Elxelelm

[jonwang]

Can anyone tell me the difference between 500 el/m and elx? what does the "X" stand for? whas it the last of the 500 motored bodies?
Also; I fixed a mag the other day, and the film spool that i got with it does not have a red/white indicator on the lock (A12). is it a hbl copy (B.I.G)? or did hbl make some without this indicator?

 

[tarashnat]

The 500EL/M added the interchangeable screen in 1971. In 1985 the 500ELX added built-in TTL flash metering. In 1989 the 553ELX was introduced with internal palpas coating, Acute Matte screen and the power source was changed to 5 AA batteries.

 

[stan]

In addition to the info posted by Taras, note that the mirror in the ELX versions is entirely non-vignetting. For some uses, this is obviously important.

Best regards,

 

[tarashnat]

Stan,

Thanks, you're right. I missed that.

Taras

 

[qnu]

Another addition,

The ELD is the current model, so the "X" (indicating electronic flash control, as was mentioned) does indeed not indicate it being the last in the EL(...) line.

The "D" in ELD, by the way, stands for "digital".

None of the non-automatic Hasselblad magazines had the red-white load indicator in the lock key. So i think you have one of those.
Does your magazine have a (non removable) wind crank or folding wind key on the other side? If the latter, it is a non-automatic magazine.
You can tell whether or not it is a Hasselblad magazine by looking inside the shell, with the insert removed. The Hasselblad name should be visible inside. Some shells also display the "winged V" logo on the magazine release button.
The name is not on the insert itself. But the insert should show the serial number or part of the serial number also visible on the outside of the shell. If they match, and the shell bears the Hasselblad name, the insert will most likely be an original too.
Mind you, shells and inserts frequently got "mis-matched" in use, so the number on the insert may not always be the same as (part of) the one on the shell.