Hasselblad Lens Repair

illumiquest · Aug 31, 2011

I'm wondering if anyone knows a source for Hasselblad repair manuals. There is one I've found which seems to be someones home made one. While it might be good I'd prefer to have a factory manual

Basically I often have lenses which need repairs and after awhile it gets very expensive to have the shops do all the work. That and most of the guys working on the old stuff are getting a bit old themselves and I don't think it would hurt for some of the next generation to start learning the trade before we're stuck with a bunch of broken gear and no one's around who knows how to fix it.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Willie Jan · Aug 31, 2011

if you search for hasseblad repair manual there are several sources.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3005374/Hasselblad-500503-manual-repair

http://www.opweb.de/manufacturer.php?manufacturer=Hasselblad

illumiquest · Aug 31, 2011

I've been looking and so far have just come up with CFi and later lenses. I mostly have older C lenses which need the repairs.

Stephan K. · Sep 5, 2011

Hi,
have you yet repaired other Compur shutters? If not, then I recommend beginning with easier systems. A Hasselblad Lens is not so easy to repair.

Without any training, the probability for destroying the lens is very high.

If you are really sure that you want to repair your lenses by yourself, than I can give you a manual. I just have to search it.

Greetings,
Stephan

Leigh B · Sep 5, 2011

Stephan K. said:
Without any training, the probability for destroying the lens is very high.

Yep, what he said.

I repair Hasselblad lenses, and I can assure you it's not something for the DIYer.

For the lens to work properly there are internal adjustments that must be set with proper gauges and tools. I have all of them and know how to use them, but you don't.

To buy them, if you could find them, would cost many thousands of $$$. The shutter timing gauge alone cost over $5,000. Even if you have a fat wallet, you still wouldn't know how to use them. The instructions are quite terse and cryptic, and would not likely be included with any used items.

Compur published excellent manuals for their shutters, but they're quite hard to find. I have a full set.
BTW, the originals were printed in color. That's very important since all the call-outs and references were identified by color.
You can find B&W copies on the web, but they're pretty useless since you can't determine which areas are being discussed.

Send it to David Odess.

- Leigh

illumiquest · Sep 5, 2011

Thanks for the replies. I completely understand that the process of repairing a Hasselblad lens is a difficult undertaking. I currently send lenses out to another quality Hassy repair guy on the west coast but with the prices of lenses, especially the older C lenses being what they are it's reaching a point where it doesn't even make sense to have a repair man do the required work. A 150mm C Chrome sells for 200$ about what an overhaul will cost. If it were just my personal lenses which I was having repaired that would be one thing but I'm sending the repair guy ten lenses a month for my retail business and it starts to add up fast.

As I've mentioned, I'm not trying to be completely cheap but at some point there's not going to be anyone who knows how to work on the older gear and there's still going to be people who want to use it.

Leigh are you a repair guy yourself or how did you come across all this specialized equipment?

Leigh B · Sep 5, 2011

illumiquest said:
Leigh are you a repair guy yourself or how did you come across all this specialized equipment?

Yes. I've repaired Hasselblads, Nikons, and Compur shutters for many years. I graduated from the National Camera repair course in Denver back in the 1970s. I no longer do much due to eyesight problems, although I still repair my own stuff.

I lucked out on the equipment. Some years ago I bought a complete repair shop on the death of its owner. It was a Hasselblad warranty shop, so I got about $20k worth of jigs and gauges, and a large inventory of parts.

Regarding your lens repair needs...
There's no way in the world I would recommend you do repair work for others. I don't even recommend doing it for yourself. When you figure in warranty costs, and the fact you have no parts, tools, instruments, etc., you could quickly bankrupt yourself.

For that volume your repair guy should be giving your about a 15% discount. Take that as found money, and write your time off as advertising cost and customer good-will. It does bring folks into your store.

As long as these cameras are in use, there will be proficient repair people to take care of them. I'm also involved in antique radios, from the 1920's, and you can still get them repaired although parts have not been available for many decades.

- Leigh

illumiquest · Sep 5, 2011

What would be your suggestion for a relatively young person who loves the older equipment and would like to learn to work on it? It's never going to be a profitable venture but someone needs to learn or we're going to end up with a large quantity of paper weights.

Leigh B · Sep 5, 2011

I don't know. It's hard to find young people interested in doing anything constructive.

Obviously you need someone with good mechanical aptitude. That's a scarcity in the computer age.

- Leigh

brucemuir · Sep 5, 2011

I still use all C lenses and like them enough to just pay what they need but I can sympathize with you Illumi.

My guess is it will turn into even more of a niche item than they already are with repair prices reflecting that.

Even repop handlebars (non chromed) that I need for my 47 Indian Chief are close to 500 bills and NOS stuff is crazy.

bolextech · Sep 11, 2011

illumiquest said:
What would be your suggestion for a relatively young person who loves the older equipment and would like to learn to work on it? It's never going to be a profitable venture but someone needs to learn or we're going to end up with a large quantity of paper weights.

Being also a graduate of the National Camera Course, I would recommend finding these course materials as a starting off point, especially if you're focusing on older equipment. Then you have other books out there such as Ed Romney's and Thomas Tomosy's. I wish I had kept my Nat Cam materials but they went when I sold my shop in 1988. Since that time, I only work on motion picture cameras.

Cheers,
Jean-Louis

c6h6o3 · Sep 11, 2011

illumiquest said:
I've been looking and so far have just come up with CFi and later lenses. I mostly have older C lenses which need the repairs.

I would have a Hasselblad trained technician do it. Since they don't manufacture parts any more for C lenses, the can only repair them until they run out of parts inventory. So I'd do it soon.

Willie Jan · Sep 12, 2011

I don't think it's hard to copy the hassy parts when hassy should stop making them, it's not rocket science. The Computer guided machines only need a cad drawing.

Leigh B · Sep 12, 2011

It's a question of cost. Anything can be made.

I recently needed a small screw for my lathe. The quote from the manufacturer for a single piece was $480.00.

Machines cost money, and so do the people who program them and run them.

- Leigh

mikebarger · Sep 12, 2011

I haven't heard of anyone losing a C lens due to a lack of parts.

Mike

Klainmeister · Sep 12, 2011

Leigh B said:
I don't know. It's hard to find young people interested in doing anything constructive.

Obviously you need someone with good mechanical aptitude. That's a scarcity in the computer age.

- Leigh

Funny you mention this, I'm 23 and grew up working on cars with my uncle and feel I have a good grasp of mechanics...The guy who used to rent the current office I'm in was/is a camera and clock repairmen and joked about selling me his old repair tools since he no longer wants to do that anymore. I've been thinking about it somewhat seriously because I feel I am pretty good when it comes to these delicate tasks. Where does one go to learn these things? Is that camera school still open?

Leigh B · Sep 12, 2011

Klainmeister said:
Is that camera school still open?

Nope, long gone. I was the last graduate before they went bankrupt, many years ago. I got a letter from the Dean acknowledging my completion of the course, but never did get a diploma.

Trade schools in general took a real hit in the early 1980s when the GI bill from Vietnam ran out.

- Leigh

Klainmeister · Sep 12, 2011

Understood. I've always figured the only way to get into such a business would be to work directly with someone who already knew the work. I currently work IT, but would much prefer something more individual and physical. Virtual machines take a toll on your sense of accomplishment and work.

Leigh B · Sep 12, 2011

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm a engineer, concentrating on data comm and embedded control systems rather than IT.

It's discouraging to look back on a career and realize that all the neat things you designed are obsolete and filling up dumpsters.

- Leigh

John Koehrer · Sep 13, 2011

Natcam.net still has the manuals and parts listed on their site. =@)

Leigh B · Sep 13, 2011

John Koehrer said:
Natcam.net still has the manuals and parts listed on their site. =@)

When they went bankrupt one of the employees bought their service manuals and training materials.

I bought their spare parts stock.

- Leigh

Sirius Glass · Sep 14, 2011

Send it to David Odess.

Camera FIX · Nov 24, 2020

Hasselblad repairs can be done by Sydney-based Camera FIX! You can ship any cameras to us, and we even do free quotations.

Check us out at http://www.camerafix.com.au

Hasselblad Lens Repair

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