Hasselblad Shutter question

[macaroniitfc]

Just been shooting my new (well, second hand but new to me) 503CW Hasselblad this weekend. Love the camera, but not quite sure about the shutter. For example, sometimes I would take more than one shot with the same shutter speed, but going from the sound the camera made, it felt like there were variations in the time the shutter was open and shut for. This didnt happen when I used the cable release. Am I somehow pressing the button for too long? Should i release my finger from the shutter as soon as i have pressed it? I know it's q weird question, but given how manual/mechanical these cameras are, I thought there could be some quirk to it. Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers!

 

[bdial]

Most of what you hear and feel is the mirror and the rear protective shutter opening, then closing when you raise your finger off the release. The timing of all that depends on how long you press the release, but doesn't effect the exposure time.

The sequence when you press the release is;
The shutter in the lens closes
The mirror goes up and the rear shutter doors open
The shutter in the lens opens for the time set and then closes
When you let go of the release button, the rear doors close.

Note that for long exposures, the button must remain down until the shutter and the lens has closed. Otherwise you end your exposure with the rear doors closing.

The manual for your camera is available here, if you don't have one; http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HW/HWVSys.aspx

 

[macaroniitfc]

Great! So, just to be clear. If I am taking a shot at say 250, I can keep my finger on the shutter for a couple of sceonds (if I wanted to) and it would not affect the exposure? It's only when I am in B that exposure is affected?

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Great! So, just to be clear. If I am taking a shot at say 250, I can keep my finger on the shutter for a couple of sceonds (if I wanted to) and it would not affect the exposure? It's only when I am in B that exposure is affected?

Yep. With short exposures, like 1/250 you can pretty much push and release the button immediately because the main shutter in the lens will have fired so fast that the rear doors will be open long enough even if you release the button fast. With long exposures you need to be sure to hold in the shutter button for longer than the exposure time. Holding the button down way longer doesnt hurt anything since the shutter in the lens will keep light from hitting the film.

 

[bdial]

If I am taking a shot at say 250, I can keep my finger on the shutter for a couple of sceonds (if I wanted to) and it would not affect the exposure?

Correct

It's only when I am in B that exposure is affected?

Actually it would be affected anytime you can lift your finger faster than the len's shutter would operate. On a practical basis, it's only an issue for slow speeds or B. For most people, that is probably 1/4 and slower.

 

[edtbjon]

To make this perfectly clear. Always keep the release depressed until the camera is quiet again. As bdial and Chris have said, you may interrupt the exposure if you let go of the release before the camera have cycled through. The only time the above doesn't apply is of course when you're doing timed long exposures, i.e. at B setting as you keep the release activated until you've exposed enough. (Where of course you should use a tripod and a cable release (maybe a locking one) too.)

//Björn

 

[Q.G.]

Time for that "read the manual" thingy again, methinks.

So read the manual.
Bdial pointed out where to find one. Had you followed his advice and read it then...

 

[macaroniitfc]

cheers guys! yep - read the manual too! your explanations are a lot clearer though. appreciated.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Time for that "read the manual" thingy again, methinks.

So read the manual.
Bdial pointed out where to find one. Had you followed his advice and read it then...

What and loose all the entertainment value here??

Steve