Hasselblad MLU issues

Cybertrash · Apr 24, 2013

I recently bought a Hasselblad 500C/M from a seller on eBay that unfortunately arrived with some issues mostly related to the shutter (for example the slow shutter speeds stick open at times, and sometimes the shutter won't open all the way, or at all on the high speeds). One of these issues is that sometimes (not every time though) the in-lens shutter stays open when I activate mirror lockup. Since the seller has agreed to reimburse me for the repair costs I was wondering if the mirror lockup issue relates to the mechanism in the body, or the actual shutter mechanism in the lens. Having to send in only the lens would probably be a bit cheaper, and from what I can tell all the other functions on the body seem to work fine.

olwick · Apr 24, 2013

Just return it and get your money back. Why should you have all the hassle with repair?

vysk · Apr 24, 2013

If the lens is having trouble, the body could well be too. If I were you, I'd send both in. I suspect both lens and body have seen the same environment, and both have suffered.

Also, no point doing a CLA on a lens, only to find that the body mechanics are marginal and have issues.

Especially if you are not paying for the repair.

The beauty with Hasselblads is that they are very robust and relatively straight-forward to repair.

Cybertrash · Apr 24, 2013

olwick said:
Just return it and get your money back. Why should you have all the hassle with repair?

Mostly because I had to pay a fairly hefty import fee, which would be all for nought if I simply returned the camera.

HTF III · Apr 24, 2013

Cybertrash said:
Mostly because I had to pay a fairly hefty import fee, which would be all for nought if I simply returned the camera.

That's their problem. No good is no good.

Cybertrash · Apr 24, 2013

HTF III said:
That's their problem. No good is no good.

But it's my money gone to waste...

However I took a look at the customs office's website and it seems like you can get a "refund" on your import fees if you return a product you've bought from outside the EU. Would it be a lot wiser to simply return it? I'll have to call the customs office tomorrow and ask how to apply for a refund as well of course.

Edit: Perhaps I should add: For those of you who have returned faulty items to eBay sellers, how have your experiences been? Does eBay have any official support for returning items?

brucemuir · Apr 24, 2013

Cybertrash said:
Mostly because I had to pay a fairly hefty import fee, which would be all for nought if I simply returned the camera.

Sux you have to pay to import a Hasselblad INTO Sweden.

Anyway the mirror lockup (I think Hasselblad calls it mirror pre-release) is not related to the lens shutter at all. I don't know how the lens shutter is opening when you do a mirror pre release because there is no mechanical connection to even tell the lens you pre-released the mirror?

Slixtiesix · Apr 25, 2013

I think the lens shutter is supposed to close when the mirror is pre released.

heterolysis · Apr 25, 2013

I am sitting with my C/M in my lap and can confirm that the lens shutter closes when the mirror is pre-released.

It sounds like all your issues are relating to the lens itself. I've had similar issues with old lenses before---they stick and stop halfway, are slow to close, or stay stopped down after exposures---and a simple cleaning should be enough to fix all of these.

I have two of these bodies and for the longest time one did not work whatsoever. A shop wanted $250 to clean the thing, so I decided to just do it myself. It's actually really simple. BUT, and getting back to my point, the mirror lockup on this body has not worked for as long as I can remember and it has no impact on anything else, so I would bet the lens is the culprit here too.
If the release, mirror, and curtains of the body all seem to be moving smoothly and cranking properly, don't worry about it and just get your lens fixed.

Jesper · Apr 25, 2013

Would it be possible to borrow another 500 and switch lenses between the two to see if the problem follows the lens or the body?
My money would be on the lens but you never know.

Cybertrash · Apr 26, 2013

Jesper said:
Would it be possible to borrow another 500 and switch lenses between the two to see if the problem follows the lens or the body?
My money would be on the lens but you never know.

It might be that I could borrow one from the camera store, but I think I'll just send it back to the seller as I found out that I can get my import fee back.

Tom Richard · Apr 28, 2013

The lens and the body of a V series Hasselblad is only connected through a mechanical release plunger. Any shutter problem will be isolated to the lens and not to the body unless the auxillary shutter is the part giving brief which is easy to observe. Generally and unfortunately i have learned to treat all ebay purchases as well as any other second hand purchases in a way that i have to calculate service at a Hasselblad certified repair shop. I guess this is not what you should expect after paying a premium but quite often this is the reality unless you get lucky. Which can happen on occasion. My 2c.

Too old to care · Apr 29, 2013

Cybertrash said:
Edit: Perhaps I should add: For those of you who have returned faulty items to eBay sellers, how have your experiences been? Does eBay have any official support for returning items?

I have returned two cameras (both in the US) and a lens to England. No problems at all with EBay, but it is up to the seller if they reimburse the return shipping costs. One seller did, the others did not. I also received a finder that had fungus in it, the seller refunded half the price and I cleaned it.

Wayne

Hasselblad MLU issues

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