Storing Hasselblad Film Backs... without dark slide.. Fact, Fiction, or Urban Legend?

Ira Rush · Nov 26, 2008

Hello,

I am almost positive I read somewhere that it is actually recommended that one should not store film back magazines with the dark slide inserted, (obviously unloaded, empty ones) to avoid prolonged compression of the foam pad. This is to lessen the chance that the seal will compress and stop performing its function (keeping a good light tight seal).

I know I saw this somewhere... I can not find this in Wildi or in Freytag...

Fact or fiction?

Thanks in advance

Thomas Wilson · Nov 26, 2008

I think there is probably a bit of truth in that. It can't hurt, unless you happen to bend or lose the slide in the process. All of my magazines have the Lindal type back with the slide holder slot in them.

bdial · Nov 26, 2008

I dunno, sounds like urban legend. The seal isn't just foam, its primary component is a springy metal or perhaps plastic strip similar to a weather strip. I'm not sure the foam is compressed all that much with the darkslide in place.
There would be a lot of potential for getting dirt or debris in the magazine, or damaging the exposed pressure plate. I think I take the risk of leaving the slide in place.

david b · Nov 26, 2008

Never heard that one.

Dan Henderson · Nov 26, 2008

I have never heard it either. Or read it in my copy of The Hasselblad Manual, which has to date answered every question that I could think of.

Barry S · Nov 26, 2008

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it. I've replaced Hassy light traps and it's cheap and takes 10 minutes if you're slow. The traps also last a long time so unless you're concerned about the traps lasting for 15 years instead of 10, why not keep where they're supposed to be?

André E.C. · Nov 27, 2008

Certainly a mix of myth, some truth and outrageous lies, like let's say, religion?

Hasselholicism exists.

Cheers

André

hka · Nov 27, 2008

What about dust that's comes into the filmback when not using the slides?
I change every 5 years the lightseals just to prevent but mostly the stil look fine.

PanaDP · Nov 27, 2008

Changing the light traps is worth the spotting time saved by not having your backs get all dusty inside.

Q.G. · Nov 27, 2008

It definitely is fact.
Not myth. Nor lies, outrageous or other.

The foam will not take kindly to being compressed all the time. It will deteriorate anyway, but the compression helps.

The "primary component" of the seal is indeed the foam. It is the thing that squeezes along the dark slide, up, to form a light tight seal when the slide is inserted, and extends up along the entire width of the dark slide slot when the slide is out.
The bendy bit of metal-looking plastic foil beneath the foam is merely there so they can skimp on the thickness of the foam: it pushes the foam bit up.

Light traps (the foam bits) will not last 15 years. They will not last 10 years.
To be on the safe side, changing seals at least every two years is advisable.
You could hold out longer, untill you start losing images because of light leaks. But is it worth it?

Ira Rush · Nov 27, 2008

Thanks Q.C., was beginning to think I was going crazy....

Q.G. said:
It definitely is fact.
Not myth. Nor lies, outrageous or other.

Thanks Q.C., was beginning to think I was going crazy....

I know I read it somewhere... where is the printed source, is it in Wildi or Freytag, searched the book(s) could not find it...

Other posters have a point about dust and dirt, but if it is stored safely that should not be a problem...

now where oh where did I see it????

Thanks in advance

lomomagix · Nov 27, 2008

Q.G. said:
It definitely is fact.
Not myth. Nor lies, outrageous or other.

The foam will not take kindly to being compressed all the time. It will deteriorate anyway, but the compression helps.

Very interesting!

Just to be a little off-topic: is the same true for all the MF SLRs (Mamiya, Bronica, Rollei, etc.)?

Q.G. · Nov 27, 2008

Ira,

I don't know if (and if so, where) it is in a book.
That is: it probably is - almost everything you can imagine can be found in a book somewhere - but i don't know if it is in one of the well known books on Hasselblad.

Dust and dirt is not a problem.
If you store the back on camera, the camera will protect against dust as well as the slide.
If not on camera, the magazine will of course be empty. Pop the insert out large brush, a quick blow, and it's clean. Very easy, and quick.

I do not know the details of how all other cameras seal their dark slide slots and backs (and mirror boxes and ...). But this thing about foam is, of course, true for all things that use (similar) foam.

Storing Hasselblad Film Backs... without dark slide.. Fact, Fiction, or Urban Legend?

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