Big price tag- for me

<p>Hi fine classic camera lovers,<br>

I have been shooting with classic camera for several years now. Since the day the classic film photography got embedded in my blood, I always wanted the one specific camera. I would go on the auction site and marvel those beauties with hopes that one day I could own one. I have spend $$$ on many cameras, both digital and film, accessories and stuff I sometimes regret buying. My dear wife had raised her brows many times. Well, few days ago I decided that this is it, I have to have my dream camera even if I will have to sell some of my collection of Yashica TLRs. I laid out the plan before my wife, just to keep her at ease in case new camera would show up. After few minutes of pause, she said "Why don't you just buy it? Don't sell any of your cameras, you seem to love those so much." My mouth dropped. I kissed my wife and went on to purchase a Hasselblad 500cm with Zeiss 80mm f2.8 T star lens. I paid what I thought it would be a good price. I hope that just because this camera was made in 1972 you will not kick me out of this forum. I would still consider my new camera a classic. Now, I am waiting for the parcel to arrive. It will be a perfect tool for my new project. I plan to take waist up portraits of everyone I know, no fancy clothes of poses, just as they are, natural light and black backdrop. Wish me luck. </p>

<p>Kris,<br>

A wife willing to put up with an old camera habit is a jewel to be treasured. The 500cm is a nice machine with great optics. Have fun.<br>

Chris</p>

<p>Excellent purchase! I have yet to find one that descended to my price level, I expect when I do it will be nonworking (but that may be OK)</p>

<p>As classic as they come, Kris. We await the pics. It will be tough to go back to TLR's. Keep your best one and sell the rest. Get your lovely wife a day at the spa. </p>

<p>Congratulations on an excellent purchase. I'm sure the Hasselblad with the 80mm lens will prove to be well worth the money. It's a wonderful system.</p>

<p>My Hasselblad 500C/M was made in the early 1980s, if I recall correctly, and I haven't been kicked out of this forum yet. :) Then again, in addition to the black Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 Planar T*, I also have an older chrome 150mm f/4 Sonnar, so maybe that was enough to preserve my CMC credibility...</p>

<p>So, just out of curiosity, since I bought mine just last year... what was your "good price"? I paid (for camera plus both lenses, an A12 back, and a 45-degree non-metering finder), I think, about $800, though it's possible that I'm misremembering and it was closer to $1000. I considered this not merely a good price but a surprisingly good price, so don't feel bad if you paid more than that.</p>

<p><strong>Kris</strong>, I think you should be kicked out of the Forum for acquiring a wife as understanding as that....Fine camera, I look forward to seeing what you can do with it, and good luck with the portrait project!</p>

<p>Wow! I rented a Hassy and 80mm Planar to do a wedding once. Since I had the rig for a weekend I shot some personal stuff with it as well. The outfit handled very well and gave superb results. Never could afford one, but always wanted one. Congratulations on acquiring a camera of your dreams.</p>

<p> By the way, flowers, dinners out and cheerfully completing the honey do list are in order. Thats a one in a million spouse you have there.</p>

<p>Your project sounds excellent, and you picked a perfect camera for it. I didn't much care for shooting my 'blads when I owned them (a waist level finder is not that versatile), but for the sort of portraits you'll be taking, it's hard to beat. You get a lot of interaction when using a WLF camera and an 80 lens. Are you sure you want a black background?</p>

<p>Ah yes......... Significant others, spouses, and unannounced parcels. You could write a book on it.</p>

<p>Craig, I paid 700 for the set. They seem to go for up to 1200 dollars, but that's a bit too much than I would like to spend. Yes a day at a spa is a great idea, thanks Louis. Reason for a black backdrop or a simple neutral one is due to the fact that I would like to keep the shots as simple as possible, no backdrop could mean distraction. OTOH I thought about taking those portraits in subject's natural setting, maybe that could be interesting.</p>

<p>Okay, you really did get a good price! Very cool. Looking forward to seeing what you shoot with it...</p>

<p>Train yourself right from the start to ALWAYS check the shutter cocking indicator on the side of the body (or look through the viewfinder to be sure the mirror is down) before removing the lens. You may find you want to focus a bit closer than the 80mm allows. Extension tubes are cheap enough on eBay it is hard not to get a couple. When removing the tubes, start with the lens, then remove the tube from the body. Again, learn this well, and you'll never have to deal with a body jam.<br>

<br />Light seals where the dark slide goes into the film magazine need to be replaced sooner or later. Unless the seller says the seals have been replaced recently, you should plan to replace them. An eBay seller has a seal kit and it is easy to do if you are careful and can handle a screwdriver. Or have a repairman do it. But don't wait until the seal starts leaking. That will no doubt be a very important roll of film, and you won't be happy!<br>

<br />Another cheap-on-eBay accessory to consider is the NC-2 45 degree prism viewfinder. Many of them are cosmetically challenged because it is natural to pick the camera up by the prism and the paint wears off. But the optics are likely fine. You can always email the seller and ask about the condition of the optics to be sure. Sometimes the newer wedge shaped 45 degree prisms aren't even very expensive, if you like the looks better than the NC-2. Optically I believe they are more or less the same. I get along better with the prism than I do the WL finder, but that is just me.</p>

<p>I hope you enjoy your Hasselblad as much as I do mine.</p>

<p>Len</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Of course everyone needs a Hassy, and congrats to your wife for recognizing this :) The 80mm Planar is a great lens and shoots really well, even wide open. I couldn't get on with the Hasselblad prisms and the WL finder works really well (very bright) once you get used to the back to front thing.<br>

If you are shooting portraits then you will need the 150mm Sonnar, one of the worlds greatest portrait lenses...how's your wife?</p>

<p>Your must-have camera was quite a bit more expensive than my must-have camera, and your wife is a lot more understanding than mine. ;-) I recently acquired a Nikon F and had to intercept the postal worker. Hopefully my wife won't notice the new addition. Looking forward to seeing some shots with that hassy. :-)</p>

Congrats. Definitely a good price. Look forward to seeing some results. My wife is okay with what I buy as long as I don't

complain about what she buys. She didn't even complain when I treated myself to a 2012 Mustang because she knew I'd

wanted one for a long time.

<p>I think you'll be kissing her feet for a month.</p>

<p>@ Rob, I think you are right on the money. She even puts up with me and my odd projects. Just this week I started a solarography project. 6 pinhole cameras 3 at my work and 3 on our condo's balcony. I will be leaving them there for 3 or more months. She puts up with that stuff because the love of photography keeps me sane, away from the streets and other stuff.</p>

 

 

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<p>"I think you'll be kissing her feet for a month."</p>

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<p>Is it too weird that I'd like to see photos of that?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"I plan to take waist up portraits of everyone I know, no fancy clothes of poses, just as they are, natural light and black backdrop."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sounds like a great project. I'd definitely like to see those.</p>

<p>Reminds me, I've been intended to tote my TLR to gatherings of friends to do the same. I've taken thousands of candid snapshots, but only one group portrait that didn't turn out well due to excessively contrasty sunlight.</p>

 

<p>Good luck with your hassy Kris. I went and invested on that system at the end of the summer since the prices were the lowest I have seen. I have a 500c with prism and WLF picked up from a shop in NYC, the 80 chrome multicoated planar came from KEH rated in UGLY condition, but other than some tiny coating marks and the scale numbers starting to erase, there was no other flaw with it, and it produces very fine images.<br>

I have 3 other lenses for it as well and it was my medium format companion while out in Maine this past summer, I must warn you though, it is not a light system to carry around, especially with kids in tow. The output justified the weight though...Here is mine sitting pretty during a family lunch at the local science museum. <img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7670746738_1551dbb260_z.jpg" alt="Hasselblad 500c" width="607" height="640" /></p>

Lucky You.. my wife knows my own guilty concious is enough punishment... sometimes she leaves me alone! Sounds like a cool project. I believe in natural light and MF! Really how many TGLRs can you use. Keep one...umm well all of them too!! HAve Fun!

Lucky You.. my wife knows my own guilty concious is enough punishment... sometimes she leaves me alone! Sounds like a cool project. I believe in natural light and MF! Really how many TLRs can you use. Keep one...umm well ...all of them too!! Have Fun!

<p>Ralf - Are those red depth of field indicators on your Hasey's lens? I love seeing those on vintage lenses!</p>

<p>Yes, Jason they are.</p>

<p>I can't think of a better example of a classic mechanical camera than a Hassy 500 cm. The definition of a classic is "that which never goes out of style," and I can't think of a better example of that definition than a Hassy 500 cm either.</p>

 

<i>"The definition of a classic is "that which never goes out of style"</i><br><br>It is. But not here.<br>Here, it is 'everything that's old enough'.<br>;-)

<p>Hrm, yeah, but then that will of necessity include monstrosities like the Fotron. I try to tweak my definitions so as not to include such examples of "old enough."</p>