hassy 503cw shutter question

[jimmy_m.]

I have just purchased a new Hasselblad 503CW with the 80mm and the

180mm lenses, much to my pocketbook's dismay. I have read the

manual that comes with the camera, yet i am confused by one

thing. When i have the shutter speed and aperture set for the

proper exposure, i depress the shutter button but it seems as

though the camera is acting like it is in Bulb mode, leaving the

shutter open until i release the button. Is this normal? i know

the 503 takes leaf shutter lenses, which i'm not that familiar with

operation wise except that they allow you to use fast flash sync.

It seems like the auxilary shutter is being left open for as long as

i hold the button down. Am i doing this correctly? Any suggestions

would help. Thanks

Jimmy

[ellis_vener_photography]

yes. RTFM.<P> Hurt your wallet a little more and buy a Polaroid

back.

[mikael_larsson]

You are doing just fine with your camera, the auxilary shutter is designed to stay open as long as you hold the shutter button down.

 

Take a look at your lenses and you will notice a little light red marking over the slower shutter speeds from 1 second down to 1/4 of a second. This is to warn you not to release the shutter button before the lens shutter has closed. If you do, the auxilary shutter will close before the lens shutter has closed with an unexpected underexposure as result. The only time the lens shutter and the auxilary shutter closes at the same time is when you use the B setting.

 

A friend of mine claimed that if he released the shutter button real fast after firing the camera he could get the auxilary shutter to close before the lens shutter even at 1/15 of a second.

 

This is the way all Hasselblad 500 cameras are designed, like it or not. Personally I find it both old-fashioned and charming at the same time.

 

Best regards

[jimmy_m.]

thank you for the input. I'm a little new to medium format, let alone the hasselblad system.

[sergio_ortega6]

Jimmy,

 

It's amazing how many things happen almost simultaneously when you release the shutter on a Hasselblad. Maybe what you're experiencing is the following phenomenon:

 

When you depress the shutter button, the rear light curtains--two barndoor-like flaps at the rear of the body cavity and directly in front of the film plane--will remain open as long as you hold the shutter button down. Is this the auxiliary shutter you're writing about?

 

This is normal and it is specifically recommended that you hold the shutter button down when using slower shutter speeds (slower than 1/8 of a second, is it?) so that the rear light curtains do not flip back into place during these slower exposure times. Look at your lens barrel shutter speed settings...these slower shutter speeds should be underlined in red. When using one of these RED speeds you have to physically hold the shutter button in while your lens shutter opens and closes, only then can you release the shutter button allowing the light curtains to close.

 

I hope this makes sense. This is just one of the little idiosyncracies of the Hasselblad.

 

When using faster shutter speeds this is not needed because the light curtains will open and close slowly enough to allow for a proper film exposure with the faster speeds. I'm pretty sure your 503cw does not have this, but on my 503cx there is a little locking device on the shutter button so you can lock it down and not have to hold it down with your finger.

 

Good luck, Sergio.

[jimmy_m.]

Any other idiosyncracies i should know about with the 503cw? Thanks again!

[sergio_ortega6]

Jimmy, Follow up:

 

Not too many. You probably know most of them already. The Wildi Hasselblad book is the best manual, and it will fully answer any question and explain every aspect of your new camera/lenses.

 

I'm sure you've read about the infamous Hasselblad Jam. This one will stop you cold, but it's easily avoided and relatively easy to remedy when it does happen. And it will happen.

 

There's a special little tool you can get to fix it, or you can use a simple screwdriver and risk scratching the rear element of your lens. It's also not a very good idea to wind the crank quickly. Try to get in the habit of doing it smoothly and in one consistent motion.

 

And there's the interlock that will prevent you from firing the shutter if the dark slide is left in, or prevent you from removing the back if the dark slide is not replaced. But that's for your own good. On the other hand, be aware that if you replace the dark slide, or forget to remove it when you first attach the back to the body, the film back can and will come off rather easily. I've had one fall to the ground when lightly bumping the back release latch button while carrying the camera around.

 

And as for the light curtains (auxiliary shutter) and the slow shutter speeds...it's always best to use the camera on a tripod when using speeds much slower than about 1/60 or 1/125 (and faster with that wonderful 180). For these slow speeds always use the mirror lock up, it's the only way you will get the most out of your expensive lenses, especially that 180.

 

Good shooting, Sergio.

[gary voth]

This happens because of the all-mechanical nature of the Hasselblad 500 series: there is no feedback mechanism between the lens and body to close the auxilliary shutter when the leaf shutter has fired. So, you just have to remember to hold you finger down on the shutter release for the required time (though this is only really an issue for exposures longer than 1/8 second). Most of the ideosynchracies if the Hassy system are like this. It's "retro" in more than just styling!

 

However, you have purchased one of the finest tools available for creating fine photographs. Learn it and enjoy it.

[stephen_w.]

Good technique require a smooth shutter trigger; one should never stab at the button anyway...squeeze...hold...release.