Hasselblad serial number/determining age

Hi,

 

I understand the "VHPICTURES" code for determining serial numbers on

blads, but I have one that confuses me. I have a 500 c/m that has

just two letters and the rest numbers. That made it easy for me to

figure out.

However, I've just purchased a used 500 el/m. The serial number on

that starts with UTE and then has 5 numbers. I can't figure out if

it's 76 or 69 (UT being 76 and TE being 69).

 

Can anyone figure this out?

 

Thanks in advance!

Your camera is from 1976 (no ELMs were made in 1969, only ELs). Use the first two letters, the third letter "E" (E=Electric?)appears on EL and ELM cameras up to 1978. It is similar with SWC cameras where the third letter is a "W" (W=Wide?).

 

 

Ulrik

In cases where there are three letters in the serial number, the year of manufacture is determined by the first two letters.

 

In this case, UTE, you would use the U and the T. 1976.

 

David S. Odess - Factory trained Hasselblad technician

Thank you Ulrick and David! :)

Just for completeness' sake: besides the "E" and "W", an extra "C" was added to the letter code of 500 C/M in 1977, and an "F" to the code of 2000 FC in that same year.