Hasselblad - help with first kit

[Bryan Murray]

My quest for a medium format continues and now i'm looking at a hasselblad - 500CM (because it fits my budget). The various backs are pretty confusing. Right now I shoot IlfordHP5+120mm film so i guess i need an A12 back. I'm pretty sure i want the 50mm F4 lens because i like the wide angle.
Is there anyway to tell how old the backs, bodies, lenses are on www.KEH.com ?
Basically i need advice to what a good starter hasselblad kit would be.
any thoughts?
thanks

 

[BWGirl]

My quest for a medium format continues and now i'm looking at a hasselblad - 500CM (because it fits my budget). The various backs are pretty confusing. Right now I shoot IlfordHP5+120mm film so i guess i need an A12 back. I'm pretty sure i want the 50mm F4 lens because i like the wide angle.
Is there anyway to tell how old the backs, bodies, lenses are on www.KEH.com ?
Basically i need advice to what a good starter hasselblad kit would be.
any thoughts?
thanks

Well, the basic kit is usually the body, an 80mm lens (because this is the equivalent of a 50mm lens on a 35mm camera), and an A12 back.

I have this very kit and while I have expanded it in the last couple years, that basic kit served me quite nicely! Here are a couple links that might be helpful:

http://www.urmonas.net/manuals/500cm/500cm.html ( manual for the Hassy)
http://www.hasselbladinfo.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi (the Hasselblad forum)

Hope this helps! I love my Hassy & I hope you will be happy with yours! BTW - I've purchased many things from KEH and their assessment of equipment is VERY conservative... I bought a 90deg finder rated as BGN, and the glass was clean & clear! It had a scratch on the upper edge (did not affect use or mounting, but that was it!

 

[JLP]

Hi Bryan,
Here's another link that can help you identify the serial numbers.
It can be a bit addictive to get a Hassy so i must say good luck.

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?Hasselblad500.html~mainFrame


jan

 

[PatTrent]

Bryan:

If you get a good buy on a 220 (24 exposure) back, don't hesitate to buy it for 120. I use my 220 back for 120 all the time. The trick is that you must develop the film yourself (or send it to a lab that will follow your instructions and carefully load the film). The spacing between the frames is wider than when using the proper 120 back, and that's no problem except that the last frame on the roll is dangerously close to the end. So care is needed not to damage that twelfth exposure when processing the film.

Pat

 

[Magnus W]

... Is there anyway to tell how old the backs, bodies, lenses are on www.KEH.com ?

http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/ has a nifty little function where you submit the yearcode (the two letters in the serial number of bodies and mag's) or the serialnumber of the lens to find out year of manifacture.

Basically i need advice to what a good starter hasselblad kit would be.
any thoughts?
thanks

You are already going for the 50mm. I would suggest the 150/4 as companion. I myself am doing fine without a normal, but that's me. If you want one the 80 is the cheapest of the lot, and the 100 is really, really good, but more expensive as well as a tad slower.
My suggestion, based upon my own taste; body, waist level finder, 50/4, 150/4, 2 c12 or a12 mag's.

-- MW