Taming Flare in a Zeiss 80 f2.8 lens on a Hasselblad 500C/m

Uncle Bill · Sep 1, 2012

Ok short backstory, my brother left me some camera gear to baby sit and exercise while he's working in NYC until July next year. One of those systems is of course a Hasselblad 500 C/M with three lenses but I'm using a chrome Zeiss 80 f2.8 circa early 1960s with a lens hood ( I always shoot with the hood). I shot one roll of slide (E100) film and had no issues at all. Two rolls of Neopan Acros 100, different story, I got wicked flare in a few shots. Texting back and forth my brother, he says he never had a problem with this 'blad kit with that lens, so what am I doing wrong?

Arvee · Sep 1, 2012

Lens flare or magazine light leak? Magazines need new seals with time.

Uncle Bill · Sep 1, 2012

Good question. Not all the frames have flare and it's quite random if there's light leak the whole roll would have been done in. I was shooting on a bright sunny day if that helps.

Secondly my brother shot with this kit on a fairly regular basis on weekends when he commuted up from NYC. If there was a light leak issue I would have been warned about it.

Arvee · Sep 1, 2012

I once had a Rolleiflex that I finally determined needed seals. Not all the frames were spoiled; only when light hit the camera a certain way did it invade the film chamber. Drove me up the wall...for a while!

tony lockerbie · Sep 1, 2012

I would second the magazine theory, my chrome 80mm is really quite good with flare for a non-mc lens.

illumiquest · Sep 1, 2012

If you have a photo you can post that would answer the question immediately. A leaky back is pretty obvious.

Uncle Bill · Sep 1, 2012

Here two shots that were obviously pooched.

From the same roll, the black and white shots in my Flickr folder from Durham region (they are the square black and white ones). http://www.flickr.com/photos/funwithcameras/sets/72157631257635722/

garysamson · Sep 1, 2012

This is definitely not lens flair. Buy a used back from KEH and you will be back in business.

randyB · Sep 1, 2012

garysamson said:
This is definitely not lens flair. Buy a used back from KEH and you will be back in business.

You can also just repair the light seals on your film backs, it is not difficult or expensive. Kits are available on the auction site or you can make your own using the foil from the old seal and fresh foam but new is much better.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Sep 2, 2012

If you have no money , you can seal the light leak areas with black tape or flexible black bant.

Uncle Bill · Sep 2, 2012

randyB said:
You can also just repair the light seals on your film backs, it is not difficult or expensive. Kits are available on the auction site or you can make your own using the foil from the old seal and fresh foam but new is much better.

I think this is the route I'm going.

Uncle Bill · Sep 2, 2012

Ok I found seal kits on Ebay for the A12 backs, how hard is it to re-seal them?

Sirius Glass · Sep 2, 2012

Uncle Bill said:
Ok I found seal kits on Ebay for the A12 backs, how hard is it to re-seal them?

Definitely the light seals. Take a look at http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HT/HTSeal.aspx

Uncle Bill · Sep 2, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
Definitely the light seals. Take a look at http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HT/HTSeal.aspx

Ok, that does not look too tough (famous last words).

Update: Just ordered two light seal kits off Ebay, should be here in a week or two.

illumiquest · Sep 5, 2012

Super easy to replace the seals, I've done dozens of them. Just remove screws, pull of back part, replace seal and replace screws.

Taming Flare in a Zeiss 80 f2.8 lens on a Hasselblad 500C/m

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