While I love 35mm, I am ready to make the jump to the bigger negatives! I've played around with medium format in a Holga, which was fun, but I am ready for something a bit more serious
After doing my research, I'm in the market for a used Hasselblad 500 or 503 outfit to include everything I would need to get shooting (i.e. body, back, lens, view finder).
I'm not interested in cosmetics so long as it works! So if anyone has an outfit that they are looking to sell, please let me know. I'm open to reasonable offers.
I have a set that sounds like it would be a good base for you. I'll get some images together and post them here if that's OK with you. 500c, WLF, A12 back, regular (C12?) back, Polaroid back (factory Hassy), 150 Sonnar that needs a new front element (nice and soft/flarey), crank winder, knob winder, original briefcase, original strap, 80mm hood, some Bay-50 filters and Bay-50 to regular filter adapters.
If you can't find one at a reasonable price, you should consider the all-mechanical Bronica S2a. Or a Pentax 6x7 kit if you're more interested in what a bigger format can provide. I personally would love a Hassy kit, but they're too expensive for me.
Fixcinater - I would love to see the pictures; please post them!
and
Nathan - Thanks for the recommendation for the Bronica. I hadn't looked at it too much, but it may be worth revisiting if I can't find what I am looking for the in Hasselblad arena.
No reason to shop for a Bronica S2 if you cannot find an affordable Hassy...It is possible today to easily find a much newer Bronica ETRSi for $300-500 including body, 120 back, metering prism, and 75mm lens, a combination that cost about $2500 when they were selling new in the mid-90s. It is unfortunate that Tamron folded the Bronica line a few years after they purchased it.
I wrote assuming he wanted square format/mechanical. I would most certainly recommend the very same medium format system I shoot with, but it requires batteries to shoot under 1/500. I'd trade my ETR kit for an S2a kit in a heartbeat.
Here are some photos of my set. PM me if you're interested.
I didn't take photos of the Polaroid back, but it's the original/factory version and works fine (ran a couple packs of FP100C and FP3000B through it to see what the lens looked like in images) but has similar corrosion on the latching knob. Internally it is clean and it mounts fine. Also, there is some paperwork with the case, and the original Hassy strap which is in good shape but I don't know if I would trust that old of a strap with a camera like this, and the crank winder which is in very good shape.
Barn doors on the body work fine. No light leaks when using the instant film. All darkslides are present and in very good shape.
I bought a few months back from someone on Craigslist, it was her father's set and he lived on a bluff overlooking the beach which caused the corrosion on external parts. Internally, everything looks good and you would just need to find a good lens to be really set unless you like dreamy soft focus work. I do need to recoup my costs. I've decided I like working with my Pentax 6x7 and have a Rolleicord to use when I want a smaller/lighter option than the big P67, hence the sale.