j_m32

The glass lens Holgas are actually relatively sharp. If you don't like the sharpness then why not buy one with a plastic lens?

Don't buy the ones on eBay. They are often more expensive than the ones you order directly from Hasselblad.

 

It's quite easy to do. Here's a German website that has a tutorial with pictures: http://www.stefanheymann.de/501cm/magazindichtungen.htm

I think a mini-lab can't do much wrong apart from scratching the negs so I see no problem with it. Since you scan the negs anyways you don't need to worry about some minor color differences since you can correct those in pp.

The decision between 6x6 or 6x4,5 is really more about square vs. rectangular than about printing size. If you don't like the square composition and you're sure that you will be cropping most 6x6 photos then you might aswell use a 6x4,5 camera to get more frames per roll.

 

Personally, I prefer the square to the rectangular most of the time so 6x6 is the perfect format for me.

"What do you mean push? You know a lab that can push process C-41? "

 

I do. Don't you?

you don't HAVE to use B mode with the release cord. A cable release simply lets you press the shutter release without directly touching the camera. Think of it as an extension of your finger.

 

Just keep in mind that the length of mechanical cable releases is limited so you can't stand too far away from the camera.

Even if you don't have high ISO film just tell them you're pushing the film to 800 or up.

I've had my film x-rayed a couple of time and nothing happened but I wouldn't want to take the chance anymore.

 

Another advice would be to just put the film in your pockets since 120 film rolls are not made of metal. But of course this is no solution for you since you mentioned that you'll be travelling with a lot of film.

Thanks for finding out, Paul! I was expecting the film part but wasn't sure about her using a Hasselblad.

 

I'm pretty sure most of the shots (if not all) on her websites are on print film. Looks a lot like Portra but who knows.

If you'd like to try something other than Fuji I'd suggest the Kodak Portra line. I like the 400VC (vivid color) although the NC (natural color) is also very nice for portraits!

Paul,

 

I'm not so sure about the digital part. All of the photos in her portfolio look like film. Other seem to think so, too: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00HOig

 

Also, I'm pretty sure she uses a 6x6 camera since all of her photos are square. I highly doubt that a photographer would use a rectangular format and constantly crop all photos to a square.

 

She might be using digital for some commercial work that isn't in her portfolio but I'm sure all of those photos in there are shot on film.

 

Of course, these are all assumptions. I'm very interested to hear what she responds to your e-mail. Make sure to also ask her what film she uses. Although let's not fool ourselves. It's not the equipment that's important, it's the photographer.

Paul,

 

I don't know for sure but I assume she uses Hasselblad.

What exactly are you looking for? Info on 6x6 portrait and landscape shooting or photographer's websites?

 

If the latter is the case, I like www.amandamarsalis.com/

"f stopme , oct 19, 2006; 07:20 p.m.

Oh..one more thing... Spending more cash on cameras and lenses becomes a mute issue if you are going to scan it with inferior optics and lesser equipment...it sorta defeats the purpose. This is actually what swayed me. I spent so much cash gathering this Bavarian Super Glass...only to scan the negs on a flatbed??? It's like putting 30 dollar tires on a Porsche..."

 

I agree. It always comes down to the weakest link. What's the point in having super glass and an excellent scanner if you're going to print with an average consumer-grade printer and edit your images on a poorly profiled monitor. It takes several thousand dollars and a lot of time to get this all right. If you can't do it right then you're better off paying a pro lab to do it for you.

Go for one of the flatbeds and save a lot of bucks.

 

Will the results be good? Yes. Will they compare to those of a dedicated film scanner? Probably not. Personally, if I had 2000$ to spend I'd rather spend it on cameras and lenses than buying a dedicated MF scanner. It really depends on your budget, though. If you can easily afford it, then by all means, do it.

 

Of course, if you have a high-end printer, expensive color profiling hardware and software for your monitor and printer and you have your workflow down to a science then the scanner shouldn't be the weak link. If this is not the case then you're possibly better off using a flatbed for your home use. If you have a photo you're really proud of you can still have a pro lab scan it with a drum scanner and print it for the best results.

 

By the way, I use an Epson 4990 and am happy with the results. My only complains are that the filmholder for medium format that comes with it is not very good. I recently bough an aftermarket filmholder from betterscanning.com which is really good. I also may upgrade my scanner software to SilverFast Ai sometime in the future.

I assume the reason for the (more or less) sudden price drop in Hasselblad gear is that it used to be the camera that most professionals used. After every pro switched to digital the market was flooded with used Hasselblad gear which made the price go down.

There's not much danger of the same thing happening with Leica gear since it was never (or at least not for a long time) known as a tool pros use for paid work. But we'll see what the M8 will bring :).

 

Buying Hasselblad gear from a dealer may be more expensive but it's much safer. It's always best to factor in the cost of a CLA when buying used Hassy gear from a private seller.

There's a good tutorial for the 501CM (which is similar to the 503cx)at http://www.stefanheymann.de/501cm/index.htm but it's in German. Even if you don't speak German there's still some useful stuff on that site like e.g. a step-by-step tutorial with pictures for loading a A12 back.

I'm not sure but I think the Mamiya C330's focus quite close and are rather cheap these days. But of course, they're TLRs.

Alex,

 

I think you should at least try medium format to see if you like it. I can't agree with Edward on the quality issue. You can get very good quality from flatbed scanners.

I can't agree with Edward on the quality issue. I get a 150mb file from a scanned color 6x6 frame with my Epson 4990 and I'm more than happy with the prints and on screen quality. Would a dedicated scanner be better? Probably, but then again, a real drum scan would probably beat the result of the dedicated film scanner.

The thing is that you don't need the absolute best resolution possible for every single frame you shoot. If you want to do really big enlargements you can still get a lab scan for a specific photo and have them print it professionally.

 

Also, Taras is right when he says that with medium format you shoot less frames but get more keepers. A lot of it has to do with the groundglass view. If it looks bad on the groundglass there's not much sense in pressing the shutter.

 

Besides...if all you currently use is a dSLR autofocus body you might like to shoot with a fully mechanical camera every once in a while. It makes photographing much more fun (IMHO).

Alex,

 

if you plan on shooting medium format on a regular basis I think a flatbed is the best choice. I have an Epson 4990 and am very happy with the results. Of course, it would be much more convenient to have the lab scan them but after a while this can get quite expensive.

 

I don't fully agree with John on the digital workflow argument. A lot of (if not most) people that use film nowadays have a digital workflow. This is no reason for not using film. If you like the look of mf film, go for it. A perfectly exposed 6x6 slide is something beautiful to look at!

oops....I forgot those :)

I think Thomas is right. The ISO dial has to do with the TTL flash metering. Unless you're using a flash this shouldn't be important. Also, only the 503 (CX(i),CW) Hasselblads have flash TTL and therefore you won't find that dial on any other 500series body.

 

What's important is the ISO value that you set on your lightmeter. There I would agree that it's best to use the setting right before 200 for ISO160 film (and the one right after 100 for ISO125 film).

David,

 

Thank you very much! All it took was that half turn anti-clockwise.

I feel kinda embarassed but I have to admit that I didn't know that about the c mags. I, too, was wondering why both c12 mags were having the same "problem". Now all I have to do is run a roll of film through both to check if everything else functions properly.

 

If they do I might try to sell them and buy at least one A12 back (maybe even a A16 back). The two c12 backs I have are both chrome and therefore don't match the black 501CM I have.

 

Thank you again David and everyone else that has taken the time to offer me their advice. I appreciate it a lot!

Benny,

 

I'm a student so my time is not worth much ;-). My repair guy does backs for around 150$. For that price I can probably get a working A12 back on ebay. I live in Switzerland so unfortunatley I cannot send it to David Odess.

 

Even if the repair was cheaper I still wouldn't want to "waste" money on those really old backs.

 

I'll probably just have to leave them as they are and use them as paper weights :-)

I bought my Hasselblad equipment as a kit from the previous owner and it came

with four 12 exposure backs. Two A12 backs and two older backs (made in the

50s and 60s). Now the two newer ones work perfectly but the older ones seem

kinda stuck. When I attach them to the body the shutter just won't fire.

 

Is it a good idea to attempt to repair this myself? I don't want to (and will

not) have them serviced by a repair guy because the cost would be just as high

as a new (used) back. I also wouldn't be worried about breaking anything since

it's already broken.

 

My questions are these: Is it even possible to fix this with a basic set of

tools (small screwdrivers etc.) or would it be a waste of time? Also, where

does one get a repair manual for these backs?

 

Thanks

If you can afford it buy one of the newer style (B60) lenses. The parts for the older ones are no longer made so it can be hard to get them serviced.

 

As far as the body goes you really need to compare the different models and see which one is best for you. You may want to avoid the 500C and go for a 500CM or newer. Anyways, I'd do some research on the different models before placing a bid on ebay.

 

BTW, Hasselblad equipment needs a CLA every once in a while so you might factor that additional cost in when looking for a camera on ebay.