Hasselblad Extension Tubes question

[Henry Alive]

I have the possibility to buy a set of four Hasselblad Extension Tubes (10 mm, 21 mm, 32 mm and 55 mm) for my 501CM camera.
In the Hasselblad website, they mention the following extensions tubes for V system cameras: 8, 16E, 32E and 56E. None of them are the ones that I could buy.
Would the Hasselblad Extension Tubes (10 mm, 21 mm, 32 mm and 55 mm) work with my 501CM? Is this set as good option as the set that appears in Hasselblad website?
Thanks for your help,
Henry.

 

[brucemuir]

^ Sorry I misposted

 

[mesh]

I've been out of the Hassy system for a while but I'm 99% certain that the 10, 21, 32... are just the older style tubes (they look chunkier and not as 'slick' as the newer style). They will work fine - I had the 10 and 21 with my 500cm. Anyone, someone more knowledgeable with answer no doubt, but I am certain they'll work fine.

 

[Bertil]

I have 10, 16, 21 and 55, they work fine with my 500C. I don't think your 501 CM differ from my 500C in this respect.
Some of the smaller tubes doesn't fit the focal plan shutter models (2000 ..200 models) due to the shutter speed ring attaced to the front on these models; thus my 10 och 21 does not fit my 2000FC/M, but the newer type 16 tube does, as the 32 would. I think the "E" indicats that these rings has to do with some electric connections between the lens and the body with newer type models. Hasselblads webside only shows the latest models still in production.
/Bertil

 

[film_man]

I believe the 10 does not work with newer cameras (i.e. 501CM) as the camera lens release button gets in the way of the tube release button or something like that, i.e. can't mount it properly. The rest should all work just fine. I have the 8/21/55 tubes (the old ones, not the newer E ones) for my 501CM and they are great, the 21 is my most used, the 55 comes second and the 8 last. I thought about a 16 too but the 21 is just as good.

The 8 only makes sense with the 80mm or shorter lenses. If you have a 150mm lens the 8mm tube hardly makes a difference (I have 50/80/150/250).

If you have never used tubes before make sure you put them on/off in the right order: put the tube on the camera first, then another tube (if you want to), then the lens. Then take the lens off, then a tube, then the last tube. Do not take the lens off with a tube on it as you can jam it.

I've also tried stacking 3 tubes but that does cause misfires/jams every now and then as the mechanics get a bit too sloppy (especially if the tubes are old/worn). So far, whenever I had this happen I just fired the shutter again and eventually it all evened out but I'm not going to be trying it much anyway.

 

[Henry Alive]

Thank you all of you for your comments.
Henry.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yes, they will work.

 

[Bertil]

True, the tube release button on tube 10 is closer to the lens release button on the body, but not that close that it is a problem on a 500C (or C/M).
Would be a surprice to me if they changed the lens release button on the 501CM body in such a radical way thet the tube 10 would be a problem for you.

I think Sirius Glass is right – as he used to be on all kinds of Hasselblad issues!

/Bertil

 

[Henry Alive]

Thanks again,
Henry

 

[David Allen]

Having worked commercially with the Hasselblad system for over 30 years my advice would be to NOT buy the extension tubes.

I quickly discarded them in favour of good quality close-up filters which are far more flexible, do not require the calculation of exposure adjustment and take up far less space in the bag.

The ones that I have happily used were from B+W and produced excellent results.

Best,

David
www.dsallen.de

 

[Bertil]

I agree David, it's very easy to work with the Proxars, but close-up lenses and extesion tubes are not 100% equivalent, even if they allow you to focus sharp on the same distance. As far as I understand the image angle doesn't change with the Proxar, just makes it possible to focus closer, but the image angel narrows a little bit with the extension tube, other things being equal
Haven't been much into portrait, so I don't know if it makes much difference, but I suppose a narrowing of the image angle isn't bad when doing the kind of portrait in question.
/Bertil