is not going to focus correctly or consistently. Also if camera is hit from the front it will shorten the body and cause focusing issues.

 

[Photomultiplier]

Is it possible that the buyer tried to fiddle with the screen adjustment by himself? Do you remember how everything behaved before you sold it?

The hold-down tabs act a bit springy if i am not mistaken, to exert a slight force on the frame of the screen to hold it down. So if the adjustment screws are high enough, it will be harder to push the tabs
over the frame.

Adjusting a Hasselblad body is something that can only be performed with the correct fixture and, equally important, the correct order of the operations carried out.
Anyway, seems to be an unpleasant situation for you as you wanted to sell it and now you got it back and it is in questionable condition...


fyi:
The foam pads underneath the mirror (NOT the visible foam strip the mirror slaps against!) as pointed out be Light Capture are indeed a massive problem if they deteriorate.
I had the 2 older 500C/CM bodies overhauled recently because of that. Infinity worked, near subjects also worked most of the time but everything in between was hit and miss.

edit: syntax

 

[Tom Cross]

Thank you for your replies, and apologies for not replying sooner - an office move and other stuff meant I have not actually touched this camera since October 2022!

I got it back out at the weekend and after careful inspection and some gentle force the screen is re-fitted. Whether anything has been tampered with I will not know until I've taken 12 images and developed them! I am hoping it has not been tampered with, I will try and do a rough test with it first but this will never been 100% accurate (or anywhere near) but it might show up some tampering.