Love for 500cm?

[TennesseJones]

Great story! Love to see that shot. And what a rig...

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.

 

[TennesseJones]

Terrific stream, thank you for sharing that.

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/

 

[ChrisN]

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

In the film "A league of their own" - the teenage taxi driver.

 

[Fuchs]

I have a SWC/M and a 500C. Love them madly.

 

[TennesseJones]

Any focusing tips?
Got an acute matte screen but it's tricky. Too long with rangefinders perhaps..

 

[edge100]

Just ordered a 500c/m from KEH.

 

[S.H.]

Yeah, a plain acute matte is tricky to focus. Either get used to it (use the magnifier) or try to find one with a split prism or a microprism patch in the middle.

 

[Nokton48]

Any focusing tips?
Got an acute matte screen but it's tricky. Too long with rangefinders perhaps..

I've been through Acute Matte Screens and HD Screens (still have a bunch of each type), and have returned to using regular focusing screens. Persistence and patience are keys for me. Focusing aids incorporated like microprism screens and rangefinder screens are now my current preference. I have found mine at ridiculously low prices in camera store junk boxes and camera shows.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

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

The 180mm is technically a superior optic to the 150mm, for portrait work though technically superior may not be a good idea 🙄
They made Softars for a reason.

On screens a split image is the way to go, you can mount for vertical or horizontal as well.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

As promised/threatened the Porsche we came across on our "road trip"
911 Targa soft window 1966/7
Hasselblad 500c/m Planar 100m T* f3.5 Phase One P20

 

[Richard G]

ajramirez that first shot is absolutely fabulous.

 

[Kirbot]

I absolutely adore my 500cm. I just grabbed this shot of Gov. Chris Christie at the boardwalk with mine today