Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: mahleu on August 14, 2007, 02:32:51 pm

Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: mahleu on August 14, 2007, 02:32:51 pm
So i've decided that a move to MF is imminent and I would like a Hasselblad as they're sturdy, strong and I have access to other people's lenses.

I've found some very cheap 500 EL's. I'm not concerned about the extra weight but can they be used manually (ie without batteries)? Also what are the other major differences between the two apart from the motor drive?

Thanks for any assistance.
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: mahleu on August 15, 2007, 03:36:20 am
Ok, i've found a 500c with an 80mm and a 150mm for the same price as the el/m with an 80 (albeit a nicer one).

I think i'm going to go with that.
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: blansky on August 15, 2007, 11:30:01 am
I have both and bought them in 1976.

As a studio photographer the ELM is a great tool because of the motordrive. It's very handy with kids to set the camera and use a 20 foot cable release and then move in and work with them while the camera winds itself.

For any most other applications, I can't see any advantages to the motor drive and a lot of drawbacks. And yes the ELM needs batteries to operate.


Michael
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: bradleygibson on August 26, 2007, 04:30:01 pm
I'm not sure if you're planning to shoot film, digital or both, but I can offer you my perspective as a digital-only shooter.

I have a P45 on a friend's borrowed 500 C/M.  He has also lent me his ELM, since he uses neither any more.  I've been using this setup now since June.

Since I'm shooting digital exclusively, the ELM isn't offering me anything extra except weight, size and more batteries.  Now that I have the hang of using the fully manual C/M, I can cock the shutter faster than the back can write (0.8fps), so the manual winding is a non-issue for me.

Just one person's experience, but I prefer the fully manual 'blad to the motor drive for digital work.  Unfortunately I've never put film through it, so I can't say if I'd change my mind with silver...

Enjoy,
Brad
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: vandevanterSH on August 26, 2007, 06:38:27 pm
Quote
So i've decided that a move to MF is imminent and I would like a Hasselblad as they're sturdy, strong and I have access to other people's lenses.

I've found some very cheap 500 EL's. I'm not concerned about the extra weight but can they be used manually (ie without batteries)? Also what are the other major differences between the two apart from the motor drive?

Thanks for any assistance.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=133247\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

If you have access to lenses and if you have some flex-ability on price;  look at some newer bodies.
It may be cheap until you have to fix it.  Do some research before you jump.
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: mahleu on August 27, 2007, 01:24:45 pm
Quote
I'm not sure if you're planning to shoot film, digital or both, but I can offer you my perspective as a digital-only shooter.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=135665\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It will be film for the forseable future although I would like to eventually get a digital back.

It seems the EL wasn't the deal I thought it was, I want to be able to shoot with out batteries and the extra weight sounds like a pain. I'll just wait till a nice C or a C/M comes around.

Quote
If you have access to lenses and if you have some flex-ability on price; look at some newer bodies.
It may be cheap until you have to fix it. Do some research before you jump.

I don't have much flexability in price. I'll only buy one that's recently had a CLA and hasn't been worked too hard. Camera repair is fortunately a lot cheaper over here, as are used film cameras, unfortunately used digital is more expensive here.
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: mahleu on August 27, 2007, 02:26:36 pm
Ok, next question: My lecturer told me that the chrome lenses work fine for black and white but aren't so good for colour. Is this true?

I'm currently borrowing a 500c/m with an 80mm and a 150mm. I'm loving it, except I keep turning the wrong way when i'm composing
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: bradleygibson on August 27, 2007, 04:29:17 pm
Quote
Ok, next question: My lecturer told me that the chrome lenses work fine for black and white but aren't so good for colour. Is this true?

I'm currently borrowing a 500c/m with an 80mm and a 150mm. I'm loving it, except I keep turning the wrong way when i'm composing
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=135813\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Haha!!  I have the same problem!  Getting used to the WLF took a few weeks, but it's starting to get better.  I just love composing using both eyes--amazing all the wonderful stuff we had 20, 30+ years ago that I'm just "discovering" now...  

Sorry, I don't know anything about the chrome lenses, but I'm using the same 80, 150 lenses that you are--they're incredibly sharp, but do give rather distracting hexagonal blur when they're stopped down.  I'm also using the 250 and find it to be similarly excellent.

Hope you find yourself a good C/M...

-Brad
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: Jim Neely on August 28, 2007, 03:45:00 pm
Quote
Haha!!  I have the same problem!  Getting used to the WLF took a few weeks, but it's starting to get better.  I just love composing using both eyes--amazing all the wonderful stuff we had 20, 30+ years ago that I'm just "discovering" now... 

Sorry, I don't know anything about the chrome lenses, but I'm using the same 80, 150 lenses that you are--they're incredibly sharp, but do give rather distracting hexagonal blur when they're stopped down.  I'm also using the 250 and find it to be similarly excellent.

Hope you find yourself a good C/M...

-Brad
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=135831\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I have both bodies and lenses.  I haven't shot any of them since going digital several years ago.

When I shot the 'blads, I shot mostly color negative film and had no problem using the chrome lenses.

Good luck.

jn
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: mahleu on August 29, 2007, 05:04:38 am
Quote
I have both bodies and lenses.  I haven't shot any of them since going digital several years ago.

When I shot the 'blads, I shot mostly color negative film and had no problem using the chrome lenses.

Good luck.

jn
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=136036\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Would you be interested in selling them?  It's good to know colour comes out ok with the chrome as i'll be shooting some colour when the tri-x runs out.
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: mahleu on September 16, 2007, 11:34:49 am
The problem has solved itself. I found a mint 500c/m with a 150, 250 and 5 backs
as well as over 20 filters and all sorts of useful bits. Cost less than a decent canon
lens.

Now I'll see if I can accidentally bump into a cheap digital back...
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: terence_patrick on September 17, 2007, 12:47:38 pm
A tip for working with the WLF handheld that works quite well is to hold the camera still against your chest or belly and turn from the hips.  That helped in getting composed quicker since I could move my body towards a subject more steadily than just using my hands (and having to think backwards).  

If you're gonna get the Hassy's, you'll also want a long, small-headed flathead screwdriver in case your lens ever gets jammed.  There's also this tool, called the camera key (http://www.micro-tools.com/store/item_detail.aspx?itemCode=PK-1).
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: tived on September 18, 2007, 07:44:20 am
hi mahleu,

You will enjoy the blad, what an amazing tool. Being a Canon digital only, untill I had a play with a blad.

That was it, I had to have one, so when hunting, and found some, 500C/M with an 80mm CF and a 503CW with 60 and 180mm CF for myself. I did also buy a 500EL but it is just sitting on the counter and looking pretty with a WLF.

I really like the look and feel for the images, and the large view finder is just amazing. I have even managed to get my 9 year old daughter interested in photography - now she wants a blad too :-)

As for the chrome or C lenses vs CF (black lenses), the CF lenses have coating to minimize flare AFAIK and there is a different flash connector. If you are really interested then get a the Hasselblad book by Ernest ...... forgot the name, but his books has almost everything you need to know about the blad's however, unless you are also looking at the H-series, then don't buy the latest which I think is version 5, but get an older one.

And yes, get the camera key, they are about 15-20 dollars on eBay, to unjam your camera, cos you are most likely to jam it, in the first few weeks when playing around :-) ehhh, speaking from experience!!

Next is of course - you guessed it, a Digital back!!! (yes, one (I) can always dream!)

Good luck

Henrik
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: tived on September 18, 2007, 07:45:30 am
mahleu,

check out www.hasselbladinfo.com

lots of good info from like minded people

Henrik
Title: Hasselblad 500C and 500EL/M
Post by: mahleu on September 30, 2007, 12:07:17 pm
Thanks for that link, very useful.