rustys pics Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 In the Hasselblad email newletter, they announced that the 501cm will be discontinued and not replaced. Only the 503CW will be manufactured. Price on the 503 will remain $400.00 US more expensive. This is really sad, no more entry level Hasselblads for students or those on a budget. I purchased my original new 501c as an instructor. Perhaps now is the time to buy used 501 cameras.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_woodard Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 There are thousands of used Hasseys out there, they will last for decades, dont panic, look around and you will find what you want. I have a near mint, black bodied 500cm with about 20 rolls of film through it for sale. Its a shame, to see these discontinued but thems the breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin_lee Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Sad, but true. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy shooting my 500c/m & Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_f._stein Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Why now make a last run for inventory and work harder with school programs so photo students have warrantied, new-old equipment and get the Hasselblad habit. I don't think the manufacturers work hard enough any more to cultivate customer loyalty. Mamiya is one of the last with their road shows, but, of course, you almost have to buy one of their cameras at a sale price, otherwise, we would feel foolish. I wish the companies would just lower the list prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustys pics Posted March 11, 2005 Author Share Posted March 11, 2005 The PME90 finder is also discontinued. I really wonder how much longer the 503CW will stick around? Would Hasselblad dare abandon the V Series? Can't imagine but we live in strange times. Here is the full link: http://www.hasselbladusa.net/product/product.cfm?cid=110 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_henry1 Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Students on a budget can't afford new Hasselblad, period. The 501 bodies probably haven't attracted students in any numbers in quite awhile; better deals can be had in used gear, as others have said. The unsaid part is that there probably is little reason for Hasselblad to continue producing the 503CW either, as there is probably enough inventory and used stock around to meet the waning demand for their 6x6 equipment. The line is just not the aspirational product it once was, continuing quality notwithstanding. I doubt that Hasselblad will cut prices on anything. Stopping production is more likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin_elliott Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 The Hasselblad enewsletter states that the price of a 503cw kit is now only $400 more than the discontinued 501cm. This represents a discount in pricing If you look at the prices for the 2 bodies, there was very little in them (B&H store)($420).But when sold complete with back, lens, etc as a kit,the difference between them was around $1600. Made no sense. Now the difference is only $400.This difference is reflected in March's B&H pricing Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franka t.l. Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 reality check is the 501 had no more market value for its existance as ongoing product, infact even the 503 is marginal on that. There is also enough of stock both new, inventory and used to support the 6X6 market need. What Hasselblad really blown on the 500 seriers is their stubbornness to put in ongoing refinement into the bodies. They put in electronic to support Digital backs on the 555, but refuse to update the other 500 or 200 series body with like feature. Wonder who made such stupid decision. The 503 with proper update like this and improved metering ( might be they can borroe that from the 203/205 ) would keep the line alive, but since the H1, the 500/200 series really do not make any more viable marketable product any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bas1 Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 I'd much rather see them drop the 501CM only then the entire 500 line all together. The 501CM really didn't have enough to set it apart from the 503CW. With the artificial price difference that they had to create some sort of differenciation they drove more buyers to the second hand market then needed. The move makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunom Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 The 500 series always remind me of the Leica M [ not M7] cameras. Basic,long lasting, manual and reliable [if used properly] but with everything you need to make outstanding photographs. Their only limitation is the imagination of their users. The 501 was a bit superfluous, given the 500cw. I just hope they eventually introduce a full frame back for the 503cw. Regards Bruno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q.g._de_bakker Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 Franka,<br><br>Even though "They put in electronic to support Digital backs on the 555, but refuse to update the other 500 or 200 series body with like feature", there's no digital back available that will not work on a 503 CW...<br>And metering... well. The 201 F was once introduced because Hasselblad noticed how their more expensive 200-series cameras ended up in the studio, where no use is made of in-camera metering. Didn't make it, because with the introduction of a non-vignetting mirror in all 500-series cameras, the 500-series, withour metering, remained the preferred studio camera: no internal metering required.<br>And where are all those digital backs used again? Indeed... ;-) No internal metering required, thank you very much.<br>That market segment is still very much alive. And it's a segment the 503 serves quite well.<br>The market segment that would like metering also likes things like AF. And that segment is served by the H1.<br>With digital sensors haveing trouble to even fill the 6x4.5 cm frame, the H1 also is an ideal digital platform, for anyone not having a 500-series Hasselblad already.<br><br>The thing that is really bothering the Hasselblad line is pricing: there is no way a Hasselblad with digital back can compete with the current line of equally capable 35 mm based digital cameras.<br>Not even when you already have the "full set" of cameras, lenses, etc, and the choice is between purchasing only a digital back, and a complete 35 mm based digital system. These backs need to go down in price a heck of a lot, and very fast too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victor4 Posted March 12, 2005 Share Posted March 12, 2005 For all practical purposes there is no difference between the 501 and the 503. TTL and a motor drive? I suspect most do not use either most of the time, but they are there when one wants them. So why have two cameras. Students would be nuts to not take advantage of the dramatically lower prices on quality used gear. Hasselblad can still benefit when students buy used. They get into the system and eventually will buy something new, maybe. It is very doubtful we shall ever see full frame square digital backs. Q.G. is correct in that the price on existing backs needs to drop and soon. The 'somewhat competing' D1s and D2x are so much cheaper they surely are taking a substantial bite out of the MF market. Cheaper plus they include bells and whistles up the wazoo. It is possible that MF digital backs have a longer support life than the DSLR MF wannabees. ie: when it breaks it is still economically viable to repair rather than replace. This means that there will be a gradually growing supply of good used stock available as newer better backs come to market. If true this could help the MF Mfg.'s stay in business. Even if Hasselblad were to go out of business I suspect film will still be available for years to come. And because of their overall quality and the fact there are so many out there good Hasselblads will also continue to be available, though used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkv Posted March 13, 2005 Share Posted March 13, 2005 I just don't agree that those who want a meter want AF ! They are very different options, and are not used for the same reason. I know many photographers who beleive meters are usefull (including me), but who run away of any AF system.<br> The 200 series was thus perfect in that respect and I know reporters who used them in the field. Unfortunatly, they are discontinued. I will agree pricing was a problem, the 203 was just to expensive and I always sticked to my Mamiya C330 (with no meter) and Mamiya 7 (with the meter, telemetric)... I think at a reasonable price, I would have changed the whole for a 'blad.<br> Maybe one day someone will produce a 503 with an integrated meter. Please, not in the prism ! They are heavy and some, like me, prefer standard waist level finders !<br> Now, some may prefer the H1, a Rollei, Large Format, or even a Holga ! But you cannot say what others will prefer as all the systems and combinations can be good and usefull in some situations. And all photographers have their legitimate preferences...<br> Lenny<br> <a href="http://www.afimage.com">AFimage - Photographie</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brunom Posted March 13, 2005 Share Posted March 13, 2005 Lenny you're right, but in the end it's what sells that matters [ for the manufacturers]. Regards Bruno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_neuthaler Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 I just bought a mint, used 501 CM kit with extra back & other goodies for $1,650. Bad Deal/good/deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_henry1 Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 If you got a current A-12 back, and a current 80/2.8 lens also mint, sounds like you got a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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