Hasselblad reliability

[eronald]

I'm playing with the idea of buying a used H4D40 or H3DII31, as the prices are coming down. What is your impression of body reliability? And the lens-shutter? How many shots on each before they can be considered ripe for maintenance?

Edmund

[Dustbak]

I use a H4D60 as well as a H5D40. Naturally the H5 is quite new so I cannot say anything yet about its reliability. I have never experiences a single issue with the H4 in the last 2 1/2 years. Before the H4 I used H2's with CF39's. I only had an issue with a body once (broken mirror drive which cost me appr. 750euros) and a broken IC board in one of the back (which was a costly affair).

I have now over 75K of clicks on the HC100, it is still going strong. My general idea about this is that you often get the problem in the early stages (1000clicks or less) or only after putting many clicks (100K or more) on the lens. I have decided to get me another HC100 and send in my copy for maintenance as soon as it reaches 100K.

The bodies are quite sturdy, even though it appears to be flexing a bit when you grab the handgrip firmly. I however have never tried throwing a body on a concrete floor...

Having said all of this. I am taking care of my equipment, don't have assistants and might just have been lucky too

[Ken R]

My H1 body has just a hair over 100k clicks on it (It was a rental, got it cheap). I am wondering when will it break. The lens I am not worried since it has about 30k clicks.

[Gandalf]

This is one of those things where I think you need to do your homework and then hope for the best. Hassies either seem to break or the don't, so you get some varied answers. Also, Phase dealers seem to have different answers to the question than Hassy reps. From what I have seen, the body shutter is good for about 100,000 and then you are on borrowed time. Some last forever, but most that I have seen seem to go in the 100k - 150k exposure range. I think replacement is about $1,500 USD. There are a couple lenses that seem to need shutter replacement more than others. I think it was the 100/2.2 that was more prone to issues. This info is second hand from someone who managed a rental house, so they may have been used harder than average. The photographers I know who have them dumped the system at the first sign of trouble, or used Canons for shoots that would stress the cameras (weather, etc.).

All this to say, ask a lot of people, look for the similarities and ignore the outliers. I'm in a similar boat, but looking at a H3DII-39, or going the H2/Phase route.

[JV]

I have a Phase One back and several H bodies: H1, H2 and H4X.

I have had one issue with a H1 body.  I had bought it used though.  Don't recall the exact number of clicks.

One shutter problem as well with a lens but within the warranty period so that was fixed for free by Hasselblad.

Repair from Hasselblad New Jersey on both occasions was quick (back at my place within the week) and repair costs for the body were very reasonable (again don't recall the exact amount).

[Douglas Fairbank]

Major overhaul would be a good decision at 100K for the body and maybe a release switch change at 50K. In my opinion the condition of the camera is more important than the count if you are buying. Over the years I have seen several cameras with counts in excess of 250K and still going strong, I would guess that there could be an H out there with 1000K and still working. The cameras are designed to be serviceable, moving parts and interface plates can all be changed. That is not true of most cameras, that is also an opinion so please don't attack me if yours is different.

[hasselbladfan]

Never had an issue with my H4D40.

Always there when I need it. 

[geesbert]

Unfortunately Hasselblad service in Germany is awfull.

Any estimate for repair costs about 170€ if not executed, it took them 4 weeks to get an estimate for a broken shutter of a 203 and then another 6 weeks to get it repaired. That's not aceptable for a professional tool.

It must be possible to get it repaired in a couple of days.

Even Leica, who is known for long service turnover, introduced a professional service where I got my camera back withing 3-4 days (twice, so it seems to work).

I can't work with a company that is so unreliable.

[Douglas Fairbank]

I can only offer authorised servicing for the V range in the UK. But I don't charge for estimates (I don't need to, only ever had one rejected) and typical turnaround is 2/3 business days. I apologise for this being off topic but I wanted to balance the feedback and hopefully servicing in other countries may be improved since the shake ups in the organisation last year.

[jerome_m]

Unfortunately Hasselblad service in Germany is awful.

Any estimate for repair costs about 170€ if not executed, it took them 4 weeks to get an estimate for a broken shutter of a 203 and then another 6 weeks to get it repaired. That's not acceptable for a professional tool.

Isn't that camera about 20 years old (the 203)? I think that you would find it difficult to find another "professional tool" that is still repaired after 20 years.

BTW: for mechanical cameras, there is a little shop in the Landwehrstrasse 12 (Fotowerkstatt Wiener), not too far from Foto-Dinkel. They could probably repair a broken shutter in less than 6 weeks.

[Bernd B.]

I agree four weeks is too long for a professional tool. But it is rather good news a 203 can be repaired nowadays. Probably they had to wait for parts from sweden.

Bernd