Guide to hasselblad models

[debejyo]

I use Yashica TLR and want to get into Hasselblad. I do not have any idea about

the models. The official website does not cover any film cameras. Since find

books hard to move around, does anyone happen to have any documents that gives a

details on the hasselblad system? I want to know all the technical details of

all the models. I may consider buying an old one. It would be great if anyone

has a pdf of hasselblad handbook or compendium. Thanks.

[john_gleason1]

Start here:

 

http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HS/HSTable.aspx

 

You can find manuals, detailed specs on lenses, etc. More than you wanted to know.

[ken_schuster]

John, that's a great resource I didn't know about.

 

Debejyo, the "official site" does have info and support for "V System" cameras. Try this: http://hasselblad.com/products/v-system.aspx

[derek_stanton2]

Hasselbladhistorical is a great site - i only recently 'discovered' it. [Thanks, QG.]

 

Here's another good resource:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?

Hasselblad500.html~mainFrame

[derek_stanton2]

Sorry - the frames may not load properly with that link. You can find the proper page at

 

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/

 

At the bottom of the page is a link to the Hasselblad 500 series, under the heading

"Professional Level Cameras"

[stever_max]

Websites to check out the following:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?Hasselblad500\

.html~mainFrame

to learn about Hasselblad 500 family

 

Hasselbladusa.com look for "Welcome to Planet V"

 

apug.org you need to sign up first, film only with world class

photographers contributing daily

 

http://www.clubhasselblad.com/forum new site

 

http://www.hasselbladinfo.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi analog and

digital contributers, very knowledgeable

 

http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/ to look up manuals [also

Hasselblad USA] and check age of Hasselblad camera bodies and parts,

and Zeiss lens by serial number

 

That should get you started.

 

Steve

[stever_max]

Factured link in the first line, use this =>

 

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?Hasselblad500\.html~mainFrame

[debejyo]

Thanks a lot guys. All the links were very useful. I wanted to know a few more things about which I am still confused.

1) Does the 503CW support digital back? I read that 503CWD was a limited production (only 500).

2) What about metering? I did not read about that.

3) What are the things I need to look for when I am buying a Hasselblad body, lens and compatible flash?

4) If there is metering available, what kind of polarizer can be used (circular or linear)?

5) Is there a flash that gives you an estimate of subject distance? I am very poor at these estimates and as a result do a horrible flash work (I generally shoot outdoors).

6) What is the best place (web) to buy a used Hasselblad? What are the things that can go wrong in a seconds Hasselblad? Why would anyone sell a camera this good?

 

All these may sound dumb, but as you see, I am new. I'm trying to learn about Hasselblad so that I understand what suits my needs.

 

Thank you all once again for your help.

[neilambrose]

<p>Some answers to your questions:</p>

<ol>

 

<li>Yes - 503 supports digital backs. Almost all vendor digital backs will fit, but the

Imacon ones are better supported by Hasselblad. The latest back (CFV) fits all 500 series

cameras, and also the 203FE with a small factory modification. The 503CWD is a special

edition, but contains only cosmetic differences. The actual body is identical to the 503CW

in functional terms.</li>

 

<li>Metering is done off-camera with a hand-held light meter, or you can use a prism

meter finder such as the PME-45. The PME is not coupled to the camera and its readings

have to be dialed into the camera, so it offers limited functional improvements over a

hand-held meter. It does reverse the image the correct way round, but this minor

enhancement adds significant extra weight.</li>

 

<li>Look for a magazine with matching serial numbers on the insert and the cover. Look

for lenses with smooth even focusing action and correct shutter speeds. Hasselblad lenses

last indefinitely as long as they've been treated well. In general don't buy lenses that have

significant cosmetic damage; damage on the outside can sometimes be an indicator of

damage on the inside. Reject lenses with scratched glass or signs of micro fungus. Bodies

are usually very robust and don't need special consideration, but check that the auxiliary

shutter works and the inside coating isn't flaking off.</li>

 

<li>Either circular or linerar polarisers work fine since metering is off-camera. </li>

 

<li>There are TTL flash options with the SCA module of Metz flash system, or the

Hasselblad Pro Flash-D. Neither offer much advantage over guide number control. Subject

distance can be read off the lens once you've focused it on your subject; you don't need a

flash unit to calculate it for you.</li>

 

<li>Not much goes wrong if you treat them well. People tend to sell them off to finance

DSLR's, but it's not reflection on the ability of the camera. Although it's fair to say that with

the advent of digital the quality gap has closed and people prefer the convenience of

smaller, lighter and more automated cameras.</li>

 

<li>To get the most from a Hasselblad (indeed, almost any MF system) you have to be

working from a tripod. If you don't like tripods then it might not be for you. Also,

Hasselblads offer a lot of idiosyncrasies that newcomers don't expect (no meter, waist

level finder, reversed image, roll film loading) so I'd suggest you try one before you buy.

</li>

 

 

</ol>

[stever_max]

Some more answers: Strobes sychronize at all shutters speeds up to 1/500 second. This is because the shutter is a leaf shutter.

 

A strobe illuminations is much shorter than the film exposure time.

 

When a leaf shutter starts to open light illumiates the complete focal plane and continues to illuminate the focal plane while the shutter is open. Therefore the shutter allows all the strobe light to strike the film up to the shortest shutter speed [1/500 second for any V series (500 series)].

 

A focal plane shutter opens from one side and then closes closes starting from the same side. The only way to get even illumination is when the complete focal plane is exposed, thus requiring synchronization times of 1/60 or 1/90 second.

 

The advantage of the leaf shutter allows the same f/stop [Guide Number/Distance] for any shutter speed for proper exposure when using a strobe. Any automatic strobe will work when the f/stop is properly set. [someone here who can articulate this more clearly, please jump in]

 

I hope this clears up you question about strobes.

 

Steve

[q.g._de_bakker]

<i>"When a leaf shutter starts to open light illumiates the complete focal plane and continues to illuminate the focal plane while the shutter is open. Therefore the shutter allows all the strobe light to strike the film up to the shortest shutter speed [1/500 second for any V series (500 series)]."</i><br><br>The flash is fired the moment the shutter is fully open.<br>In this respect, there is no difference between using flash with either central/leaf shutters* or focal plane shutters.<br>The difference is that focal plane shutters are only fully open at rather slow speeds, while central shutters open fully at all speeds.<br><br>* If the flash was to be fired the moment the central shutter starts opening, the not yet fully open shutter will act as a variable diaphragm. Together with the diaphragm, this 'effect' would lead to unpredictable results. No good at all.<br>So the flash is fired when the shutter is fully open.<br><br>The shutter has to remain open for the entire duration of the flash too, else the 'variable diaphragm' phenomenon spoils things again.<br>So the flash is not only fired no sooner than he moment the shutter is fully open, it has to 'complete' its 'burn' before the shutter starts closing again! Again, no difference between using focal plane or central shutters.<br>But since only high power studio units have burn times that are longer than 1/500, you can indeed use all shutterspeeds of a central shutter, most of the time (!).

[stever_max]

QG,

 

Would you like to explain to Debejyo:

 

1) How to use any automatic strobe with the Hasselblad. I think you can make it clearer that I can.

 

2) Having done #1, expand that to fill in flash

 

Those two explained would help him overcome his "flash" problems.

 

Steve

[q.g._de_bakker]

I think Neil gave the answer (point 5) Debejyo was looking for: you can read the distance on the lens, after focussing, of course.<br>Automatic flash units have a distance-aperture scale: you simply select an aperture that matches with a distances shorter than, or as long as (maximum) the distance on the lens.<br>Set the same aperture on the lens, and that's it.<br><br>Fill in flash is not much harder: you simply set a larger aperture on the flash than on the lens (the aperture and shutterspeed to set on the lens is determined by the amount of ambient light, of course).<br>How much larger determines by how much the flash will be 'underexposed'.

[q.g._de_bakker]

That should be an aperture that matches a distance on the scale larger than, or at least (minimum) the distance on the lens.<br>I should get more sleep... Sorry!<br>

[saintelmo21]

Try butkus.org for a Hasselblad manual in .pdf format...please donate $3 via paypal to Mike Butkus for all of his hard work.

 

elmo

[q.g._de_bakker]

Or get a manual <a href="http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HW/HWVSys.aspx" target="_blank">here</a> ("Flash units" near the bottom of the page) and pay absolutely nothing at all.