Should I Blad?

[Chris Dodkin]

You still using the blad Hamish?

Was considering a 500cm as one of my 'year of film' cameras, but wasn't totally sold on long term usability

Was wondering how you are finding the whole blad experience?

It's a fair chunk of change for a 500cm and say an 80mm Zeiss - although I've no doubt the quality will be stunning

Any thoughts?

 

[Pete Askew]

A lovely combination Chris. The Zeiss glass has a real look to it and the camera is a joy to use. Like all leaf shutter lenses, they are best fired every now and then to stop them getting 'stiff'. Same with the camera and back. Spare shutter blades for the early lenses are getting scarce and Hasselblad claim they have run out although quite a few independents seem to have stocks. The Acute Matte focussing screen is significantly brighter than the standard and I prefer to shoot with a WLF. Hand holding isn't a problem but I rarely do. Be warned though, they can be addictive!

 

[Hamish Gill]

I had mine serviced, so it probably owes me about £750 now ... But it feels like its worth more ... We have a Pentax 645 kicking around the office and as a comparative camera it feels like toy!
I really love everything about it Chris!
As to how much I use it, not much... But do bare in mind that for probably more than a year the only thing I have really used outside of a compact camera (outside of work anyway) is my nex... And I'm annoyed with that too for how big it is now!
The blad has been taken to the office and is now used for work! I bought a 150mm f4 recently and have geared up the blad for studio work. It's not actually been used yet in the studio, but it will be... When the right client comes along!
It has though been used on location twice now, once for a shot that was to be used as part of a website ... Bit didn't in the end and once for some location portraits (not processed yet)
I will also be taking it to Wales when I go for my hols in the summer and hope to have added a 50mm to the arsenal by then.
Im slimming down my kit again at the mo, I have a pile of stuff at work for eBay to sell ... One of the things that has gone was my fuji gs645 which I swore I would never sell (thankfully Paul has had it) ... I just wasn't using it! And having the blad as an mf option just didn't see me using again. Basically, be prepared for a fair chunk of camera, don't expect to want to use it all the time ... But when you do, I'd be supprised if you didn't love it!

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Made this into a new thread ... The less attention brought to that other thread the better!

 

[Pete Askew]

Will you use the WLF in the studio Hamish? Works well fro portraiture in particular as you can stay more 'connected' to your subject.

My favourite Hasselblad body is the 503CW. It has all of the latest developments (floating mirror and Acute Matt among others) but I think the previous generation of backs were slightly better - they have the nice fold-out spool clips. Having said that, the 500 C/M is a classic camera in every respect and you can add the later screen. I have a very old and heavily used C/M and after being serviced by Hasselblad functions perfectly (actually it did before the service). I'm embarrassed to say that I'm not sure how many bodies I own but the 503s get the most use along with a mains powered 500ELM which has a PhaseOne H20 on it. One thing to look out for is to make sure the serial number of the insert matches that of the back. If not, there is a risk that the frames won't be spaced correctly. Everything else is pretty much interchangeable. I guess you've figured out that the A12 backs are 6x6, 12 frames and the A16 are 6x4.5, 16 frames (and that the 24 and 32 are for 220 film). You can change backs mid-roll of course and thus switch film and format. I prefer plain or grid screens but there are split screens also and you can get dioptre adjusted lenses for the fold out magnifier.

Like Hamish, I think you'll love them.

 

[Hamish Gill]

It's on it at the moment as it goes Pete.
It is definitely good for portrait work!

I have a split screen one for mine Chris - I've tried a few different screens - I prefer the split one over the plain acute matte. I think the split acute matte would probably suit me best ... But for the £££

I have couple of backs for mine, an older a12 which is fine, but I also have a modern one which has a slot to hold the dark slide on the back ... I'd look for one of those if buying again as I put my dark slide in my back pocket the other day. It's a bit bent now.

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We should chat soon about Daves bits Pete ... I can't even remember if we came to any arrangement with those different screens etc ...

 

[Pete Askew]

Me neither. The Acute Matte was mine I think. Was just the lens from Dave? How are you getting on with the MPP?

 

[Hamish Gill]

There was a prism, maybe a winder, I'm guessing the split screen and of course the 80mm cf with the missing grip - which I now have replaced the grip ... I also have a camera of his I said I would sell ...
and of course the mpp ...
Not great in answer to you question, the shots I developed didn't come out ... Not properly anyway, I think they may have been the inside ones in the mod54... And I'm not sure I agitated well enough... Patchy and streaky. Just another thing working against my relationship with LF! I enjoye the Titan though... Not sure what to do really! I can't even remember what you said he would sell it me for ... ?

 

[Pete Askew]

I'll check with him.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks you both - So suggested spec would be 500cm, Acute Matt, 80mm T* and an A12 with matching insert?

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Mmmmm, found one for sale by a local wedding photog - will take a shufti on Monday

He wants too much, but maybe I can talk him to his senses

 

[Hamish Gill]

That's about right, I have a pme51 prism finder for mine too, which makes it a much more conventional slr. The waist level finder is growing on me, but I don't use one enough to be quick enough with it. Good if you want to work slow though, and lovely on a tripod! The WLF also makes the whole camera a lot smaller ... And of course you look cooler looking down into a waist level... As long as you don't spend to long doing that swinging side to side thing they can make you do (just me?? )

 

[Pete Askew]

Replied to your PM about the prospective C/M Chris. Forgot to say, if you play with the extension tube, make sure you do it in the right order - tube to camera, lens to tube/camera (remove in reverse). Otherwise you will jam the mechanism which would be rather embarrassing - and expensive!

 

[Pete Askew]

Thought this might be useful to help date prospective cameras etc. They employ a letter code in a similar to Kodak did. The two letter prefix is translated to the last two digits of the year.

V H P I C T U R E S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

So a serial number of RU123456 denotes that the body was made in 1987.