d._diehl

<p>I've done minor repairs on my Hasselblads, light trap changes, 500 cm disassembly, etc. If you have experience with watch repair, it sounds like you may be able to do quite a few fixes to your camera. Everyone is scared to death to even tinker with a Hassy, but in reality it is not that complicated a mechanism.<br>

I spoke to Nicole at Hasselblad USA (New Jersey), she said they have LOADS of parts, all the way back to the 500 C camera- that's old. She said they repair old cameras there all the time since they still manufacture many parts for these. She is VERY helpful as well, so maybe give her a call and inquire. You can usually just buy the parts you need over the phone.<br>

Good luck!</p>

<p>The Hasselblad catalog states the lens takes the Bay 26 size filter. That will be difficult to find. I'm not sure why you'd need a neutral glass filter to shoot with the lens. As far as finding other colors, you might contact a filter company like B&W and request them, but I'm sure it would be pricey.</p>

<p>I have used a PM5 fnder for many years. It's a great, well made item. Now my eyesight is getting a bit worse, and I too looked into a PM45 with the built in diopter. I didn't really care much for the 3x magnification, I prefer the 2.5x of the PM5. The diopter worked fine on the PM45, but I think I want to just buy the proper diopter lens and place it in the eyepiece of my PM5. They are sold on eBay and look like a good solution. The PM45 is not a cheap finder, around $500 or so. PM5 and other types usually run around $100-200 used. Hasselblad also makes a screw on magnifier that goes over the eyepiece, for critcal focusing, and swings out of the way to check the whole image.</p>

<p>I have both, and would suggest the 501. It has the new coating inside the mirror box (cuts down on flare), and you have the bigger mirror so no cutting off with longer lenses. KEH has very accurate ratings as well. You wont regret it.</p>

Now that you mentioned that you're using a step down filter, that is probably the problem. It should be more

symmetrical at the corners, but take some photos without it and see if it's better. Also you should be able to

see the vignetting through the lens if you use the depth of field preview (set it at minimum aperture, f32?) and

look closely at the corners. You shouldn't have to shoot film to see what's causing it.

I have a 50mm CFE lens. The only time I've ever gotten that type of vignetting is when I shot with a filter that was too thick, and at an aperture of f22- or f32 I got a similar result. When the filter was removed it was fine. If you are using the appropriate lens hood, the 38-50, it should not cause that problem. I don't see how the issue could be caused by lighting. The example you posted doesn't look like very bright sun. Bright sun causes flare, not vignetting.

 

The problem can be solved, you just have to narrow down what may be causing it. How are these images printed, with an enlarger, or scanned? Are you POSITIVE the hood you are using was designed for that exact lens? Are any filters being used? When you don't use the hood is there still vignetting? have you shot indoors with the hood and had the same result?

Can you post some pics, I'd like to see the results!

Hasselblad parts dept., New Jersey. They sell these kits, and are very nice and friendly. I don't know why anyone

would buy after market versions on eBay for more money that the original parts direct from Hasselblad? Very odd

to me. I just bought a new dark slide from Hasselblad for less than used ones on eBay...

 

Hasselblad USA Inc

10 Madison Rd

Fairfield, NJ 07004

(973) 227-1063

150 f4 CF- $550

80 CFE- $425

A12 back- $250

Not sure on the rest of it.

I've been using the 50 CF FLE for years, and love it. Very sharp, very versatile. The 40 is heavy, and the filters are going to cost you a bundle. The SWC is excpetional, but it's a completely separate body to drag around if you're hiking, etc. Hasselblad makes great lenses, none are sub par. My 50 feels like a 28mm on 35mm format. For what it's worth I used the 50 for at least 60% of all my landscapes!

 

Take a look- www.daviddiehlphoto.com<div></div>

I ordered a LS PJ form Gary Fong, it works just ok when shooting wide open, but other than

that the built in white card on my SB800 works just as well. He coes out with a new

attachment / color correction device / chrome dome thing every few months to keep people

buying his stuff over and over. I regret spending the $40+ I did on the LS. For $80-100 for

the Whale thing you'd have to be crazy.

 

I'm surprised he hasn't started the late night infomercials!

I've been using a 50 CF FLE for about 5 years, and it's an amazing piece of glass- really

beautiful images, super sharp. I've never once used the FLE ring on the front, as I shoot

landscapes, I hear the CF version is very good as well. If you can find a FLE for around $1200

that sounds reasonable (I paid much more in 2000)<div></div>

B&W printing is not that difficult; yes I know that sounds trite, but the more you shoot and

print the easier it becomes to successfully create an image you like. I only use two filters;

Red and a Neutral Density. Red for darkening skies, ND for longer exposures.

 

35mm is ok, MF is better, large format is great. Find a format, really get to know your

equipment, and shoot as much as possible.

 

Learn and understand the Zone System, or any other that system helps you understand

how to adjust and control film tonality. It's not that hard.

 

The final stage, printing, is where you can really go wild as far as creativity is concerned.

Do NOT feel you have to make a literal interpretation of what you saw when the shutter

was pressed. Go look at Ansel's "Moonrise" and find the "before" straight print of it. The

final print he made was a huge leap from what was recorded on film. There are no rules,

what looks good on the final print is what matters.

 

Study the works of people you admire- go to galleries and museums. There is an

abundance of work out there.

 

If you make mistakes identify them and understand what you did wrong. Correct them,

and move forward. Next thing you know your work will start to look better and you will be

inspired to keep creating!<div></div>

What is also being overlooked here is the fact that you are NOT cleaning glass on the mirror,

you are cleaning the silvering material the creates the mirror effect.

 

Most mirrors that people use at home etc. are glass on top backed by the silver. The

Hasselblad and other cameras have what is called a "first surface" mirror, which is the exact

opposite. They are way more sensitive to damage than a common glass surface.

I find it hard to believe that Hasselblad trains their factory technicians to clean mirrors with

Windex. Just my thought.

I know it's not what you wanted, but your image has a nice dark moody feeling to it! If you want it like the sample image you linked to, look at the sky for example - the sample has dramatic interesting clouds and sky, that responds well to red filters: the sky you shot is flat grey with no visual interest.

 

Get your exposure down, double check everything, learn the basics. Look at great photos and you will understand what draws a person into a photo.

I shoot B&W only, so I went for the regular 250 and it performs great. I would do as Anthony

suggests; rent them, shoot side by side a few shots on transparency film, them evaluate

under magnification and see if YOU can actually see the difference. Many people here quote

MTF charts, etc. about sharpness and color, but the proof is in what you see. Evaluate it

yourself and then you will know.

I have a 50 FLE I picked up years ago mainly for landscape use- I LOVE it and use it for about

70% of all my shots. It's a great lens, super sharp. The 40 is a larger, heavier lens, but has

good performance as well. The nice thing also about a 50 is that it can share the same filters

as the 60,80,100,120,150,180,250 - all bay 60 size. The 40 takes a much larger (more

expensive) filter.

From www.engadget.com:

 

"It looks like another venerable Japanese camera company is about to exit the business,

just weeks after Konica Minolta produced its last camera. According to reports out of

Japan (which we've confirmed with our Japanese bureau), Mamiya, best known for its high-

end pro equipment, will be selling off its film and digital camera business to focus on

other sectors. The company apparently has had "stagnant sales" of its digital models,

including its 22-megapixel, $12,000, Mamiya ZD, which was released in Japan in

December and in Europe just last month. The buyer is apparently Cosmos Scientific, a

Japanese company better known for its IT business than for any expertise in digital

imaging. As of now, it looks like the deal is set to close on September 1. We'll keep you

posted as we get further details...."

 

I fear that Hasselblad & Leica are not far from this state of affairs. BUT I do believe as

others do, that film will be around for another decade or so at least.

I just finished re-assembling my 500 CM (20 years old) after fixing a few problems, and

doing some adjustments. These are NOT complex machines, if fact they are rather simple

sring and gear devices. I used clock oil on some gears, and it works great. I would say the

technology in the V series cameras is no more complicated than a 10 speed bike, seriously.

Daniel,

 

Doing this repair yourself is VERY VERY easy, and every owner should really know how to

do this- It does take 3-4 minutes, and a $8.00 seal from Hass. Othewise you're looking at

an $75.00 or so charge through a repairman for the same. If you've ever fixed your toilet,

installed a dimmer switch, etc, then you're ready!

 

E-mail me if you need help-

 

Dave<div></div>

Lately I've had the need to have my A12 back and a 500 CM body repaired. They've been

repaired before by Hass. USA and independant repairman who charge in the $300+

neighborhood for CLA. I'm considering picking up a repair manual for both, and giving it

a go, as I've repaired other mechanical cameras without much of a problem. I love these

cameras and want them to keep working for another 20 years even if there is nobody left

to repair them!

 

My question is: has anyone else gone this route, and if so what where the results? Anyone

have a recommendation to a good supplier on-line? There are a few manuals on the Net,

and just some on Ebay. Do they offer a good guide to repair the cameras? No, I will not be

messing with any of the lenses, just the bodies and backs.

 

Thank you.

Thanks for the info. Tom. I got the second way of creating a vignette to work, and will try the

CS2 version tomorrow when I'm on that application- mine here is just CS.

 

Thanks!

I've searched the archives and didn't see this anywhere.

 

I shoot a fair amount of weddings and portraits, and was looking for a Photoshop action

that would automatically create a vignette. This would need to be universal action as far as

opacity and size is (I suppose using a percentage of vignetting would be best, so if it's an

large or small file the relative amount would be the same- hope that makes sense).

 

I'd like to automate wedding & portrait photos to give a slight black vignette around the

border of the images to hold the viewer's eye in. Ideally I'd like it to be sort of random, and

not exactly straight in it's appearance.

 

I like building actions, so I'd like to actually lean this rather than just download someone

else's. I've looked in 4 PS books and on the Net, and can't find a good source of how to do

this.

 

Below is a sample, using Ms. Jolie, to illustrate what I'd like to acheive. It is a little extreme,

but you get the idea.

 

Thanks for any input!<div></div>

"expensive piece of kit" ?

 

All I see these days on Ebay and other sites are mint condition Hassy's being sold for huge

discounts from new prices. I just saw a 150 CF lens for $695, 50mm CFE $990, 500 CM

bodies for $300. That is not expensive, thats a huge savings from the old prices. As long as

film is around they are an excellent investment. Skip the 500C, and maybe the 500 CM- there

are a lot of 501 and 501 CM's around.