Love for 500cm?

[TennesseJones]

So I the brief owner of a Hasselblad 500cm, heavily used but lovely. And the 80mm lens. I'll explain why in a separate post, but regardless I got the camera a few days back.
This from my first roll, as I decided to do something clearly against nature and take the Hasselblad out street shooting.
(Flickr seems to have done something to this picture, but you get the idea!)
So any love for the 500cm?
Any Hasselbladian tips and ancedotes?
Favourite 6x6 pictures?
All images/anecdotes/thoughts would be great....
It's a mighty beast. A bit different to the usual camera.

 

[FrankS]

A classic. One of the cameras everyone should have.

 

[Rob-F]

I have two 500CMs. Why? I picked up a second body to take along on trips as a spare. Then I realized I had two finders, three screens, a half-dozen lenses, and four backs; so all I had to do was was put the parts into place, et voila, two Hasselblads.

You can pick up an extra lens or two, and an extra back, and have a very nice system for not too much money. The CF lenses are not too expensive.

I like your picture.

 

[burancap]

One of my all-time favorites. There will always be room for one on my shelf.

 

[djcphoto]

I love mine. It's very nice to head put with just a 500CM and 80mm lens, a couple of rolls of film, and know that you have 90% of photographic opportunities covered with just that!

My thoughts on the 500CM:

http://www.djcphoto.com/index.php/hasselblad-500cm/

 

[x-ray]

Very fine cameras. I've used them since the early 70's. I have 3 bodies and a cfv39 digital back. I'm getting ready to sell the back, 2 bodies and a 350mm cf Tele Tessar but keeping the core system for film. I would keep everything if I weren't retiring next year.

The Zeiss glass is as good as it gets. Some of the best of the best are, 100mm planar, 120 f4 macro planar and the 180 sonnar. All are superb but these are the cream of the crop.

I started to list my other favorites and realized I really love every lens I have so here goes, 40 cf FLE, 50 FLE, 60 cf, 80 planar, 250 sonnar and 350 Tele Tessar.
Enjoy!

 

[archeophoto]

Loved my Hasselblad, but had to sell it recently 🙁 I had it with me on a great trip to Peru and it returned great images.
I sold it because I use my Rolleis more. But the versatility of the Hasselblads is fantastic and I'm sure I will regret selling it soon.

 

[Richard G]

A classic. One of the cameras everyone should have.

I bought an M9 instead of a Hasselblad. But later last year I bought a Rolleiflex thanks to you. I will try to stop reading your posts. Now the Australian dollar has dropped I'm safe for a bit.

 

[ChrisN]

Richard - that's blasphemy! I have adopted a famous quote as my motto - "Can't we do both?" (Who recognises it?)

I don't use my 500 system as often as I should, but I have a 503cx, 50, 80 and 150 lenses, and an SWC to round out the kit. Some of my favourite photos have come from that kit.

We need a world "Shoot your 'blad" day to celebrate this wonderful camera.

 

[mfogiel]

There are 4 cameras on a short list for the desert island: Leica M, Nikon F, Rolleiflex TLR and Hasselblad V. For street shooting, you might enjoy getting the 60/3.5 Distagon.
This guy uses his Planar 80 quite effectively:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/byfer39/

 

[sc_rufctr]

I've always loved the 500cm.

Great camera and I've used friends or rented over the years but I've never owned one.
But I always promised myself one for when I retire.

Maybe I should get one now considering my retirement is over 10 years away 😀

 

[Nokton48]

I have two 500C/M's, and two 500EL/M's, from my wedding days. And the entire 70's lens lineup, excepting the 105UV and the 250 Apochromat. And nearly every accessory they made for it. I call my Blad system "The Erector Set of Photography". You can build it into whatever you need to do with it.

 

[S.H.]

Nice gear. I'm just beginning to learn mine.

I also love my 1000f!

 

[koven]

i need one of these

 

[S.H.]

Here is a picture (500C / Planar 100 T* / Ektar 100) :

I chose to have three lenses, 50 / 100 / 150. Longer is hard to keep steady, shorter is costly and too wide for my taste. The planar 100 had a nice reputation for sharpness and the 80 is often a bit wide for a standard (I prefer it on a Rolleiflex where it is nice as an all-around fixed lens). Still getting used to these three lenses.

 

[jerrybro]

There are 4 cameras on a short list for the desert island: Leica M, Nikon F, Rolleiflex TLR and Hasselblad V. For street shooting, you might enjoy getting the 60/3.5 Distagon.
This guy uses his Planar 80 quite effectively:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/byfer39/

Wow, that is a great set of photos.

 

[ajramirez]

I very recently bought mine: a 500C/M with 50, 80, and 120 lenses. I love it to death. Some shots:


Juan Diego by ramirezaponte, on Flickr


Juan Diego by ramirezaponte, on Flickr


Calle Duffaut by ramirezaponte, on Flickr


Calle Canals by ramirezaponte, on Flickr


JDP en Santurce by ramirezaponte, on Flickr


El refresco que refresca by ramirezaponte, on Flickr


En las escaleras de la iglesia I by ramirezaponte, on Flickr

Cheers,

Antonio

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Lots of love for the 500cm here. Had mine from new, around 1984 so every bump is mine. Brought up to date with a Phase One back, but of course swappable for film :angel:

Stories? I used to carry three backs N, N-1, N+1. I thought I was A.Adams, I wasn't.

A best shot, never scanned as I have a 20x16 print, was in Venice. Embarrassingly I was boarding a shared gondola and was ushered to the front by the gondolier displacing several other passengers, to their great annoyance as I had "a proper camera" and "deserved the front".
The shot was later of a gondolier on a break sitting on a wooden chair, hat tilted down and leaning slightly back. I took it with the 'blad on my knees, I was sitting as well, but at 45 degrees so I was not facing him. He started when the quiet 😉 mirror went up but couldn't connect it to me, all innocence and only one frame.
Here is the old girl all pimped up.
She came on my mini road trip earlier this week, somewhat stripped down, 100m lens and 45 degree finder. I find these days I'm too out of practice with reverse viewing, but only digital as I had the M2 for film. If my shots pass I will add one. In particular a 1966/7 Porsche 911 Targa soft window I met on a motorway service area, lovely car.

 

[KoNickon]

I have adopted a famous quote as my motto - "Can't we do both?" (Who recognises it?)

OK, I'll bite -- who said it? It rings a bell, but not loudly enough.

 

[TennesseJones]

Some lovely shots, thank you! Keep them coming, and the stories too.

I have juts put in an acute screen. Hope this helps focusing. But the reverse view takes some getting used to. It's fun because the whole experience is so antithetical to my Leicas, which are the only cameras I really use now.

Thinking of getting the 150mm for formal portraits...