Hasselblad 500cm

[patrick_connolly]

<p>Hi all,<br>

I have a Hasselblad 500CM with a 150mm f4 sonnar and 80mm f2.8 planar which I tend to use mostly for outdoor daylight use, but recently wanted to do some flash work - mostly portraits. I'm thinking of getting a Nikon speedlight - can anyone recommend a model which will work well with this set up?</p>

[Kent Shafer]

<p>Why a <em>Nikon</em> speedlight in particular? Pretty much any speedlight will work with your Hasselblad so long as it has some way to trigger it from the lens's PC connection. The current Nikon models are loaded with fabulously complicated automation that works like magic with matching Nikon cameras but would be useless for your application. And they're very expensive. A Vivitar 286HV, for example, would work fine for you and would cost only about US$100 compared to $500 or so for the top-of-the-line Nikon SB-900.</p>

<p>That said, some people prefer older pro model Nikon flashes (like the SB-25) over Vivitars and the like because of the Nikons' build quality. You might want to look at this <a href="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-start-here.html">Strobist page </a>on selecting flashes.</p>

<p>In any case, you'll probably need a flash meter.</p>

[patrick_connolly]

<p>Funny that you mention Stobist - it was his blog that inspired me to try working with a flash. I want to get a Nikon because I'm buying a Nikon d7000 as well, so want to stick to the same brand in the hope that it syncs nicely. I'm also interested in using it with the Hasselblad, but using digital to check the lighting before shooting in MF, just like a polaroid back. I have a Minolta flash meter, so have got that sorted already. Cheers for your response. </p>

[francisco_disilvestro]

<p>I would suggest the SB-900 or if you could find a good SB-800 used. The reason is that they will work nicely with your D7000 and are the only modern Nikon flashes that have the sync terminal and could work in Non-TTL auto mode.</p>

 

[Kent Shafer]

<p>I agree with Francisco, though though the SB-700 or discontinued SB-600 would also work fine with your D7000 and could be used with the Hasselblad if you add a hot shoe/PC adapter to the flash.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>My favorite flash of all those I've owned and still own, is the SB-11 potato masher. Very powerful and handy when mounted to a Hasselblad, especially without having to find a flash shoe converter for the Hasselblad. But if you like a non-potato masher design, I thoroughly love the Metz' (which I use on my Leica's).</p>

[andylynn]

I don't think I'd bother with trying to make one flash work with both. One's a square peg, the other's a round hole -

literally. Get one of the newer TTL flashes for Nikon (the 700 or a used 600 or that Metz one) and an older manual

control flash for the blad.

[josh_gilreath]

<p>I understand you dilemma. When I first started shooting Hasselblad at weddings and events I already had Nikon equipment (2x sb-800's) and I decided to figure out a way to make those work. I ordered a pistol grip for the blad and a custom pc to pc cable that was about 8 inches long. The flash mounts in the non-hot shoe on the handle and the short cord fits nicely between the lens and the flash. This setup works nicely and will provide you with some good exposures if you use the AA/A setting. However if you plan to be using this setup extensively I would steer away from the Nikon flash. I purchased a used Sunpak 622 potato masher and it puts out way more power and I know that I can adequately light almost any situation. The 622 also works flawlessly with my nikon digital and 35mm cameras. So all in all my recommendation would be the 622 as it's cheaper than the new Nikon flashes and is actually more versatile if you shoot primarily in AA (which I do). This flash is great for large groups too!</p>

[patrick_connolly]

<p>Thanks for the feedback. Josh - the Sunpak 622 is certainly a lot cheaper - I'm thinking I might try that out first. If I'm unhappy with the results I can try the Nikon Speedlight. In terms of ease of use how does it rate? Is it easier to work with the Speedlights or the Sunpak? How do you check your exposures (other than a meter)? Do you use a polaroid back or a digital camera to check?</p>

[josh_gilreath]

<p>Honestly I find that it's easier to use the 622 in A. When I'm shooting with film I don't find much need to check exposure. I set the flash to f8 or f5.6 depending on the situation, then I set the iso on the flash to my film speed, usually 400, then I plug the flash into the camera and set the aperture to match the flash and choose any shutter speed on the blad (the flash wil sync with all speeds of a leaf shutter), then I fire away! I will vary my shutter speed depending on how much ambient light I want to add to the flash, but other than that the flash does all the work in calculating how much light to put out. I find that with this setup I can easily shoot handheld down to 1/15th or 1/30th of a second to capture ambient light. <br>

I will occasionally check the flash sync with the camera by taking the film back off the blad and placing the flash directly in front of the lens. Look at the back of the camera and pop the shutter, if the flash is synced then you should be able to see the flash through the auxiliary curtain and lens on the back of the blad. If you use older hasselblad lenses as I sometimes do (sonnar 150 f4 chrome) then you will have a couple of flash settings on the lens X and M. X is for electronic flash and M is for flash bulbs. MAKE SURE IT IS AWAYS ON X! M will not sync with electric flash and will leave you with blank film. <br>

As for the digital camera, I find the 622 very easy to use. I use it in almost the same fashion as I do with the blad. Set the camera to M and play with shutter speeds to capture ambient light. <br>

I hope I have answered your questions please let me know if there is anything else you would like to know. I will include a shot where I combined natural light and flash all by setting the flash and letting it do its work! </p><div></div>

[mervyn_wilmington]

<p>Is there any reason why the Vivitar 283 'light machine' should not be used, or are there issues about trigger voltage with some of them? I have a large Metz but a smaller unit would sometimes be handy and I have a couple of 283s. That said I also have an SB800, but for someone watching the pennies, there are umpteen 283s around at modest cost. In the past I have used them very effectively with Nikons, especially when paired.</p>

[kparratt]

<p>I bought a used Metz 45 CT years ago. The method for indoor work, when lucky enough to have a suitably low ceiling of neutral colour, is pretty much as Josh Gilreath describes. And that's a superbly successful example you have shared with us Josh. The Metz is used on everything from the 500C to any of the 53mm SLRs as well as the Leica M. Even use it as a *multiple lamp* set up for static subjects. Turn out room light, open lens, and pop away with measured amounts. I'd like a second one though, with slave.</p>

[kparratt]

<p>... of course I meant "35mm SLRs" not 53mm .. typing in haste in a cold and dark room.</p>

 

[q.g._de_bakker]

I second Kevin's recommendation (i read it as such) for a Metz 45 CT. They are excellent, and excellent value. The last one i picked up, a 45 CT 1, i paid about (currency exchange rates keep changing) US$ 9 for. In perfect working order (a little bit less than perfect cosmetically - but who cares about that?).<br><br>But do check that the camera you connect such a flash to can handle the high voltages these old(er) units put across the camera's flash terminal (and whatever is connected to that inside the camera). No such worries when using one of those with a V-System Hasselblad. But perhaps enough to 'fry' a Nikon.<br>But seeing how little these 45 CT 1 units can be bought for, maybe getting one for your Hasselblad only (and an appropriate other flash unit for your Nikon only) would not be a bad idea. Another possible reason to do so: the 'hammerhead' style suits a Hasselblad well, but may not be what you want with your Nikon.

[patrick_connolly]

<p>Thanks to all. Plenty to think about. I'll check back here when I have had a chance to experiment.</p>

[rashed_s]

Hasselblad makes great flashes to work with your 500 C/M I just bought one used from ebay and it

comes complete with the cable which should connect with your camera via the flash terminal on

the lens:

 

ProFlash 4504 is the one I got and it is in great condition and around 200 USA dollars with the

shipment.

[q.g._de_bakker]

The ProFlash 4504 contains a SCA-module, connecting the flash unit's control circuitry to the sensors in some Hasselblad cameras. The 500 C/M isn't one of those, making the ProFlash 4504 a bit 'too much of a good thing' for a flash to be used with that camera.<br>The ProFlash 4045 can of course still be used with a 500 C/M, using the unit's auto-mode.<br><br>As the name indicates (or at last hints at), the ProFlash 4504 is in fact a Metz 45 CT 4, but with a built-in SCA-adapter. Besides that, no difference. Since you don't need the SCA-adapter (because you can't use it) with a 500 C/M, a 'regular' Metz 45 CT 4 would be a very much cheaper option.<br>(I hate to say this, Rashed, but a Metz 45 CT 4 with appropriate SCA-adapter would have been a lot cheaper than the ProFlash. The price these ProFlashes fetch are for a large part as high as they are because they have the name Hasselblad put on them, and are relatively rare thingies. For those only interested in usability, the Metz + SCA-adapter is the cheaper, but equally useful option.)