I want A Hasselblad. Talk Me Out Of It!

[Andrew O'Neill]

As the title of this thread states... Sirius Glass, stay out of this!

 

[itsdoable]

This is obviously the wrong place to ask this question...

...or maybe the right place, depending on the answer you want.

 

[Franswa]

What is it about the Hasselblad that is drawing you in?

 

[cliveh]

A Hasselblad is a system camera, with great versatility and supurb engineering and optics. I had a 500C, which was quite cheap because of its age, but still a first class camera. Get one. You wont regret it. It is the dogs bollocks of 6 X 6 format.

 

[Pieter12]

What do you shoot with now?

 

[Chuck1]

Don't do it
Stick with 14x17

 

[logan2z]

I love my 500 C/M so I'm probably not the one to talk you out of it. But if I had to share one negative I'd say it's not that comfortable/easy to shoot handheld. I know people do it, but I don't really like the way it feels in the hand and I always shoot it on a tripod. Other than that, I can't really think of any reason not to buy one - other than perhaps cost, which has increased quite a bit in recent years.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Mirror black out. Really. If you are used to using cameras where there is continuity before and after firing the shutter, be warned.

 

[BrianShaw]

Don’t think about it; just get one. Get the newest and best condition that you can afford. Don’t wait; you’ll not regret the decision.

 

[thinkbrown]

Honestly after having a Mamiya 645 I wouldn't want a medium format SLR again. Just so unweildy to shoot unless you're willing to carry a tripod all the time.

On the flip side I've got a Mamiya Press now which I absolutely adore. It's maybe the most flexible camera I've ever owned because you can both carry it around practically due to the rangefinder and (shockingly for the size) good ergonomics, and you can also set it up on a tripod with the ground glass and shoot it as a view camera.

 

[gbroadbridge]

You've already talked yourself into it.

Beware the dark slide of the farce.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

What do I shoot with now? Everything from 35 up to 14x17. Medium format mainly the RB, Rolleicord, C330, Mamiya-Six folder...
@Dan Daniel that's a good point. Thanks!
I'm looking more for what Dan pointed out.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

@thinkbrown I actually have a 645 pro kit! Great camera, but want to stick with 6x6. Thanks!

 

[loccdor]

Talk you out of it? I'll try.

Poor value for money.
What can it do that a M645 can't do almost as well?
You can put Zeiss glass on the M645 through a Pentacon Six adapter.

 

[thinkbrown]

@thinkbrown I actually have a 645 pro kit! Great camera, but want to stick with 6x6. Thanks!

I wasn't trying to convince you to get a 645, I was trying to convince you that 6x7 is one better

 

[MattKing]

The handling is really, really different than your RB67 and Mamiya C330.
Way back when I sold them, but I never got comfortable with them. Their ergonomics are quite particular.
When I worked around the wedding photography industry, they were common. All the users were really happy with the results, and moderately unhappy with how much regular service they seemed to demand.

 

[MattKing]

I had forgotten about your 645 Pro. The handling is also quite different between the Hasselblad 500 series and the 645 Pro - which happens to suit my needs.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks, Matt. I need to take the 645 out for a spin. I've yet to do that!

 

[grahamp]

The only thing is you know the condition and quirks of your current stuff. You are going up against the RB and the C330, so base it on what it will cost (net of selling one of the others (Oh, my!) ) to get the body/backs/finders/lenses you think you will need. And see if you can try one first...

I put the popcorn in the microwave, so I'll just sit comfortably and watch the entertainment

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

@grahamp I'm here to entertain!

 

[OAPOli]

The Hasselblad lenses are annoying to focus because of a very slow helicoid pitch. A basic kit is too expensive. You very rarely need to swap backs.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

@OAPOli I played around with a friends, and focussing didn't really bother me. It took a while to get used to focussing on the lens, rather than on the camera body, like the RB, C330, etc.

 

[campy51]

The Hasselblad lenses are annoying to focus because of a very slow helicoid pitch. A basic kit is too expensive. You very rarely need to swap backs.

Totally agree with the focus, that's the main reason I sold mine. I also had the Bronica SQ-A and the focus on that was great.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

If I can focus my home made 14x17, I can focus anything!

 

[David R Williams]

The Hasselblad lenses are annoying to focus because of a very slow helicoid pitch. A basic kit is too expensive. You very rarely need to swap backs.

Sorry Andrew - I can't do as you ask...but can provide a few thoughts to the contrary:

The Hasselblad lenses are very precise to focus because of a great viewfinder and smooth and precise helicoid pitch.

Most components (other than the latest lenses, backs, and bodies) are not unreasonably expensive (some more recent CFi lenses are downright affordable), and are likely to hold their value well over time.

The more newer lenses and bodies which are more expensive should hold their value well over time.

...and with you often shooting different films of the same subject, swapping backs like likely a mandatory functional requirement as with your other MF setups (and was a deal killer for my use of a Pentax 645).

Also, worthy of note are the some stellar Hasselblad-unique components that are not available for any other system:

1. 38mm f/4.5 Biogon on any SWC (an amazing wide lens which fits nicely as a relatively compact super wide, and is really nice to use either on tripod with a ground glass focusing screen, or with its finder as a point-and-shoot).
2. 100mm f/3.5 Planar (nothing more need be said)
3. 180mm f/4 Sonnar (same)
4. 250mm f/5.6 SA (ditto)
5. Flexbody - give you tilts and modest shifts with ALL Hasselblad lenses other than an SWC

Oh, and a 45 degree prism, with or without meter, is really nice to shoot with as well.