I want A Hasselblad. Talk Me Out Of It!

[John Wiegerink]

Thye bayonet might look fragile but in practice are actually quite robust. The less expensive (or old and used) adapters often need to be adjusted for a good fit so they aren't too tight or too loose. It takes a ew minutes but isn't really that difficult. I've found hte "cheap" apdaters to be fine and haven't ever had binding problems because of aluminum material.

I haven't had a problem with aluminum bay-to-thread style adapters binding on the bayonet lugs, but have had screw-in filters bind up on the threads of the cheap adapters. It's usually the cheap adapter to a cheap screw-in filter that causes the problem.

 

[chuckroast]

I haven't had a problem with aluminum bay-to-thread style adapters binding on the bayonet lugs, but have had screw-in filters bind up on the threads of the cheap adapters. It's usually the cheap adapter to a cheap screw-in filter that causes the problem.

The trick to avoiding thread lockup is a VERY thin layer of silicon grease.

 

[John Wiegerink]

The trick to avoiding thread lockup is a VERY thin layer of silicon grease.

Yes, but if the threads are not cut just right from the factory silicone won't help much. I bought a cheap step-up adapter (52mm to 55mm) from China and could not even screw the 55mm filter into it. The 52mm threads were fine, but not the 55mm threads. They sent me a new one at no cost.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

@BrianShaw that's good to know. Thanks!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I want a Flexbody too. But beside being rather expensive, it's difficult to find a complete set, which I think has seven components. Finding missing pieces might be near impossible.

I saw a one on ebay, with all the components included. Very expensive!

 

[Arthurwg]

If I were to limit myself to a single lens, it would be a 60mm.

Me too.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

The 60 is on my list...

 

[itsdoable]

The trick to avoiding thread lockup is a VERY thin layer of silicon grease.

I prefer to use wax (candle wax works fine), it's less messy and easy cleanup.

 

[Pieter12]

Andrew,

Be careful with the BAY60 to 67mm adapters. If it is a cheap aluminum one, they can bind. I tracked down some brass ones (Heliopan and original Hasselblad, IIRC) and find them pretty reliable.

Heliopan is gone now and Hasselblad doesn't make them any more, but the adapters should be available on ebay if you look and are persistent. In my opinion, worth the price over the aluminum ones.

Out of curiosity, does the larger 67mm filter interfere with any of the lens hoods?

 

[BrianShaw]

Out of curiosity, does the larger 67mm filter interfere with any of the lens hoods?

Not at all. The OD of a Hasselblad bay60 filter is 70mm. I didn’t, but you can, measure the OD of a 67mm filter but I think it will be the same or very close.

 

[Fluidphoto]

Haven't read all 42 pages of this but..... there used to be an authorized service guy we used in Edmonton (1999-00ish). He told me that if you don't have access to a good service person to go with the Bronica. Doesn't have that Hassy look/feel, but the quality was almost as good and at a fraction of the cost.

 

[mshchem]

The trick to avoiding thread lockup is a VERY thin layer of silicon grease.

ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED +1

 

[BrianShaw]

Haven't read all 42 pages of this but..... there used to be an authorized service guy we used in Edmonton (1999-00ish). He told me that if you don't have access to a good service person to go with the Bronica. Doesn't have that Hassy look/feel, but the quality was almost as good and at a fraction of the cost.

Fascinating! I heard the complete opposite back in the late 1980’s. So I split the difference and continued to use a Rollei TLR. Eventually my Rollei repairman disappeared so I bought a Hasselblad and have lived happily ever after.

 

[Pieter12]

Not at all. The OD of a Hasselblad bay60 filter is 70mm. I didn’t, but you can, measure the OD of a 67mm filter but I think it will be the same or very close.

Is there a difference between a Bay6 (VI) and the Hasselblad Bay 60?

 

[mshchem]

Is there a difference between a Bay6 (VI) and the Hasselblad Bay 60?

The reason I use the Heliopan brass adapters is so I can use 67mm B&W multi coated filters. The Tiffen (and Hasselblad?) bay 60 filters fit perfectly, but are uncoated.

The aluminum adapters fit well, the issue I have is the aluminum is very soft and the bayonet tangs distort easily. I had one fall off. Still the aluminum ones are 2 or 3 bucks and the brass ones, if you can find one is 50 bucks or more.

 

[Pieter12]

OK. So after being able to resist and repel the Hasselblad urge for quite a while, I have fallen down the rabbit hole. Maybe a sink hole. I already have an SWC and the results never disappoint. Unable to find a kit that met my needs at a reasonable price, I decided to obtain the bits piecemeal. Although the individual prices all seem reasonable, it sure adds up fast. Beyond body, finder and lens (I already have a back from my SWC), there needs to be a lens hood, a few filters--or at least an orange or deep yellow one for me, an Arca-Swiss style camera base plate, a camera strap and I am sure more things I have neglected to think of. I really don't need this camera, but once bitten there is no denying Viktor's will.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I saw a one on ebay, with all the components included. Very expensive!

The cost of the FlexBody can drive one to shooting 4"x5" instead.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

The cost of the FlexBody can drive one to shooting 4"x5" instead.

True... but one day, I may not be able to lug it around, so a smaller, lighter MF, with the ability to swing/tilt/shift/rise, would be beneficial.

 

[chuckroast]

OK. So after being able to resist and repel the Hasselblad urge for quite a while, I have fallen down the rabbit hole. Maybe a sink hole. I already have an SWC and the results never disappoint. Unable to find a kit that met my needs at a reasonable price, I decided to obtain the bits piecemeal. Although the individual prices all seem reasonable, it sure adds up fast. Beyond body, finder and lens (I already have a back from my SWC), there needs to be a lens hood, a few filters--or at least an orange or deep yellow one for me, an Arca-Swiss style camera base plate, a camera strap and I am sure more things I have neglected to think of. I really don't need this camera, but once bitten there is no denying Viktor's will.

Try to find a body with a waist level finder. The sellers are parting cameras out and selling the finder separately at nosebleed prices. The latest model waist level finder in good shape is approaching the cost of the body itself.

Failing that, if you find a great 500C/M or 501C/M body with no finder, an older chimney finder can be had a quite reasonable cost and they work great.

 

[chuckroast]

True... but one day, I may not be able to lug it around, so a smaller, lighter MF, with the ability to swing/tilt/shift/rise, would be beneficial.

There is a reasonable middle ground here. The Galvin 2x3 camera is nice and compact and has full movements, and can be had quite inexpensively used. If you prefer a higher end solution, the Linhof Super Technica V would be worth a look.

For view camera-ish features in 6x9 and smaller format you might also consider a Century Graphic. Again, it can be had for relatively low cost. These do not have the full movements of a true view camera. You wouldn't use them for table top or advert work. But for most outdoor situations they work really well. It is even possible to reverse the front standard to get true front tilt on them.

In all these cases, you're getting into additional lens purchases, but these are abundant on the used market and very cheap - a used A12 back for your 'Blad will cost more

I love my 'Blads but sometimes I want a bigger negative and don't feel like carrying a 4x5 around. My "Baby" Speed (the predecessor to the Century) fits the bill perfectly and allows me to shoot rollfilm in multiple formats (I believe your RB backs can be made to work on these) as well as 2x3 sheetfilm.

These are all just additional arrows in the quiver ...

 

[Michael Mutmansky]

OK. So after being able to resist and repel the Hasselblad urge for quite a while, I have fallen down the rabbit hole. Maybe a sink hole. I already have an SWC and the results never disappoint. Unable to find a kit that met my needs at a reasonable price, I decided to obtain the bits piecemeal. Although the individual prices all seem reasonable, it sure adds up fast. Beyond body, finder and lens (I already have a back from my SWC), there needs to be a lens hood, a few filters--or at least an orange or deep yellow one for me, an Arca-Swiss style camera base plate, a camera strap and I am sure more things I have neglected to think of. I really don't need this camera, but once bitten there is no denying Viktor's will.

There are cheap-ish generic lens hoods. I have a couple and they work perfectly. I like them in part because I consider a hood to be an expendable accessory since they seem to take the brunt of the damage from minor bumps, scrapes against rocks, etc. So, I don't fret them much and if one of them gets cracked, just buy another cheap plastic generic hood. The Hasselblad hoods are also plastic, for the most part as well anyway. Also, I haven't done it yet, but I figure I could buy a longer hood and cut it down for certain purposes quite easily since the are all basically B50 or B60 sized, so very interchangeable.

Finders are (I think) basically crack narcotics to a Hasselblad shooter. You have one, but discover that under certain circumstances, it isn't ideal... so you buy another, and another. Add in metering options and vintages, etc., and there are a lot to choose between. However, if you are thoughtful and observant when you shoot, you could probably minimize the number you own to keep it to a minimum. I own a folding waist level finder mostly for when I really want to travel light with a body. It doesn't get used much. I own the most recent metered 90-degree hood PM90E as my primary shooter. It's much, much larger than the WL finder, but it has a meter and the image presented is, frankly, far better than from the WL finder. Also it has built-in diopters, which is important... lastly, I have an modern unmetered 45-degree hood PM45, with the diopter built in. Since I got the metered hood, I don't use that one much. You'll never find the diopter you need, so IMO, buying a finder with a variable one is the only way to go (PM45, PM45E, PM90, PM90E).

The focus screen choice is an additional problem for expense. There's tradeoffs between focusing and corner falloff, and it's hard to know which one you are going to like or want without trying several (at least of the different vintages, from the oldest, to the newer (Acute Matte and Acute Matte D, which are very expensive). Plus the variable of microprism area, split screen, aerial image versions, I consider the aerial image ones to be somewhat special purpose, etc.). On top of that, there's the grid lines that may be selected.

I settled on the AM-D grid screens for my bodies. I used to shoot LF with gg that had gridded screens and I prefer that. That locks me into only one or two options; whether to choose AM or AM-D.

Note that there is additional complexity associated with the metering interaction between a metering VF and the ground glass... the documentation for the VFs shows which ones are directly compatible and what their adjustment is, depending on the vintage of focus screen.

It's a minefield of interactions and expenses, but I do enjoy shooting with the system. But for absolute simplicity, I'll take a Mamiya 6 camera and lenses any day. Far more limitations, but what a great light travel camera.

 

[Pieter12]

There are cheap-ish generic lens hoods. I have a couple and they work perfectly. I like them in part because I consider a hood to be an expendable accessory since they seem to take the brunt of the damage from minor bumps, scrapes against rocks, etc. So, I don't fret them much and if one of them gets cracked, just buy another cheap plastic generic hood. The Hasselblad hoods are also plastic, for the most part as well anyway. Also, I haven't done it yet, but I figure I could buy a longer hood and cut it down for certain purposes quite easily since the are all basically B50 or B60 sized, so very interchangeable.

Finders are (I think) basically crack narcotics to a Hasselblad shooter. You have one, but discover that under certain circumstances, it isn't ideal... so you buy another, and another. Add in metering options and vintages, etc., and there are a lot to choose between. However, if you are thoughtful and observant when you shoot, you could probably minimize the number you own to keep it to a minimum. I own a folding waist level finder mostly for when I really want to travel light with a body. It doesn't get used much. I own the most recent metered 90-degree hood PM90E as my primary shooter. It's much, much larger than the WL finder, but it has a meter and the image presented is, frankly, far better than from the WL finder. Also it has built-in diopters, which is important... lastly, I have an modern unmetered 45-degree hood PM45, with the diopter built in. Since I got the metered hood, I don't use that one much. You'll never find the diopter you need, so IMO, buying a finder with a variable one is the only way to go (PM45, PM45E, PM90, PM90E).

The focus screen choice is an additional problem for expense. There's tradeoffs between focusing and corner falloff, and it's hard to know which one you are going to like or want without trying several (at least of the different vintages, from the oldest, to the newer (Acute Matte and Acute Matte D, which are very expensive). Plus the variable of microprism area, split screen, aerial image versions, I consider the aerial image ones to be somewhat special purpose, etc.). On top of that, there's the grid lines that may be selected.

I settled on the AM-D grid screens for my bodies. I used to shoot LF with gg that had gridded screens and I prefer that. That locks me into only one or two options; whether to choose AM or AM-D.

Note that there is additional complexity associated with the metering interaction between a metering VF and the ground glass... the documentation for the VFs shows which ones are directly compatible and what their adjustment is, depending on the vintage of focus screen.

It's a minefield of interactions and expenses, but I do enjoy shooting with the system. But for absolute simplicity, I'll take a Mamiya 6 camera and lenses any day. Far more limitations, but what a great light travel camera.

Thanks for the info. I do tend to prefer a prism finder to waist-level and have found that they don't cost that much, while the WLF prices seem pretty ridiculous. I have read that the built-in meters are finicky to use, might as well just stick with my little Gossen DigiSix.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Luckily a prism finder was included in the kit... Non-metring type, which is totally fine by me. I prefer using a spot metre.

 

[zfshi]

I will get a Rolleiflex HY6 if I have the money.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I guess I preferred something that didn't rely on batteries...