Hasselblad Heaven

[jdphoto]

Dave

You might even want to put this one into service again .

View attachment 141086

This beauty , sitting in my glas cabinet , is fully functional and just waiting to be used again . A HASSELBLAD 1000F built in the year before the V-SYSTEM was launched .

On my I love chrome! I shouldn't have read this thread because I was convinced I needed (wanted) a Rolleiflex 2.8, but you can't argue about the beauty and utility of interchangeable lenses.

 

[Godfrey]

And I need a 1000f and/or a 503cw...:ROTFL:

Works of art, to do art!:thumbs:

I have the '78 500CM. I took a peek and found a few 503CW body-only listings at about $900 or so. Don't need anything more ... I have all the finders, backs, lenses, screens, etc I could need. So what's the difference between the 500CM and the 503CW bodies, other than the latter being the last of the line? Is there any reason to be interested in a body upgrade like that?

G

 

[Photon42]

I think the 500CM vignettes slightly with longer lenses than 150mm. I don't have anything longer, so I cannot really tell, whether this is important. The 501CM and 503CW have that sliding mirror thing to allow for a larger mirror to prevent the vignetting. There are probably other things, but if you are just up for photographing a roll of 120 film with an 80mm, the 503 does not add anything, IIRC.

 

[dave.gt]

On my I love chrome! I shouldn't have read this thread because I was convinced I needed (wanted) a Rolleiflex 2.8, but you can't argue about the beauty and utility of interchangeable lenses.

Ah ha! You also need a Hasselblad V!!! Welcome to Dante's world!

 

[mristuccia]

The 503CW has three main additions:

1. a gliding mirror which avoids vignetting on finder with focal lengths above 150mm;
2. TTL flash support;
3. a dedicated (optional) winder/grip with an infrared remote trigger. I have it and I can say it helps a lot when hand-holding the camera.

I have the '78 500CM. I took a peek and found a few 503CW body-only listings at about $900 or so. Don't need anything more ... I have all the finders, backs, lenses, screens, etc I could need. So what's the difference between the 500CM and the 503CW bodies, other than the latter being the last of the line? Is there any reason to be interested in a body upgrade like that?

G

 

[sog1927]

I have the '78 500CM. I took a peek and found a few 503CW body-only listings at about $900 or so. Don't need anything more ... I have all the finders, backs, lenses, screens, etc I could need. So what's the difference between the 500CM and the 503CW bodies, other than the latter being the last of the line? Is there any reason to be interested in a body upgrade like that?

G

The CW has the "gliding mirror system", so the bottom of the screen doesn't vignette with lenses >250mm. It comes with an Acute-Matte D, so it's brighter and easier to focus (but, of course, you can just buy one and put in your CM). Better anti-reflection treatment on the interior of the body, so less flare. And it takes the winder, of course.

Other than that, not much difference.

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks guys. I don't need the gliding mirror system (I'll never have anything longer than the Sonnar 150mm f/4) for it, and don't need TTL flash or the winder/grip. I already have the AcuteMatte screen installed. The improved anti-flare finishing on the camera interior would be nice, of course, but is likely unnecessary too. For the amount I use it, my 500CM is just fine.

Another expense off the table. Puts more money in the pot for travel and/or an X1D body ...

I might send the 500CM off to David Odess someday soon and have it serviced; it probably could use that.

G

 

[sog1927]

Thanks guys. I don't need the gliding mirror system (I'll never have anything longer than the Sonnar 150mm f/4) for it, and don't need TTL flash or the winder/grip. I already have the AcuteMatte screen installed. The improved anti-flare finishing on the camera interior would be nice, of course, but is likely unnecessary too. For the amount I use it, my 500CM is just fine.

Another expense off the table. Puts more money in the pot for travel and/or an X1D body ...

I might send the 500CM off to David Odess someday soon and have it serviced; it probably could use that.

G

The difficulty of obtaining SCA-compatible flash units anymore makes the whole TTL thing a lot less useful than it might otherwise be. It is really handy with the Hasselblad macro flash, though - particularly at extreme magnifications (using a bellows, microshutter, way more tubes than Hasselblad recommends, and a Luminar or Photar).

 

[Godfrey]

The difficulty of obtaining SCA-compatible flash units anymore makes the whole TTL thing a lot less useful than it might otherwise be. It is really handy with the Hasselblad macro flash, though - particularly at extreme magnifications (using a bellows, microshutter, way more tubes than Hasselblad recommends, and a Luminar or Photar).

TTL flash was handy when doing film, and for macro in particular. But it's so much easier when working with digital (both flash and macro) that I don't do macro with film any more at all. I only use flash when needed for fill, and I don't need TTL for that; I know my settings for that by heart.

G

 

[ErikKaffehr]

That's good to hear, Joel. A good friend of mine had the SQ-A when I had my first 500CM. The Hassies have always been very reliable for me; by contrast, he had nothing but problems with that Bronica, service was pretty poor at solving it, and his experience has colored my impression of the camera's reliability and serviceability. Design-wise, I always thought it a fine piece of equipment but never wanted to buy into one because of Ed's difficulties.

It's good to know that they can be reliable and enjoyable! I guess Ed just got a "Monday morning special" or something like that. Sad, it demotivated him and caused him to exit medium format cameras entirely.

The Bronica RF645 remains one of those "I never owned one but I'd really like to try" cameras for me...

G

Hi,

It is a sad thing that there seems to be a lot of Monday Morning Specials around. For those affected it gives a bad feeling about the system.

I have been shooting, Minolta, Pentax 67, Sony and Hasselblad V system since 1970. In that time I had barely a failure. A Minolta SR1 I got used in the 1970-es gave up, but my first camera, Minolta SRT 101, still works. A Minolta XD 11 had several repairs and I needed a bayonet exchange on a lens.

I guess that some buyers are more fortunate than others...

Best regards
Erik

 

[dave.gt]

Today, is therapy day for me!

After two weeks of extreme exhaustion, and two pro bono photo shoots (full frame), processing, resurrecting my iphone5, and various other issues, I am dragging myself out the door late this morning and we are going to the Old Covered Bridge to shoot 120 film; the 50c back; and the full-frame Nikon.

Nothing special, just camera therapy and enjoying the beautiful weather we have this week. It is amazing!

The only thing better would be the two of us back on the Road King, picnic basket stored away, and a loaded Hasselblad V.

But life changes, right?

So, I am organizing my gear while I enjoy a coffee. Thoughts of past adventures run through my mind like a cinema. Every shot I have ever made, I remember. Every one. Amazing.

So, today, it may not be quite the "heavenly experience" of previous days, but it will be epic in its own right.:thumbs:

I hope everyone gets the chance to do something fun this week, too!

 

[dave.gt]

Oh, it has been awhile since I have visited a particular artist/photographer that I have been following for sometime. I absolutely love his work.

It truly is the photographer, not necessarily the gear...

https://www.artlimited.net/pierrepe...erique-nature-vegetal-arbre-foret/en/11735065

A Hasselblad 503 with a P1 back, and more!:thumbs:

 

[Godfrey]

Whatever you can do, Dave, do it and enjoy!

G

 

[dave.gt]

Whatever you can do, Dave, do it and enjoy!

G

Godfrey,

I did!

And, I am still doing it... this time with the H5D-50c.

I have returned to using Phocus which has put the raw images back where they should have been. This week, I made a few floral close-up tests with a tiny red rose and it required heavy cropping.

Running the red rose through my usual floral protocol with LR and finishing in PS CC, I was not thrilled with the results. Red roses around here seem to be the hardest to get right. So, Steve Hendrix made a comment about Phocus so I re-processed the Raw file in Phocus and then went to LR and finished in PS.

What a difference! Wow! Not sure why I switched months ago, but I am back on track!

Phocus rocks even though it is a pain to use at times!:thumbup:

So, I am now back inside the pearly gates. Great to be there!

 

[SrMphoto]

Godfrey,

I did!

And, I am still doing it... this time with the H5D-50c.

I have returned to using Phocus which has put the raw images back where they should have been. This week, I made a few floral close-up tests with a tiny red rose and it required heavy cropping.

Running the red rose through my usual floral protocol with LR and finishing in PS CC, I was not thrilled with the results. Red roses around here seem to be the hardest to get right. So, Steve Hendrix made a comment about Phocus so I re-processed the Raw file in Phocus and then went to LR and finished in PS.

What a difference! Wow! Not sure why I switched months ago, but I am back on track!

Phocus rocks even though it is a pain to use at times!:thumbup:

So, I am now back inside the pearly gates. Great to be there!

I am occasionally doing the LR (import/catalog/tagging)-> Phocus (adjustments, conversion to TIFF) -> PS (adjustments) -> LR (catalog) steps.

Which adjustments do you use in Phocus before going to PS? Thanks.

 

[dave.gt]

I am occasionally doing the LR (import/catalog/tagging)-> Phocus (adjustments, conversion to TIFF) -> PS (adjustments) -> LR (catalog) steps.

Which adjustments do you use in Phocus before going to PS? Thanks.

For the last two years, I have done minimal adjustments, for me, usually with WB, exposure, clarity, and enough to have decent starting point for exporting as a tiff to LR. Then, I normally only do sharpening in PS along with finesse touches including a watermark.

I am weird though, I set up my own catalog/files.

Whatever Phocus does, it works! My thanks to Hasselblad.:salute:

 

[ggibson]

Just came across this thread and had to share my Hasselblad also (only acquired last November):


Hasselblad 503 CX with Carl Zeiss 80mm f2.8 by Graham Gibson, on Flickr

I've shared most of my other shots with it in the analog forum thread. One of my first and favorite images with it so far:


Peter by Graham Gibson, on Flickr

I just finished a couple rolls, recently trying out some expired Fuji Velvia 50. I'll have scans to post next week.