Is that a Hasselblad?

[Sirius Glass]

Steve - if you are referring to my avatar I must sheepishly admit it is was a Yashica D TLR which I sold at a camera market a few years ago to help fund a Mamiya 7. I do have a Hasselblad (XPan) but when people see that they usually say is that a Hasselblad in that hesitant and sceptical manner which translates to, well, it doesn't look like a Hasselblad!
You just can't win at this game!

Yes, you can! Do what I plan to do. When I am reincarnated, I want to come back as independently wealthy instead of being so incredibly handsome.

Steve

 

[nuckabean]

Not quite ITAH?, but I was walking around the local indoor mall today with my Yashicamat while waiting for someone and a man walked up and told me he used to have one. I said it was a good camera and mine is still kicking after who knows how many years. He said "You have Tri-x in there right?". I told him no, and that I had a color film from Fuji in it at the moment. He said "oh yeah I used to shoot vericolor." He told me to keep up the good work and that I was using a "poor man's rolleiflex" and then walked away.

So I got "ITTX?" (Is that tri-x?)

 

[cknapp1961]

In the not too distant future…”Is that one of those NHI devices?” (Non-holographic Imaging).

 

[Bosaiya]

Last week my daughter and I chartered a fishing boat in Ft. Lauderdale. The Mate asked if my C330 was a Hasselblad, I explained what it was, and he said his dad owned one (a Hassy, not a Mammy). That was kind of funny. Got some nice photos during a huge storm.

The fishing was great, my daughter caught a bunch of bonita, I got a king mackerel and a 25lb barracuda, which she photographed with the aforementioned Mamiya-not-Hasselblad.

quick scan of the negative:

 

[Sirius Glass]

Saturday was the day I got my Hasselblad 903 SWC. Four times it was noticed:

1) At the Annenburg Space for Photography [http://www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org/], the security guard came up behind me and said, "I am really envious of your Hasselblad.

2) When I left the Annenburg Space for Photography outside the front door was a man with a Hasselblad who called out, "Nice SWC! Is that a 903 or 905?"

3) On the sidewalk before I entered a camera repair store a man with a child said to his child, "That is a really expensive camera."

4) After I left the store, just before I got to my car, two men were walking the other way and one said to the other, "I really like that camera." I called out, "Thank you."

Steve

 

[E76]

My 500C/M never gets that kind of attention! In fact, I think it gets more when I don't have it with me.

 

[Jesper]

It seems that in Sweden people tend to recognise what is a Hasselblad and not (I have never been asked that question in error).
I have been asked "is that a Leica" when I was using a Fed I, but from a distance anyone could make that mistake.

But the annoying question that I get on a regular basis is when I'm shooting large format (8x10" and 4x5" both bought new) - "How old is that camera?"
I have no idea how many times I have been asked this question, but whenever someone approaches me when I out taking pictures I know that this will be the first question.

 

[arigram]

Saturday was the day I got my Hasselblad 903 SWC. Four times it was noticed:

1) At the Annenburg Space for Photography [http://www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org/], the security guard came up behind me and said, "I am really envious of your Hasselblad.

Now, that's a security guard!
No harassing from this guy, but actual appreciation and admiration!
Someone should give him a medal or at least something edible!
I imagine he is a photographer trying to make ends meet...

 

[Augied]

Hi there, new member here. This thread is awesome, I've been reading it obsessively for the last few days. I've never had an ITAH, but just last week, I was taking pictures with my RB67 of people reacting to a cow grazing at Harvard yard (long story) and one of them asked me if I was with the newspaper. It interested me that he didn't specify which paper he thought I might be from. It was just "are you with the newspaper?"

 

[Bosaiya]

Multiple inquiries lately about the C330, latest while on a helicopter operation.

Lately I have found a new corallary while carrying my Graflex RB: "Is that a Brownie?" I get that one a lot, too.

 

[mikebarger]

Welcome to APUG Augied

Mike

 

[dentkimterry]

I was asked if my Hasselblad was a video camera.

 

[jp80874]

"Have I been asked if that is a Hasselblad?" Yes, while shooting an 8x10 in front of several water color painters. The woman who asked is married to a man who shoots weddings with three digital cameras.

John Powers

 

[Jeff L]

I just got asked on Saturday if my Rolleiflex was a Hasselblad.
Usually I'm asked if my Yashicamat is a Rolleiflex. Go figure...

 

[Bosaiya]

It's been a little while so I thought I'd add another entry. Last week I was at an outdoor training course with my RB67 and one of the instructors asked if it was a Hasselblad. Apparently he used to shoot 4x5. Some of the students told him about the camera I usually use (a Graflex RB) and he was disappointed I hadn't brought it along.

 

[Thanasis]

I was recently asked by an onlooker "What sort of a camera is that?"
"Its a Hasselblad", I replied.
"Oh so thats what they look like!" she said. She then told me about a swedish crime novel where an old hasselblad camera was crucial to the plot of the story and she wondered what these cameras looked like.

 

[sly]

I used my Hasselblad often on my recent 2 month holiday in Germany and England. Never got asked ITAH. In Germany I was told by a number of admirers that I had a VERY GOOD camera. In England a man crossed the street to tell me he was glad to see someone using a Hasselblad. The best moment was in Bristol - I was approached and had my hand shaken by a lovely man with a huge smile and a Rollei.

 

[lxdude]

Yeah, but the really weird part of it was I was standing at a urinal at the time, and didn't have a camera with me...

I would have said "No, and don't call me Blad".
Or maybe "Yes, and I'm emptying my Hasselbladder."

 

[Angelo di Mango]

I was asked if my mamiya 7 was some kind of apparatus to detect the presence of fish while I was taking some shots in a mountain stream!

 

[Roberto V.]

One day i ran into a friend from school while shooting with my DSLR. He said "Oh, nice camera, i love vintage cameras"
I've also been asked if i was a reporter, paparazzi and stuff like that when shooting 35mm, and i don't even use long lenses.
I haven't been asked about my Kodak 3A, but i guess it'd be too stupid to ask if it's digital. But you never know...

 

[Halford]

Within a day or two of getting my RB67, a neighbour sees it when we're in the elevator:

"Is that a Hasselblad?"

I point at the big "MAMIYA" label.

"No but really? Is it a Hasselblad?"

I mumbled something about it being pretty much the same idea but not actually a 'blad.

Actually I do appreciate that people take an interest. Just need to be a bit more confident in replying and engaging them. These are opportunities to share an enthusiasm and educate people.

Still funny though.

 

[Bosaiya]

I was asked if my mamiya 7 was some kind of apparatus to detect the presence of fish while I was taking some shots in a mountain stream!

Not only to detect, but to record for later analysis.

 

[Bosaiya]

I haven't been asked about my Kodak 3A, but i guess it'd be too stupid to ask if it's digital. But you never know...

I do get asked about the digital part when using older cameras. It's not as stupid as it could be, some people know that there are digital backs for film cameras so I can see how they might wonder about it. I usually try to say something funny without sounding condescending, something along the lines of "You should see the batteries!"

 

[Alexander Ghaffari]

I have had about three dozen or so people who told me that I have a nice Mamiya in public, and indeed, I was shooting with my RB67. One time, in the dark, someone on the street shouted "Nice Hasselblad," but when I turned, they saw the side of the camera and remarked, "Oh, my bad, nice RB67!"

 

[Sirius Glass]

I was at a National Park photographing with my Hasselblad and a man proudly told his girl friend that I was using a "Hasslehoff"! I choose not to correct him.

Steve