Looking for some assistance in testing a Hasselblad 500c

Webbie · May 23, 2025

Hello all, and thanks for fielding my questions. I recently acquired a Hasselblad 500c camera that I'm looking to sell. The problem is, I have no idea how to test the functions other than the shutter so that I can properly describe the camera when I list it for sale. I'm not sure if there's anyone local to the Rockford Illinois area that would be willing to take a look at it for me and test it out, or people here that could help me with some tips on what to look for / at. I appreciate all responses - thanks for your time and patience with me.

Warner

Webbie · May 23, 2025

koraks · May 23, 2025

Welcome aboard @Webbie
We'll leave your thread up for now, but please be advised that we only allow offers for sales etc. in the Classifieds section. Since your questions are not really such an offer, the thread is OK for now, but your post #2 with the pictures takes this into a grey area.

Webbie · May 23, 2025

koraks said:
Welcome aboard @Webbie
We'll leave your thread up for now, but please be advised that we only allow offers for sales etc. in the Classifieds section. Since your questions are not really such an offer, the thread is OK for now, but your post #2 with the pictures takes this into a grey area.

I appreciate you leaving them up. They were more for if any experts notice anything that is good or bad about it. Thanks much! This thread is strictly for research, but you are correct that my intention is to sell. I'd be happy to sell it here on the forum (in the appropriate area) once I know what I have and what is a fair price for it. Thanks again!

koraks · May 23, 2025

Sure thing! Good luck with the pre-research and in due course with the sale!
One obvious step you might take is to have a look at average list prices of 500 series Hasselblads here on Photrio; this would be a good place to start: https://www.photrio.com/forum/searc...=post&c[child_nodes]=1&c[nodes][0]=402&o=date
Note that many of the ads are either somewhat dated or are for complete kits or on the other hand only certain parts/accessories. Still, you may be able to determine something of a usable price range.

Webbie · May 23, 2025

koraks said:
Sure thing! Good luck with the pre-research and in due course with the sale!
One obvious step you might take is to have a look at average list prices of 500 series Hasselblads here on Photrio; this would be a good place to start: https://www.photrio.com/forum/searc...=post&c[child_nodes]=1&c[nodes][0]=402&o=date
Note that many of the ads are either somewhat dated or are for complete kits or on the other hand only certain parts/accessories. Still, you may be able to determine something of a usable price range.

Thanks!! I'm just trying to figure out what I have here.

koraks · May 23, 2025

Yes, I'm sure some of the Hasselblad aficionados (there are quite a few on Photrio) can tell you a lot about that. Hopefully they'll chime in.

djdister · May 23, 2025

You should know from the start that you have a very beat up Hasselblad, with a non-standard replacement dark slide in the film back. But at the very least, you can test out all speeds of the lenses by dry firing and looking through the back of the camera body with the film back removed. Since the aperture and shutter are both in the lens, this will give you an idea if the lens works at all. The 80mm Planar lens looks a bit odd, but again, test out each lens on the camera body and fire it through all shutter speeds. If it appears to work, then shoot some film with the camera to determine if you can even call it functional. If it is not functional, then the best you can do is sell it "for parts" which is why you need to test it out.

abruzzi · May 23, 2025

As @djdister points out, you need to actually run a real roll of film through it to know whether it can be sold as working or "as-is". One of the issues with this type of camera (and frankly with all film cameras) is that without film everything may seem to function, but with film you may find a light leak in the back that ruins the film, or a shutter speeds that are far from the what they should be that makes it impossible to accurately set exposure.

Webbie · May 23, 2025

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm not sure if I want to go through all that or just sell it as "untested".

cowanw · May 23, 2025

It was made in 1969

abruzzi · May 23, 2025

Webbie said:
Thanks for the responses guys. I'm not sure if I want to go through all that or just sell it as "untested".

I can't suggest a price that is appropriate, but the classifieds here is one on the best places on the net to sell something like that. You will need to pay for a subscription to get access to using the classifieds, but it is a small cost (far far smaller than cut you'd have to give ebay if you list it there.)

AnselMortensen · May 23, 2025

There appears to be a problem with the flip-up magnifier in the waist-level finder...it is taped down with what looks to be dried-up masking tape.

Kodachromeguy · May 23, 2025

What the cr@p is that dark slide with a ring? That's a red flag. I suggest you order a replica slide of the right shape and size.

djdister · May 23, 2025

Kodachromeguy said:
What the cr@p is that dark slide with a ring? That's a red flag. I suggest you order a replica slide of the right shape and size.

It's like a punk dark slide with a nose ring...

MattKing · May 23, 2025

Kodachromeguy said:
What the cr@p is that dark slide with a ring? That's a red flag. I suggest you order a replica slide of the right shape and size.

While I won't disagree, that ring looks like the sort of modification that might enable use for someone with less than typical two-handed dexterity.
I used my Mamiya C330 for years with a modified film wind lever for just such a reason.
It was only when I stopped photographing weddings that I re-installed the stock lever.

wiltw · May 24, 2025

Webbie said:
Thanks for the responses guys. I'm not sure if I want to go through all that or just sell it as "untested".

The issue with the purchase of any 'untested' vintage camera is that it is assumed that the thing has something broken, rendering it useful only as a spare parts donor, so the purchase price needs to be quite low...when the actual value might really be significantly higher because the camera is fully functional (or maybe only has a minor, tolerable issue). In the buyer's mind, 'untested' means 'something must be significantly broken or else the seller would identify known minor issues'.
The value gained with a fairly minor expense (and time investment) of testing it for accuracy of exposure up and down the range of aperture setting and shutter speed is considerable.

koraks · May 24, 2025

wiltw said:
it is assumed that

Not by all. Plenty of people will interpret 'untested' as 'operational status unknown'. There'll be takers for an untested (in the literal sense of the word) camera. Moreover, nothing stops the seller from explaining the background to the 'untested' qualification - i.e. 'I looked into testing it, but I didn't feel like actually purchasing film and having it processed, so here's the camera of which I cannot guarantee if it works properly.' I think that's clear enough.

wiltw said:
In the buyer's mind, 'untested' means 'something must be significantly broken or else the seller would identify known minor issues'.

The buyer is more heterogeneous than that.

BrianShaw · May 24, 2025

wiltw said:
…
The value gained with a fairly minor expense (and time investment) of testing it for accuracy of exposure up and down the range of aperture setting and shutter speed is considerable.

^^^ True bottom line.

Although, some sellers just wants to unload things without making any time/effort/money investment and will be satisfied with whatever that kind of sale might yield.

wiltw · May 24, 2025

koraks said:
Not by all. Plenty of people will interpret 'untested' as 'operational status unknown'. There'll be takers for an untested (in the literal sense of the word) camera. Moreover, nothing stops the seller from explaining the background to the 'untested' qualification - i.e. 'I looked into testing it, but I didn't feel like actually purchasing film and having it processed, so here's the camera of which I cannot guarantee if it works properly.' I think that's clear enough.

The buyer is more heterogeneous than that.

Perhaps I have become overly sensitized to having been burned in purchasing 'untested' goods which turned out to be 'not functional' at all, and the transaction was not reversable in spite of a significantly high purchase price.

OTOH, I also have benefited from the purchase of a Topcon Super D (a.k.a. RE Super) which turned out to be fully functional (including an accurate TTL metering system), but the sale was for a miniscule $25, and so I did not care in what state it was, at the time of purchase).

abruzzi · May 24, 2025

wiltw said:
Perhaps I have become overly sensitized to having been burned in purchasing 'untested' goods which turned out to be 'not functional' at all, and the transaction was not reversable in spite of a significantly high purchase price.

This. To me 'untested' means 'I know its broke but that would depress the value 80% versus fully functional, so if I call it untested it only loses 30%.' I've been burned by optimism and trust too many times before.

F4U · May 24, 2025

The service history would be great. Otherwise I'd expect the typical things. Inaccurate focus due to deteriorated pads behind the mirror, Deteriorated foam, Mirror damper decomposed, causing inevitable jams. The mechanism of the camera body is actually quite simple. Yet at the same time requires periodic CLA. The lens needs CLA also, I'm sure.

btaylor · May 24, 2025

F4U said:
The service history would be great. Otherwise I'd expect the typical things. Inaccurate focus due to deteriorated pads behind the mirror, Deteriorated foam, Mirror damper decomposed, causing inevitable jams. The mechanism of the camera body is actually quite simple. Yet at the same time requires periodic CLA. The lens needs CLA also, I'm sure.

Frankly, it looks like that Hasselblad has had a hard life and the things F4U mentioned are likely to be true. If you want to minimize cost and effort, just sell it as is, untested. Someone will want it.
Like many here I have purchased “untested” gear. I think most of the time I managed to weed out the sellers that were lying, but I also figured most of them need a clean/lube/and adjust and factored that cost into what I was willing to pay. You can start an eBay auction for $1 and you’ll get what the market will bear, especially for an in demand item like the Hassy. I did that once with an unusual movie camera lens and was shocked with what I got for it- started the auction at $1.

RezaLoghme · May 24, 2025

Can you try cleaning the exterior? And remove the blue stripes on the lens, and the orange/gold stripes on the body?

RalphLambrecht · May 24, 2025

Kodachromeguy said:
What the cr@p is that dark slide with a ring? That's a red flag. I suggest you order a replica slide of the right shape and size.

if that bothers the buyer,let him or her replace it. I suggest not to make additional investments prior to a sale. they arerarely economical. The camera as-is should still fetch around $1,000.

Looking for some assistance in testing a Hasselblad 500c

Webbie

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Looking for some assistance in testing a Hasselblad 500c

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