Need Advice- Hasselblad Won't Cock, Keeps Winding

brent8927 · Nov 19, 2017

I think I may have broken something in my 501c. I was testing out a Kenlock remote shutter release I purchased through ebay (essentially the same thing as a remote release I built a few months ago). The Kenlock lets you adjust the throw of the shutter release so it was only enough to trip the shutter when the mirror was locked up, but the solenoid does pack quite a punch.

I'm not sure if it's just coincidence in timing, but for the first time ever my Hasselblad jammed (sort of) after doing a test shot. Basically the winder kept winding (it wouldn't cock the lens) and the mirror just goes through it's motion. It goes on and on. I was able to get the lens off by using an "unjamming tool," but this doesn't help the problem with the body. It's weird too--there is a sound of something cocking and the mirror is in shooting position halfway through the normal cycle. When I get to the first small arrow in the winding cycle, the mirror flips back up.

It sounds to me like something is likely broken between the link from the winder to the shutter. Has anyone experienced or heard of this before? I just sent in my Hasselblad for a CLA earlier this summer, and it's been working perfect since then.

Sirius Glass · Nov 19, 2017

You need a Hasselblad technician to adjust the camera.

brent8927 · Nov 19, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
You need a Hasselblad technician to adjust the camera.

Yeah, I figured. Just curious to know if this has happened to anyone else and if it was a pricey fix or not that bad.

mshchem · Nov 19, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
You need a Hasselblad technician to adjust the camera.

This is why I use a Bronica. These high end European Stallions require a lot of TLC and a nice drop of mink oil on their leather covers. If a Bronica goes down, it shorts out, plastic covering bursts into flames, and you just toss it into the nearest metal bin.

501c is a nice camera, easy fix.
Best Regards, Mike

mshchem · Nov 19, 2017

Seriously this is what my Bronica SQAi does when you are in mirror lock up. Are you sure you don't have the MLU lever engaged?

brent8927 · Nov 19, 2017

mshchem said:
This is why I use a Bronica. These high end European Stallions require a lot of TLC and a nice drop of mink oil on their leather covers. If a Bronica goes down, it shorts out, plastic covering bursts into flames, and you just toss it into the nearest metal bin.
501c is a nice camera, easy fix.
Best Regards, Mike

I've owned this particular blad since about 2002 and this is the first issue it's ever had (it's never jammed or had any other problem), so I consider it to be doing quite well! I did used to have a Bronica S2a before that--that was a really nice camera (with even nicer lenses), but it was quite a bit more complex than both the Hasselblad and newer Bronica cameras.

Unfortunately the mirror is not locked up. It seems to me that the winding knob has become uncoupled from the lens cocking mechanism, and is also 180 degrees out of sync (since the mirror is now up when the knob is in the cocked position, and the mirror is down when it's halfway through it's rotation).

I haven't had any luck finding similar situations to this with a google search.

I guess it's a good thing I held on to the 501cm I was getting ready to sell. I bought it a year ago to replace the 501c, but then decided to keep using the 501c because I missed my old friend. I was going to sell the 501cm but figured it was in really nice shape so I might as well keep it as a back up--I thought it'd be inevitable my camera would fail at some point, but I thought it still had at least another decade before needing to be sent back to a tech!

mshchem · Nov 19, 2017

brent8927 said:
I've owned this particular blad since about 2002 and this is the first issue it's ever had (it's never jammed or had any other problem), so I consider it to be doing quite well! I did used to have a Bronica S2a before that--that was a really nice camera (with even nicer lenses), but it was quite a bit more complex than both the Hasselblad and newer Bronica cameras.

Unfortunately the mirror is not locked up. It seems to me that the winding knob has become uncoupled from the lens cocking mechanism, and is also 180 degrees out of sync (since the mirror is now up when the knob is in the cocked position, and the mirror is down when it's halfway through it's rotation).

I haven't had any luck finding similar situations to this with a google search.

I guess it's a good thing I held on to the 501cm I was getting ready to sell. I bought it a year ago to replace the 501c, but then decided to keep using the 501c because I missed my old friend. I was going to sell the 501cm but figured it was in really nice shape so I might as well keep it as a back up--I thought it'd be inevitable my camera would fail at some point, but I thought it still had at least another decade before needing to be sent back to a tech!

Yes. I had a 501c. In a episode of weakness I let my wife talk me into selling "excess equipment" Boy that was dumb. I had a Hassy grip, most beautiful grip in the world. 80 and 150 fabulous! If I recall the 501cm has the new and improved sliding/gliding mirror thing. I am well served by my Bronicas but it's just a matter of time before I go crazy for a mint 'Blad setup lovely they are!
Good Luck, Best Mike
PS these Guys fix anything for a reasonable price. Been in business forever http://www.united-camera.com/

brent8927 · Nov 19, 2017

mshchem said:
Yes. I had a 501c. In a episode of weakness I let my wife talk me into selling "excess equipment" Boy that was dumb. I had a Hassy grip, most beautiful grip in the world. 80 and 150 fabulous! If I recall the 501cm has the new and improved sliding/gliding mirror thing. I am well served by my Bronicas but it's just a matter of time before I go crazy for a mint 'Blad setup lovely they are!
Good Luck, Best Mike
PS these Guys fix anything for a reasonable price. Been in business forever http://www.united-camera.com/

Yes, the 501cm does have the improved mirror. But I have some nostalgia for the 501c since that's what I started using when I got really serious about photography, which is why I kept using it. If I recall, the 501c was considered a "budget" model, which is ironic because I had to sell a nice S2a with three lenses and two backs to fund a 501c with a cf lens (albeit, they were in very nice condition). But boy did that 'blad feel nice in my hands!

Thanks for the referral--I'll consider them when I have the funds to send in my camera for repair.

John Koehrer · Nov 19, 2017

The 501 wasn't really a budget model for many years, it was the only model.

Sirius Glass · Nov 19, 2017

I have never had your problem.

I do not have the improved mirror. With the 250mm lens and the 500mm lens there is a small line at the top to the viewfinder that I do not even notice any longer and it does not have any effect on the photograph.

On the other hand having a camera that busts into flames would have been helpful for someone in the Jack London story To Build a Fire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Build_a_Fire

brent8927 · Nov 19, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
I have never had your problem.

I do not have the improved mirror. With the 250mm lens and the 500mm lens there is a small line at the top to the viewfinder that I do not even notice any longer and it does not have any effect on the photograph.

On the other hand having a camera that busts into flames would have been helpful for someone in the Jack London story To Build a Fire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Build_a_Fire

I've never used a 250 or 500, but I do notice a little viewfinder vignetting using the 120 at full extension, particularly if I use an extension tube. I can't say it ever bothered me though.

Sirius Glass · Nov 20, 2017

brent8927 said:
I've never used a 250 or 500, but I do notice a little viewfinder vignetting using the 120 at full extension, particularly if I use an extension tube. I can't say it ever bothered me though.

I do not see the vignetting with the 45 degree PME but the 500 with the 2XE extended has an effective maximum of f/11.

mshchem · Nov 20, 2017

I remember the Jack London story , if he just would have cleared the snow on the branches above the fire .

Need Advice- Hasselblad Won't Cock, Keeps Winding

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