Ok...now what the heck do I do???

[BWGirl]

Hi All!
Well, today, my hubby & I went to a Photo Flea Market, and we did NOT come home with a flea.
We came home with a Hasselblad 500 c/m with a Carl Zeiss planar 2.8/80 lens. I hope this is good. It looked wonderful, and it fit so nicely in my hands that I was smitten immediately!!
Well, I have never owned anything but 35mm, and I have no idea how to work this thing! The dealer gave me an old roll of film to fool around with after I told him I do B&W and develop my own. (He was excited to hear that)
So, I hunted for some instructions on the web, but it looks like I should spring for a Hasselblad Book???
I don't even know how to load this thing! He showed me generally, bt the place was hoppin' so I did not want to take too much of his time.
So any encouragement, revelations, ideas, etc would be very helpful! I am so excited I can hardly sit down!!!

 

[Stephen J. Collier]

I, unfortuanly, don't have a 500c/m, but really want one so I just have to say that I am jealous.

 

[mark]

Congratulations. You have stepped up in neg size. I don't own a hasselblad but I own it's russian copy and I would not trade it. Infact, sice I got it 3 years ago I have maybe used my 35mm gear twice for a total of maybe two rolls. If you don't have one yet invest in a light meter and learn to use the two together. Buy a roll of film and sacrifice it as you learn to load. Load and unload, cock and fire the shutter, just go through the motions until it is pretty familiar. I almost ditched my camera because I was not getting the leader onto the receiving roll straight and fogged a number of rolls. Thank god Fuji has those easy load rolls on their film. Most important have fun and don't go copping that my hassy is better than your camera attitude

 

[rbarker]

Congratulations, Jeanette. I'm pretty confident that you'll enjoy your Hassy greatly. It's perhaps the most thoughtfully designed MF system out there. (Translation: the system can be a money-pit of temptation )

The camera is really pretty simple, and if you think about things, most everything will be obvious. But, a Hassy book may help you get started more quickly. The Hasselblad Manual by Ernst Wildi (Focal Press) is a good one, but way thicker than it needs to be.

One significant caveat: don't touch the shutter release while you are advancing the film. There is a mechanical linkage between the lens, the body, and the film magazine (you'll see a little cam at the bottom of the lens when it's removed). All three need to be kept in sync, and partially depressing the shutter release when winding the film will cause problems. There is, however, a tool (available at Calument, B&H etc.) that can be used to fix the out-of-sync problem. $10 or so, and an essential investment.

Next stop - an extra film magazine or six, and then there are all those yummy Zeiss lenses.

 

[Dave Parker]

Stop by your local photo store and inquire as to if they have some expired 120 they would be willing to sell cheap, when I got my first hassy, the photo shop became my best friend, I was picking up 120 for .50 cents a roll, so if I blew one, it was really not a big deal, the satisfaction of throwing a 6 x 6 down on the light table raises the bar considerably, you will have a great time...Just watch out, moving up in size always makes you want to go bigger!

Dave Parker
Ground Glass Specialties

 

[clogz]

Dead Link Removed
Downloadable manual for the Hassy 500C/M

 

[blansky]

I own a C/M. If you have any questions that the downloadable manual does address please feel free to call or email me.




Michael

 

[Fintan]

yay, best of luck with your 500cm! I'm still smitten with mine.

 

[SuzanneR]

Congratulations on your new toy. Keep in mind, you'll need medium format reels for your developing tanks, but you'll find loading the film in them in the darkroom much easier than 35mm. Can't wait to see some photos in the galleries.

 

[TPPhotog]

Jeanette you lucky .......... I'm jealous LOL

 

[Jim Moore]

Whoo Hoo Jeanette! Congratulations on your fine purchase.

You are going to love that camera. Start saving your pennies for a 50mm and a 150mm for it.

Jim

 

[Bob Carnie]

bwgirl
This is a very nice camera, have fun and use mirror lock up for really sharp prints, good luck

 

[photomc]

Jeanette, Way to Go Girl!!! You do realize that the next thing we know you will have a 4x5 or 8x10 - you have already taken the first step. Enjoy the camera, it is a classic and while I have not owned one, I hear the lens are just beautiful. Won't be long and we should see some new post from it.

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

If you use Paterson type plastic film reels, then you just open them out and re-close them at the largest size.

Sometimes the film magazines have light leaks, but they can be repaired quite cheaply.

Also the self-timer has some funny quirks. One is that you can't use it with a cable release attached.

 

[papagene]

Jeanette,
A hearty congrats on your new (used) camera. You are gonna have a great time taking photos with it and an even better time making prints from its negetives.
Good luck, have fun and please post your results.

gene

 

[unohuu]

wow, what a find. where is the flea market? if you want some inexpensive film, let me know. I just lost a roll pulling it out of my 645. i taped it but it did not stick and unwound before i could get the camera back in its safe space. Kids! happy shooting and let us see the new images...soon.

 

[BWGirl]

Thanks everyone!!!
Clogs....thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! I am just so excited I can hardly stand it!!
Well, I am going to go download that manual and load up my new toy with the dealer's expired film!
Thanks for the offer of help, Michael! I'll let you know!
This flea market was in a hotel and the dealer we bought from is out of Illinois. He also has an Ebay store... billscamera1938. All his cameras looked really clean inside & out (not true of all the wares I saw there). My hubby (Bill) was trying to convince me to get a Crown Graphic! haha Now how's that for luck...a husband who WANTS his wife to spend money! haha

 

[TPPhotog]

Now how's that for luck...a husband who WANTS his wife to spend money! haha

Sounds like you have another keeper and many more to come with your new toy LOL

 

[Ed Sukach]

Sometimes the film magazines have light leaks, but they can be repaired quite cheaply.

Also the self-timer has some funny quirks. One is that you can't use it with a cable release attached.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "cheap". A Light Seal kit, does not cost a whole lot of money: having a magazine re-built professionally is not quite "cheap."

Whether or not there is a "self-timer" depends on the shutter. The older "Coumpur" shutters have a lever that can be set to "V", "X" or "M". The "V" indicated the self-timer - set it, and the shutter would open ~ 10 seconds after you tripped it.
The "M" was for the old "M" synchronized flash bulbs - anyone remember them? - the "X" was for modern electronic flash.

The newer lenses have Prontor shutters... no self timer or "M" synch.

 

[Louis Nargi]

I also own a Hass. and since you are going to get a manual for it you'll learn how to use it . The only I can say here is not to force any thing the camera dose not let you do anything wrong . If you can't get the film back in the back there is some thing your not do right and you should check your steps. You can't make an exposure unless you pull the slide out .

 

[joeyk49]

A photography flea market ? !

Be still my heart!!!

I'm sooooo jealous! Good luck with it...

 

[modafoto]

We came home with a Hasselblad 500 c/m with a Carl Zeiss planar 2.8/80 lens. I have no idea how to work this thing!

You have to pack it nicely and go to the post office. There you ask them to send it to:

Morten Damkjær....

Bla bla blahhh


Congrats on your Hassy

Morten (who isn't jealous!!!!)

 

[TPPhotog]

Congrats on your Hassy

Morten (who isn't jealous!!!!)

Ooooooo YES you are

 

[mikepry]

Jeanette..........you're killing me girlfriend! I'm glad you made the step up to a larger negative. It's all over for you now as you will plunge head first helplessly to the land of bigger is better. Pretty soon the 120 will turn into microfilm as you go deeper in your quest for sharper and clearer. Seriously you're gonna love it. By the way, on my little point and shoot I had Saturday (the one you were laughing at and hurting my feelings) do you remember the make of the lens it had on it?......Carl Zeiss! Have fun with the new toy.

 

[modafoto]

Ooooooo YES you are

ssshhhhh.....don't tell them