View finder getting dark with hasselblad

Hi,

I am playing with my Hasselblad ELM and i am using a A16 back for 6x4.5 images and a PM90 viewfinder.

Inside the viewfinder the image is very bright as it should be but while shooting and getting ready for the next shot the image inside the view finder it gets darker...like if i pressed a depth of field button ( on a different camera ) or if i was closing the F.

What it can be...a problem with the camera or am i missing something ?

Please help.

Thanks

Filippo

At what point in "getting ready for the next shot" does this happen? Also, does this only happen with one lens or does it happen with multiple lenses?

If it happens while you're twisting the aperture ring, I'd suggest that perhaps the stop-down button has been inadvertently pressed and is staying in place for whatever reason.

Whatever the case, the problem is most certainly in the lens.

Hi Ben,

Basically when i start the roll, the image in the viewfinder is bright, then i shoot and the camera move the film to the second frame ready to be shot, at that point the image get darker...after few frames shot, it gets normal again. I don't change the aperture...will check know if it happens with a different lens too.

Thanks for now.

it may be the iris is handing up in the lens. This is common in old lenses and a CLA cures it.

fire the lens a few times and check the aperture through the camera back? You can also do this off camera as well and peek through the back of the lens.

it may be the iris is handing up in the lens. This is common in old lenses and a CLA cures it.

 

fire the lens a few times and check the aperture through the camera back? You can also do this off camera as well and peek through the back of the lens.

Hi Paul, what is a CLA?

When you say to fire and to check the camera back, do you mean to remove the back and to check the curtains?

Basically the first frame is clear in the viewfinder, then it gets dark for few frames and get back to normal.

oh you have a film plane shutter. Fire the camera a few times, no film in it.... you will be able to see the iris from the front of the lens then. after each shot chech the front of the lens to see if the iris is open after the shot? When its dark, as you say, look n see if the iris is open all the way?

CLA is a clean lube and adjust. If the iris isnt fully opening after each shot, and the iris is hanging up, it will need a service CLA.

oh you have a film plane shutter. Fire the camera a few times, no film in it.... you will be able to see the iris from the front of the lens then. after each shot chech the front of the lens to see if the iris is open after the shot? When its dark, as you say, look n see if the iris is open all the way?

 

CLA is a clean lube and adjust. If the iris isnt fully opening after each shot, and the iris is hanging up, it will need a service CLA.

All right i just tested, no film in camera....camera is set at F11, i look in the viewfinder and is bright, i start to shoot, and the iris is fully open...after few shots i see the image in the view finder gets dark so i checked the iris and yes it is not open all the way anymore...so from what i understood i need to repair it requesting a CLA ? I see you are from NYC, nippon photo clinic is the place to go?

one more question, when the view finder gets darker and the iris is not fully open...i suppose it means this effect the exposure when i shoot right?

Thanks

F

OK now lets eliminate the body as a cause of the problem... take the lens off the camera and flip the iris using the lever responsible for closing the iris? Im not familiar with Hassies but the problem is the same with many old cameras.

Yes you would send the lens in for a CLA. YOu can explain the problem to the repair shop and they will know exacly what to do.

Im sure there will be more hassie users chiming in later today, they can recommend a repair shop for your camera.

It may not effect the next shot unless its not closing properly when fired. Try different settings after a dark shot to see if the iris corrects when fired? If you shot at 11, then set for 4 and see if it opens as it chould?

OK now lets eliminate the body as a cause of the problem... take the lens off the camera and flip the iris using the lever responsible for closing the iris? Im not familiar with Hassies but the problem is the same with many old cameras.

 

Yes you would send the lens in for a CLA. YOu can explain the problem to the repair shop and they will know exacly what to do.

 

Im sure there will be more hassie users chiming in later today, they can recommend a repair shop for your camera.

 

It may not effect the next shot unless its not closing properly when fired. Try different settings after a dark shot to see if the iris corrects when fired? If you shot at 11, then set for 4 and see if it opens as it chould?

Thank you very much for your help and time!

What lens are you using?

Can you give the full specs of it-not just the focal length?

What lens are you using?

 

Can you give the full specs of it-not just the focal length?

Using a Hasselblad Carl Zeiss 150 mm 1 : 4 Sonnar Synchro-compur

and i forgot to say that i tried with an 80mm too but i did not experience the same problem

Okay, so the problem is most likely in your lens. First of all, is the lens black or chrome? I don't know that it makes a huge difference, but I'm just trying to get all of the information.

First of all, operate the lens off the camera. If you look at the back of it, you should see what looks like a large screw head and then a small, shrouded pin. Set the shutter speed to 1/500 or 1/250(or something other than bulb) and the aperture to f/11 or whatever-anything other than wide open or 1 stop down. If you push the pin "up" into the shroud, the shutter should fire.

You will then need to "re-cock" the lens. The screw head needs to be turned a fair bit(I think it's a full turn or a bit more) and can not be released until you've reached the full cocking position. I generally use a penny to do it, although I doubt this is an officially endorsed by Hasselblad method.

In any case, check to see after re-cocking. The aperture should be either fully open or may be closed a tiny bit(about the equivalent of f/4.5). If it's not, you've found your problem.

If indeed it doesn't open all the way back up, try setting the aperture ring to f/4, and then close the lens down again. If it stays open, it would indicate to me that something is going on with the stop-down button(which is a tiny silver tab located near the flange you push to unlock the shutter and aperture rings from each other). You can TRY seeing if this looks "normal." Look at your Planar to see if the lever sits more or less the same.

Aside from that, you may need to bite the bullet and have the lens serviced. Unfortunately, the Synchro-Compur lenses(often called "C" lenses) are known to be a bit cantankerous. If nothing is broken, most camera techs can service them. With that said, if something IS broken, there aren't that many people who have parts for them anymore. David Odess is usually cited in the US for these lenses.

(my entire Hasselblad lens kit contains a chrome 50mm, 80mm, 150mm, and 250mm lens, and I need to have them all serviced).

Okay, so the problem is most likely in your lens. First of all, is the lens black or chrome? I don't know that it makes a huge difference, but I'm just trying to get all of the information.

 

First of all, operate the lens off the camera. If you look at the back of it, you should see what looks like a large screw head and then a small, shrouded pin. Set the shutter speed to 1/500 or 1/250(or something other than bulb) and the aperture to f/11 or whatever-anything other than wide open or 1 stop down. If you push the pin "up" into the shroud, the shutter should fire.

 

You will then need to "re-cock" the lens. The screw head needs to be turned a fair bit(I think it's a full turn or a bit more) and can not be released until you've reached the full cocking position. I generally use a penny to do it, although I doubt this is an officially endorsed by Hasselblad method.

 

In any case, check to see after re-cocking. The aperture should be either fully open or may be closed a tiny bit(about the equivalent of f/4.5). If it's not, you've found your problem.

 

If indeed it doesn't open all the way back up, try setting the aperture ring to f/4, and then close the lens down again. If it stays open, it would indicate to me that something is going on with the stop-down button(which is a tiny silver tab located near the flange you push to unlock the shutter and aperture rings from each other). You can TRY seeing if this looks "normal." Look at your Planar to see if the lever sits more or less the same.

 

Aside from that, you may need to bite the bullet and have the lens serviced. Unfortunately, the Synchro-Compur lenses(often called "C" lenses) are known to be a bit cantankerous. If nothing is broken, most camera techs can service them. With that said, if something IS broken, there aren't that many people who have parts for them anymore. David Odess is usually cited in the US for these lenses.

 

(my entire Hasselblad lens kit contains a chrome 50mm, 80mm, 150mm, and 250mm lens, and I need to have them all serviced).

Thank you Ben.... the lens is chrome but i don't feel comfortable on changing anything on my own....would just try to ask a local professional first.

I noted that the more frames i shoot the less this problem happens and also i want to ask you something else, while i was playing with the 150 mm off the camera i noticed that if i was moving the f ring the iris was moving as well of course but after one full round from f 32 to f 4 it was not moving anymore and i had to click the stop down button to make it work again...is that normal?

When you say "not moving anymore" do you mean even when you took an exposure?

Otherwise, if you press in the stop down button the lens should stop down, but will "reset' when opened wide open again.

When you say "not moving anymore" do you mean even when you took an exposure?

 

Otherwise, if you press in the stop down button the lens should stop down, but will "reset' when opened wide open again.

No, i am doing this off camera, so not sure if the iris moves when i actually take pictures

and yes, if i press it, it stop down indeed

Where are you located? USA east coast?

Hasselblad/Bron in New Jersey

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