Should I sell my Hasselblad 500CM?

[cramej]

$25US and six rolls of Tri-X 120.

Hmm, $27.50 and a frozen pro-pack of 120 Astia. Maybe some peanut butter sandwich crackers to sweeten the deal? I'll even let you choose - Captain's Wafers or Nekot Cookies.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Hmm, $27.50 and a frozen pro-pack of 120 Astia. Maybe some peanut butter sandwich crackers to sweeten the deal? I'll even let you choose - Captain's Wafers or Nekot Cookies.

$28US, a box of Vanilla Wafers and a box of Mallomars.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

From someone who has used both, I much prefer the RB.

 

[jim10219]

If you sell it, you'll likely wind up regretting it. But it's still probably the right thing to do.

I was in a similar situation, and I sold my 500CM. It was a good camera, but the only thing it offered over my RB67 was it's small size and weight. And I could buy all kinds of RB67 stuff for a fraction of the equivalent in Hasselblad. Plus, the 500CM had a spring go bad, the rear shutter curtain brake start to fail, and one of the lenses had a shutter that was gumming up. So my deciscion was made easier because the my options were to either spend a bunch of money to get everything repaired and working properly again, or make a bunch of money by selling everything off (I sold the broken body and lens as parts, and still made a killing off them).

 

[Ariston]

If you sell it, you'll likely wind up regretting it. But it's still probably the right thing to do.

I was in a similar situation, and I sold my 500CM. It was a good camera, but the only thing it offered over my RB67 was it's small size and weight. And I could buy all kinds of RB67 stuff for a fraction of the equivalent in Hasselblad. Plus, the 500CM had a spring go bad, the rear shutter curtain brake start to fail, and one of the lenses had a shutter that was gumming up. So my deciscion was made easier because the my options were to either spend a bunch of money to get everything repaired and working properly again, or make a bunch of money by selling everything off (I sold the broken body and lens as parts, and still made a killing off them).

That is another one of my concerns. I can't afford a money pit if this thing ever goes downhill. It is cheaper to simply buy another RB lens or body than it is to get a Hasselblad repaired.

I went out and shot the Hassy a while ago. It is much different from what I'm used to. The rear curtain action felt weird, how it stayed open until I released the shutter button. I did something to where it wouldn't advance, once, too. But that is my fault for not reading a manual. I will see what all the buzz about the lens is when I develop the film.

 

[BradS]

Sell it. Open a savings account and put all of the proceeds into the savings account. Then have $50 from each paycheck auto deposited into the savings account. Don’t touch the money-except in dire emergencies. Increase the amount auto deposited with every raise. Set a goal to save 10% of your gross pay.

This difference between wealth and poverty is a savings account.

 

[LiamG]

I would say sell it. Never had a Hassy, never really wanted one, but I have been in a similar boat: in one case, I was lucky getting a slightly rare, very sought after lens for far too cheap, and was excited to see what the hype was all about. It was a steal, and now I had some gear I could never afford usually/never justify. The thing is, it never did anything for me- I didn't see anything special with the pictures, it was in a range already covered by my other equipment, and this particular lens was kind of heavy. Plus, knowing it was rare, I didn't always want to bring it out- I couldn't replace it if I dropped it- I used it a few times then it just sat in one of my gear cases.

Eventually, I sold it, picked up something I needed (a new 35mm body), and have now taken thousands of pictures with that- whenever I regret selling it, or when I see one for sale with some astronomical price, I remember those thousands of pictures. How many pictures did I take with my exceptional lens- maybe one or two I remember, but nothing spectacular. It's gone, it was the right choice.

 

[removed account4]

hi ariston

i'd sell it, no use having something you aren't using. unless you have a hassy fetish and are more of a collector than a photographer, no point in holding on to dead weight.
certainly it is a nice camera, there are lots of nice cameras, but no point in having stuff that collects dust if you need the $$.
personally i wouldn't buy a hassy, not a fan of zeiss lenses, i'm a fan of eastern euro hassy knock offs though and would rather get a arax/kiev88cm than a hasselhoff any day of the week. ... and what bradS said !

 

[Sirius Glass]

That is another one of my concerns. I can't afford a money pit if this thing ever goes downhill. It is cheaper to simply buy another RB lens or body than it is to get a Hasselblad repaired.

I went out and shot the Hassy a while ago. It is much different from what I'm used to. The rear curtain action felt weird, how it stayed open until I released the shutter button. I did something to where it wouldn't advance, once, too. But that is my fault for not reading a manual. I will see what all the buzz about the lens is when I develop the film.

Read the manual, follow the instructions and you will not have problems. With a Hasselblad, it just takes a while longer between lenses but it is worth it.

 

[Arklatexian]

Read the manual, follow the instructions and you will not have problems. With a Hasselblad, it just takes a while longer between lenses but it is worth it.

Shhhhhhh! Sirius. it is saying things like that that drives Hasselblad prices up. If people read the instructions and quit having trouble, where will the good used Hasselblads come from? Think ahead! But you have all the Hasselblad gear that you want! Or do you? Maybe we should all like the equipment we own. With me that is "elderly" Leicas and a Hasselblad 500CM and an old Rolleicord with a lens "guaranteed" to capture every tiny wrinkle in a subject's face along with whiskers, both men's and women's.........Regards!

 

[mshchem]

Sell your RB stuff and buy an Acute-Matte screen for the Hasselblad, OMG. With that screen and Zeiss 80 2.8, it's heaven. I have a huge fondness for RB/RZ. I have a bunch of RZ67 II stuff. I just don't get it out as much. It's really a hard choice, but the 'blad is so bella!

 

[campy51]

I am in a similar position. I already have the 500 C/M which I have always wanted and I did exactly what you did buying and selling good deals I got over the years and eventually worked my way up to the 500. Now my problem is, I recently got a deal on a Mamiya 7 at a price I am embarrassed to say and knowing what they are worth I want to sell it and buy a used Sony A7RII and still make a healthy profit, but my problem is, it's such a nice camera and so easy to just pick up and shoot. I think I will keep the Mamiya and the 500 C/M for a while and see how I feel after some time has passed.

 

[guangong]

Not a collector but an accumulator. I had an Autocord in very early 1960s. Very good lens. No difference in results when compared with Rollie, but build quality and focusing mechanism weaker. Grated with care Minolta should give good service. One of few cameras I parted with. Later got Rolleiflex 2.8F. Built like a tank. About 10 years later, bought new Hassy 2000FCM, mainly because I could use Kilfitt and Leitz lenses. Only a couple years ago, due to much lower costs of Hasselblad cameras and lenses, I became owner of CM and a few lenses.
Still use 2000, awaiting dreaded inevitable failure, but have CM waiting in the wings. I happen to like shape and feel of Hassy.
My advice to OP: use it, play with it and get used to it. There is a reason some cameras such as Leica Ms and Hasselblad went for decades and decades with no real changes in basic design

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sell your RB stuff and buy an Acute-Matte screen for the Hasselblad, OMG. With that screen and Zeiss 80 2.8, it's heaven. I have a huge fondness for RB/RZ. I have a bunch of RZ67 II stuff. I just don't get it out as much. It's really a hard choice, but the 'blad is so bella!

Well, it you dump your RB, its equipment, the groin truss that is needed to carry the RB, and buy a Hasselblad, you will get out more to photograph and enjoy photography.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I am in a similar position. I already have the 500 C/M which I have always wanted and I did exactly what you did buying and selling good deals I got over the years and eventually worked my way up to the 500. Now my problem is, I recently got a deal on a Mamiya 7 at a price I am embarrassed to say and knowing what they are worth I want to sell it and buy a used Sony A7RII and still make a healthy profit, but my problem is, it's such a nice camera and so easy to just pick up and shoot. I think I will keep the Mamiya and the 500 C/M for a while and see how I feel after some time has passed.

Dump the Mamiya 7 and buy the Sony. Even I have times that I will use a 35mm camera when I do not have the time to spend composing photographs.

 

[k.hendrik]

Never ever sell any of your camera's; you'll regret it after a few weeks/years or decades. Still have & and shooting my first camera; Zeiss Ikon box Tengor 1964.
What is this with you people? "dump this/ buy that"
keeping is a virtu.

 

[film_man]

Holding onto things just because they are expensive is just wasting money that you could be enjoying otherwise. If you do not really get along with the Hasselblad sell it and enjoy the RB. Having owned both in parallel the RB is the better camera as far as I'm concerned and anyone talking about size and weight well they're both a brick compared to a 35mm camera so I'll take 6x7 which is a size I prefer. I kept trying to make 6x6 work and it just doesn't (and lots of respect for those that make it work).

Though I've kind of exited medium format nowadays, I just cannot be bothered lugging bricks around anymore.

 

[mshchem]

Never ever sell any of your camera's; you'll regret it after a few weeks/years or decades. Still have & and shooting my first camera; Zeiss Ikon box Tengor 1964.
What is this with you people? "dump this/ buy that"
keeping is a virtu.

I have so much stuff it's crazy. My wife and I live in a 4 bedroom house. I've got rooms full of stuff.

You have had the good sense to buy something and keep using it. That's a rare skill.

 

[bdial]

I was in a similar dilemma when I had my first Hasselblad. I traded off for a new Nikon F3 and some lenses with no regrets. Since then I bought another one during the post-digital price crash and I’ve added various stuff since.

If selling it and using the funds on other stuff will make you happy, do that and don’t look back.

 

[BrianShaw]

Never ever sell any of your camera's; you'll regret it after a few weeks/years or decades. Still have & and shooting my first camera; Zeiss Ikon box Tengor 1964.
What is this with you people? "dump this/ buy that"
keeping is a virtu.

Me too... still shooting my first camera... and the second... and the third... and the fourth, fifth and sixth.

 

[etn]

If you sell it, you might want to wait a few months. Hasselblad's announcement of the new CFV 50c II digital back is likely to drive prices of Hasselblad V series up in the near future.

This will give you time to run a few rolls in the camera and see whether you like it or not, as others have said. Good luck with your decision

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

The second you sell that thing you'll say "what the hell was I thinking?!" It's the most beautiful and refined camera ever made.

 

[Grim Tuesday]

I had a similar conundrum. I started flipping cameras and lenses to fund the acquisition of Hasselblad lenses that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford. I now have a nice, complete collection of lenses and have formed opinions on which ones I think are worth the price. I also got to test a few that I didn't end up keeping along the way. It was a fun way to build up a camera system and I made a few hundred dollars so the wallet was happy. But going to the post office gets annoying after a while. I also got to test out some other cameras along the way. Some of which I kept and get much more use than my built out Hasselblad kit. The Fuji GA645Zi and Rolleiflex 3.5e in particular. I also have a full Mamiya TLR system that I built up and intended to sell but have had trouble parting with. Which is funny, because it offers no focal lengths to me that the Hasselblad doesn't, just the stress-relief of carrying around a $200 camera instead of a $1000 camera. And no mirror slap + brighter viewfinder, both which aid in practical sharpness.

Another way to think about it is if all my medium format gear were magically liquidated at market value and I had all the money to re-purchase everything, would I get the Hasselblad again? I don't think so. I would re-purchase the Rolleiflex and Fuji GA645Zi. But for an interchangeable-lens camera I would probably go for a Pentax 6x7, Bronica SQ or Mamiya TLR because they all have excellent and affordable lenses. And with the extra money I would be half way to the holy grail Mamiya 7.

So why haven't I sold my Hasselblad kit? When I want to make a picture with the best possible image quality on 6x6 it is what provides it. The build quality is superb. Everything about it will hold or appreciate in value. I have no pressing use for the money it would free up. I don't really like rangefinders so the Mamiya 6/7 have limited allure to me. Also, I don't think any lens in any format could beat the 60mm Distagon (ok, the 50mm FLE, also for Hasselblad beats it just barely).

What is my advice to you? Hold onto your Hasselblad. Sell the 80mm lens and get a 60mm. It's a better lens (in my experience) but priced such that it is a lateral upgrade (this is a glitch in the market you can exploit right now). Next time you have $200 for lens-buying, pick up a 150mm. With that two-lens kit you get two of the best and most distinctive lenses in the Hasselblad ecosystem and each offer a different perspective from your Autocord. I am sure you will want to continue buying Hasselblad lenses but I would caution you to perhaps hold off. You may find that you have no need for a 50mm with the 60mm and no need for the 100mm or 180mm with the 150mm. I think a sparse Hasselblad kit is just as cost effective as a dense Bronica SQ kit. The downside is you get fewer choices in your camera bag. The upside is the ones you get are absolute tops in quality.

 

[Ariston]

How do I get the aperture to stay open while composing? When I set the aperture, it stops down, which makes the ground glass too dark. It is the 80mm T* lens. I have opened it all the way to 2.8, but it still stops back down.

 

[Grim Tuesday]

Is yours the kind with the metal flutes (T*) or the kind with the rubber grip (CF T*)?