Hasselblad 500 C/M

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Origins and name

The Hasselblad 500C was intoduced in 1957 by the Hasselblad Corporation in Sweden, after a series of trouble-prone 1600 and 1000 focal plane shuttered models. The camera number indicates the top shutter speed. With the V-series, as the series started with the 500C is known, Hasselblad opted for an in-lens Compur shutter (hence the C). This solved the problems it had experienced with the focal plane shutters and allowed x-sync at all speeds. It also meant a reduction of the top shutter speed to 1/500s.

The 500C was produced from 1957 to 1970, after which the camera and backs were updated (Modified) according to Hasselblad. The modified version version was called 500C/M. This newer version enabled the exchange of finder screens. Also a new series of "automatic" backs was introduced, the A-series magazines.

Like their 35mm counterpart the Leica M-series, the Hasselblad cameras developed a reputation over the years for robustness, mechanical accuracy and a wide range of high-quality lenses, making them the medium-format camera of choice for generations of professional photographers. Hasselblad reinforced this reputation by brilliantly marketing its moon-camera.

A modular system camera

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advertisement in National Geographic, november 1965

Following the design of the previous models, the Hasselblad Corporation designed the V-series to be completely modular: Not only the lenses but also the winding crank, viewfinder and film magazines are exchangeable during normal operation of the camera. With the introduction of the 500C/M, the focussing screens too were user-exchangeable.

Hasselblad Corporation put great effort to anticipate user errors related to the film-back: presence of the dark slide in the back prevents the shutter from being fired and allows removal of the back, whereas the back is locked to the body when the dark slide is removed. Also, colored indicators on the back and the body show the state of the shutter (cocked vs. released) and exposure (exposed vs. unexposed). This effort is in strong contrast with well known quirks of the Hasselblad V-series: the ease with which the shutter and body state dissociate upon removal of the lens. This can result in either (i) a released shutter and a body already in a mirror-down position or (ii) a cocked shutter and the mirror up. In either situation, re-inserting the lens can easily lead to irreversible damage. Over the years this has led to the introduction of a great variety of tools from many vendors addressing these issues.

Optics and shutter

--> Zeiss, speeds, e-number

Magazines and film

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a new A12 magazine and an older 12-shot magazine
with a hole to check the frame number

Upon introduction in 1957, the Hasselblad came with a 12-shot magazine for 120 film. A 16-shot magazine for 6×4.5 was also available. When loading the film, the photographer had to find the first frame by winding until the number "1" was visible through a hole on the back of the film. Unlike many manufacturers, Hasselblad deemed it unnecessary to obscure this with a ruby window.

The indroduction of "automatic" magazines (1970) meant the end of all this: when film is loaded, winding the camera will transport automatically to frame 1. Hence the name Automatic: A12. Other available magazines include a Polaroid back, a magazine for 220 and another for 70mm bulk film.

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A 12-shot magazine with dark slide (1) and the back of the 500C/M showing secondary shutter and mounting for film back (2). The magazine's inner life (3).

Finders

--> wlf, prism, metered prism

Links

Images

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