Hasselblad back won't allow camer to fire.

[Mike Té]

Hi all.

I've been going over my new-to-me 500CM; all checks out, except that the 120 back (early 12 back) won't allow the camera to fire (shutter release won't depress). Lens and body cocked and assembled correctly, no go. Dark slide in and out at the correct times, of course.

I finally put in a roll of film, advanced it correctly to start, it won't work. I also have an A12 back and the camera fires with that attached and the film counter advances properly. The 12 back doesn't seem to function for me.

Any tips to try? It's not the same as the A12 back; it's the earlier 12 and that back isn't mentioned in my 500CM manual.

TIA

 

[mikebarger]

Assuming you've turned the winder counter clockwise to set the counter to number one. This is after you have wound the film to number one on the backing paper looking through the peep hole?

You probably have, but it is something that has caught several new users of the 12 back.

Mike

 

[André E.C.]

Can you post the serial number of the back?

Maybe this is a 1000F/1600F 12?

I think only backs produced after 1955 will work properly on every V line device.


Cheers


André

 

[mikebarger]

Andre

Guess I lucked out, I have two 56 and one 57 back.

Looks like sometime in 56 or 57 they switched from the silver peephole cover to the black. Both of my 56 backs have the silver peephole cover, the 57 has a black cover. I'm assuming none of them have had the cover replaced ( I didn't get any of them new).

Mike

 

[PHOTOTONE]

After you advance the film to frame number 1 (peephole on back of back) you have to "zero" the frame counter by turning the film winding knob on the back in the opposite direction (Counter clockwise) to allow the number 1 to appear in the frame counter window on the side of the back. When this is done, you should be able to fire the camera off. You should also know that you have to have the darkslide out to fire the camera.

 

[Mike Té]

That's it!

What I didn't know was the final step of setting the counter with the counter-clockwise turn of the winder. All fine now, performing flawlessly!

Thanks! Problem solved in less than 2 hours. Yay APUG!

BTW, it's a TV/1967 back w/ black peep cover, in beautiful cosmetic condition.

 

[André E.C.]

Great, have fun then!


Cheers



André

 

[mikebarger]

Problem solved in 18 minutes, two hours to check thread.

Mike

 

[Mike Té]

LOL. I stand corrected.