What's new
Medium Format Forum

Register a free account now!

If you are registered, you get access to the members only section, can participate in the buy & sell second hand forum and last but not least you can reserve your preferred username before someone else takes it.

CF version lens help please.

simonpg

simonpg

Active Member
I'm sorry to bother you all with my micro-misfortune, but I wondered if anyone can assist me.

On the weekend I was shooting a sunset - with the seriously wonderful 1600F with the Tessar 80mm lens and my 501CM with my very mint CF 250mm Sonnar attached.

Unfortunately in the rather dim light, I seem to have lost the aperture / shutter speed coupling button that is fitted to the aperture ring. This is the small push button at one end of the aperture ring that is raised a bit where the button sits, which you push to operate the EV coupling as you rotate the aperture ring.

I really like the EV coupling feature and use it very often. Sadly I could not find it anywhere and suspect it fell the 30 metres to its death from my apartment's balcony.

I have left a message with my local Hasselblad importer, but suspect like most things you try to get from them, they just will not bother. :(

DOES ANYONE HAVE AN IDEA WHERE I'D BEST FIND A DEALER I CAN EMAIL AND THEN PAY BY CARD TO GET ONE (OR FRANKLY 2 OR 3 JUST IN CASE THIS BECOMES A REGULAR OCCURANCE!!) :)

BY THE WAY, while this all happened, NOTHING fell off the magnificent 1600F and its gorgeous Tessar 80mm lens!!

I suspect the button is just held in place by slotting into the very very small spring left inside the hole on the aperture ring's grip.

Thanks for your time.
 
Hello Simon,

I was a little too fast and almost thought you dropped the 1600F in a canyon.
It took me a second to realise it is just a plastic Mickey Mouse, sorry for that, part that is missing.

Originaly the plastic part is only suitable to mount once.
Otherwise the problem was easily solved as I have several lenses that are used for spares.

The other thing is the lens has to be dismantled to mount the new part and most important remove any remains from the missing part inside the lens.

I will check with my technician whether he has the part in stock.

Which reminds me do you use a camera strap and have you got a suitable one for the 1600F?

Paul
 
Thanks Paul.

Hell no, that 1600F is kept well away from risky situations! :)

The plastic button seems to just clip into the spring that remains in the slot of the aperture ring.

The local importers commented that the button should simply fit back in and is gripped by the spring holding it in place. They said that in the past Hasselblad supplied the button as a single part, but it seems that now Hasselblad insist on supplying a whole new aperture ring!! :( So, unless I want a whole ring I am out of luck locally.

I got your email thanks. Yes I always prefer every camera to have a strap on it - except of course my Linhoff 4x5!!! That way I can avoid a camera crashing down to the ground when my pain meds make me a bit wobbly!

Cheers.
 
Well gentlemen it seems my local Hasselblad importer has come to my rescue. This single plastic little button is actually part of a more complex component.

While it looks like the button just gets pushed back into the hole that has the spring inside it, there are actually 2 or 3 "bits" that enable the button to sit there securely.

So, while it is not necessary to disassemble the lens barrel, it is necessary to disassemble this part of the aperture ring and "reconstruct" the button assembly. This needs a technician and very tiny screwdrivers etc.

The button previously was supplied on its own for AU$30. Now it only comes in a kit of 3 or 4 parts for AU$75!!! But now I understand why.

Anyway the importer has a factory technician on staff and h5 will refit the assembly for $60 labour plus the $30 button.

IMPORTANTLY the technician I spoke too said the CF lenses rarely have any parts break, but the CFE/i versions have some more plastic fittings.

I enquired about buying a DOF preview switch just in case and they "refused" to sell me one ($50 for the assembly) because "they never break". I seems that while the DOF switch on a CF lens is plastic, it has a steel assembly inside it held in place by real screws.

BUT, he suggested periodic checking of the screws tightness is a good idea.

Well, we learn new things everyday! :)
 
Simon,

I am sure your lens will be in save hands with a factory trained repairman.
Just some additional information about this part and the way it is fixed.

The plastic part that holds the button has three stubs that are inserted through holes in the lens body.
These plastic stubs are melted inside the ring they so that the "head" that is made of melted material secures the plastic part.
No screws or other way to fix the part.

Losing the EV control is not uncommon with F and CF lenses.
Wilko had the same part missing from his recently acquired 50 CF lens.
With F anf FE lenses the part is fixed with a screw and can be fitted without dismantling the lens.

Generally CF lenses are longlasting although some plastic components from early CF lenses are known to break.
For those who grew up using "C" lenses and still consider CF lenses as new they were introduced over 25 years ago.
Time flies.....
 
Many thanks Paul. It is good to understand how these things work.

I have checked all my other lenses and the EV fitting seems OK as do the DOF levers. BUT I dare not take a jewellers' screwdriver to them anyway for fear of marking them. I'll leave all service and check items to the trained experts.
 
simonpg said:
I enquired about buying a DOF preview switch just in case and they "refused" to sell me one ($50 for the assembly) because "they never break". I seems that while the DOF switch on a CF lens is plastic, it has a steel assembly inside it held in place by real screws.
Click to expand...

The DOF lever is indeed made of steel, just the plastic button you see on the outside is made of plastic. I once had a CF lens of which the plastic part had gone missing, it is just the matter of finding the replacement part and then screw-mounting it on the lever.

Wilko
 
Just to close this thread I thought I'd let you know what was involved in replacing the EV lock button.

The button assembly is replaced with A AU$30 part and 1 hour labour.

In the future the part will be AU$90 as Hasselblad is only selling it as part of an assembly kit after the switch-only part stocks dry up.
 
I have just been told that my CF 250mm lens has been repaired - the EV coupling button has been replaced.

The good news is that the total cost was AU$115.00 - like I was told the part was AU$39.00 and labour to undo the ring assembly, fit the button and check the lens including focus accuracy, covered the balance.

But for future reference the button will only be available as a kit along with the ring now at a cost of $110.00 before labour due to Hasselblad's changed parts cataloguing.

This work was done by the Aussie distributor's repair department. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top