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First production of 500C ?

blowupster

blowupster

Member
I'm accidentaly a proud owner of a 1958 500C. I had to repair (I spent 1 hour to change "plugs and oil filter") and now it works perfect with my CFV. I'm surprised about the fact that the sceen is not as bright as an acute-mat but finaly it's easier to get perfect foccusing for digilal level. I use to look on the net for an "old horse" and never saw 1957 500C. When does exactly began production of the body ? Not the official presentation!
 
According to R Nordins magical book the 500C was introduced in autumn 1957 and the "last" 1000F was shipped from the factory in November 1957.

And as there is a photo in the book of a 500C with number CU 30022, at least 22 of them was made in 1957.
 
Thanks. Well, I suppose CU 30022. Do you mean that the number for the 500C began with 30000 ? BTW if they still produced 1000F in novembrer I suspect that there was few 500C made in 1957. Hard to imagine to have 2 different production lignes at the same time. As they use same letters code for body and back, does it mean that the use different number list for body and back ?
I recently saw a 80mm made in 1957, I wunder witch lens where made the first years. I know that the first 60mm/4 and 60mm/5.6 were realy poor performer. I saw a 1963 250mm with is close to the "actual" (except for T* coating).
 
Apparently they had different number series for bodies (1000F and 500C) and magazines.
And I think they had several assembly lines, one for the SWA/SW/SWC and one/two for the 1000 and 500C.
And yes, the first 500C-body had number CU 30000.

I need to make a factory visit. I shall try remember this questions when I'll make it.
(I know that they are not in the original location any more :-(, but they are more or less just opposite the river))


What I have been able to read is that the 60/5.6, the 80/2.8, the 150/5.6 and 250/5.6 was introduced with the 500C.
 
blowupster said:
Thanks. Well, I suppose CU 30022. Do you mean that the number for the 500C began with 30000 ? BTW if they still produced 1000F in novembrer I suspect that there was few 500C made in 1957. Hard to imagine to have 2 different production lignes at the same time. As they use same letters code for body and back, does it mean that the use different number list for body and back ?
I recently saw a 80mm made in 1957, I wunder witch lens where made the first years. I know that the first 60mm/4 and 60mm/5.6 were realy poor performer. I saw a 1963 250mm with is close to the "actual" (except for T* coating).
Click to expand...

There are even CZ C-PLANAR lenses 2,8/80 produced in 1956 .
The one I have in my collection is NR.: 1594923 .
The shutters of these early lenses have an extra number like : 2955871
engraved in the rear of the lens.
I have seen lenses , where this shutter number was engraved by hand .
 
First production of 500C

Pleased to see this thread. (I'm not the only curious person who has an interest in this question?) Yes the first 500C was CU 30000 and there were about 1200 camera bodies made with the 1957 date code (highest serial number I've seen is CU 31165 and the earliest 1958 is CR 31267).
 
L1007421_petit.jpg
Up: My fisrt Hasselblad baught in 1986): 80mm/2.8 Trinar (Rodenstock); 1000F (1955); PME-45 viefinder E-24 film back and Kodak PHR + PK12 process.
Down: SD card with SD-CF convertissor; C-30mm Distagon; 500C (1958) ; Kodak CFV-39
 
Compatibility

Some more compatibility . :daumenhoch_smilie:

SW+CFV01.jpg

This combination works perfectly fine . But I do not use the SW for shooting . Its just for demonstration .
At the time the SW was built (1957) , no one even knew , what a digital back would be and look like .

Jürgen
 
Well I got the C-250/5.6 made in 1963. A beauty! I had to fight to buy only the lens as I'm not interested by the included softar filter. Funny to imagine that at this time the lens was to sharp for standard portrait and now we always care about pixels numbers.
In that time PS did not exist to soften skin reality. For portrait with CFV-39 the result is realy beautiful but hood is needed. More fun to take this lens for portrait than my CFi 100mm witch show the need of professional make-up even for child.
 
View attachment 3899
Here the 500C of 1958 with a 1965 Zeiss lens. Real beauty. Very happy to shoot digital with this Kit.

On the front body (close to the lens) there are the 2 holes to fix the never produced motor (?)
 
Thrilling thread, so I join the club: my 500C is CU30654. Got only the body with a later finder, ordered the hopefully right one (1600/1000 style), found a back fom 1959 in good condition, so quite well fitting and bought a 4.0/150 (5140938, I assume around 1970) for a first test. Will start next weekend to take photos with that early beauty.

As soon I learn to post photos here I will attach from this 500C. BTW I cannot open any attachment, as the one in this thread. Always get this message: "Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator".

With kind regards from Austria,
Walter
 
yes but twice, could not correct this. The lens is 4.0/50 of course (sorry my mistake) and detail photos should come next weekend. The body has all the destinctive features for 1957.

Which book from Richard Norton is that early No CU30022 from? My 'Hasselblad Compendium' 1998 does not contain this No.

Are there more 500C known from 1957, 1200 made anyway?

Walter
 
looks great :) and good to use certainly.

Got a Magnifying hood (TIIHC) today, fits the 500 C super. A manuel from 1957 is on the way. First films from mine 500 C are ready for development, I am curious for the first shots.

Walter
 
Well I waited a long time to get an exact 1960 lens. I got one with number 2597###. On Hasselbladhistorical.com I have no answer, but if I compare other numbers I must be centered between 1959 and 1961 (!)
However I just recieved the lens and disover a T* written in red on the barrel. So whats the bug here ? My other lenses of 1963 and 1965 are not T* and I understood the T* appear only in 1970. Was the 150mm/4.0 multi coated before other lenses ? Or my lens is a fake ?
 
First production of 500C

Which book from Richard Norton is that early No CU30022 from? My 'Hasselblad Compendium' 1998 does not contain this No.

The photo showing the serial number from CU30022 is from the 2011 version of the Hasselblad Compendium
 
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