Difficulty Focusing Hasselblad 501CM - What Screen is This?

[steve williams]

Please indulge my continued questions regarding this 501CM. It has a

1997 date code, so, unless the focusing screen has been replaced, I

guess it's not an Acute-Matte. The dealer I bought it from told me

it was.

 

However, it is very difficult to focus with. It's hard to tell

whether it is focused or not, even when using the flip-up magnifier.

Are the Acute-Matte screens noticably easier to focus? I guess I'll

either buy an Acute-Matte or a Maxwell screen.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Steve

[gary_woodard]

Your 1997 501CM was manufactered and sold with an Acute-Matte Screen, it may have been replaced on you camera, take it back to the dealer and yell and scream.

[johnmarkpainter]

If you get a Maxwell, I recommend getting the Hi-Lux screen. I have one in a Rollei and

love it.

 

I have a Beattie screen in my Hassy and also in a Nikon F2 and have been happy with those

as well.

 

A Grid comes in handy with a Waist-Level finder...many people have a hard time with the

reversed image and the Grid will keep you level.

 

jmp

[roland_haid]

Acute-Matte screens have an hairline cross im the middle, MK2 screens have additional 'D'-notches in the outer aluminium frame. Older (plain) screen often have a thick painted cross in the middle. They are dull, but workable. Acute-Matte screens are easy to focus, they are the best screens in the market. Your camera originally came with one, so it should be there. I often use an enlarger lens (Schneider Componar 4.5/105) on my 'blad, I do not have problems to focus at apertures down to F11, even F16 is possible. Try to get the original screen.

[steve williams]

Okay, it does have the cross-hairs, but no notches on the frame. The dealer tells me it is an Acute-Matte screen, but I thought they weren't put in them until 1998?

 

I found out something interesting about it, though. There is a black plastic thing on the back of the film back. I asked the dealer this morning what this was. He said it is to hold the darkslide. Sure enough - it fits right in there to hold it when you are taking pictures. Is this an add-on accessory?

 

Thanks again,

Steve

[q.g._de_bakker]

Steve,<br><br>Your screen may well be an Acute Matte. I too find it difficult to focus using on of those. I think it would be fair to say that Acute Matte screens, though bright, are noticably more difficult to focus. Not easier.<br><br>i have gone back to using old style screens, which with fast lenses and not too dim light work fine: very positive focus. I think it's all to blame on the way they achieve the increased screen brightness.<br>It allows you to look "through" the screen, or slightly above, and still see the "image" in (or out of) focus. And is also responsible for the fact that you need to position your eye carefully above the screen when using the waist level finder to avoid "hot spotting".<br>The Acute Matte D screens are supposed to be a bit better.<br><br>But still, i don't think it is quite without reason they stopped issuing "plain" Acute Matte screens with Hasselblad cameras, and started supplying those with screens having a split image rangefinder.

[steve williams]

Are the Maxwell screens easier to focus with?

 

Thanks again,

Steve

[ulrik]

A few days ago I used my Hasselblad with acute Matte D screen with grid and microprism together with the 5.6/250 Sonnar lens (and Kiev TTL spot prism). I took photos of freeclimbers and although the Sonnar is not very fast it was very easy to focus with the plain part of the screen at the hair of the climbers without using the focussing aids at all (which I usually do with other subjects). This is my preferred screen by far.

 

Ulrik