How can I know the Hasselblad's lens years ?

[steven_tseng]

I just know how to recognize the Hasselblad's body production years,

it is use HVPICTURES as 1234567890, but no one can answer me

how to recognize the Hasselblad's lens production years.

Can someone can tell me more ?

[carlos_eningue]

Just a small correction: the code sequence is VHPICTURES.

[q.g._de_bakker]

The C lenses cannot be dated by number. Richard Nordin has some dates on number blocks in his excellent book "The Hasselblad Compendium".

 

Newer lenses (CF and F) have a code giving the year of production stamped in red inkt on the inside of the lens' rear light baffle (inside the lenstube). It is a two digit, one letter code. The two digits are a reversed representation of the year of manufacture, e.g. "39" standing for "93", etc.

 

The single letter, i believe, is a representation of the month of manufacture, e.g. "A" standing for January, etc. I am still not sure about this code, so perhaps anyone can tell about a letter code further up in the alphabet than "L"/December?

[steven_tseng]

Bakker, you mean if someone want to see the lenses code that them need to disassembly the lenses first, because the code at the lenses inside of the lenstube. if not this way, can you tell me more about how to see the code, thanks.

[q.g._de_bakker]

Steven,

 

Of course you don't need to disassemble your lens. When you look at the rear of the lens, you see the rear lens element sitting inside an opening. The code is printed on one side/"wall" of this opening. You may need to turn the distance ring to make the rear element move forward to reveal the code.

The code thus is "inside" this tube, as opposed to somewhere on the back plate.

[steven_tseng]

Sorry...Bakker, I'm still can not see the number from

the lens tube wall, I only have CEF80/2.8, my friend

have CFi50/f4, he also can not see the number.

Bakker, did you know the front number of the lens,

we believed the number maybe have something means.

[q.g._de_bakker]

Steven,

 

I'm sorry you can't find the code, i can find it on all my CF and F lenses.

Make sure you set the lens to its closest focus setting, and have a look.

 

The "front" serial number will not help you to determine the year of manufacture unless you have access to Zeiss' ledgers. There is, to my knowledge, no date code in this number at all.

Numbers apparently are assigned in blocks per job, and subsequent jobs can be completely different products.

[bob_eskridge]

My 60CF has the following in red. "F69A" The letters have me confused now. Any clarification or ideas?

 

Also, my 150C T* has 2008 on the inside of barrel.

[q.g._de_bakker]

Bob,

 

Even more letters? There goes my theory that the one letter stood for the month of manufacture... Perhaps it does, but which one?

 

The number code however is a cert. Your CF 60 mm is a 1996 lens.

 

I have no clue about the codes on C lenses.

 

Perhaps someone in the know from Zeiss might help us here?

[q.g._de_bakker]

Bob,

 

About the 150 mm C lens. It could of course be a lens made in February 1980. 2008 -> 80 02.

 

We need more numbers to see if any likely pattern emerges.

So, everybody, feel free and submit your C-lens codes (and perhaps serialnumber, to cross reference against the known numbers in Richard Nordin's excellent book.): qnu-photo@worldonline.nl

[steven_tseng]

Bakker, i was send this question to Hasselblad's website, them reply me as like below :

 

Dear Steven

It varies. Some lenses are engraved with the date on the inside

of the lens collar. Generally though, it is a matter of tracing

the serial number on a list. The following book is of great help:

"Hasselblad System Compendium" by Richard Nordin.

Published by Hove Books - ISBN 1-897802-10-2.

Available through your Hasselblad dealer or good bookshops.

Also available through several Internet bookshops,

for example - 'www.bookshop.co.uk' (ca. ¢G29 (GBP) + postage).

A complete round up of the history of Hasselblad products.

Contains photos and descriptions of rare items long

since out of production. A mine of information for

those interested in a chronicle of the company and the development

of its products. It contains a unique collection of dates,

lists and almost anything you would want to know about the history and

background of Hasselblad equipment. A book more for the Hasselblad

collector or as an informational source for used equipment.

I hope that answers your question. Thank you for your interest in

Hasselblad equipment and please contact us again if you have any

further enquiries.

 

Regards

 

David Jeffery

Customer Support

Victor Hasselblad AB, Sweden

[q.g._de_bakker]

Steven,

 

You should indeed get Richard Nordin's book. It's all David Jefferey says it is.

 

Re lens date codes, Hasselblad UK News issue No. 29 January 2000 had this to say:

 

"How old is yours?

 

In the case of Zeiss lenses this information was not made available until the release of CF type lenses in 1982. From this date, the year of manufacture can be found printed as 2 numbers within the rear barrel and adjacent to the rear optic. These numbers are reversed resulting in 28 representing the year 1982 and are accompanied by a letter, which simply represents further manufacturing data."

 

What these "further manufacturing data" might be is still not revealed. My guess is it is an indication of the month of manufacture.

 

Whether or not there are date codes inside C-lenses as well is still not cleared. Some do have a code, some don't. And it is not known if it is a date code, or not, and if so, how to decipher it.

 

Richard Nordin has compiled tables of likely dates which are not based upon these codes. He describes in his book how he painstakingly had to compile these lists by "searching out and recording literally thousands of lenses at camera shows, camera dealers, repair shops and from friends, acquaintances and anyone who would have the patience to listen to my quest of discovering the pattern of dates hidden in the serial numbers".

Though he also says that Hasselblad nor Zeiss seem to have access to this information, i find that very hard to believe. One would think Zeiss would keep records of what they are doing. Why else put numbers (serial numbers and codes alike) on lenses?

Zeiss and Hasselblad both appear to be very reluctant to give any definitive answers in this matter.

[ulrik_neupert]

"One would think Zeiss would keep records of what they are doing. Why else put numbers (serial numbers and codes alike) on lenses?

Zeiss and Hasselblad both appear to be very reluctant to give any definitive answers in this matter."

 

I once got information from Zeiss that their lens documentation starts with serial-no. 4000000. I had a 250 mm Sonnar with a lower serial-no. (25xxxxx)and they did not know what type of shutter was inside before I sent it to Oberkochen.

 

Ulrik

[q.g._de_bakker]

Ulrik,

 

It still makes you wonder why they bothered to put serial numbers on products at all if they don't bother to record any information.

They must at the very least keep track of what numbers have been issued, if only to prevent assigning numbers more than once.

Now would that be the only info recorded? Sounds rather silly. I find it very hard to believe they don't have records...

[steven_tseng]

Bakker, finally i found out the lens tube number only for

C and CF lens, because my lens is CFE80/f2.8, so they have

no number at inside, and my friends they have C and CF lens

they can see the number at lens tube no problem.

i'm very thank you, your response for me

regards

Steven

[q.g._de_bakker]

No more date codes on the newer lenses? You would almost get the impression Zeiss doesn't want us to know when our lenses were made, wouldn't you? Perhaps they have found a place even harder to find, like really inside the lens barrel, to hide the production data. Pitty.

[william_gormly]

Are the numbers corresponding to VHPICTURES 0123456789 or 1234567890? If the latter, according to your posting, then my 500C was manufactured in 1971 (serial number begins with UV), and according to Hassselblad, the model was made from 1957-1970. ???

[q.g._de_bakker]

William,

 

Since only computer-folk start counting at 0, the correct series starts with "1", so it is V=1, H=2, etc. ;-)

 

According to Richard Nordin's book the last serial number given to a 500 C camera was 106700. The next number, 106701, belongs to an 1971 500 C/M. But...

 

The early 500 C/M cameras (according to Nordin's book, some 15,000 bodies, upto serial number 125000, the last one of these was produced in 1972!) were still marked "500 C", not "C/M". These cameras are known as "transition 500 C". They have all the features of a 500 C/M, except the name badge.

[Aoresteen]

You can date some early Hasselblad lenses by the lens serial number. The first lenses made by Kodak were Ektars. All Ektars (incluing view camera lenses & 35mm leneses) have a two letter code before the number. The code is:

 

1234567890

CAMEROSITY

 

Most 1600F Ektars are marked EI or 49 or 1949.

 

This is where Victor got the idea to date his bodies using his own code. Kodak was a major investor in Hasselblad in the late '40s thus the Ektars and codes. Most 'Bald users aren't aware of this.

 

Tony Oresteen

[richard blau]

I just purchased a 203FE. Am I correct in concluding that a serial number which begins 18SV..

was manufactured in 2001? I would feel relieved to know that this is the case.

 

I ask because the instruction manual included in the package (USA Warranty purchased from an

authorized Hasselblad Dealer) is copyright 1994. The instruction manual does not cover cfe

lenses or d�40 flash. Now, I did buy the newest Wildi manual so I do have good information,

but I can't help but be curious:is the 1994 manual the standard inclusion in the 203 box? If so,

don't you think that in this price range an up to date manual should be standard?

 

Anyway, I will be much happier when I know I didn't just buy a camera that has been on the

shelf for five years.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Richard Blau

[q.g._de_bakker]

Richard,

 

"SV" does indeed mean it was made in 2001. It's a fresh one alright!

 

============

 

In addition to what has been said in the "How to date a lens" part of this thread:

 

All, apart from the very earliest, C series lenses too have a code stamped in red ink on the rear baffle. It is a three or four digit code, the last two digits indicate the month of manufacture, the first or first two (when there are four digits) indicate the year of manufacture. The key to the year code is a simple addition: add 1957 the the number and you'll know the year (eg. "2201" is Januray (01) of 1979 (1957 + 22)).

 

Many lenses have two or more numbers stamped on them, indicating the time they were sent back to the factory for a major repair or overhaul.

And, sadly, many of these stamps are illegible...

 

Later C lenses (after 1979) have the same code used on CF lenses.