Hasselblad newbie question

OK, so I bought a Hasselblad. Somehow that should have kicked my knowledge of photography up a good number of notches. Right? Probably not!

When "playing" with the beast everything worked properly. I could cock the shutter, make setting changes and release the shutter. I've now loaded a roll of film in it, advanced the the film not far enough (I didn't line the arrow up on the leader correctly) however I'm not sure the camera should be able to figure that out. Now the shutter is cocked, both little white dots are present and I can't release the shutter. Also I can't see through the viewfinder as the lens is closed. Yes, I did remove the dark slide and the shutter is not set for "time". Any ideas about what this newbie is doing incorrectly? Thank you, Bill Barber

Hi Bill. When you loaded the film, did you wind the film to the 1st frame using the winding handle on the back? Have you tried replacing the darkslide and removing the back? Once you've done that it should be easier to diagnose. Also, you mention that the shutter is cocked, but the lens is closed. Did you prefire the body, which raises the mirror, opens the secondary shutter in the body and closes the shutter in the lens? That's the only action that normally results in what you're seeing. I haven't really got any idea of what's happened, I'm just trying to get some more information. If you could let us know specifics of the gear you're using, and how everything is set, maybe somebody can come up with a solution. Pictures help too.

500 c/m, 150mm f4 Sonnar, a 12 back. Yes, I did advance the film to where the camera thinks I'm on the first frame using the hand crank on the back. I can't cock the shutter, as I previously did that. I don't know if I prefired the body. The shutter in the body is definately open and the one in the lens is definately closed (I took the back off and replaced it.) Film counter shows 1, both white dots are present. Thanks for your help so far. Any ideas? BB

I just tried to replicate your situation, and wasn't able to do it. If I prefire my 500 C/M, then replace the darkslide and remove the back, the lens shutter fires and the secondary shutter closes. Your camera seems to be locked in prefired mode, and I'm stumped as to how it's happened. Sorry. Maybe somebody else will have better luck. One last Hail Mary here, have you tried firing the shutter with the back off?

Possible problem

I have a hunch.

First make sure that the shutter lock lever on the front of the body where the shutter release is. Make sure that little lever for shutter lock is not set the wrong way.

Next, the prefire condition, where the body and the back are not in sync with each other. This happens by sometimes by accident, it's happened to me.

1. Put the dark slide in and remove the back from the body.

2. Try and cock the shutter with the winding knob/crank on the body. Is anything happening? If it's stuck, you have the body and the shutter out of sync with each other.

3. To fix this you may need to manually cock the shutter with a small flat blade jeweler screwdriver. See my pic below for where the screw is, after you push gently on the lower baffle of the light trap on the back of the camera body.

4. Carefully pushing forward the lower baffle. Look at the floor of the mirror box. You should see a screw like my photo.

5. Examine the screw position. If the screw is horizontal like shown, then it's cocked. If its slot is up and down, you need to make it look like the photo. It takes 3/4ths of a clockwise turn with the screwdriver until the screw clicks which will then manually cock the shutter.

Note, this is a shot of the rear of my ELX body which may look different than your 500C/M.

Let us know what you find out.

When the back is removed, can you cock the shutter ?

If it doesn't, try with a cable release. Sometimes, I have the same problem with mine, the shutter release being not enough pressed by my finger.

Bingo, got it to fire with the back off, so whatever I did, I'll try not to do it again. Bill Barber

Hi Bill,

A word of caution...

When mounting/dismounting lenses, keep your finger AWAY from the release button on the front.

If you accidentally press it while changing lenses, you can end up with a jam that's difficult to correct.

- Leigh

Welcome to APUG

As you just learned, Hasselblads like things done in certain ways.

Steve