I want A Hasselblad. Talk Me Out Of It!

[v1photos]

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

Mainly the image quality and color rendering, along with the build quality. I also like the idea of a more stripped-down system that encourages a slower approach.

 

[hardly any color]

YOLO, get one.

 

[Pieter12]

Interestingly, I was talking to a couple of professional photographers just yesterday about how I was starting to develop an itch for a film Hasselblad, They both looked at me and pretty much stated they had shelves of inoperable Hasselblad bodies that had needed constant attention while they still worked. The conclusion was this is not a camera to be counted on for serious work anymore. Of course, they worked the hell out of them in the heyday, but as far as they were concerned those that are left are toast.

 

[chuckroast]

Interestingly, I was talking to a couple of professional photographers just yesterday about how I was starting to develop an itch for a film Hasselblad, They both looked at me and pretty much stated they had shelves of inoperable Hasselblad bodies that had needed constant attention while they still worked. The conclusion was this is not a camera to be counted on for serious work anymore. Of course, they worked the hell out of them in the heyday, but as far as they were concerned those that are left are toast.

Any machine will eventually wear out if you use it enough. This is especially true for the motor actuated ones like the ELM whose primary function was studio shooting. But there are plenty of gently used 'Blads around that - at most - will require a CLA.

In any case, you don't buy a Hasselblad for the body. You buy it for the glass. With Rollieflex SLs essentially being unservicable any more, you more-or-less left with Mamiya RBs and 'Blads as an SLR fine glass delivery system.

 

[warden]

YOLO, get one.

Hardly any Color is an awesome handle.

 

[hardly any color]

Hardly any Color is an awesome handle.

Thank you. I shoot mostly black and white film, it’s my instagram handle as well

 

[Ai Print]

Interestingly, I was talking to a couple of professional photographers just yesterday about how I was starting to develop an itch for a film Hasselblad, They both looked at me and pretty much stated they had shelves of inoperable Hasselblad bodies that had needed constant attention while they still worked. The conclusion was this is not a camera to be counted on for serious work anymore. Of course, they worked the hell out of them in the heyday, but as far as they were concerned those that are left are toast.

And I as a professional photographer am going to have to disagree with them. I have a sizable system with multiple bodies, etc and I either use them regularly or exercise them regularly. I absolutely rely on them because I know I can.

 

[MattKing]

To a certain extent, these discussions about use and reliability remind me of the conversations between drivers of sports cars and drivers of mid-range family appropriate SUVs.
If you use and maintain your Hasselblads, they are wonderful. But that requires care and attention and prudence and some reasonably regular expenditure.
That includes the lenses, and the shutters therein.
I am confident that @Ai Print includes maintenance in his plans for his cameras. All the professional users I worked with and around back in the day either did the same, or regretted that they didn't.

 

[Ai Print]

To a certain extent, these discussions about use and reliability remind me of the conversations between drivers of sports cars and drivers of mid-range family appropriate SUVs.
If you use and maintain your Hasselblads, they are wonderful. But that requires care and attention and prudence and some reasonably regular expenditure.
That includes the lenses, and the shutters therein.
I am confident that @Ai Print includes maintenance in his plans for his cameras. All the professional users I worked with and around back in the day either did the same, or regretted that they didn't.

Yep, I have a spreadsheet of when things were last serviced. I do my own film mags because they are pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Having multiples of certain things ensures parts as well.

 

[MattKing]

Yep, I have a spreadsheet of when things were last serviced. I do my own film mags because they are pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Having multiples of certain things ensures parts as well.

Thanks for sharing that info.
If you shared your spreadsheet with @Andrew O'Neill , that might be the most effective approach to fulfilling Andrew's plaintiff request in the title to this thread:
"Talk Me Out Of It"

 

[Craig]

to fulfilling Andrew's plaintiff request in the title to this thread:
"Talk Me Out Of It"

There is the lawyer coming out in you Matt, it's a plaintive request, no plaintiffs involved

 

[MattKing]

There is the lawyer coming out in you Matt, it's a plaintive request, no plaintiffs involved

Carefully refined and quasi-Ai educated auto-correct in action!

 

[Hassasin]

Always fun to read a thread on Hasselblad. The most misrepresented, misinterpreted camera in the history of ... cameras. On both ends of the opinion spectrum. In short Hasselblad truly does take film and is capable to make photos, and for the most part does it well.

The only question is: does your fry pan need to be absolutely flat, have good weight, even heating, and a handle that fits your hand, or does it also have to have Gordon Ramsay stamped on it ?

I had a friend who could not make half-decent scrambles eggs. He tried Gordon Ramsay pan, to no effect.

As to OP: we only don't make a mistake if we don't do it.

 

[mshchem]

Probably OK in Cuba. Still if you are in Canada maybe Mexico rather than the Caribbean

Trump says he's ordering blockade on oil tankers in and out of Venezuela

It comes a week after the US seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, in a move that intensified pressure on its government.

www.bbc.com

 

[Arthurwg]

Interestingly, I was talking to a couple of professional photographers just yesterday about how I was starting to develop an itch for a film Hasselblad, They both looked at me and pretty much stated they had shelves of inoperable Hasselblad bodies that had needed constant attention while they still worked. The conclusion was this is not a camera to be counted on for serious work anymore. Of course, they worked the hell out of them in the heyday, but as far as they were concerned those that are left are toast.

I don't believe this. Did you see the shelves of inoperable Hasselblads?

 

[mshchem]

I don't believe this. Did you see the shelves of inoperable Hasselblads?

Yeah, this is probably more like cameras that have seen daily professional use and are worn out, but like anything this well made can probably be made to function nicely, just takes a bit of time and money.

 

[Craig]

Yeah, this is probably more like cameras that have seen daily professional use and are worn out, but like anything this well made can probably be made to function nicely, just takes a bit of time and money.

Almost anything can be rebuilt, but plenty of times it isn't economically viable or practical to do so. I see this is cars all the time, there are plenty of people who have spent many times the cars value on a restoration.

 

[mshchem]

Almost anything can be rebuilt, but plenty of times it isn't economically viable or practical to do so. I see this is cars all the time, there are plenty of people who have spent many times the cars value on a restoration.

Absolutely agree.

However, example of an automobile. If it's not rusted or corroded, and it's of a vintage before plastic exterior/interior panels it can be repaired.

Hasselblad, might not be anything of use except for the Kamera Store strategic doomsday stockpile but mechanical cameras are repairable.

 

[Craig]

Absolutely agree.

However, example of an automobile. If it's not rusted or corroded, and it's of a vintage before plastic exterior/interior panels it can be repaired.

Even later cars can be repaired, but it's usually a question of cost and availability of skilled people to do the work. Not many people know how to properly set up a carburettor today for example. The few that do, charge accordingly.

The same applies to mechanical cameras, In theory any part could be made, but that takes time and money, and you need someone who know what they are doing to put it back together. I'm thinking of Nikon F2's and Solver Wong. Yes he can fix them, but there is a limit to how many he can fix in a year. As time passes, the cameras are becoming more and more unfixable on an economic basis. Parts and skills will dry up eventually.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

My experience with Hasselblad was an example of Spock's aphorism:

“After a time, you may find that 'having' is not so pleasing a thing after all as 'wanting'. It is not logical, but it is often true.”​

 

[chuckroast]

My experience with Hasselblad was an example of Spock's aphorism:

“After a time, you may find that 'having' is not so pleasing a thing after all as 'wanting'. It is not logical, but it is often true.”​

It's a paintbrush. Sometimes you want to paint with a Leica brush, sometimes with Nikon brush, sometimes with a Hasselblad brush,sometimes with <whatever view cameras you like> brush, etc., etc. ...

If your interest is in the acquisition of equipment out of historical and collectable interest, that's one thing. But buying a 'Blad (or any other thing) for its utility value always means the same thing: Find something gently used, maintain it properly, understand its limitations, and enjoy the ride.

I have never really understood GAS as a freestanding thing. For me, gear acquisition has always been about finding a new paintbrush. If I get it, and it does not have particularly new or valuable utility value, I get rid of it.

 

[thinkbrown]

For me, gear acquisition has always been about finding a new paintbrush. If I get it, and it does not have particularly new or valuable utility value, I get rid of it.

Sometimes there's joy in the use of a particular paintbrush, even if you don't gain any utility from it. Cameras are works of art in themselves and there's joy to be had in using (most of) them.

 

[chuckroast]

Sometimes there's joy in the use of a particular paintbrush, even if you don't gain any utility from it. Cameras are works of art in themselves and there's joy to be had in using (most of) them.

I find that different kinds of brushes cause me to paint differently and even select different subjects.

 

[Slixtiesix]

Interestingly, I was talking to a couple of professional photographers just yesterday about how I was starting to develop an itch for a film Hasselblad, They both looked at me and pretty much stated they had shelves of inoperable Hasselblad bodies that had needed constant attention while they still worked. The conclusion was this is not a camera to be counted on for serious work anymore. Of course, they worked the hell out of them in the heyday, but as far as they were concerned those that are left are toast.

My 555ELD has not failed me in 12 years of occasional amateur use. To be honest, my SL66 was the one that needed constant repairs, although I treated it like a raw egg.

 

[Pieter12]

occasional amateur use

Sure. As opposed to intense professional use and possible abuse. Many pros consider their gear as tools, expect them to withstand harsh conditions and possible rough handling.