Nikon
50,706 topics in this forum
-
- 1 reply
- 389 views
-
- 11 replies
- 1.3k views
-
- 3 replies
- 526 views
-
- 13 replies
- 1.2k views
-
- 2 replies
- 528 views
-
- 1 reply
- 497 views
-
- 18 replies
- 819 views
-
- 1 reply
- 427 views
-
- 4 replies
- 525 views
-
- 4 replies
- 501 views
-
- 6 replies
- 537 views
-
- 3 replies
- 430 views
-
- 4 replies
- 567 views
-
- 4 replies
- 759 views
-
- 10 replies
- 637 views
-
- 5 replies
- 400 views
-
- 3 replies
- 584 views
-
- 2 replies
- 548 views
-
- 3 replies
- 713 views
-
- 2 replies
- 559 views
-
- 3 replies
- 637 views
-
- 2 replies
- 517 views
-
- 7 replies
- 868 views
-
- 7 replies
- 753 views
-
- 15 replies
- 996 views
-
Who's Online 18 Members, 0 Anonymous, 602 Guests (See full list)
-
Recent Gallery Images
-
Recent Forum Wide Posts
-
-
-
-
Oh Ok, I researched the LM with winding crank, obviously the wrong LM The fact that your winder works with some frames and not others is a bit of a mystery. The only thing I can think of is that maybe a gear is damaged and only works properly in certain spots, and jams in other spots. And when the release button is pushed, it takes that gear out of action allowing the winder to continue turning. That gear is probably in train with the frame counter gear/s. How does the frame counter behave when you press the release button and wind the advance knob? Does it turn over to the next frame number, or just stay where it is? -
The motorized bodies can be an excellent, money saving entry point into the Hasselblad system for some buyers today (ironically they were the most desirable models that came with a heavy price premium during the height of studio film photography). Unfortunately they are looked down upon today, mostly due to misinformation and the siren lure of "all mechanical" cameras. OTOH, this means you can buy a motorized body for a fraction of the cost of the manual-wind Hasselblads: depending on your personality and use case, they can even be nicer to use overall. In answer to the specific question about the operating condition of the pictured 500elm: this is impossible to determine without a demonstration with battery installed. Yes, the camera can hang open this way under certain circumstances solely due to battery drain, and putting a new battery in does often reset things perfectly with no issue. However, the camera might also be defective and stuck, requiring expensive (or unavailable) repair. Given the scarcity of techs willing to repair motor Hasselblads, I would not risk such an example unless the price is so cheap you won't mind if the camera is dead on arrival. Any seller with a brain who wants to offload a motor Hasselblad at a good price will spend the $20 for a 9v battery adapter so they can verify it functions properly to potential buyers. Unverified, I wouldn't offer more than $70 (body only) today. This set, which includes the A24 film back and new-version magnifying viewfinder, would be worth risking more money if you want those pieces (A24 can load 120 film if you're careful, and that magnifying hood with diopter adjustment is quite nice if you don't mind that it can't fold down). The hood and A24 and untested ELM would be worth risking approx $160: if the body is bad, you still got a good price on the other parts. Aside from this particular example, lets examine a few myths that have sprung up over the past few years. In terms of durability and mechanics, the motorized Hasselblads are NOT any "less capable" than mechanical bodies of the same vintage. Your chances of acquiring a problem-free 500el are much better than your chances of finding a problem-free 500c, and your odds improve as you move up to newer models like ELM, ELX, and 553. The price differential can be enormous: I've bought ELMs for less than half the cost of my CMs (and all of my "mint" CMs needed expensive repairs soon after purchase, while my ELM, ELX and 553 just keep chugging along unfazed). While the motorized 'blads are quite reliable and durable, it is true that repair techs have begun refusing to service them. It isn't simply a matter of them being "too complicated to service": none of these techs had any issue repairing them when they were popular. The issue is more about the techs protecting themselves from potential abuse and financial losses: the motorized Hasselblads are now on the same "blacklist" as many other once-legendary cameras, now considered too risky for techs to work on. Parts are scarce, and repair times extended, which often leads to customers abandoning the camera and refusing to pay the repair cost. This wastes the tech's time and backs up their already crushing workload, so they have decided to just not accept certain camera models for repair that have developed a reputation for problematic owners. The good news is, the motorized 'blads are so cheap you can just sell a failed one and buy another that works fine for much less than the typical repair cost on a manual wind mechanical Hasselblad. And again, I'd stress that a fully operational motorized 'blad is actually more robustly built and less likely to fail/need repair than a similar all-mechanical 'blad. Like other vintage camera systems with modern-day "cult followings", younger cult members may not be aware the "elegance" of the manual-wind Hasselblad is only skin-deep. Under the glamorous shell, the crank-wind Hasselblads have unbelievably convoluted Rube Goldberg mechanisms, which were intentionally designed to require frequent service. This service cost is baked-in, and was taken for granted by the pro photographers who used the system back in its heyday. Uninitiated Hasselblad enthusiasts are blissfully unaware of these inevitable, excruciating maintenance costs. Several of the top Hasselblad repair techs in North America have passed away and/or retired recently, leaving fewer and fewer options with ever-increasing wait times and fees. So its a bit goofy to harp on the "repairable forever because its all mechanical" classic cameras as "always" being superior to their motorized or electronic sisters. As with many things in life, its not so simple: the fact that something "can be repaired" doesn't necessarily mean "can be repaired easily near me" or "in less than six months out of my hands" or "at a cost that wouldn't equal installing a Tesla charger in my garage". Its relative to how much you want to spend in time or money should repair become necessary (and with Hasselblad, everything BUT the motorized bodies will croak on you at the worst possible time). So, the "repairability" issue of of i.e. the 500elm vs 500cm can be a non-issue or fall in your favor if you choose the motor model. Your cash outlay is less than half to begin with, likelihood of mechanical failure is less, and if your ELM does break replacement cost is often less than repair cost on a 500cm. Moving on to other ways in which the motorized Hasselblads are often misunderstood or shunned: size, weight, noise, battery availability. Lets start with size/weight: yes, the 500elm etc are taller and heavier than 500cm etc. But this difference will almost entirely evaporate the minute you switch to any lens other than the standard 80mm Planar. With the 80mm mounted, the 500cm etc are quite compact and somewhat less awkward to handle than the 500elm etc. Switch the 80mm for the popular 50mm Distagon wide angle, and all bets are off. The 500cm becomes an awkward, front heavy PITA to handle while the 500elm seems barely any different. This is less apparent with the slightly lighter 150mm, but the 500elm still has advantages in compositional stability (auto wind and auto mirror return simplify matters vs viewfinder blackout and manual winding of the 500cm). The size/weight issue is directly affected by your lens choices and photography tendencies: the ELM vs CM advantages often cancel each other out. Re the motorized Hasselblads being louder: here again, its relative to your use case, and the manual wind 500cm isn't exactly discreet either. If you need to shoot in a church or museum, yes, the ELM will be a bit noisier when the motor winds on. But here's a gotcha: the manual-wind models like 500cm emit a cacaphony of clanking zurping klanking claptrap themselves! The extended weird soundtrack of the manual film advance is actually more irritating to many bystanders than the quicker, more uniform sound of the motor winding in the electric 'blads. So again, relative to your use case and personal preference. The "battery issue" is a non-issue, period. True, older models like EL/ELM/ELX were designed around a proprietary rechargeable NiCad that was notoriously flaky in its day and no longer available. However, these models will quite happily run off a standard 9v radio battery using an inexpensive adapter: problem solved. Later motor 'blads like 553elx and 555eld came from the factory with redesigned battery compartments taking 5 ordinary AA alkalines, and if you hunt patiently you can even find ELM and ELX bodies that owners asked Hasselblad to update with the AA battery tray. Personally, I find the old models with 9v battery adapter to be noticeably lighter than the later models with 5 AAs installed, so there are advantages to both versions. Perhaps the most staggering price differential between motor and mechanical Hasselblads comes into play if you decide you want the advantages of the larger newer "gliding mirror" design. This was first offered in the 500elx, and continued with the 553 and 555. The revised mirror is much less common in the manual-wind bodies: only the 501cm and 503cw have that feature, and so sought after they are priced at double or more the cost of a 500cm or 503cx. Meanwhile the forgotten unloved 500elx will give you the same improved mirror for about one quarter the price of a 501cm. Worth pondering if you'd prefer the better viewfinder experience for tele and macro work, and improved durability (the older mirror mounting often drifts in accuracy with age, requiring disassembly for new support pads to be installed). Finally, its worth repeating to Hasselblad newcomers: there are NO "bargains" in the land of Hasselblad. You may be able to pick up a motorized body for much less cost than a manual body, and an A24 back for much less than an A12. However, the elephant in the room must always be kept in mind: inevitable and recurring repair costs. The lens shutters will die on you when you least expect, requiring very expensive repairs. The film backs will go out occasionally, requiring frame advance servicing and new light seals installed (the seals can be DIY replaced if you are handy with small screws). There is no point to investing in Hasselblad and facing these ongoing service costs unless you are quite sure you will make use of interchangeable lenses and multiple film backs. If all you want is a vintage "pretty" 6x6 film camera with 80mm (or 75mm) Planar lens, do yourself a favor and opt for the much simpler Rolleiflex TLR. These are also frightfully expensive to repair, but you usually only need to do it once since everything is integrated in-camera. If you can live without the Planar name ring on your lens, there are many brands and models of excellent TLR that are much less expensive than Rollei (Yashica, Minolta, Mamiya, etc).
-
