Why do I want a Hasselblad 500 c/m?

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

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]

Originally Posted by Keith

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]

Originally Posted by Sejanus.Aelianus

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]

Originally Posted by FrankS

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.

[jonmanjiro]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

John - another good reason to come up to the Sydney Camera Market on 22 July!

Damn I wish it was on a few weeks later

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by jonmanjiro

Damn I wish it was on a few weeks later

You've timed your trip badly! Will you have time to visit the Atget exhibition at the Art Gallery?

[Johnmcd]

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

Cheers-John

[jonmanjiro]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

You've timed your trip badly! Will you have time to visit the Atget exhibition at the Art Gallery?

Damn, I miss out on that too. I fly back to Tokyo on the 20th

Originally Posted by Johnmcd

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

Cheers-John

Any locals (almost locals) up for a meetup in Sydney sometime early to mid-August? I started a thread about it here.

[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



the tavern, downtown littleton, co by mike thomas, on Flickr



old truck, downtown littleton, co by mike thomas, on Flickr



1958 Imperial by mike thomas, on Flickr



100 strangers: terry (53/100) by mike thomas, on Flickr



porch still life by mike thomas, on Flickr



100 strangers: victoria (44/100) by mike thomas, on Flickr

[leicapixie]

i see most folks are giving you good advice! The Hassie is really a slow camera. Why shoot fast? There are but 12 exposures. i was always on no.11 !
It really is a waist level thing. The prism makes things easy BUT the joy of Medium Format in a Rollei or Hassie, is the big screen, Reversed! It helps in composing good images! You have to really work a sweat getting things straight and level.It takes time! Then you realize it's not a good shot! So you don't expose. Using 120 film i sometimes had a roll in for months.. The longest ONE Year. Started in Canada finished in South Africa doing in last 2~3 frames a shot of Olivero Toscanini of Benetton/colors.
In my professional period, used Mamiyaflex TLR, Pentax 67, the Rollei Automat, and Hassie. The Bronica-C is without doubt, the worst camera i ever owned! Later models had Nikon engineers in the factory to sort things out! Nikon didn't want their name messed.
My Mamiya were easier to use than the Hassie, i thought way sharper but more distortion than Zeiss lenses. Very reliable. The Hassie is very complex and some models like my Leicas really in the past!
A good reasonable priced Digital SLR will now equal or surpass roll film.That's my opinion. There is a feeling of magic in these old cameras.
Good luck with your purchase!

[sienarot]

Another vote for the Hassy here from me too!

Here's what I bring with me when I go traveling. If I'm wanting to travel light, the M6 stays home.


Like everyone said, it's all about the WLF. I bought a prism for mine and I never used it since it pretty much bulked up the camera twice as much and even then it just didn't feel the same. I got used to reverse lateral viewing pretty quickly though. The WLF is great cause you can get low, low, loooow:




I find that when you aren't looking directly at people but through the WLF, they don't get as defensive as when you're holding a camera up to your face since they're not expecting you to take a photo. By the time they realize you're not really looking at your feet, it's too late! That, to me, is a great advantage to have with street photography.







The same year I purchased my Hassy I went to Sydney, Australia. I was going to bring my 20D and a bunch of zoom lenses for the trip so two months before I was to leave I had my camera sent in for servicing. Canon dragged their asses on it and I didn't get it back until after I returned so I only got to bring my Hassy. My learned a few things on my trip with the 'blad:
1) I can comfortably travel with just one camera
2) I really don't need zoom lenses (which made my transition to RFs even easier). When I got back, I sold all my zooms and re-equiped with just primes of select focal lengths.
3) There really is a "3D look" if you can get the right contrast and lighting situations and the Carl Zeiss lens definitely helped achieve that.

If my place was burning down and I could only run in to get one camera, it'd be the Hasselblad without hesitation. I wouldn't even stop to think about my M6.


You want to talk about a camera to be obsessed with? I've been wanting a Hasselblad SWC for years but never pulled the trigger! There was a SWC/m on sale here for a smoking good price a few years ago and I kept dilly daddling. By the time I decided to pull the trigger, it was gone.

[john_s]

Originally Posted by Johnmcd

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.

The only lens longer than 80mm for the Mamiya 7 is 150mm. They are not very popular so should not be too expensive.

I just looked on ebay and the prices are all over the place. I wouldn't pay a lot for one as they seem to be difficult to sell.

But I agree with the minimum focus distance being a limitation. I use a Rollei SL66 with 120mm Makro f4 for portraits. I aaume it's the same Zeiss lens as the Hasselblad one.

[Johnmcd]

Thanks Derrick and Mike for maintaining the rage Great experiences like that are what I need to hear. It also looks like you guys use the camera in a way I would, which is important in any decision.

Looks like the WLF is getting a lot of love. Maybe my fear of it is unjustified?

Thanks again - John

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by jonmanjiro

Damn, I miss out on that too. I fly back to Tokyo on the 20th



Any locals (almost locals) up for a meetup in Sydney sometime early to mid-August? I started a thread about it here.

I'm keen to meet up in August for sure. Keep in touch.

John

[sienarot]

Originally Posted by Johnmcd

Looks like the WLF is getting a lot of love. Maybe my fear of it is unjustified?

For me the big seller was the WLF. The first time I saw a buddy use a Hassy, he let me look through it and I was blown away. It was so big and bright compared to anything I had seen in 35mm. Of course since you have medium format experience already that might not have the same effect on you.

That also brings up another thing: when (not if ) you look into buying one, try and get one with the Acute Matte D screen. It's supposedly much brighter than the non "D" screens.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by Johnmcd

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

Cheers-John

Ultimo Community Centre (link to map). Doors open at 10:00am. Small donation to get in - $2 I think. Free parking in Wattle St but need to arrive before 9:30 if you are counting on that (better yet get there at 9:00 and walk the block/take photos/get coffee at the pool on Harris St).

I usually $pend an hour or so at the show (I'm hoping to find a clean OM2n this year), then walk down to Darling Harbour to find a place for lunch. Plenty of interest there for photos too of course. I'll bring the 503cx with the 80mm lens and WLF for you to play with. Bring a roll or two of your favourite film (keeping in mind the fastest shutter speed is only 1/500).

[Aristophanes]

Could everyone stop posting photos in this thread. I am getting a 'thing' for the square format, and we all know where that leads.

Thank-you.

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Ultimo Community Centre (link to map). Doors open at 10:00am. Small donation to get in - $2 I think. Free parking in Wattle St but need to arrive before 9:30 if you are counting on that (better yet get there at 9:00 and walk the block/take photos/get coffee at the pool on Harris St).

I usually $pend an hour or so at the show (I'm hoping to find a clean OM2n this year), then walk down to Darling Harbour to find a place for lunch. Plenty of interest there for photos too of course. I'll bring the 503cx with the 80mm lens and WLF for you to play with. Bring a roll or two of your favourite film (keeping in mind the fastest shutter speed is only 1/500).

That should be fine. I'll probably catch the train down, more relaxing.

Will I be able to find you if I look for the guy in your avatar? Or should I be wearing a red carnation?

Cheers - John

[ChrisN]

I should be easy to spot - that's me in the avatar, and I'll probably be wearing a black vest and a tan Billingham. I'll PM you with my mobile number.

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

I should be easy to spot - that's me in the avatar, and I'll probably be wearing a black vest and a tan Billingham. I'll PM you with my mobile number.

Thanks mate. Have I got a camera you'd like to try?

[ChrisN]

"On that path lies danger!"

Just looked at your list and I'm surprised that I've owned a few, including the Sony F717! Wish I'd kept that one too. If you bring the OM-D with some sort of prime I'd love to give that a try. Did you ever get to try a 6x9 back on the Crown Graphic?

Cheers!

[Johnmcd]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

"On that path lies danger!"

Just looked at your list and I'm surprised that I've owned a few, including the Sony F717! Wish I'd kept that one too. If you bring the OM-D with some sort of prime I'd love to give that a try. Did you ever get to try a 6x9 back on the Crown Graphic?

Cheers!

I'll bring the OMD for sure. I'm enjoying it with the 24/2.8, which is pretty close to 50mm in the old language. I have no problem using the EVF to focus.

I did get the 6x9 focusing nicely BTW. The pic below is nothing special but nice and sharp. I find the lens is not as contrasting as I'm used to. Not a bad thing though.



Looking forward to catching up.

Cheers - John