How to unlock camera with lockedup mirror

[rogerxnz]

I read in this forum that sometimes the mirrors of 500 series cameras "lock up". I have never experienced this but would like to know, in case it happens to my 503CX, how to unlock the mirror.

So, please advise how to unlock a locked-up mirror.

 

[carl_sanders]

Hi there Roger, this happened to me as soon as it was taken out of the box, brand new, the whole camera locked up. We took it over to Hasselblad, just up the road from us and they gave us a new body. As far as doing it yourself, can not help you there. To note that this has not happened since apart from dismantling the extention tubes in the wrong order, again this was solved by taking it to Hasselblad Uk. hope it never happens. best wishes, Carl

 

[rogerxnz]

It happened to me in Vietnam with a body which had not been serviced for a while. What I did, after much research, was to undo many screws and pull the internal workings out of the body shell. After a bit of prodding, I freed the arm which had become locked and it all worked OK for the rest of the trip.

I got desperate and took the risk but I would not recommend it! I found this link through these forums:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~wkb/Hasselblad/Naked-Blad/

See the thread about "The Naked Blad" in the 500 CM/500C forum.

Unfortunately, I missed many good photo opportunities in the highlands around Sapa while the camera was unusable!
Roger