# Actually Using The Hasselblad 500C/M



## Dave Colangelo (Jul 3, 2016)

I thought it might be of interest for some here to see what it takes for a completely average photographer to learn how to use a Hasselblad 500C/M. This threads goal is to serve to document the trials and tribulations I will encounter using this camera. I plan to post both the good photos and the bad to server as a learning experience for others as well. Before I launch into anything I should provide some background on how this camera came into my ownership and what my goals are here. If you don't know what a Hasselblad 500C/M is you should check out this link for more info. 

TL;DR;

Most people who get into photography as a serious hobby will at some point read about the famed "Hasselblad" cameras. Considering their new X1D release their name has been back in the press recently and Im excited so see that camera when it actually hits the shelves. On any note the Hasselbald has a certain way about it that few other cameras have been able to match. Nasa took the early 1600's to the moon, many great album covers have been shot with them and countless famous photographers have used them over the years. One thing that I have found in my recent reading is that due to the heavy professional use and generally high price tag there is not that much information available on these cameras from the point of view of a normal or hobbits shooter. For many years these cameras were simply out of budget for all but few people, however as of late, with the hike in quality of digital cameras and the closing of many film factories the film Hasselblads have really come down in price. This has allowed some of us hobbits to get a piece of gear that was previously out of reach. 

My 500C/M came to me after a few months of searching and a bunch of phone calls, heres the story. There is a small antique shop about an hour from me owned by a very nice old woman. She always has some interesting camera stuff coming and going and I have bought some great vintage nikon stuff from her over the years. About a year ago she told me she had some "old medium format stuff lying around somewhere". I told her that I was getting back into film and I would be interested, she preceded to tell me "Its Hasselblad stuff, the good stuff". I got excited and told her to call me if she found it. Months passed with no call and I ended up back in the store in passing but she still had not found it. She told me that she had a fair idea of where it was but she kept forgetting to look for it. She went on to tell me that if I called her during the week a few times to reminded her she would look for it. We played phone tag for the next 2 months and eventually she located the camera. It was a fairly complete set that included a 500C/M and 3 lenses. Unfortunately I was only able to strike a deal on the camera body, some accessories and the 80mm lens. Part of the deal was also contingent on me not selling the camera (I couldn't just turn it around for a quick small profit) considering the price I was ok with that and the camera came to my possession. 

I knew the camera would need a CLA no matter what (it had been sitting for years) and there was also a problem with the rear shutter curtan. The 500C/M has the main shutter in the lens but there is a second (non timed) curtain in the back of the camera body that was not actuating open fully. After some hunting I located one of the few people that still serveces these cameras. David Odess did the full CLA and repair on the camera for a very resonable sum and was well worth it to get the camera back in working order. His work is flawless and I would highly recomend him to any other Hasselblad owners. It took about 2 months to get the work done but it was well worth the wait.

In the process of waiting I did all the research I could on the camera, how to use it, its pitfalls and its praises. To give the cameras highlights for those who dont know about it, the 500C/M (and almost every other hasselblad) is a medium format (120 Film) SLR camera. It is generally equiped with a waist level view finder and sports hot swapable film backs that allow you to change film mid roll. Hasselblad never made a variable zoom lens for the V series so you only have fixed focal lengths to work with. The most common lenses are 40mm, 50mm, 80mm (the most common), 150mm, and 250mm. They made a somewhat poorly regarded 500mm and a 350mm that seems plus minus at best. I currently have the 80mm and 250mm (I also have a broken 500mm but thats another story). My discussions here will begin with the 80mm and the 250mm (both are single coat C serires lenses) and move into other things as I aquire them. 

I am going to do my best and refrain from comparing this to digital cameras as thats like comparing apples and Hasselblads, they are just different. You can find endless discussions on film V digital elsewhere here if you like. For this Im going to stick to discussing the camera at hand, I will however compare it with some of the other medium format cameras I have used (Rolleichord, Yashica 635 and dare I say it Holga). If I can get ahold of one I would love to compare it to a Kiev 88 (the Russian copy). 




 

Regards 
Dave


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 3, 2016)

I was able to get the camera out for the first time this holiday weekend down at the shore to take a few frames. I wont have the negatives until later this week but here are some shots of it out in the field. 



 


 

Regards 
Dave


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## Gary A. (Jul 3, 2016)

I had a 500 c/m.  Good luck to you.  I was looking for another and ended up with a Fuji GX680III instead.


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 8, 2016)

So the first roll came back from the lab yesterday, all in all not that bad. The light meter I had is defiantly off by at least a stop (but has been replaced with a good working one). Everyone can check out the roll here. Let me know what you think!

Regards 
Dave


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## jcdeboever (Jul 8, 2016)

Not sure if it's my phone but I see light bands in some of the photos. Is that the scan or light leak or my phone?
Definitely see the meter issue, can it be calibrated?


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## Ysarex (Jul 8, 2016)

jcdeboever said:


> Not sure if it's my phone but I see light bands in some of the photos. Is that the scan or light leak or my phone?
> Definitely see the meter issue, can it be calibrated?



Yep, the banding you see is film processing.

Joe


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## jcdeboever (Jul 8, 2016)

Ysarex said:


> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure if it's my phone but I see light bands in some of the photos. Is that the scan or light leak or my phone?
> ...


Well, that's not good.


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## Ysarex (Jul 8, 2016)

Dave Colangelo said:


> So the first roll came back from the lab yesterday, all in all not that bad. The light meter I had is defiantly off by at least a stop (but has been replaced with a good working one). Everyone can check out the roll here. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Regards
> Dave



How do you know the meter is off?
How was the film processed? Who did it and what chemistry?
How was the film scanned? The images are very flat suggesting poor processing and/or poor scanning.

Joe


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## Gary A. (Jul 8, 2016)

How were these metered/developed/printed/scanned? They all seemed very flat ... Easily fixed in post ... But still very flat and lacking contrast.

PS- I posted before reading Joe's remarks.  So what Joe said ...


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 8, 2016)

In response to the common questions,

- The meter was tested against my D3300 and against the new meter (Gossen Sixtomat) both confirmed it was off.
- The film was processed by a local lab, I can get more details from them on the actual chemistry they used next time I'm there.
- The lab also did the scans, these are the lower res scans that are just part of their develop and print package, they are more intended for proofing, they will scan at higher resolutions if you ask (pay) for a particular image.

Both the scans and the prints are fairly flat, for the record the film was Illford HP5 400ISO. I have been taking notes on each shot when I take it so I have all the exposure numbers, ill try and add them to the images for a frame of reference.

For the time being I have been having the lab do the work, mainly due to time constraints however I have been slowly accumulating development tanks, a changing bag, and the other odds and ends needed to develop at home. My next mission is to work on developing the film my self.

Regards
Dave


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## Ysarex (Jul 8, 2016)

Dave Colangelo said:


> In response to the common questions,
> 
> - The meter was tested against my D3300 and against the new meter (Gossen Sixtomat) both confirmed it was off.
> - The film was processed by a local lab, I can get more details from them on the actual chemistry they used next time I'm there.
> ...



You're due a refund on the film processing for that last roll. The banding from uneven processing is obvious. Time to look for other lab alternatives.

Joe


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## jcdeboever (Jul 8, 2016)

Ysarex said:


> Dave Colangelo said:
> 
> 
> > In response to the common questions,
> ...


I would be pissed.


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 8, 2016)

Ysarex said:


> You're due a refund on the film processing for that last roll. The banding from uneven processing is obvious. Time to look for other lab alternatives.
> 
> Joe



There is one other lab in the city (ironically closer to my apartment) that looks like they will be getting the next roll for processing. I consider myself lucky to have 2 labs that still do 120 within walking distance from my apartment. The lab that did the first roll has done some good work for me in the past so its interesting to hear these observations (I still have lots to learn about film). I have 5 exposures left on a Portra 100 roll that I'm working through the camera now to see how it does with color. I will most likely shoot at least one roll of BW this weekend as Im heading back to the shore. 

This may all just lead to me getting my home lab up and running sooner.  FWIW if anyone is in the philly area and wants to help out they are more than welcome to join when I get everything in order. 

Regards 
Dave


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## gsgary (Jul 8, 2016)

Dave Colangelo said:


> Ysarex said:
> 
> 
> > You're due a refund on the film processing for that last roll. The banding from uneven processing is obvious. Time to look for other lab alternatives.
> ...


Overexpose the last shots of Portra and see the difference it loves being slightly overexposed 


Dave Colangelo said:


> So the first roll came back from the lab yesterday, all in all not that bad. The light meter I had is defiantly off by at least a stop (but has been replaced with a good working one). Everyone can check out the roll here. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Regards
> Dave




Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk


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## Gary A. (Jul 8, 2016)

There are many labs across the US which are setup for mail-in/mail-out service.  Richard's in Los Angeles get very high ratings. If you were in SoCal I would be happy to help out.  Hell, you could develop and scan at my place and enjoy a glass of wine.


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## fmw (Jul 9, 2016)

You have a fine classic camera that has made legendary images.  I hope you enjoy it.


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 9, 2016)

Gary A. said:


> There are many labs across the US which are setup for mail-in/mail-out service.  Richard's in Los Angeles get very high ratings. If you were in SoCal I would be happy to help out.  Hell, you could develop and scan at my place and enjoy a glass of wine.



This may be reason enough to make a trip out from the east coast, I may wait until the weather here takes a turn for the cold . I have thought about shipping it out and I may end up trying a few places, Im going to give the other Philly lab a shot before I jump to any conclusions and I may even get the ball rolling on doing it at home. 



fmw said:


> You have a fine classic camera that has made legendary images.  I hope you enjoy it.



Im doing my best to get out and use it!


The weather this weekend has been less than optimal so not much photography has ensued. The forecast has it clearing up tonight so I hope to get out tomorrow and finish off the color roll I have in there. 

Regards 
Dave


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 11, 2016)

The weather at the shore finally broke on Sunday and lead to a great day. I finished off the roll of Portra I had in the camera (a bit over exposed as suggested) and ran another roll of HP5+. Dropped it off at the new lab this morning and it should be ready by 3pm Wednesday so Ill post the shots when I get it back. Turns out the new lab is not only closer to my place but about 20% cheaper (for a roll of 120 dev,print,scan deal) which is nice.  

Things I learned this weekend shooting in the wild with the camera, 
- "Can you take a picture of us? That looks like a big camera you seem like you know what your doing" (asked by at least 3 beach goers, little did they know I dont really know what Im doing...) 
- My girlfriend did not quite understand why I needed "such a big contraption to take a photo"
- The biggest difference I noticed was that when out shooting with my D3300 no one seems to think twice about jumping in a shot, walking in front of me or otherwise acting like I don't exist as they swing their selfie stick this way and that. Drop a tripod down on the beach with a "fancy" looking camera and people will actually ask you if they are in your shot or need to move for the shot. It was very interesting the way the interactions changed.  

Regards 
Dave


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## Gary A. (Jul 11, 2016)

Respect ... it is all about respect.  (See, size does matter.)  Perfect weather this weekend, warm and dry (upper 70's, humidity under 50%).


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 14, 2016)

2 roll from the new lab (see roll 2 and roll 3)... 

The color came out really nicely and I really cant complain about it so for the price they will be my go to C41 lab. My only quam is that they give you the scans on a CD and I have no computer with a CD drive anymore. 

Now for the black and white, the light lines are back and they are worse than before. Now that I know what to look for I asked them about it when I picked my prints up as I was pretty upset. Unfortunately they did not seem very surprised at what happened which angered me even more. Apperently as a result of the machine they use and the way it pulls the film through added with the development time, black and white high iso film is prone to problems like this. So it looks like its time for me to order some the chemicals and start doing this at home (I have been slowly acquiring tanks, changing bag etc.). I was fairly furious yesterday but the lines only appear heavily on the last 4 images of the roll even though they were my favorite images. 

This image has some of the worst



 

Still lots of things to learn as some of the images did not come out exactly as expected. 

Regards 
Dave


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## jcdeboever (Jul 14, 2016)

Dwayne's photo wouldn't have that issue. Too bad. Those color are fantastic. Rich and sharp. Looks like a nice camera to say the least. Looks like the meter is sorted.


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 14, 2016)

jcdeboever said:


> Dwayne's photo wouldn't have that issue. Too bad. Those color are fantastic. Rich and sharp. Looks like a nice camera to say the least. Looks like the meter is sorted.



These 2 rolls (for all but 1 image) were metered with the new meter which looks like its working as it should. The new meter also has incident capability which the old one did not. This has helped me on some of the closer shots. I think I have also just been interpreting the meter readings better as well. I have been reading (and re reading) Ansels "the negative" as I go through this self imposed exercise.

Some thoughts on the camera so far, 
- Yes the camera is very sharp and I have been very pleased with it so far. 
- When paired with a meter that reads out EV's the camera is so simple to use its a delight. 
- The depth of field indicators on the lenses are interesting and a new way of thinking about selecting shutter speed/aperture combos. 
- The hot swappable film backs are really nice, I have been mainly using them to switch between color and black and white when I need to. 


Regards 
Dave


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## terri (Jul 18, 2016)

Keep shooting.   You've acquired some very good equipment; that Planar lens itself is the stuff of minor legends.        You did good!

Since you've come this far, you really owe it to yourself to develop your own B&W.    These two local labs are doing a terrible job.    Honestly, the main hurdle to film developing is just getting comfortable loading the film onto the reel in total darkness.   Once it's on the reel and safely in the tank, you can stand at the kitchen sink with all your chemistry lined up, with a timer and a good photographic thermometer, and develop in daylight.    Don't skimp on your reels/tank; buy new if you can.   Dedicate an old roll of 120 film and sit in front of a table and practice loading it while you can see what you're doing.   Then, try it in the dark a few times until you have a reasonable comfort level.   Go shoot some unimportant stuff just to burn a roll that can be sacrificed for your first development attempt, and give yourself time and space to walk through it.   Once you're done and you see your images, you will have crossed the threshold and have that datapoint to proceed from.    Stick with the same film/developer combination until you're completely comfortable with it and are getting consistently good results.   

I hope you try it soon!   You're working too hard to turn them over to these poor labs.    Good luck!


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 18, 2016)

terri said:


> Keep shooting.   You've acquired some very good equipment; that Planar lens itself is the stuff of minor legends.        You did good!
> 
> Since you've come this far, you really owe it to yourself to develop your own B&W.    These two local labs are doing a terrible job.    Honestly, the main hurdle to film developing is just getting comfortable loading the film onto the reel in total darkness.   Once it's on the reel and safely in the tank, you can stand at the kitchen sink with all your chemistry lined up, with a timer and a good photographic thermometer, and develop in daylight.    Don't skimp on your reels/tank; buy new if you can.   Dedicate an old roll of 120 film and sit in front of a table and practice loading it while you can see what you're doing.   Then, try it in the dark a few times until you have a reasonable comfort level.   Go shoot some unimportant stuff just to burn a roll that can be sacrificed for your first development attempt, and give yourself time and space to walk through it.   Once you're done and you see your images, you will have crossed the threshold and have that datapoint to proceed from.    Stick with the same film/developer combination until you're completely comfortable with it and are getting consistently good results.
> 
> I hope you try it soon!   You're working too hard to turn them over to these poor labs.    Good luck!



Thank you for the encouragement! My B&H cart is currently full of chemicals  I got some used tanks on Ebay which are in fairly decent shape (both Paterson auto loading style as well as the metal real kind). I have a changing bag and an old roll I have been practicing with and hope to run a roll soon. My understanding of it so far is that the most important chemical choice is the developer and the fixer and stopper have less of an impact on the outcome. I am leaning to using all Illford chemistry (the documentation seems really good and easy to find) then messing around with some other stuff.  Adox has also caught my eye as of recently. I still need to get some graduates to measure everything out but other than that I have a fair idea of what to do (lots of reading still to go). One of my biggest concerns right now is the water in Philadelphia. Unfortunately Philly has very hard water and since I live in an apartment I have limited control over putting filters in. I may use some distilled water to solve the problem but that gives me less thermal control. 

Regards 
Dave


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## Gary A. (Jul 18, 2016)

Good for you and sticking with film.  With B&W film it is all about grain and contrast. Different developers will give you different results per grain and contrast.  Different films will give you different results per grain and contrast.  Different temps and agitation will also affect grain and contrast. Much of what you learn from Adams and exposure will actually help you with digital.


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## terri (Jul 18, 2016)

Dave Colangelo said:


> Unfortunately Philly has very hard water and since I live in an apartment I have limited control over putting filters in. I may use some distilled water to solve the problem but that gives me less thermal control.



Well, half the battle is knowing these kinds of things in advance, so you're already ahead.         Yeah, just get a few jugs of distilled water and eliminate that variable.    Again: get a good photo thermometer so you're aware of your temps.    You can fill a photo tray (or any plastic rectangular tray) with ice water and set your graduates in there once you've mixed your chemistry - that cools it down quickly.   20'C is 68'F, which a good default temp to start with and not hard to achieve.   Warming it up can be done with 5-10 second zaps in the microwave, just use caution.    Either way, play with it and rely on your thermometer to tell you when you're good to go.

Don't worry about stop bath with film, after you've finished with your development and dumped it, a cool rinse in your tap water for about a minute will suffice, and you already know you will have your fixer standing by next, mixed in distilled water.    You might want to also use a product like LFN or Photo Flo for a final rinse (avoid home-brew rinse agents, it's tempting but seriously, the stuff is cheap and made to certain specs and will help you).


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 20, 2016)

Another roll came back from the lab today (Ecktar 100) they did a solid job with it but I have not had any issue with color yet so I was not that worried. This roll has some of my best shots so far and the first one that I have considered blowing up and actually framing.



 

Things I learned this go round. 

- A half an EV of over exposure works really nicely with the Ecktar 100. since the Hasselblad EV locked lens' can step by a half an EV its nice and easy. 
- The best pictures come to those who go find them.
- Sunrise will reveal colors I have never seen before. 

This coming weekend is busy with some family stuff so I most likely wont be out shooting. 

Regards 
Dave


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## jcdeboever (Jul 20, 2016)

Wonderful color rendering.


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 26, 2016)

The DNC has been making Philly the pace to be this week. I decided to go out and photograph what was happening since its a pretty neat event and I had a feeling there would be some photo worthy stuff. My office is pretty close to city hall so I headed down there on my lunch break to see what all the fuss was about. Ended up with Two Rolls on Monday and another today. You can check them out here and here in all their glory. The two rolls were shot on Illford 100 Professional and processed by the same lab that messed up the last roll. All things considered they did a MUCH better job with these rolls and Im loving the look of the film. The lunch break rounded out with a nice conversation with a photographer that shot Hasselbalds for many years which was cool. I learned a lot about being fast with the meter and even faster setting the EV on the camera. Ill admit that in my haste some pics were shot at aperture/speed combos I may not have intended on. A few were out of focus in my haste as well but most came out quite nicely.   

 here are my two favorite shots from the day, 




 



 


Regards 
Dave


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## Gary A. (Jul 26, 2016)

Nice. Practice and repetition will greatly increase your speed and exposure accuracy.


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## Dave Colangelo (Aug 9, 2016)

Its been a while since I have updated this, I was at the beach 2 weekends ago and ready to shoot but a stomach bug kept me in the house for most of the weekend. As such I only was able to get a few shots and no rolls were finished so there was nothing to develop. I was however at the air and space museum this past weekend while on a visit to DC (as a pilot I was like a kid in a candy store there, if you are in the area its a must to check out), I got to see one of the Hasselblads used on the Apollo missions which was a real highlight. The Hasselblad ELM was the camera of choice for the Apollo missions, nasa was kind enough to release all the photos recently, you can see them here. Anyway, heres the actually camera 

The Camera 



 
The film backs 


 
Here is a pic of the lunar surface camera 


 

Another thing I thought was pretty funny was this checklist (see the first item on the smaller card) 


 

I hope to finish off the rolls this weekend and get the roll of slide film developed. 

Regards 
Dave


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## chuasam (Aug 14, 2016)

After 15mins of dicking around trying to load the film magazine,  I gave up and picked up the Sony RX1R2 instead.


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## fmw (Aug 18, 2016)

Incidentally, I saw a digital back for the 500C on Ebay recently for $600. I sweat when I think of what they used to cost.


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## Dave Colangelo (Aug 30, 2016)

So I got some of the rolls back from the other weekend and I had the chance to run a roll of Fuji Velvia 50 which I find has a bit more of a blue tone to it than the Ecktar I have been using up till now. It ran nicely and I cant complain with the limited exception of it being almost twice the price of the Ecktar which is a bit frustrating. Anyway the highlight shot was another shot of the chairs, in this case the red was may more bold than the Ecktar, 



 

I also got a roll of Ecktar in that weekend during sunrise but ill admit I was not floored by any of the shots. It was so hot and humid out that morning (even before the sun came up) I think i was just irritated and in a rush and it showed in the outcome.  

Regards 
Dave


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## Dave Colangelo (Sep 30, 2016)

So its been a little while since I have updated this, the end of summer always signals a bit of a downturn in photography for me and this year work has really been keeping me busy but I have tried to shoot a few rolls here and there. Im hopefully heading up to VT to see the foliage next weekend and will be bringing the hassie no question! Here are some shots from around Philly which I think I over exposed a bit and I may have adamantly been in a bit of a rush. 

I was up in VT a few weeks ago and shot two really nice rolls you can see here and here my favorite shot was this one 



 

Im hoping the foliage in VT holds for next weekend (as well as the weather). Right now I have lots of Ecktar 100 and ill get some fuji slide film and really work on color but we shall see. 

Regards 
Dave


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## Dave Colangelo (Nov 11, 2016)

So the weather ended up holding, and the flight up to VT was a great time. There is nothing quite like flying a tiny Piper Archer 1000 Ft. over a 747 coming into KLGA. We got to chase the hurricane back which was pretty cool to fly next to as it moved out to sea. But none the less I had a great time with the 'blad up in VT again. Only shot 2 rolls (here and here) and learned a few key things. A hazy sky has a big impact on things, trees look way better up close in the fall, the 250mm is a nice lens for shooting from a mountain top.

Lots of other things have been going on around Philly and I have been trying to get out and about as much as I can. The midtown festival got a roll of Illford 100 which was a lot of fun. The Clinton rally the night before the election was a good opportunity for me to try out some 3200 ISO Ilford and a great lesson in low light shooting. To be honest most of the shots came out pretty terrible but I learned just how hard it was to focus in low light even with the Matt-D screen. The rolls can be seen here. I also added some more shots to my other philly street photo album from this past weekend. 

One of the better shots from the series (and quite forum appropriate), 


 

Regards 
Dave


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## minicoop1985 (Nov 11, 2016)

fmw said:


> Incidentally, I saw a digital back for the 500C on Ebay recently for $600. I sweat when I think of what they used to cost.



I just bought a Hasselblad H3D-39 for $3200 (including cost of the lens). It was a $30,000 camera when it was new. It's amazing how these things depreciate. Definitely not investment material.


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## Dave Colangelo (Nov 11, 2016)

The digital ones are always a toss up, I have looked at some of the digital back for my 500CM but the truth is the affordable ones are only slightly higher resolution than the best things out on the DSLR market . I shoot the 500 C/M to get back into shooting film and have some fun the old fashion way!


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## minicoop1985 (Nov 11, 2016)

There's a couple options out there for MF digital backs. Phase One P series is worth a look. Sure, it's not much more resolution wise than a current DSLR, but the image quality blows modern DSLRs away. I had a 22 mp Leaf Aptus that had 22 megapickles, and the image quality out of even the cheapo Mamiya glass was unbelievable.


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## greybeard (Nov 11, 2016)

I had a 500 C back in the day when I was shooting a lot of weddings.  I ended up adding an eye level prism finder to mine.  I eventually sold it and bought a Mamiya 645 which I liked a lot better, especially the price of the lenses.


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## Dave Colangelo (Jan 12, 2017)

The holidays kept me busy and away from shooting a lot for a bit. I put a few rolls through my new Rollei 35 (German made) which has been a lot of fun. But I have this coming weekend blocked out for a trip to southern VT and Im getting everything ready. I recently snagged a 50mm and a red filter for it which should be fun. 



 

Regards 
Dave


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## Dave Colangelo (Feb 1, 2017)

So I trip was a blast but I must admit I was feeling a bit uninspired and my work shows it. You can see the album here. I went a bit nuts with the red filter on the 50mm but it was a good exercise in exposure calculations. I made it a point to notate what I was doing for comparison later which helped in my post analysis. One of my favorite shots from the weekend,



 
The lighting was over-cast which was a bit disappointing as I was really hoping to get that big cloud look with the red filter but the summer may be better for that. I was also hoping for some great snow covered landscapes however the warm weather put a hamper on that. I may head back up after a big snowfall and try again.  

Until Next Time...
Regards
Dave


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## Dave Colangelo (Mar 24, 2017)

The strange but very cold weather in the northeast as of late has kept me inside. However we had a really a really warm weekend a few weeks ago so I was able to get out and get a roll thorough. I have been feeling a bit uninspired lately but nice weather is around the corner which means ill be out and about more. This roll was a lot of work with the 50mm and a red filter on a few of the shots which has been interesting to shoot with. Frankly the 50mm is very wide and I need to work more at really getting to know how to use it correctly. My favorite shot from the roll was most likely this one, 



 

Regards 
Dave


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## greybeard (Mar 24, 2017)

Dave Colangelo said:


> 2 roll from the new lab (see roll 2 and roll 3)...
> 
> The color came out really nicely and I really cant complain about it so for the price they will be my go to C41 lab. My only quam is that they give you the scans on a CD and I have no computer with a CD drive anymore.
> 
> ...


Back in my film development days, I had some negatives that looked like that, it was from poor agitation.  You have to agitate for 5 sec every 30 sec to get uniform development.


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## 480sparky (Mar 24, 2017)

Nice shot of the trees......... 'Ceptin for the bipedal humanoids in the background.


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## Dave Colangelo (Dec 4, 2017)

A new job has been consuming pretty much all my time but I did manage to get out and do a bit more shooting this summer. I was messing with some other cameras but the blad was always near by. Not nearly as much as summer's past but some nice shots none the less. I have a roll in it now form a recent event that has a few exposures left then ill get it up. 

There is, however a new 500mm adventure brewing....


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## Dave Colangelo (Dec 8, 2017)

I finally developed a roll from a few weeks back that I shot on the 500CM and I am quite pleased all in all. The 12 images are the last 12 in this album but the best one over all was this one,




 

The most important development as of late has been my home processing. This helped extract the next level of quality from the camera I simply was not getting from the lab. While the lab did great work I am able to simply try more things at home and get far more consistent  results. Scanning at home has been both a huge benefit and a bit of a curse. My local lab did a great job keeping everything dust free and doing it quickly. At home I wrestle with dust all the time but have the luxury of scanning at a way higher quality then what my lab delivers. 


Dave


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## jcdeboever (Dec 9, 2017)

Dave Colangelo said:


> I finally developed a roll from a few weeks back that I shot on the 500CM and I am quite pleased all in all. The 12 images are the last 12 in this album but the best one over all was this one,
> 
> View attachment 150504
> 
> ...



Nice album. I like developing but scanning is a pain for me. What scanner did you end up getting?


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## TCampbell (Dec 9, 2017)

When I worked for a studio doing weddings (~30 years ago) I used a Hasselblad 500 C/M.  I really enjoyed working with that camera.  But in particular I enjoyed that I could enlarge prints quite aggressively and they'd still look fantastic (as compared to my 35mm SLR where you'd start to notice more softness if enlarging a print too much.)

I noticed you have the focusing lever clamped so the lever is on the left.  I put it on the right ... same side as the winder and shutter button.  This let me quick-focus the camera with my right index finger & thumb operating the lever...  and the 'ring' finger of my right hand was on the shutter button.  It made very easy and efficient to focus and shoot -- my left hand was supporting the camera (my camera was on a flash-bracket with the flash about 2' above the lens to avoid red-eye ... which we couldn't digitally fix back on those days.)

The stock winder was swapped for one that had a nicer crank.

We also had the optional 45º pentaprism viewfinder ... which also had a built-in light meter -- rather than the stock finder.

I love the shots and you're showing off the differences between the Ektar (punchy saturated colors) vs. Portra (moderately subdued color).  We used to shoot with Kodak VPS (VPS = Vericolor Professional Type S) for the weddings because the moderately subdued/gentle  color tones were particularly beautiful for wedding photography.  Kodak no longer makes VPS... Portra is about as close as you can get to it.)

As for developing your own B&W... I would encourage that.   It can be difficult to learn to load the first roll of film in a dark bag and you can't see how you're doing.  The tip I was given back when I learned ... just waste a roll on purpose.  Take a roll you don't plan to shoot, and learn to wind it onto the spool in good lighting so you can see what you're doing.  Practice that a few times.  Then take the same roll and put it in the dark-bag and practice it a few more times so you get the feel for it without having to see it (and knowing you can open the bag if you're not sure it's working right).

After just a handful of practice runs, you'll have the confidence to take an exposed roll (something you care about) and know you can comfortably wind it onto the spool without needing to see it.


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## Dave Colangelo (Dec 9, 2017)

jcdeboever said:


> Nice album. I like developing but scanning is a pain for me. What scanner did you end up getting?



I ended up going for the V800 and have been super happy I did. Although not all that often I do on occasion shoot 4x5 for a lot of the epson's that have only the center part backlit were not really an option. I had looked at some of the various others that are not flat bed as well but I shoot a bunch of formats so flat bed was the only real option. I also have been asked to help out on a size-able scanning/archival project which led to the purchase in the first place. Most of the more recent stuff I have posted was scanned at home and the results have been really nice. The dust is frustrating but since it costs me nothing but time I dont really mind it, the local labs charge somewhere in the range of $10 a scan for 4x5 negs and about the same for scans of a roll of film (if they do the processing) so its already been well worth it. If you are in the market I highly recomend it.


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## Dave Colangelo (Dec 9, 2017)

TCampbell said:


> I noticed you have the focusing lever clamped so the lever is on the left. I put it on the right ... same side as the winder and shutter button. This let me quick-focus the camera with my right index finger & thumb operating the lever... and the 'ring' finger of my right hand was on the shutter button. It made very easy and efficient to focus and shoot



I have since removed the helper as I found it just got in the way. One of the main problems I always found with it is that the 80mm has about 340 degrees of rotation on the focus ring and if the little handle is not placed in a fairly specific orientation it hits the trigger button on rotation.  



TCampbell said:


> The stock winder was swapped for one that had a nicer crank.



I have since put this on as well 



TCampbell said:


> We also had the optional 45º pentaprism viewfinder ... which also had a built-in light meter -- rather than the stock finder.



I was lucky to find mine with the metered 45 prism, the un metered 45º and the chimney finder. Generally I keep the waist level on for portability and I really like the chimney finder for landscape work. One thing I dont love about the 45º finders is the lack of magnifier option that the waist level finder has.




TCampbell said:


> As for developing your own B&W... I would encourage that. It can be difficult to learn to load the first roll of film in a dark bag and you can't see how you're doing. The tip I was given back when I learned ... just waste a roll on purpose. Take a roll you don't plan to shoot, and learn to wind it onto the spool in good lighting so you can see what you're doing. Practice that a few times. Then take the same roll and put it in the dark-bag and practice it a few more times so you get the feel for it without having to see it (and knowing you can open the bag if you're not sure it's working right).
> 
> After just a handful of practice runs, you'll have the confidence to take an exposed roll (something you care about) and know you can comfortably wind it onto the spool without needing to see it.



I wasted a few blank rolls on loading... As part of this whole endeavor I have also taken to dark room printing (my local lab dumped a lot of stuff and let me have it) so that has been quite a bit of fun as well. I have been sticking mostly to the ilford stuff and really been happy with the results but I would like to mess around with some of the other chemistry and film options. I have done a bit of Rodinal work with a buddy locally and have liked it as well. Eventually Ill get around to trying some of the kodak stuff more seriously.


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## Dave Colangelo (Apr 2, 2018)

So its been a while since i have done anything substantive with the 'blad. The bad weather and my new job has kept me busy and inside. I picked up a studio strobe to start messing around with portraiture but like much of my gear its gotten a bit of use and is just hanging out right now. I have a trip coming up and the 'blad is coming with me! so it will be getting some use quite soon. On any note I was on mousing through the bay the other night looking for backs (and losing out to people on "lot of hasselblad items") but I was able to spend a whooping $7 combined on two pretty neat additions to the collection 



 

The 4th addition is even signed by Ernst him self, 



 

Regards 
Dave


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## ac12 (Apr 9, 2018)

I wish I could get out with mine half as much as you did.
Too many distractions.

At least you did not make the mistake that I did.
I sent a roll in, and when it came back, it was BLANK.
The shop owner and I puzzled over it for a long time.  The only thing we could think of was that, I must have loaded the film 'backwards,' with the PAPER toward the lens, not the film.  IOW, I loaded the insert like it was a TLR.  duh . . . .  RTFM and pay attention !  
I learned my lesson and did not make that mistake again.

What developing reel/tank are you using?
I use a 40 year old Nikkor stainless steel reel/tank.
The first time I loaded 120, I was in a photo store and the manager gave me a dummy roll to try.  And I 'got it' on the first try  
All those YEARS of loading 35mm film onto ss reels came back in a flash.
I did not have the film flexing problem that some people complain about with 120 film, with that dummy roll nor Ilford Delta 100 that I use.

BTW, I LIKE your case.  It is very well organized.  I should do something similar, maybe using a garage sale 4" briefcase or an overnighter as a base.


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## Dave Colangelo (Apr 9, 2018)

ac12 said:


> What developing reel/tank are you using?



I use a few different ones. I have a stainless steel nikkor tank and real as well, that gets the least use as I dont love how you need to curl the film a bit to get it into the initial clip I have accidentally kinked the film in the process at least once doing this. For the most part I use a paterson tank with the large fin style reel. They make two reels and one has substantially larger feeder fins which I find really helps with the 120 rolls. You can see the difference here. 

As for the case it is an original hasselblad one and the compartments fit the V series stuff nicely. Heres a pretty cheap one for sale on the bay if you want a bit more space this one is almost identical to the one I have and is even less than I paid for mine. Interestingly I have seen a lot of cases out there for sale and they all seem to be arranged differently, I cant find much documentation on them either which makes them a kinda cool, unique accessory. Fair warning on the cases, they are made of wood and very heavy, I use it primarily for storage of the camera at home, when I move it around its in a well padded bag of some sort.


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## ac12 (Apr 9, 2018)

Dave,
I do NOT use the clip in the middle of the reel.
In my experience, with 35mm film, the clip creates more problems than it fixes.
With the clip, the film has to be absolutely centered when you clip it.  If the film is not properly centered, the film will start to wind crooked and you will kink the edge of the film.
I slide the film into the middle of the 4 center wires where the clip is, and just hold it there with one finger as I start to turn the reel.  This way the film is free to self-center, and does not kink.  It takes a little practice to get it.

WOOD.  You are right, it would be heavy.  I think I will pass, instead try to make one out of a lighter fiberglass briefcase or over-nighter suitcase.  But the pre-made dividers are nice.


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## Ysarex (Apr 9, 2018)

ac12 said:


> Dave,
> I do NOT use the clip in the middle of the reel.
> In my experience, with 35mm film, the clip creates more problems than it fixes.
> With the clip, the film has to be absolutely centered when you clip it.  If the film is not properly centered, the film will start to wind crooked and you will kink the edge of the film.
> ...



Buy it once, get it right, problem solved: Hewes 35mm reel

Joe


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## ac12 (Apr 9, 2018)

Hewes idea is good, but did not exist back in the 1970s, as far as I know.  Had it been there, I might have used it for 35mm film.   Instead I bought Honeywell/Nikkor tanks and reels.
As I understand, the Hewes clip hooks into the sprocket holes of 35mm film, so that would not work for 120 film, which has no sprocket holes.  In fact the Hewes 120 reel uses a spring clip similar to the type that creates kinking problems on 35mm reels, if the film is not centered properly.
Hewes  120 Stainless Steel Developing Reel HW120 B&H Photo Video


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## AlanKlein (Apr 9, 2018)

Nice shots including the scans.  How do you like the ball head.  I use a pan tilt head with my RB67 so you can pan it without it slipping off the axis and going un-level.  Do you find that happening  with the ball head?


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## Dave Colangelo (Apr 9, 2018)

AlanKlein said:


> Nice shots including the scans. How do you like the ball head. I use a pan tilt head with my RB67 so you can pan it without it slipping off the axis and going un-level. Do you find that happening with the ball head?



I quite like the ball head, my current one is perhaps a bit small for the 'blad and Im looking to upgrade but on any note. I dont find a lot of axis issues, generally speaking running anything but the 80mm on the 'Blad system makes it a bit forward heavy so the only direction the camera is really gonna slip is forward. My ball head is a bit undersized for a system camera and I know a properly sized one would solve the small slipping issues I have. Since its my go-to tripod I really like ball heads for wildlife stuff (usually a tele on a nikon D3300) as you can adjust the drag to the point where it will hold the camera when you take pressure off but still allow a lot of movement. I have shot with tilt/pan heads for video stuff before and I'd say they are just different. The really nice thing is you can make all your adjustments just by easing the tension I find this prevents the fidgeting I once did on a tilt/pan style head. Also most ball heads have a pan on the base so you can flat pan once you adjust your horizon which is pretty nice.


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## AlanKlein (Apr 9, 2018)

Interesting.  I might look into them.  Thanks.


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## ac12 (Apr 10, 2018)

Alan
I think ball vs. pan is a personal thing.
I happen to NOT like ball heads, as I cannot adjust it accurately or reliably.  As you said, it moves in 2 axis at once, which is the problem for me.  If I want to change the elevation, I don't want it to accidentally tilt to the side.
But I will use my ball head when I am carrying the tripod for any distance, as it is the lightest head that I own.


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## pendennis (Apr 10, 2018)

ac12 said:


> Alan
> I think ball vs. pan is a personal thing.
> I happen to NOT like ball heads, as I cannot adjust it accurately or reliably.  As you said, it moves in 2 axis at once, which is the problem for me.  If I want to change the elevation, I don't want it to accidentally tilt to the side.
> But I will use my ball head when I am carrying the tripod for any distance, as it is the lightest head that I own.


Amen!  I really prefer 3-axis heads, a la Bogen 3047.  I own several ball heads, including a Bogen 3038.

This past weekend, I was out and found a 1973 Hassy 500 C/M with a "chrome" 80mm f/2.8.  Taking it out this weekend after the PM 45 (sans meter) arrives.  I owned one before, but foolishly let it go.


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## Dave Colangelo (Jul 1, 2018)

I finally got out and had some fun with this bad boy... Pictures coming when the roll is done. This is perhaps the most cumbersome lens in the system. Ultimately its a 500mm F/8 slow focusing, top heavy, behemoth. Due to the large amount of force needed to focus getting birds in flight is not really an option (or will take a great deal of luck). It takes quite a it of patience and you really need to anticipate the birds movement to get it in front of the lens, and in focus when you take the shot. Its been quite hot here in the north east recently, even at the shore, so sitting outside in the heat and sun for a long time really gets to you. 

More to come soon, but until then heres a pic of it in action.


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## pendennis (Jul 9, 2018)

This is one of those abandoned commercial buildings (former bank on the right) in southwest Detroit.  Someone evidently wanted to use it for something else, but that, too, has been abandoned.


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