Why do I want a Hasselblad 500 c/m?

[Nokton48]

I've owned multiple 6x6 Bronica S's, but for just a bit more now, you can have Hasselblad. I happen to own four bodies, over twenty film backs, and the complete C-lens series. And nearly a hundred of the original accessories. Truly the "Erector Set of Photography". Fun and affordable to collect and use.

Nobody else is even close for me. Hasselblad repairman abound, I recommend David Odess, who does all of my work. And no other brand has so much stuff available out there.

Now, if I could just find an original CFV Digital Back for around $2000.............. 🙄

 

[Keith]

You've got to be kiddin' me. I just took a look. It appears to contain a neat mechanism for advancing the film, but it is also looks like a brick. Sorry, but opinions can differ sharply.

It would be interesting to do a survey of contented Hassy owners and see how many of them actually liked the older square Volvos ... I know I did and have owned several over the years! 😀

 

[Aristophanes]

Why doesn't the Mamiya 7 take good portraits?

 

[jmooney]

There are two cameras I regret selling out of the 30 or so I've been through in the past 10 years:

My M6 and my Hassy.

With the Zeiss lens and Portra 400 I finally got "the look" I've been going for but I sold it in a fit of "financial responsibility" and I should have sold everything that wasn't nailed down except the Hassy.

There's some magic in them little Swedish boxes....

 

[Johnmcd]

Why doesn't the Mamiya 7 take good portraits?

I only have the 80mm and while I enjoy it immensely, I sometime find its minimum focusing distance a bit long and for the price of the longer lens I could nearly go another camera.

 

[Timmyjoe]

I picked up a Hasselblad 500 C/M and a Rolleiflex 2.8D at about the same time four years ago. Always dreamed of owning each camera and got a good deal on both.

For me, having shot for thirty plus years with SLR's and Rangefinders, I was more comfortable than I realized focusing and framing "through" a camera. Using the waist level finder on both the 'blad and the Rollei just felt completely un-natural for me. Just couldn't get used to it.

So I sold the Rolleiflex and found a 45º prism for the Hasselblad, and now I love shooting the Hasselblad and I can frame and focus through it like my other cameras. And the lenses are superb. My favorite "people" lens is the 150, but unfortunately I can't really shoot that hand held. But the images look great when shot on a tripod.

Hope some of that info helps.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Johnmcd]

So much conflicting information but very useful info. Like anything, 'it depends'. Nothing is black and white so why should this be any different.

In the meanwhile the camera I was looking at went for $1250. It looked like a very good condition late model all black 500c/m, PM90 viewer, 80 and 150 lenses all with original boxes.

I was hoping it might fall below $1000 but I would say the price it went for was good value.

Now the bug has bitten me, I'll be keeping an eye out. Bronica SQa, TLR and Mamiya 6 all still the race.

Thanks again for the discussion and advice.

 

[ReeRay]

Thanks for the thread John. Very interesting views and opinions.

Maybe you'll come back with your 6x6 at some point?

Good luck in your search.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

If you can not deal with l/R reversal, a waist level Hassy in not for you.

Something of an aside: After 45 years of using SLRs and TLRs, I find it really difficult to use a digital camera at waist level because I automatically turn in the "wrong" direction.

Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[ChrisN]

So much conflicting information but very useful info. Like anything, 'it depends'. Nothing is black and white so why should this be any different.

In the meanwhile the camera I was looking at went for $1250. It looked like a very good condition late model all black 500c/m, PM90 viewer, 80 and 150 lenses all with original boxes.

I was hoping it might fall below $1000 but I would say the price it went for was good value.

Now the bug has bitten me, I'll be keeping an eye out. Bronica SQa, TLR and Mamiya 6 all still the race.

Thanks again for the discussion and advice.

John - another good reason to come up to the Sydney Camera Market on 22 July! Peter K usually has a couple of Hasselblads on his table (I bought my first Hasselblad outfit from him). I know another member here who might have something available too. What are you after exactly? A 500c/m with a 150/4 Sonnar and a non-metered PM5 viewfinder? Join me for lunch in Darling Harbour and you can borrow my 503cx to shoot a roll. 🙂

 

[bigeye]

John:

Some very confusing responses. I'd break it down to your Mamiya 7 as a relatively lightweight travel/carry camera - a MF Leica, really, vs a heavyweight 'system' camera that can do everything (macro, multiple VF, multiple backs, incl digital, shades, flash, grips, broader lens selection, etc) at a cost in bulk and speed. (I would never buy just a 500 with only an 80mm, unless I was a rabid Elvis Costello fan.)

A M (Leica or Mamiya) and a 500 kit are a pretty complete combo. Purpose drives the purchase for me.

Charlie

Yes, keith, we had a Swedish brick for 20 years.

 

[Johnmcd]

John - another good reason to come up to the Sydney Camera Market on 22 July! Peter K usually has a couple of Hasselblads on his table (I bought my first Hasselblad outfit from him). I know another member here who might have something available too. What are you after exactly? A 500c/m with a 150/4 Sonnar and a non-metered PM5 viewfinder? Join me for lunch in Darling Harbour and you can borrow my 503cx to shoot a roll. 🙂

Chris, that sounds like a plan. Need I say a day after my birthday too. No better excuse to spend some hard earned 🙂 If I go with the 500 c/m I would definitely need a prism finder.

I would love to take you up on the offer to try your 503x too. I'll check my diary and get back to you.

Cheers - John

 

[Johnmcd]

It would be interesting to do a survey of contented Hassy owners and see how many of them actually liked the older square Volvos ... I know I did and have owned several over the years! 😀

Proud owner of several 2 series Volvos. The last being a 1984 240 with 350k on the clock. My kids hated it until they found out Kurt Cobain drove one exactly the same. Same duck egg blue too. My son still drives my last Volvo, an 1996 850. It's was ok, but not half the car the earlier ones were. I think Ford owned them by then.

 

[jamais]

Something of an aside: After 45 years of using SLRs and TLRs, I find it really difficult to use a digital camera at waist level because I automatically turn in the "wrong" direction.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Yes, I found myself constantly moving the Olympus E-330 into the wrong direction. I would not have thought that this could be a real problem.

 

[redisburning]

if you want to shoot handheld I really do think a Rollei with a prism makes more sense.

nothing against the hasselblads, I too want one but I dont mind using it as a tripod camera.

 

[literiter]

I have some Hassy stuff, but right now I really enjoy using a ratty old f3.5 Rolleiflex Automat K4B with a Maxwell screen. I had it tidied up by Harry Fleenor earlier this year.

The Rolleiflex is light and quiet. The lens is pretty good for a camera made in 1954 but I haven't compared it to the Hasselblad.

Perhaps the best part of a camera like the Rolleiflex would have to be the fact that you are stuck with the lens it was manufactured with and you can't get extra film backs for it. There aren't a lot of accessories for the K4B; maybe a case and a lens hood so what you have is usually good enough.

My carry case has my Rollei c/w hood, some film and a lightmeter. Usually I don't bother with a tripod.

When I take my Hassy I take all sorts of extra heavy stuff and seldom use it. You might just as well take a tripod with the Hassy as well.

Handheld, Rolleiflex at about 1/60 second. ( On the original scan I can zoom in on the "Ford" emblem on the grill and it's reasonably clear.)

 

[shadowfox]

Had a Bronica C. Great results at close focus with the nikkor 75. But if you think the Hasselblad is loud ...

That's right.
A Bronica S/S2/C/EC is not something you'd bring to a classical music recital.

 

[Nokton48]

I used to haul three 500C/M's with NC2 Prisms to weddings every Saturday. The NC2 is very high eyepoint, and often sells these days for around $30 😉 The gear is heavy, but hey, it's medium format.

 

[Johnmcd]

Hey, Chris. I'm fine for the 22nd. Any more details? Any other RFF's out there going?

Cheers-John

 

[mathomas]

I'm the last one to talk you out of a Hasselblad V-Series. It's my favorite camera system, and I have many nice camera systems (need to get rid of some). I have a 500c/m and a 2000fcw, and am considering a 203FE kit (which includes the 110 f/2). There are many reasons to love them: the history, it is the iconic medium format SLR, the enduring beautiful and practical design, the image quality, the "square", the versatility.

The handling is different with Hassies, but I'm now very used to it, and I have zero issues shooting hand-held and down to 1/30 (with short/medium FL lenses). I've done 80% hand-holding with mine. I've gotten used to the backwards WLF view of things (I usually use the magnifier, and seldom really shoot from the waist). I have prisms and never really use them. I like the slightly different PoV that the WLF gives (esp for portraits), even if I don't really shoot from the waist.

It is a slower system to shoot than some others, but I think I may like that about it.

I'll make a gentle suggestion that you check out the focal-plane bodies. They are, IMO, more versatile for outdoor shooting, having shutter speeds up to 1/2000, and mounting faster lenses. I have the 150mm F f/2.8 lens and it's astounding. I would love the 110mm f/2, but it's very spendy and I'm more likely to try to get it as part of a kit (as mentioned above). However, the focal-plane shutter does add a couple of operational quirks.


If you decide you really want a Hassy V-series, please check out my video series on the V-series cameras:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1FCD5129875F3768



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