New Thread: Is That A Hasselblad? [ITAH?]

ic-racer · Oct 23, 2021

In 45 years of photography I have never had anyone asking if I were using a Hasselblad. Maybe it is because I use Rolleiflex and the branding on those cameras is not subtle.
I also don't think Hasselblad is that common. I have never held one in my hands and my friends over the years have had Kiev, Koni-Omegaflex, Mamiya and Bronica,Yashica, but never Hasselblad.

Sirius Glass · Oct 23, 2021

ic-racer said:
In 45 years of photography I have never had anyone asking if I were using a Hasselblad. Maybe it is because I use Rolleiflex and the branding on those cameras is not subtle.
I also don't think Hasselblad is that common. I have never held one in my hands and my friends over the years have had Kiev, Koni-Omegaflex, Mamiya and Bronica,Yashica, but never Hasselblad.

View attachment 288902

You are correct. Hasselblads are not that common.

Pieter12 · Oct 23, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
You are correct. Hasselblads are not that common.

But much more common than the Rolleiflex 6008. The Hassy has been in production for far longer, there are more out there. In my experience. neither camera is used much outside the studio except by pros for location shooting. I occasionally see a landscape photographer with a Hasselblad. I think i've only once run into a photographer with a Rolleiflex 6008 out in the wild.

MattKing · Oct 23, 2021

I expect Elvis Costello played a role in the phenomena that brought rise to this thread:

gone · Oct 23, 2021

Back when I owned one, people thought my 'blad was a video camera.

Pieter12 · Oct 23, 2021

MattKing said:
I expect Elvis Costello played a role in the phenomena that brought rise to this thread:

Interesting, although a photographer would immediately recognize the camera as a Hasselblad, there is only the small Hasselblad lettering for anyone to identify it. One might as well think it is a Zeiss.

MattKing · Oct 23, 2021

The writing is definitely easier to read on the album cover I have.

markjwyatt · Oct 23, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
You are correct. Hasselblads are not that common.

A couple times people would ask if my Mamiya C330f was a Hasselblad. And I would say "do you mean a Rolliflex" (thinking high end TLR)? I think once someone replied "I heard of those". Then it usually comes dowwn to the "cameras the photographer used at my x-inlaw's wedding 20 years ago...", which often are Hasselblads (but probably more commonly Mamiyas... and maybe they just thought it was a Hasselblad).

polka · Oct 23, 2021

To my opinion, it is David Hemmings in the movie "Blow-Up" (1966) who promoted first both the Nike-ons and the Hassle-Blades. I never wanted one of these ; I had a Yashica Electro35 rangefinder, because of his innovative electronic shutter, and I dreamed of a Zenza Bronica S2 (that I finally could buy myself (used but ex+++) three years ago with three lenses 50mm 75mm and 150mm).
POLKa

Pieter12 · Oct 23, 2021

polka said:
To my opinion, it is David Hemmings in the movie "Blow-Up" who promoted first both the Nike-ons and the Hassle-Blades.
POLKa

And Fred Astaire with his Rolleis in "Funny Face"?

Cholentpot · Oct 23, 2021

Pieter12 said:
You mean this?
View attachment 288836

Haha! It exists!

cramej said:
Well, I was referencing the edible variety.... hasselback potatoes, that is.

hasselback salami is a thing too.

Mike Lopez · Oct 23, 2021

Pieter12 said:
But much more common than the Rolleiflex 6008. The Hassy has been in production for far longer, there are more out there. In my experience. neither camera is used much outside the studio except by pros for location shooting. I occasionally see a landscape photographer with a Hasselblad. I think i've only once run into a photographer with a Rolleiflex 6008 out in the wild.

Hasselblads are common enough that the layperson knows the name to ask the question in the first place. I’ve been approached with that question while using a 4x5.

Neil Poulsen · Oct 24, 2021

I've been asked, "Is that a Hasselblad?" when I was using a 4x5 view camera.

pbromaghin · Oct 24, 2021

My ITAH experience is a bit weird. It was a Mamiya C33 but the person asking had actually used a Hasselblad in her high school photography class!

outwest · Oct 25, 2021

The only time I've been asked that was at a national monument but I was shooting a Kowa. However, once in the Netherlands at an outdoor museum, I had 2 Rolleiflexes around my neck and a heard a knowing guy telling his girlfriend "Hasselblads".

Pieter12 · Oct 25, 2021

pbromaghin said:
My ITAH experience is a bit weird. It was a Mamiya C33 but the person asking had actually used a Hasselblad in her high school photography class!

That's some swanky high school she went to. But it didn't teach her much about cameras I guess.

pbromaghin · Oct 25, 2021

Pieter12 said:
That's some swanky high school she went to. But it didn't teach her much about cameras I guess.

You're right! It was some snooty prep school. They had several Hassies.

grain elevator · May 8, 2022

Had this experience a little while ago, a friendly gentleman had watched me load the Autocord at the bar and later approached me. I felt it my duty to educate the poor fool, and he would hardly believe that the Hasselblad has a single lens. Was in Germany too, where you'd think people would generally be more familiar with Rolleis than with Hasselblads. Although, to be fair, I've had "Rollei****!" comments, too, with the Autocord, which are entirely acceptable.

Pieter12 · May 8, 2022

When using my Hy6, I have had people ask if my camera was a Hasselblad, even though it plainly spells out "Rolleiflex" on the front. The form factor is pretty similar.

faberryman · May 8, 2022

Why do non-photographers know the name Hasselblad? Was it in a popular movie or something?

Pieter12 · May 8, 2022

faberryman said:
Why do non-photographers know the name Hasselblad? Was it in a popular movie or something?

Probably because it is the only non-35mm SLR professional camera brand that has any name recognition. And those who just even know that name are few. In L.A., quite a few people think I am shooting video when I am out with the Rollei 6008 or Hy6.

Pieter12 · May 8, 2022

faberryman said:
How did that name recognition come about among non-photographers? We are 172 posts into a thread where people are telling stories about people coming up to them and asking if the camera they are using is a Hasselblad?

I don't know that any non-photographers or folks who might have a connection to photography have any inkling as to what a Hasselblad is. It may have been mentioned in a film or book, but not part of the popular culture.

Sirius Glass · May 8, 2022

faberryman said:
Why do non-photographers know the name Hasselblad? Was it in a popular movie or something?

People know the reputation from many venues including fashion. They are aware at some level that it is reliable and desired by professional photographer. And it is one of the few stand out names that has stayed at the top for decades.

faberryman · May 8, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
People know the reputation from many venues including fashion. They are aware at some level that it is reliable and desired by professional photographer. And it is one of the few stand out names that has stayed at the top for decades.

Oh. That's helpful.

Sirius Glass · May 8, 2022

faberryman said:
Oh. That's helpful.

Even better than getting kicked in the teeth.

New Thread: Is That A Hasselblad? [ITAH?]

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