My Hasselblad 503cx

[jaydesi]

<p>I know it's nothing special to most folks in this forum, but it's my first foray into serious MF cameras and I'm pretty excited about it. I have a couple folders and brownies, but they're not really the same. I got this from KEH.</p>

<p>The hardest part I have is figuring out accessories, like filters, etc, since it seems these vary from the standard sizes.</p><div></div>

[leighb]

<p>Hi Jay,</p>

<p>Congratulations! Nice camera.</p>

<p>Almost all of the modern lenses (CF and siblings) use bayonet-mount filters in the "Bay 60" size. These are unique to Hasselblad I think, although Zeiss lenses for other cameras may use the same.</p>

<p>KEH should have a good stock of them, and you'll find them on the 'bay.</p>

<p>The 40mm wide-angle lens uses a threaded 93mm filter.</p>

<p>The earlier C lenses used a slightly smaller "Bay 50" filter.</p>

<p>Good shooting. Hope you like the Hasselblad family as much as I do.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

<p>Good camera. Enjoy. </p>

[ken_tuvman]

<p>Congrats - I really enjoy toting my 501c around.<br>

My best buy was investing in a good light meter and than learning how to use it.<br>

Have received some great feedback, knowledge and tips from this great group.<br>

Have fun!</p>

 

[leicaglow]

Very nice. I wondered where that CX went that I was looking at<g>.

[ingemar_lampa1]

<p>I still get excited every time I take my trusty 500C for a walk. The latest roll is hanging up drying as of writing. Addictive like caffeine.</p>

[guy_e]

<p>Congrats! I got a 'blad kit a couple years ago, and it is a fantastic piece of engineering. I really admire the fact that it is purely mechanically driven, no need for a battery, so if you're out on a sunny day, you can just use the "sunny 16" rule, your trusty 'blad, and shoot away!</p>

<p>One thing I got for mine is a step down filter from Bay 60 - 58mm... that lets me use the same filters as some of my Canon lenses. I think they make other ones to step up as well, so if you have some filters already, it'll be easy to use them with an adapter.</p>

[henryp]

<p><a href="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/hasselblad/cameras/hasslemodel.htm">The Hasselblad Resource Page</a> might be useful for you.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

[jaydesi]

<p>Thanks, Henry!</p>

[sallymack]

<p>Jay, you're wrong: it's still special. --Sally</p>

[carl_sanders_photography]

<p>Just beautiful aren't they and with digital backs on their way down in price there is the option of of film and digital. Great purchase that will last a life time.</p>

[jaydesi]

<p>Aren't the sensors in the early digital backs smaller than a full frame sensor? I think I'll stick with film backs for this and use my DSLR for digital.</p>

[carl_sanders_photography]

<p>Even the later ones! Personal choice, we still use film and scan along with DSLR use when ever appropriate. We also use an Olympus Om1n and Om2n for the fun of it, the Epson V750 scanner gives excellent results with film, all the best,</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

Yes, sensors are not full frame. But what of it? It's an 'empty' observation.<br>Most DSLR-sensors aren't full frame either. And in any case, MF, not-full-frame, digital still delivers better quality than 35 mm based DSLRs can.<br>So if you want to shoot digital and have the means to make that MF digital, leave the 35 mm based DSRLs for people who value convenience more than quality. ;-)

[leighb]

<p>The sensor in the CFV-39 is 49.1mm wide, which is < 10% narrower than the image on film. Hardly of significance.</p>

<p>Given that there are 7,212 pixels in that 49mm, and 39 Megapixels in the image, I certainly don't think any DSLR is in the same category.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

[jaydesi]

<p>Leigh, I was referring specifically to the older digital backs...I don't have $14,000 to spend on a CFV-39, but I agree with you completely that any DSLR is not in the same category. I suspect even the oldest digital backs are out of my price range (Phase One Lightphase 6MP, $999, after a quick search on the auction site).</p>

<p>I bought this 503cx with the intention of shooting 120 film with a higher quality camera than the folders I already had. I already have a fair 35mm film system, and I have digital covered by my DSLR. So while it's nice to know that, should my finances permit, I could hook up a digital back, it wasn't an issue that I considered when purchasing.</p>

[leighb]

<p>Hi Jay,</p>

<p>I wasn't being critical. I just wanted to address the issue of the sensor being "undersize" relative to the film image.</p>

<p>I shoot both color and B&W. The CVF-39 does a wonderful job on color, but I still use film for my B&W work, which accounts for probablt 80% of my shots.</p>

<p>I've been shooting Hasselblad since 1970, long before digital backs were even a glimmer in some engineer's eye. ;-)</p>

<p>Good shooting. Hope you enjoy the system as much as I do.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>