Problem with my new Hasselblad 500c/m, please help!

[caroline_nilsson]

<p>Hi.<br>

I bought a Hasselblad 500c/m with a Planar 80 f2.8 CT* lens and a A12 back, and I have just developed my first roll of film. The problem:<br>

On every picture on the negative the upper "line" is smeared and distorted. <br>

What could be causing this? Is it the back or lens or something else?</p>

<p>Here are some examples:<br>

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n518/bnoj/DSC_0302.jpg<br>

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n518/bnoj/DSC_0298.jpg<br>

http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n518/bnoj/DSC_0294.jpg</p>

<p>Please help!<br>

Thanks,<br>

/Caroline</p>

 

[john_layton]

<p>The semi-circular key that you twist in order to remove the back's film-insert also causes a metal "shelf" to move in and out - so that this shelf either contacts an edge of the insert's pressure-plate (and depresses it slightly) or rests slightly above the pressure plate - with a little bit of space between it and the pressure plate. This is very important to know! As you remove the insert from the back, the metal shelf will be in its "lowered" position. You should then twist the insert-removal key again so that the shelf raises up over the pressure plate, and then make sure that the edge of the film gets fed underneath this shelf as you wind it forward before you re-insert the insert. Finally, as you twist the key yet again, the shelf lowers and squeezes the pressure plate - with the film trapped underneath...which is a good thing - because once the insert is in place in the back shell and you give the key a final twist to lock it in place...the little shelf raises once again - and the film is right where it should be, resting evenly across the pressure plate. </p>

<p>It is quite common (I think...well, at least in my case years ago!) for first time Hassy owners to simply feed the film over the top of the shelf in the insert prior to placing the insert into the back shell. This will cause that edge of the film to be pushed upward away from the pressure plate...and thus that edge will look just as yours does..."smeared and distorted" (out of focus).</p>

<p>(jeeze....sorry about my wordiness...I hope its not too confusing....I need my morning coffee!)</p>

[sallymack]

Hi, Caroline, congratulations! I love the Hasselblad I purchased a few years ago but, as you're finding out, there is a bit of a learning curve. For loading film, there are several Youtube videos if you search for "how to load a hasselblad 120 film."

 

Every time I think I've made every mistake possible with my Hasselblad, I'm humbled to discover a new one. The folks on this forum are knowledgeable and helpful, don't hesitate to ask. --Sally

[sfcole]

<p>Hi,<br>

I'm going to offer a contrary view: that there might be a light leak in the back or between the back and body. When I first got my 500c/m, I didn't realize that I had to load with the film running under the clip as John explained. However, I didn't get what you have. Mine would either work fine, or muck up the whole roll (which is why I didn't get it at first). I would get incorrect spacing of the whole thing just binding up.<br>

Scott</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

A light leak would have an opposite result: more density instead of less. This looks like shading. Could be that the auxillary shutter doors don't open fully.<br>But that would still not explain the corner off the frame 'bending out' towards the edge. Loading the film over the retaining clip (as John explained), instead of under, would.<br>Could be more than just one thing though. Perhaps shutter doors not opening fully (they should lie flat against the mirror and the mirror box floor), <i>and</i> loading film over the clip?<br><br>But try loading a fresh film first.

[dan_n1]

<p>I would think that the film was loaded over the metal clip.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>I think de Bakker has the right idea - the flaps are not opening completely, or are slow to open. This is common in used cameras, since the grease tends to harden and the hairpin springs which open the doors are not very strong. The camera allows a certain amount of time for the flaps (auxillary shutter) to get out of the way before the shutter opens. The action should have no visible delay. It's easy enough to check by firing the shutter with the back off.</p>

<p>The flaps should close quickly too, in the right order, so that the edges overlap and are even with each other.</p>

<p>Failure to load the film UNDER the clamp is a common mistake, but won't cause the exposure to fade at top and bottom edges of the frame. Moreover, this mistake puts a LOT of extra tension on the film, causing the frame spacing to decrease or overlap.</p>

<p>If you ascertain that you are loading the camera correctly, send it off for a CLA (clean, lubricate and adjust) treatment. It's money well spent for peace of mind too.</p>

[len_robertson]

<p>I recall there is a Hasselbad quirk where you must keep the shutter button pressed in when using slow shutter speeds long enough for the front shutter to close before letting up on the button. If you do a quick stab and release of the button, the barndoors may start closing before the front shutter has closed. I mention this because it looks like your indoor shots show the problem more than the bicycle shot taken outdoors at I assume a much faster shutter speed. I don't remember at what low shutter speed this problem may start to appear. It is something for you to experiment with by firing the body and lens with the back removed. However, it very well may be you need a clean and lube on the body also.</p>

<p>Len</p>

[al_bowers]

<p>Caroline,</p>

<p>This is pretty clearly not a problem with the clip, or it would appear on the side, not on the top or the bottom. As this is a negative and it appears at the top edge, this means it is the bottom roller. Notice at the other edge (the bottom edge in the images you posted) you can plainly see the small roller which defines the edge of the usable image area. At the top edge in your posted images, the image gets wider. This implies to me that the roller has been moved AWAY from the lens (the lens is covering MORE than the gate should allow). It seems to me that the small roller is missing, allowing light to reach the large diameter roller in the magazine.</p>

<p>My suggestion: I assume you have developed your own film. Take the paper backing and put it onto a spool, and "load" the magazine as normal (including putting the backing paper under the clip when you load the insert). Wind the magazine to frame number 1, as normal. Now, with your magazine removed from the body, pull the dark slide (if you do this with a roll of film, you WILL ruin the film, hence my suggestion to use the backing paper if you can). Now look into the film gate. You should see the backing paper. In a properly adjusted and correctly loaded magazine, the insert and the magazine should be holding the film (backing paper in this case) perfectly FLAT across the entire film gate area (the area that is exposed). My suspicion is that one edge (I believe it is the BOTTOM of the film gate in the magazine) the film will appear to be pulled AWAY from the film gate into the magazine. A part is missing (I suspect a roller) or is misadjusted.</p>

<p>Let us know what you find...</p>

<p>Al Bowers</p>

[al_bowers]

<p>Sure looks like a roller or gate problem to me. The image is also taller than a 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 (or 6x6) square...<br>

- Al</p>

[al_bowers]

<p>Sure looks like a roller or gate problem to me. The image is also taller than a 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 (or 6x6) square...<br>

- Al</p>

[johncox]

<p>Are you sure its an A12 back? if you shoot 120 in an A24 back this could happen due to extra pressure on the back.</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

The pressure late in A12 and A24 backs is the same. There is no difference in pressure, because there is no need for a difference in pressure.<br>So that's not it.<br><br>The image geometry will be caused by the film not lying flat. The image being taller and wider does not necessarily mean the the gate has changed shape. Just that there was more film exposed than should have been, and that could well be, not because the gate has changed shape, but because there was more of it in the gate that there was supposed to be.<br><br>The film not lying flat could be because it bends over the clip it is supposed to go under.<br>It could indeed also be because there's something up with a roller. The fuzzy upper edge would suggest the roller in the film gate would be missing, or 'not quite right', more - i would say - than that the bigger roller is not where it should be. Possible, but i don't think it will be that.<br><br>The left upper edge shows much of how the corner is supposed to look (be it a bit wider), the upper right corner however has disappeared in a fuzz. Which could be consistent with a film loaded over the retaining clip: an upward buckle, caused by being forced over the clip (i.e. showing on the upper edge, after the film has passed over the clip), worse on the side of the clip.<br><br>Could also be a combination of thingies.<br><br>Caroline, please report back!

[caroline_nilsson]

<p>I did load the film under the clip the first time, but I decided to load it with a second roll of film just to see if I might have done something wrong. Looked at some videos on YouTube making sure I did it properly.</p>

<p>After developing the roll the problem was still there, with spacing problems too.</p>

<p>Then I read what Al Bowers said about the rollers, and you were right! The roller is not missing but is very much misadjusted. I also noticed that the serial number on the insert is missing so maybe the insert isn't matching the magazine, and that might be the problem?</p>

<p>Thank you all so much for helping out! I really appreciate it!<br>

/Caroline</p>