MF If I'm going to do it ... (I bought a hasselblad)

... Yep it's a stop out! Just checked it against my d3 against a plain wall!
My previous thoughts were from my Fuji which I would have had it on spot meter ... Not a sencible comparison ...
 
Even though the Acute-Matte is a much, much brighter screen I suspect that because you are using a prism finder it won't be such a problem. I did have problems with the standard screen with a WLF in lowish light though. I must have my Beattie Intenscreen somewhere. If I can find it you can have it, but I found that, although it was brighter, the relative coarseness of the fresnel still made focusing difficult at times. The Acute-Matte solved all this. Having said that I know people who swear by Beattie screens.

As you say, fiddling is half the fun! And there are so many interesting bits for the Hasselblad Vs. Even just stripping it down to its component parts is somehow satisfying!! Like the marksman stripping and cleaning the gun just before the hit!! ;) Things like the clips that hold the screen in that snap back into place when you slide the finder in.
 
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It's just like that! I said that today, I feel like I've bought a sniper riffle! ;)
Focusing seems quite easy to be fair, even in the low light of my lounge ...
I guess a film through will give me some clue as to how well I can focus the thing!

I've not heard of a Beattie Intenscreen but I'd love to give one a go, thank you!!
 
Hang on until I send the screen Hamish. I probably have a standard screen with a split image centre too. I'll look tomorrow as they are in a drawer at work. I changed all mine over the years for Acute-Mattes. I have 2 C/Ms and 2 ELMs and they had standard screens fitted originally and I think I bought a couple of screens with other rulings and splits (as well as the Beattie) before settling on the Acute Matte. The 503CWs have the Acute Matte as standard as does the Flex Body.
 
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You have an aweful lot of cameras Pete!

Thanks for that, any info or further thoughts on screens would be great!

In reality of course, I need to actually get a film through it!
I does sound long term that a split screen acute matte might be the right thing for me though!

I just hope this rain stops so I can test the thing tomorrow!
 
Too many! But there was a logic behind each one at the time (or at least I told myself)! One C/M body used to live on a copy stand and then with a microscope adapter and the other was used for general stuff. The ELM (AA converted) was bought to go with an Intavalometer and then I bought an extremely low priced mains operated one to use for that (to save on batteries) and used the other one with an H20 back. Then I upgraded the general C/M to a 503CW and then bought another with a winder to go with a P20. The reason for the 3rd one escapes me for the moment but it's a really good reason, honest! ;)

Half are in the UK and half are in Germany which is why some lenses are duplicated. It's amazing what you can accumulate over 20 - 25 years if you try hard!! :)
 
Heres my thoughts
The pme finder is no better than what I have, intrigue got the better of me, but the later one with the electric lit meter readings is an advantage I think!

The WLF i shall be buying as it makes the camera apriciably smaller if nothing else!

The Polaroid back I shall be havinging because ... Well, it's cool! ;)

The lens is where I come unstuck ...
Firstly, I noticed whilst looking through the camera at the back of the shutter that on my lens the edge of the closest blade of the shutter looks bent toward me ...
I thought this was damaged, but looking at the CF lens it has the same curl to the end of the blade but to a much lesser extent?
If you haven't noticed this before can you have a look at see of your lenses of the same models have this?

Secondly, although I slightly prefer the way the CF lens works, but it is a lot bigger ...

Thirdly, it doesn't have the focus grip ... Which doesn't seem an issue really ...

Fourthly ... Bit harder to explain...
With the C lens on the camera, after I take the shot and wind the crank the 2 red dots (on the body and lens don't quite line up...
But, it makes no odds ...
On the CF lens, it does! If I wind the crank as far as it goes then try and take another shot, it lets the camera fire, but I can't wind until wind the crank slightly back the other way so the red dots line up ... At that point I can wind on...
Is this normal? I didn't expect a difference between 2 lenses in this way ... And I'm not sure which is better? If one is not working, if it's a body thing ... Or what??

Would you concider letting Dave sell me the accute matte? Or do you definitely want it? Don't let me have it if you want it, I don't mind!!

I'm thinking I could put my lens on eBay, and pay for the bits off Dave with the money and a bit more cash ... But not if my lens has a problem with the shutter ...

You can see why I'm confused!? As to what to do ...
 
OK, where to start. As long as your metering prism is accurate I'd stick to the later one. It's a wee bit brighter and the illumination is useful. The Polaroid back could be useful, not so much for checking lighting, but for the qualities of the film and maybe doing transfers etc. I nearly always use a WLF even though I have metering heads - I like the compositional approach it imposes.

I already bought a load of the bits from Dave including the Acute Matte (as a spare) in a non-functioning body but hang onto it for the moment anyway. I'll check what other screens I have as I may have an AM / split screen.

The 'bent' blade is normal (you see it with LF lenses too) and is made that way to help prevent jamming..

Red dots - do you mean body and back? There should be no difference in the indexing of the lenses, body and back - I can switch between all of the different components with no problems. Given that you had an issue with the rear blind, it might be that the body needs adjusting / lubricating. The way the components interlink is complex and very clever but relies on absolute precision. A service should sort this out. There are quite a few independent service people around. I've only ever used Hasselblad in W London so I can't recommend anyone but I'll ask Paul at CC who he uses when I next speak with him. I'll probably send the non-functioning C/M to whoever he recommends as I suspect the main spring has broken.

Does that help?
 
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I think your right about the prism
The polaroid back will give Hannah some fun even if I don't use it ... Which I probably will :)
The WLF I think I just need to get used to I bit more!

Good news on the lens!
I'll spend some time with the CF and see how I get on!

If you have a AC split screen I could purchase, that might be the ideal and end all my thinking about it all!

I'm talking about these 2 dots...

9194bcbe.jpg


I take your point, it would seem its not the perfect body ...
Maybe I should get another body... With all these bits here (of I kept em) I could have 2 blads ;)

Yes very helpful! Cheers!
I'd have rung over the weekend, but it's my birthday Monday and I'm thinking I might spend my weekend drinking the odd shandy! ;)
And anyway, this thread is useful for me to refer back to... :)
 
Well Happy Birthday for Monday then!!

I see, I've never had an issue with a wind-on crank. It should be on and locked and not able to drift. Might be worth taking it off and on a few times. Maybe a tiny bit of light oil on the locking tab too. Is it OK with the wind-on knob?

Generally it sounds like it needs a bit of lubrication I think. Are the blinds still not closing fully?

Two Hasselblads! It' a slippery slope Hamish. I know, I've been there. Excluding the non-working 'spare', I think I have 3 ELMs, 3 503s, 2 C/Ms and a Flex Body (not all in the same country mind - that would just be excessive now wouldn't it!!)! ;)
 
Yes...
With the back off, you can see that the rear curtain locks open unless you rotate it back as I described

Hmm just took the crank off, put te knob on tried it, no issue ... Put crank back on, no issue ...
Odd ...

And yeah the curtain still doesnt close properly ...
Def in need of a lube I think ... Still, it works well enough...

Actually if just remembered one more issue I'm haveing
The first and second frame on the film always overlap slightly ... I'm guessing that's not normal?

Talk me through a flex body then... Looking at the pictures of them I can't understand how you are supposed to frame the image?
 
No, overlapping first and second frames is not normal. Assuming you are loading the film correctly and keeping the film / backing nice and tight and lining up the arrow on the paper with the index mark on the spool etc, this may be another manifestation of the need to get it serviced (might be worth getting the back done at the same time). If the gears between the body and the back (visible in the slot) don't quite mesh correctly on frame one it is possible that it might clash with frame two. How evenly spaced are the other frames?

The issue with the winder sound like it hadn't engaged fully. Lubrication again I suspect.

You focus the Flex Body using a ground glass screen just like a LF camera, usually using either a magnifying finder or a right angle finder (it come with a special screen fitted in a frame equipped with spirit levels - fitted with a right angle finder in the article). Once it is focused, you prime the lens and the shutter with a knob and fit a back in place of the screen, remove the dark slide, take the shot and wind-on. Not very quick but OK when you get used to it.
 
The rest of the frames are perfectly spaced! Really really regular spacing ... Maybe I don't have the backing tight enough when I load ... I'll experiment!!

I'd guessed that was the case with the flex body (I want one! ;))

Cock cock cock cock cock

;)
 
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