Looking for buying advice for Hasselblad

[John Koehrer]

I would recommend that you get one of the newer bodies, 1990 or later. I have the 503 CX and the 903 SWC. The date coding is in the serial number HVPICTURES where
H = 1
V = 2
P = 3
I = 4
C = 5
T = 6
U = 7
R = 8
E = 9
S = 0

So ESxxxxx would be 1990, 0Hxxxx would be 2001.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or for advice.

I learned that the code was VHPICTURES. As in Victor Hasselblad................Was I learned wrong?

 

[John Will]

I learned that the code was VHPICTURES. As in Victor Hasselblad................Was I learned wrong?

No , you are correct ! see here
http://hasselbladhistorical.eu/HT/HTDating.aspx

 

[MattKing]

Matt, I'm 56 and have attended probably an average amount of weddings here in St. Louis. I've only been to one wedding where the photographer shot a Hasselblad. People I knew who shot weddings couldn't afford a Blad and shot Bronica or Mamiya C series.

In my wedding photography/colour printing for pros days I was using a Mamiya C330, but at least a bare majority of the pros were using Hasselblads.
Bronica distribution and service in our area wasn't nearly as robust as the resources available for those who used Hasselblads or Mamiya equipment.
My impression in those days was that pros with the appropriate business plan and resources were able to lease their Hasselblad equipment.

 

[M. Axel Wikstrom]

The only problem I ever had with my C/M was when I tried to shoot in temperatures less than minus 20 F (Alaska, winter last year). The film wouldn't advance, but once I put it in my coat for a few minutes it was fine. Above that it worked great.

Right after that it bounced around in my motorcycle tank bag for almost a month on a cross country ride. Flawless.

 

[Alan Gales]

In my wedding photography/colour printing for pros days I was using a Mamiya C330, but at least a bare majority of the pros were using Hasselblads.
Bronica distribution and service in our area wasn't nearly as robust as the resources available for those who used Hasselblads or Mamiya equipment.
My impression in those days was that pros with the appropriate business plan and resources were able to lease their Hasselblad equipment.

That's very interesting. Thanks for responding. The wedding photographers I knew owned their cameras. I only knew a few wedding photographers. Most worked at local camera stores and did weddings on the weekends. The one fellow that shot the wedding with the Hasselblad was an older white haired gentleman who looked over the age of retirement. He seemed a bit surprised that I recognized his 500cm and told me that he loved the camera. This was many years ago.

I was at the local pro shop last year and dropped off a roll of 120 color film for development. The salesman asked me what camera I used and I told him a Mamiya C220f. He replied that he shot weddings for many years with a C330.

 

[ruilourosa]

Unreliable hasselblad... with two bad experiences...
i once had an unreliable fm2... and an ureliable mercedes...

500c (several through the years), 501cm, 553elx, swc, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 250...
extension tubes + screwdriver (i jam my lenses and my bodies, i´m very clumsy)
i cannot subscribe the unreliability of the swede brand, nor the unability to repair a sonnar (sonnor) lens... i´ve seen terrible things being repaired

generalizing a personal experience should be the reason to apologize, not making fun of this generalization...

 

[guangong]

If I were looking to buy a Hasselblad now I would follow the advice of SiriusGlass. Having said that, I bought an F2000 new when it came on market and a 500cm some years ago from KEH because price was right. Neither camera has ever given me any problems but if buying again I would certainly buy a latter model.
The only Hasselblad that rivaled a Kowa in unreliability was my first, a 1000F, but even then I used its film backs for many many years and only began using A120 backs a couple years ago when the old ones finally began to die after a half century of use.
There is no SLR MF camera that equals the Hasselblad in compact ergonomics; every other brand feels bulky.
One valuable accessory not mentioned: Hasselblad made an ever-ready case cleverly designed to be ever ready. This case allows you to stroll about with your camera at the ready but protected from occasional damaging bumps.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I learned that the code was VHPICTURES. As in Victor Hasselblad................Was I learned wrong?

You are right. I typed it wrong.

The 45° prism gets rid of the left right reversal. I have a PME which contains a light meter. Well worth having.

 

[Luis-F-S]

I have always wanted one and now I can't get it out of my head. I have been looking for one in my price range of $850 but most are more. What should I be checking if I do find one? Should I stay away from the 500C?

I'd try to find a clean 500 C/M with an A12 Magazine and an 80 CF lens. I'd stay away from the 500C due largely to age. See how beat up the camera back where the magazine attaches. The photo below, the left camera has had use, the one on the right is pristine. The ridges on the back get nicked by the magazine when attaching, this is normal when used professionally and you're attaching the magazine quickly. Not that a camera with heavier use will give trouble, just pay accordingly. I own six 500 C/M and one 503 as well as a SWC/M. Most of my lenses are C Compur lenses, some of the 80's are CF Prontors. There is nothing better than a Hasselblad; I used them professionally for some 25 years. It's a professionally designed camera and does require some service. Don't use the pre-release button on the side, and I doubt you'll experience a jam. Good luck!

 

[Theo Sulphate]

... Don't use the pre-release button on the side, and I doubt you'll experience a jam. ...

Sorry, but pre-release is wonderful and has nothing to do with a jam -- unless you try to switch lenses when in pre-released mode, which makes no sense at all.

What causes the jam is having the lens or the body uncocked when changing lenses. When you change a lens, both body and lens must be cocked. That's all there is to it. Simple. That's one of the reasons for the body-cocked indicator.

I've never had a Hasselblad jam on me in 24 years of using them.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sorry, but pre-release is wonderful and has nothing to do with a jam -- unless you try to switch lenses when in pre-released mode, which makes no sense at all.

What causes the jam is having the lens or the body uncocked when changing lenses. When you change a lens, both body and lens must be cocked. That's all there is to it. Simple. That's one of the reasons for the body-cocked indicator.

I've never had a Hasselblad jam on me in 24 years of using them.

Yes, when all else fails, RTFM.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That was rude and unnecessary. I demand an apology.

In any case, it was a late 50’s model that while in good cosmetic condition, it may not have been in good mechanical condition. All I know is it jammed a few times (out of hundreds of shots), so I had it CLA’ed. Then my 150mm Sonnor lens shutter locked up. The repairman said it needed a whole bunch of new parts, so he’d have to buy another working lens to pull the parts from (it too was an early model). That made it too expensive to repair. Then a few months later, the body completely locked up so I sent it in to David Odess, thinking maybe my local guy wasn’t the best repairman for a camera like this. David Odess sent it back to me saying he doesn’t work on cameras this old because they’re too unreliable. He said, even if he fixed it, it would likely break again soon, so it’s generally not worth the time and money. So even the Hasselblad expert David Odess doesn’t deem them all that reliable. He still charged me a bench fee for that piece of information, by the way. So after owning one for about a year and taking 3 trips to the shop for two different components, I moved on. My RB67 is a much more reliable camera, makes 6x7 negatives and is cheaper. If it’s wasn’t so heavy, the Hasselblad would have nothing on it.

I have several other older cameras, some more than 100 years old, that often just need a little cleaning, lube, and light seals (sometimes bellows), and most of them come back to life and will go decades without needing further repair. And I’ve never had a repairman tell me a camera wasn’t worth repairing because it was too old. Maybe I’m spoiled by all of the other great cameras I’ve owned. Maybe I just got two lemons(body and 1of 2 lenses). In any case, my experience turned me away from the Hasselblad brand.

My father bought a 1957 VW which had been stolen, damaged, and recovered, from a family friend. He knew that it had been badly repaired. The front hood did not close properly and we often smelled gas from the front tank. The car was a disaster and I hated it. HOWEVER I DO NOT POST ON LINE THE ALL VWs ARE DEATH TRAPS. By you own admission you knew that it was an old camera with problems and that you were at some time advised that it was not worth fixing, yet you repeatedly trash all Hasselblads because of your experience and yet until now you never gave the necessary background details.

So if you want an apology from me, you know where you can go and what you have to do to yourself first. And then you will still not get an apology.

 

[jeffreyg]

Plus 1 for John's advice. My advice when buying previously used equipment is to buy from a reliable source with a return policy. If it is in the same city as you live go with a roll of film, expose it and develop to see how it functions and that it is as represented.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[film_man]

I've never had a Hasselblad jam on me in 24 years of using them.

When it comes to jam I like raspberry. When it comes to Hasselblads it is easy to get a jam. All you need is for the camera shutter button to lightly catch somewhere, I've had that quite a few times, all you need is to hang the camera over the shoulder and eventually as it swings away it will catch a belt of bag or whatever else you may have on you. Or maybe a light knock will do it. Or if you use extension tubes they are prone to do that, especially if you stack a couple. You may get by releasing the shutter again and you loose a frame (yes yes you can put the slide in and take the back off...if you have the dark slide with you), you may have to take the back off and play with the tool or whatever else you have to unjam it.

Now I'm sure someone will say oh you should have read the manual or been more careful but you know what, I prefer to enjoy my day than look after some piece of metal. In any case YMMV and you may never experience the jam but personally I have had my share of it. Is it the end of the world? Of course not, a handful or two of times a year is not huge compared to a few hundred frames shot but the problem is that it always seem to happen at the least convenient time.

They're still good cameras though, just...finicky.

 

[jerrybro]

I used the birth of my first grandchild 6 years ago as the reason I needed a blad. I bought a 500CM, 80CF and 2 backs, all EXC or better from KEH. Not the least expensive path, but I never regretted it. I've sense added a 150CF (hey, I gotta get a portrait of the baby) and a PME. It took a while to get used to but I'm glad I bit the bullet.

Oh, and for the record, it has never jammed. A Nikon FM has and my Rolleicord gets touchy from time to time though.

 

[Sirius Glass]

When it comes to jam I like raspberry. When it comes to Hasselblads it is easy to get a jam. All you need is for the camera shutter button to lightly catch somewhere, I've had that quite a few times, all you need is to hang the camera over the shoulder and eventually as it swings away it will catch a belt of bag or whatever else you may have on you. Or maybe a light knock will do it. Or if you use extension tubes they are prone to do that, especially if you stack a couple. You may get by releasing the shutter again and you loose a frame (yes yes you can put the slide in and take the back off...if you have the dark slide with you), you may have to take the back off and play with the tool or whatever else you have to unjam it.

Now I'm sure someone will say oh you should have read the manual or been more careful but you know what, I prefer to enjoy my day than look after some piece of metal. In any case YMMV and you may never experience the jam but personally I have had my share of it. Is it the end of the world? Of course not, a handful or two of times a year is not huge compared to a few hundred frames shot but the problem is that it always seem to happen at the least convenient time.

They're still good cameras though, just...finicky.

Any camera can get jammed by not RTFM, but they can also get jammed by happenstance as noted.

 

[Luis-F-S]

I've never had a Hasselblad jam on me in 24 years of using them.

Baloney! I’ve had enough jam over 30 years that I was on a first name basis with Don Snyder of VHI. You do what you want but I won’t use it!!!

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Baloney! I’ve had enough jam over 30 years that I was on a first name basis with Don Snyder of VHI. You do what you want but I won’t use it!!!

For whatever reason, your experience is different.

I will repeat this, as it is the absolute truth: I've never had a Hasselblad jam (or fail in any way) in 24 years of using them.

 

[John Galt]

So if you want an apology from me, you know where you can go and what you have to do to yourself first. And then you will still not get an apology.

Well said Sir!

 

[John Galt]

I recently ventured into the Hasselblad V System . . . I own a 500C, a 500C/M and an ELX. To date I have shot over 100 rolls of 120 B&W mostly through the C. As far as I know the C has never been CLA'd. I know both previous owners, both were hobby photographers so it did not get used as a studio rig.

The 500CM was acquired as an EX+ body from KEH as a backup for a 4 week trip to Newfoundland last summer.

I acquired another 500c and the ELX in an auction lot with three lenses for $500 last spring. The ELX is cosmetically excellent and after converting it to a pair of 9V batteries put a dozen rolls through it with zero issues.. The 500c however had several problems. Sent it to David Odess, he said it was not worth repairing . . the mainspring was worn out from heavy studio use. He gave me $200 for it for parts

I had one jam on my original 500C (easily un-jammed with a small screwdriver) that was directly due to O-IQ-U . . Operator IQ Underflow and failure to RTFM.

campy51, I am considering selling the ELX body. Currently these are the most affordable of the Hasselblad V system.

 

[Luis-F-S]

There are lots of folks who own Blads who largely look at them admire them and hardly ever use them. I have a Rollie like that. If you use your Blads professionally at some time they will jam. Most of mine happened when using the pre release. You’re free to do whatever you want!

 

[Sirius Glass]

So if you want an apology from me, you know where you can go and what you have to do to yourself first. And then you will still not get an apology.

Well said Sir!

<< He stands tall and takes a bow>>

 

[GarageBoy]

I'll take a 500 series hasselblad before I any electronic medium format camera for reliability. A camera that David odess will not service is pretty much just plain worn out. Keep in mind a lot of these were workhorses - you'll see lots of clean El models that are beat.

Optically, c lenses are fine, but CF and later have parts available

 

[ac12]

Personally a 500 C/M. A 501 with the gliding mirror is great, but likely to be above your budget.
You NEED to research the screens, so that you can ID them. And presume that unless stated specifically, the screen in the camera is not likely to be a Acute Matt. Sellers may pull the AM screen to sell it separately at a high price. Similarly that AM screen box may not contain an AM screen, but the older screen that were swapped out to install the AM into the camera.

As for lens.
First you need to sit down and think of what you want as a lens kit; 50-80-150, 60-100-180, etc.
Most people get the standard 50-80-150, but there are good reasons for other lens combos.
What you want to avoid is buying a lens that you ultimately don't want, because you build a different kit.
Example, if you get the 80, then decide you want a 60-100-180 kit, what do you do with the 80? Better to decide on the kit, then get the lens that is part of the kit.

What lenses you finally end up with may be slightly different, due to cost and availability.
My original plan was 40-80-180,
- But then I discovered that the 40 was expensive, big and heavy, so I switched to the affordable and easier to handle 50 CF.
- Similarly the 180 was an expensive lens, and I found a 150 CF at a good price and got that instead.
- So I ended up with the standard 50-80-150 kit.
There were more lenses made for the 50-80-150 kit than other combos, so finding other lenses will be more difficult, and expensive.

Backs
I would get at least 2 backs, but you can start with 1.
While you can get by with 1 back, the benefit of backs is the ability to change films in mid roll, by swapping backs. So you can shoot both color and B&W, or shoot 2 different speed films. And if you are shooting portraits, it is faster and less disruptive to swap the backs than to stop and reload the 1 back.

CLA
A CLA of the gear might seem expensive, after spending the $$$ to buy the gear. But consider the CLA as resetting the timer, and you should be good for another 5-10+ years.
To me, the primary unknown is, how accurate is the shutter? Is it at least close to spec, or is it a stop or more off, because the grease has dried up in the gears, or something has broken?
Start with the body and primary lens in year1, then the secondary lens in year2, then the last lens in year3. That will spread out the CLA cost, so it isn't as painful as doing everything in year1.
Or just buy a lens that has been recently serviced.

gud luk

 

[etn]

Personally a 500 C/M. A 501 with the gliding mirror is great, but likely to be above your budget.
You NEED to research the screens, so that you can ID them. And presume that unless stated specifically, the screen in the camera is not likely to be a Acute Matt. Sellers may pull the AM screen to sell it separately at a high price. Similarly that AM screen box may not contain an AM screen, but the older screen that were swapped out to install the AM into the camera.

This is VERY, very good advice. I have seen that happening way too often. On top of what ac12 said: there are 2 kinds of Acute Matte screen, the "regular" one and the Acute Matte D. The latter is more expensive and sought after. Acute Matte screens are sometimes advertised as Acute Matte D (with corresponding prices) - don't fall into that trap. D screens can be identified by means of notches in the frame (better seen on a picture of the screen) In doubt, don't hesitate to ask here!

In regular use, an Acute Matte (non D) will work fine. I have a non D with grid and a D without grid, I am happy with both and see no need to upgrade the non-D to a D. (An acute matte D with split image and grid will set you back over $300.)

The backs is probably where the weak link of the Hasselblad system is, so be sure to have them serviced regularly or if you notice that they might be out of tolerance (such as unfocused pictures etc.) Having one or two spares is probably a good idea, depending on your budget. Older backs might require new seals. Changing seals is a relatively easy operation to do yourself. New seals are inexpensive.

Have fun

Etienne