Newbie with questions - Cracks?

Hi,

 

I am looking at a camera in an auction and it is listed in good condition, but

this is one of the photos. I did a search and someone said that cracks in the

"flocking" don't affect anything. Is that what this is? Sorry the auction is

ending today and I don't have tons of other options for getting a better answer.

Thanks!

 

<img src="http://gerzy.com/back.jpg">

Courtney,<br><br>It doesn't look pretty, but the material used, Palpas, does this. It is indeed nothing to worry about.<br><br>It looks like the camera is photographed half cocked, with the gear still showing. It should be flat, flush with the rear plate of the camera when fully cocked or uncocked.

It also looks like the camera hasn't been used much, or at least has not 'seen' manay magazine changes. The lower bit of the vertical ridges on the rear plate usually show where magazines hit against them when they are attached. Here, they still look like they lost no paint at all. And in a camera from 1988, that would indeed indicate very low use.

Thanks. Does that mean that the people who shot this don't really know what to do with this camera, proper treatment?

Thanks so much. I have been trying to figure this stuff out on my own, and am itching to purchase one, but still trying to do enough research so that I don't need to get a different model sooner rather than later.

Not necessarily. But possibly, yes.<br>And if so, it doesn't necessarily mean that the camera has been treated badly. But that too is (as always) possible.<br>Looks good though. Are there more pictures of this camera available?

here are a few more.

 

<img src="http://gerzy.com/1.jpg"><br><img src="http://gerzy.com/2.jpg"><br><img src="http://gerzy.com/3.jpg"><br><img src="http://gerzy.com/4.jpg">

would I need to worry about light leaks with this back? from the silver flap? If the dating is the same as with the bodies it is from '79.

This camera definitely is not cocked. The wind stopped very shortly after it began.<br>As shown, the lens will not come off.<br>And it may well be that the thing is jammed, and needs seeing to. Can you ask the seller about this?<br><br>The lens (like the camera's rear plate) shows little signs of use. But we can't really tell how the glass is (dust, scratches, mould), nor how the shutter and diaphragm mechanism inside it are.<br><br>The magazine looks not extremely heavily used, but clearly well used. The film reminder clip is missing completely. The lifting vinyl covering is not a problem, though one could wonder why it does that. Maybe you could ask about that too.

Courtney,<br><br>The missing flap will not allow light inside the magazine, no. he magazine may need new light seals to make sure no light will leak through the opening, through which the dark slide is inserted.<br><br>The camera dates from 1988 (date code RR), not 1979 (date code UE). It is an early 503 CX, from the first production batch (they started selling in 1989).

Thanks for all of your insight and info. I don't think the seller knows much. Might be better to spend a little more and get one that is guaranteed to be fully functional.

The lens, by the way, is from 1985.

sorry. The serial on the magazine is UE 3139141. I wasn't sure if the magazine and the bodies have the same dating scheme.

thanks for your help, Q.G.

No need for "sorry"s!<br>The same dating scheme is indeed used on both cameras and magazines. I think the first picture of the camera shows RR in front of the serial number. Is that correct?<br><br>Anyway, you could take a gamble on this camera. If you do, do add an amount of, well, about US$ 600 - 700 to the selling price, in case the thing will indeed need a medium sized repair. If with that added to the selling price the deal still appears good, i would still consider it. If it then turns out the thing is in good condition after all (and it may well be), the deal will be a great one. If not, too bad, but allowed for.

Well, looks like you won the auction, Courtney! Be sure to let us know how the camera turns

out. My 503CX is also an RR (1415XXX), and has cracks in the Palpas lining in the mirror

box, but not on the rear shutter flaps. Looks a bit scary the first time you see it, but there's

been no discernable impact on the images produced.

The auction house said it is all fully functional so my fingers are crossed. I feel like that may have been a lot to spend but maybe not if it works well...Thanks for the help! I'm sure i will be back with more questions. :)

Courtney,<br><br>May i ask how much you did get it for?<br><br>You can find a manual for the 503 CX <a href="http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HW/HWVSys.aspx" target="_blank">on this page</a> of the Hasselblad Historical website.<br>You can get answers to all of your questions about the thingies right here. ;-)

Sure. i got it for $980 with shipping. But they have a 7 day return policy, if it isn't as described. So if it isn't working as they stated, I can return it. Thanks for the link to the manual. I downloaded on from somewhere else yesterday, but the quality wasn't very good.

Courtenay,

 

Welcome to the world of Hasselblad ownership!

 

While Hasselblad V system equipment is now available at very reasonable prices, they are

mechanical devices and often need the attention of a repairman to perform as they should.

David Odess is a member of photo.net and an excellent source of help if you need repairs

in the future. However, all of these guys need to earn a living - and repairs can be costly.

If you have the option to return the equipment within 7 days, I would suggest setting up

the camera on a tripod, putting a roll of slide film in the back, (easier and quicker for most

people to judge exposure from slide film than negatives or prints from negs.) take an

exposure reading of the scene, set the EV indicated by the meter on the lens - and then

take make one exposure at each aperture/shutter speed combination that is possible for

the scene's EV.

 

Get the film processed immediately and check for the slides for uneven exposure (could

be shutter or aperture blade problems) uneven frame spacing (may be poor loading

technique - but much more likely to be problems with an old back that needs service),

light leaks onto the film etc.

 

You can also take the back off the camera and check each shutter speed combination

manually and also check that those rear flaps with the cracked flocking open and close

fully and don't hang partially open or closed in operation. Remember that they remain

open for as long as you keep your finger on the shutter button - especially important to

remember this on the slow shutter speeds.

 

There are plenty of other things that a trained repairman would check but I think that

these are the easier ones for a new owner to check.

 

One more thing - that is an old back, and that missing film reminder clip can be a source

of light leak problems. It is held on by those three little rivet "thingies" across the top

edge. I had one that came loose and I then noticed that the rivets went all the way through

to the interior ad I ended up removing the clip completely and replacing the clip with a

piece of leatherette that matched the rest of the back's covering and sealing the holes.

 

Best of luck - hope you got a good one.

 

Ian

Speaking of David Odess, he has a good how-to on his website for checking over a V system

camera/lens/back for proper operation <a href=

"http://www.david-odess.com/faq.html"> here</a>. I'd do his checklist before

bothering with film; if it fails any of the tests you'll want to send the gear back (or in for

servicing).

Thanks for you help and suggestions. Hopefully I will have it next weekend!