PDA

View Full Version : Hass 500CM


Jakecb
2nd September 2014, 01:57 AM
I want to venture further into 6x6 after my initial experiment with Yashika. I narrowed it down to Rollei or Hass (I am aware of the Mamiya majority). I'm thinking of buying this:

http://www.ffordes.com/product/14081813491031

any comments before I do so?

Thanks

big paul
2nd September 2014, 06:23 AM
hi at the moment I have a 553elx a 250mm cf a 150mm cf and a 50mm cf lens two backs two eye level finders one of them is metered and a waist level finder ,the 553 is the one with the motor on the bottom ,but its still easy to handle the camera is bright and sharp and the lenses are bright and sharp ,you would expect the best out of Hasselblad and that is what you get ,the cream of all cameras ,there are a few things you need to know when operating them but other than that they are easy to use ,and fun to use and own ,take the advice I was given on this website and that is get a neck strap ,so when buying from ffordes ask for a neck strap to be frown in ,you will need one for sure good luck with your new purchase and let us know how you get on .................


www.essexcockney.com

MartyNL
2nd September 2014, 06:28 AM
I know there are differences between the 500 and 501 models especially with the use of longer lenses, the 500 cuts part of the image off in the viewfinder. And perhaps if you are working a lot with (studio) flash. But if you can live with the differences then all well and dandy.

Another thing is perhaps to check if the film insert and film back match.

Hopefully others with greater experience will chip in what are you predominately wanting to shoot with it?

Mark Snowdon
2nd September 2014, 07:05 AM
The lens is the CB which is a 6 element lens originally packaged with some of the 501CM camera bodies in the late 1990's. The body and back are a lot older than the lens, possibly 1970's but that is just a guess, the back is certainly one of the old types. The lens most commonly found with the 500cm is a 7 element 80mm, the CF, which is supposed to give better quality than the CB although they are still both great lenses.

Mark

big paul
2nd September 2014, 07:12 AM
you must remember that rollies Hasselblad's rb67 Pentax 67 Leica are all made for and used by professionals and if they weren't the best pros would not use then ....I don't know about the mirror ,but I would think it wont affect you, as for the backs I have two ,one matches and one don't and they both work perfectly well ,I love 35mm and will keep most of my cameras but I think 120 is the way to go ,I can go out all day and shoot one roll of 35mm film and I can do the same with 120 ,one roll all day ,the less exposures you have got the more choose you get ....



www.essexcockney.com

skellum
2nd September 2014, 07:22 AM
Don't have one, but whilst in Ffordes a while back (was toying with trading the C330s for an RB67) handled a 500cm.
The advance and shutter were all sillky smooth,an the camera was really beautifully finished. However, the chatty salesperson got on to some of the quirks of the Hassy. There was some issue with frame spacing going adrift, and the possibility of locking a shutter if you didn't connect the back and body properly. He seemed to think regular servicing was a good thing.
True or not? Anyway, I stuck with the bullet proof Mamiya.
Hopefully any Hassy users here can advise on any foibles to look out for.

Mark Snowdon
2nd September 2014, 07:56 AM
Hasselblads will jam up if the body and lens go out of synchronisation. If you look on the internet there will be lots on this with advice on how to fix the problem yourself if it happens to you. I have recently sent off a 501cm to Newton Ellis as it had jammed up completely. The problem according to Ian at NE is a seized governor in the body. Looks like it is going to cost me £200 incl postage costs to get it sorted! However, don't let this put you off as they are generally very reliable and jamming tends to be down to user error, trying to fit a cocked lens to an uncocked body for example.

dsallen
2nd September 2014, 08:06 AM
I want to venture further into 6x6 after my initial experiment with Yashika. I narrowed it down to Rollei or Hass (I am aware of the Mamiya majority). I'm thinking of buying this:

http://www.ffordes.com/product/14081813491031

any comments before I do so?

Thanks

When I worked commercially, my core kit was Hasselblad. The reason for this was NOT that they were the best available cameras but rather that you could use multiple backs (either for different films or to quickly change during a busy shoot in opposition to reloading a back) and could rent lenses and accessories anywhere in the world very easily. Do you need these benefits? - are the lenses still easy to rent?

Your principal question to yourself is do I need these ‘advantages’? What do I mean? - well the big advantage of a Hasselblad is that it is a system camera meaning that you can choose between different lenses, different backs and different viewfinders to match mostly any type of photography that you want to do. If this is not a key requirement for you, then a Hasselblad is not the best way forward.

In addition, you need to note that:

you need to lock up the mirror for all exposures longer than 1/60 - does that suit what you want to photograph?
because of it being a single lens reflex, the design of the lenses is very complicated in comparison to Twin Lens Reflexes and Rangefinders. This means that only the very very best lenses come close to the quality of simpler lenses on Twin Lens Reflexes and Rangefinders.
the ergonomics of a Hasselblad are designed so that you hold the camera in your left hand, fire the shutter with your left index finger and focus with your right hand. Does this suit how you like to work?


Naturally, a Rollei TLR is limited to a single lens and the Mamiya 6 has only a few lenses to choose from. However, both have superior lenses in comparison to a Hasselblad, both do not ‘loose’ the image when you take a picture and both can be used at slower speeds (with practice) without camera shake.

I think that your choice needs to be based on what you want to photograph, how you like to work and then select the appropriate camera. Hasselblads are great cameras if they suit your needs but there are very many other options that may suit you much better.

David.
www.dsallen.de

dsallen
2nd September 2014, 08:08 AM
Hasselblads will jam up if the body and lens go out of synchronisation. If you look on the internet there will be lots on this with advice on how to fix the problem yourself if it happens to you. I have recently sent off a 501cm to Newton Ellis as it had jammed up completely. The problem according to Ian at NE is a seized governor in the body. Looks like it is going to cost me £200 incl postage costs to get it sorted! However, don't let this put you off as they are generally very reliable and jamming tends to be down to user error, trying to fit a cocked lens to an uncocked body for example.

Jamming is almost always down to user error. In over 25 years of using Hasselblads, I never had a jam.

Bests,

David.
www.dsallen.de

big paul
2nd September 2014, 08:26 AM
always make sure that the lens and the body are cocked if you do manage to put an uncocked lens on to a cocked body its not the hardest thing to put right all you need is a long screwdriver and a bit of confidence look on the internet on how to unjam a Hasselblad ,the other thing you need to do is when loading the film there is a little chrome tab that the film must go under, look no the web on how to load film .just remember that these cameras are not electronic auto everything ,and there is a proses that you have to go through with them .but I love my hassie and I might buy another body .things do go wrong from time to time with any cameras and with ffordes you get a 6 months grantee .
I use mine to take portraits and I take mine out with the 50mm lens on for just general photography landscape, street photography ,the 553ELX is a bit heavy for walking about with ,that's why I want a non motor hassie .at the end of the day a camera is a camera and what ever makes you happy to use ,use it

big paul
2nd September 2014, 12:05 PM
I have just bought a Hasselblad 503CW body for my birthday ,hopefully it should be here in a couple of days time ,its got to be a lot lighter than my 553ELX ,as far as I can work out its the same as my 553 but without the motor drive on the bottom its got TTL and its got the big mirror ,and it should be as bright and easy to focus as my 553,so I will have one for going out and one for indoors ,and before anybody asks I don't need them I just want them ,and all these years of film photography and its only now that I can afford them and enjoy them.....



www.essexcockney.com

CarlH
2nd September 2014, 02:34 PM
If you get one, a neck strap is a must have. just for the piece of mind.
£700 is a lot of money to be dropping on the floor!

davidgc
2nd September 2014, 03:40 PM
I bought a 500cm earlier in the year and it was my first medium format camera. I paid £380 on ebay without the 50mm lens, which was a conscious decision, as I only plan to use a 50mm and 150mm. I was surprised at the condition of the camera; it was certainly in very good to mint condition.
I corresponded with Ffordes on several occasions and found them to be very helpful.
I was hoping to get a 501cm and most people would recommend that you get one of them purely on the grounds that they are younger. But a good condition 500 which has been looked after and not hammered by a professional should still outlive many of us.
The viewfinder is supposed to vignette with the longer telephoto lenses, but it has not been that noticeable to me.
I really enjoy using it. I have bought a few extra backs allowing me the option of using slow, fast and colour film - it almost has the flexibility of a digital camera !
The body and two lenses are weighty (but probably not as much as the loads carried by many of the forums large format users !!!).
If the camera comes with a warranty the price looks reasonable.
David

davidgc
2nd September 2014, 04:47 PM
,and before anybody asks I don't need them I just want them ,and all these years of film photography and its only now that I can afford them and enjoy them.....

www.essexcockney.com

I couldn't agree more.
David

CarlH
2nd September 2014, 10:02 PM
When you get your Hasselblad download a instruction manual for it.
I got mine from www.butkus.org good quality scans in pdf format.

Jakecb
5th September 2014, 11:35 PM
Thanks very much for all your comments and suggestions. I shall certainly get a strap and manual of course. Regarding what I want it for, I am still at the stage of wanting to photograph everything! (not really everything but you get what I mean) so it is attractive to me because I know I can get a Hass lens for just about anything and can swap backs as I go if needs be. Does anyone know how easy it is to get these cameras serviced/repaired when the time comes? Is it more expensive than other cameras in the bracket?

big paul
6th September 2014, 11:42 AM
Jakecb have you got your hassi camera yet ,,I bought a 503cw from ffordes ,it has some pitting and cracking on some of the chrome but the foam looks good and the mirror is clean and not to much wear on the body ,so for £ 500.oo pounds it seems ok there is 6 months guarantee ,so if it did go wrong in that time it goes back .as for repairs in general I would think that it would not be that expensive they are a basic camera after all .I don't know what the other models are like but the 503cw and the 553elx both have the bigger mirror and looking through them even in dim light they are really sharp and bright and very easy to focus ..I will stick to these two ,I would love a h series but the lenses just seem so expensive ,and I would guess that repair prices are high ...

www.essexcockney.com

Jakecb
6th September 2014, 12:47 PM
Hi Paul. No I haven't got it yet. I have emailed them to see if they will do something on the price if I add a shoulder strap, prism and pistol grip. It is hard to be patient! I watched a load of youtube stuff about the camera last night which was useful. They have been your "main" cameras for some years?

davidgc
7th September 2014, 06:08 AM
Does anyone know how easy it is to get these cameras serviced/repaired when the time comes? Is it more expensive than other cameras in the bracket?

I did a quick search and found Hasselblad UK at the link below, appeared quite reasonable - £120 for a health check+carriage and £240 for a general overhaul (both prices do not incl VAT). http://www.hasselblad.co.uk/media/2409176/huk_sg_prices_final.pdf


JD Camtech also offer a full service for £165 - note they no longer repair the 500c, which may suggest something about the number of spare parts available. http://www.jdcamtech.com/www.jdcamtech.coms/info.php?p=7&pno=0


David

JOReynolds
7th September 2014, 04:33 PM
Jamming is almost always down to user error. In over 25 years of using Hasselblads, I never had a jam.
Likewise (since 1979). Put the rear lens cover on straight away, to protect the two mechanical linkages against accidental actuation. This was taught to me when I was an raw assistant.

JOReynolds
7th September 2014, 04:59 PM
I did a quick search and found Hasselblad UK at the link below, appeared quite reasonable - £120 for a health check+carriage and £240 for a general overhaul (both prices do not incl VAT).
JD Camtech also offer a full service for £165 - note they no longer repair the 500c, which may suggest something about the number of spare parts available.
I looked at the prices for 500C servicing by Hasselblad UK and I note that the £240 only covers the body. Lenses are excluded (£120 extra). I also note that 'C' lenses (Synchro-Compur shutter) are omitted from the list of supported items. Worrying!
I have used JD Camtech in the past. Excellent service - when he is UK.