Winder CW for 503CW - How useful is it?

Hi all,

I'm new on this forum and was wondering if I could get some advice... I'm about to receive a 503CW system from my dad and was wondering if there are any Hassy users using the 503CW/CXi with the Winder CW? How useful is this winder? Does it really provide a firmer grip of the body? Do I really need it for portrait type shoots or it is something that will simply add bulk to the system with no real advantage?

Sorry for all these question for a first post but any advise from actual users and non-users will be greatly appreciate.

Rgds, CSO

I found the winder for the CW a pain and sold it very quickly. Main concerns were with mis firing and over all bulk unless you must have remote firing I would put the dollars towards a portrait lens like the 100 macro.
Wazza

CSO said:

How useful is this winder? Does it really provide a firmer grip of the body?

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I have found the CW winder very beneficial. First, I find it very ergonomic. Its design allows me to handhold my Hassey, even with a 250mm lens - albeit very fast speed in blazing daylight. Also, I like the features it offers - the IR remote, continuous shooting option (admittedly I have never used this feature), and the multiple images feature (easy way to make double/triple/quadruple etc... exposures).

Also, unlike wazza, I have never experienced a single misfiring. Every pic taken on my Hassey has been with the CW attached. I do all my studio work with it, I travel with it (it actually makes travel easier IMO), all my location shots, even shots taken on a tripod (with the IR feature).

Do I really need it for portrait type shoots or it is something that will simply add bulk to the system with no real advantage?

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No, I don't think you really need it for portraits. It's a nice to have. I would check out the features and visit the local camera shop and feel it in your hands. As for advantages, only you can determine that.

Regards, Art.

I also had a CW winder for awhile. Yes it does help with handholding the camera. I had no problems with misfiring. The remote control was nice. But, in the end, I didn't like it. It's quite noisy (I like the sound of the Hassy firing, but the winder noise I found unpleasant). I also didn't like the bulkiness of the setup with the PME 45 prism. Overall, I found the Hassy 503cw with the cw winder nowhere near as refined feeling and sounding as the Rollei 6008. It all depends if you feel you need a winder.

Thanks of your input... I guess I will have a go with the 503CW without the winder and maybe try one at the shop to feel the difference before deciding on it.

CSO said:

Thanks of your input... I guess I will have a go with the 503CW without the winder and maybe try one at the shop to feel the difference before deciding on it.

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Try getting one cheap on e-bay, I did. I always use it for handheld also
the remote works well. The winder is a bit noisy, but its nice to have the auto wind on I find it makes the camera very fluent to use.
Also its good to setup the Hassy on a tripod and you can walk around
talking to the subject, I guess it's less obvious than having a shutter release
attached using the remote.