Any Hassleblad 500CM owners here?

[Kentish]

I've a quick question please.

Does the lens (80mm T* Planar) have a release so that you can view at full aperture rather than having to open up for focussing?

Mine seems to be engaged at the selected f stop all of the time, making viewing of the subject difficult when not at full aperture.

[Kentish]

custodian said:

Sold my Hassie stuff years ago. Certainly should be at full aperture all the time, just stopping down on release. Isn't there a little wheel that let's you set it that way?

That's what I thought too as that is normal for anything else I've used; I can't find anything that'll release the diaphragm when stopped down though.

I'm sure it was working at full aperture but I'm familiarising myself with it currently and uncertain on how I've got it stopping down like it is now.

[markmullen]

IIRC there is a DoF preview lever on them, are you sure that isn't engaged?

[Kentish]

Hi Mark;

Yes, been looking for that but nothing obvious that I can see.

There's a button on the lens for interlocking shutter speed in relation to f number (handy) and there's a lock for the flash sync speed setting.

On the body; there is mirror up button, lens release and shutter lock but I can't see DoF anywhere.

They are not that complex but I might have to see whether I can get a book for it

[markmullen]

The DoF preview is on the lens barrel itself I think, left side.

Here is the manual http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/PDF/HasManuals/...

[Bacardi]

On the newer CF lenses, the aperture ring and shutter work independently with a button you can press to lock them temporarily and move shutter and aperture together. The stop down lever is on the left hand side which can used temporarily or will lock down. To unlock it you just press it at the bottom to release and it will spring up.

On the older C lenses, the shutter and aperture are locked together so you have to disengage the aperture to move it separately. It's so long since I used a C lens I can't remember where the stop down lever is but sure it has one!

[Kentish]

markmullen said:

The DoF preview is on the lens barrel itself I think, left side.

Here is the manual http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/PDF/HasManuals/...

Thanks for that; very helpful.

I have noticed that button which seems to have a sprung feel to it but doesn't appear to do anything.

I'm perhaps being too gentle, it is a hunk of German and Swedish engineering after all

[Bacardi]

If you lens a CF like the one in manual Mark posted, Fig 11 shows the stop down lever. Push it down to engage and push it in at the bottom to disengage. The whole lever is like a little rocker.

Had to satisfy my memory regarding older C lenses. There was a button, but to return the lens to full aperture viewing you had to open up to max aperture to reset. Found this quote...


In normal operation, viewing through this lens is at maximum aperture. A lever
on the right side of the lens can be used to stop down the lens. If the lens
has been stopped down by the lever, then selecting the maximum aperture will
cancel the effect of the lever so that viewing can again be done at maximum
aperture regardless of shooting aperture. In any case, the aperture will
reopen once the lens is recocked after the exposure. After the exposure, the
shutter remains closed until the lens is recocked (a mounted lens will be
recocked automatically by the body's winding crank). The very earliest C
lenses did not have this depth of field preview lever; the Superwide models
also do not have this lever.

HTH

[Kentish]

Lovely, thanks.

It is the later lens and exactly as you described in operation - reset now, thank you all!

[Kentish]

custodian said:

Excellent. I used both 500c and 903swc for years. When I started I remember an old pro photographer warning me that there were more ways to spoil taking a photo with a Hasselblad than with anyother camera. Then I remember wondering why it would'nt fire before I realised the dsark slide was still inserted!

I'm looking forward to working with film again.
I'm pleased I bought it.

I have always wanted a 'Blad for m/f work and a Leica for 35mm; I also recently bought myself a Leica R5 and a nice Vario-Elmar; both of which I could not afford back in the days of film

[nellyleelephant]

I'd be very interested in seeing some pics when you've taken a few. Over Christmas I toyed with the idea of a 500CM to run along side digital.

[Kentish]

nellyleelephant said:

I'd be very interested in seeing some pics when you've taken a few. Over Christmas I toyed with the idea of a 500CM to run along side digital.

If I can get them copied to a jpeg file, I'll post some up.

They are very affordable now; from around £400 with lens, WLF & 120 back for a well worn example.

Mine isn't quite mint but is Exc++ and was advertised at £950. The Leica R5 is also Exc++ condition and the lens very good; advertised at £850 for both.