shutter realease stuck whenever i put on the film back

[fresvik]

hello!
I've got a 500cm that wont allow me to take pictures with it somehow. I got a usermanual for it but I didnt see any explanations there for what could be causing this. Also I wonder about the two lenses I have, it seems they are only locked on automatic shutter speed and depth of field, I can't move them seperately, and I can't put them on anything but 3 different values or something. It wont move through the whole scale! is this normal?

 

[CarstenW]

hello!
I've got a 500cm that wont allow me to take pictures with it somehow. I got a usermanual for it but I didnt see any explanations there for what could be causing this. Also I wonder about the two lenses I have, it seems they are only locked on automatic shutter speed and depth of field, I can't move them seperately, and I can't put them on anything but 3 different values or something. It wont move through the whole scale! is this normal?

You don't post much information, and it is not clear how familiar you are with the equipment. Note that the back and the camera need both to be ready to shoot before you can press the shutter button (you should see a white dot in the little windows on the bottom-rear of the right-hand side). You also need to remove the dark slide from the back (a metal slide sticking out from the left-hand side of the film back. The camera will also not shoot if the back is at the end of the 12-picture range. In that case, you need to reset it, either by remove the insert (at least some A12s), or by flipping out half of the winding ring on the right side, and turning it gently backwards until the counter is reset. Then it should shoot again.

Your lens is probably a chrome lens, and these older lenses have the aperture and shutter speed locked together. You need to find the little lever/handle on the one ring, and pull it gently towards the body to release the interlock, at which time you can change the values with respect to each other. The constrained range probably just means that the current setting is near the opposite ends of both scales. Once you set them independently, more values will become available.

I hope that some of these answers are what you were looking for.

 

[fresvik]

You don't post much information, and it is not clear how familiar you are with the equipment. Note that the back and the camera need both to be ready to shoot before you can press the shutter button (you should see a white dot in the little windows on the bottom-rear of the right-hand side). You also need to remove the dark slide from the back (a metal slide sticking out from the left-hand side of the film back. The camera will also not shoot if the back is at the end of the 12-picture range. In that case, you need to reset it, either by remove the insert (at least some A12s), or by flipping out half of the winding ring on the right side, and turning it gently backwards until the counter is reset. Then it should shoot again.

Your lens is probably a chrome lens, and these older lenses have the aperture and shutter speed locked together. You need to find the little lever/handle on the one ring, and pull it gently towards the body to release the interlock, at which time you can change the values with respect to each other. The constrained range probably just means that the current setting is near the opposite ends of both scales. Once you set them independently, more values will become available.

I hope that some of these answers are what you were looking for.

Hi Carsten, thank you so much for your reply!
I have checked with the windows, they are both white, and i did remove the metal blocker. It didnt help. Also, the time exposure lock is set to O.
It works perfectly fine when I dont have the film back on. Maybe its the film back that does it like you say, maybe it is done even though it says 5 in the counter window. Ok i just put in another film back and it worked I AM SO HAPPY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you so much for your reply, I also tried twisting the lense while pushing that one ring back, that was a very well hidden feature!! I am now the happiest girl in trondheim, thank you again! ))))

 

[CarstenW]

Hi Carsten, thank you so much for your reply!
I have checked with the windows, they are both white, and i did remove the metal blocker. It didnt help. Also, the time exposure lock is set to O.
It works perfectly fine when I dont have the film back on. Maybe its the film back that does it like you say, maybe it is done even though it says 5 in the counter window. Ok i just put in another film back and it worked I AM SO HAPPY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you so much for your reply, I also tried twisting the lense while pushing that one ring back, that was a very well hidden feature!! I am now the happiest girl in trondheim, thank you again! ))))

So it seems that there is a problem with the back. It should be possible to repair it, if you wanted to go that route, but keep in mind that second-hand backs can be found at great prices (I recently bought a nearly new A12 for less than 100 Euro on eBay, but I got lucky), so maybe a repair will actually cost more. Anyway, if you have already bought it, keep it. You never know...

Then I have just two pieces of advice for you: focus very carefully and be sure to use shutter speeds high enough (or a tripod) to avoid self-induced motion. I was a little disappointed with my initial results until I got these two things under control, but then I was extremely happy. If you don't have an Acute Matte screen, the viewfinder may be quite dark, making it hard to focus. This is one area where a little investment will pay off a million times. Paul (polypal) may have one for sale, as he has a lot of bits and pieces. I bought one at a very nice price, with a 2000FC/M I bought from him.

 

[fresvik]

So it seems that there is a problem with the back. It should be possible to repair it, if you wanted to go that route, but keep in mind that second-hand backs can be found at great prices (I recently bought a nearly new A12 for less than 100 Euro on eBay, but I got lucky), so maybe a repair will actually cost more. Anyway, if you have already bought it, keep it. You never know...

Then I have just two pieces of advice for you: focus very carefully and be sure to use shutter speeds high enough (or a tripod) to avoid self-induced motion. I was a little disappointed with my initial results until I got these two things under control, but then I was extremely happy. If you don't have an Acute Matte screen, the viewfinder may be quite dark, making it hard to focus. This is one area where a little investment will pay off a million times. Paul (polypal) may have one for sale, as he has a lot of bits and pieces. I bought one at a very nice price, with a 2000FC/M I bought from him.

Hello again!
I have a tripod already that I use. Today I went outside after dark and it was very difficult to focus though. Im not sure what an Acute Matte screen is, im googling it. I have two different viewfinders, one is like a telescope sort of, the other is foldable and probably the thing that originally came with the camera. Is this close to what you're talking about?

 

[polypal]

Hello Line,

You have the waist level finder (WLF) and the "chimney" finder.

The chimney finder is a great help when the light levels around you are high.
That makes the use of the standard WLF more difficult.

Acute Matte screens were introduced at the end of the eighties.
They are about two stops brighter than the early screens.
The later Acute Matte "D" makes focusing of very bright objects easier.

AM screens have only one disadvantage: they are expensive.
It also means a good used AM still costs a substantial amount of money.


Paul

 

[CarstenW]

Hello again!
I have a tripod already that I use. Today I went outside after dark and it was very difficult to focus though. Im not sure what an Acute Matte screen is, im googling it. I have two different viewfinders, one is like a telescope sort of, the other is foldable and probably the thing that originally came with the camera. Is this close to what you're talking about?

Just in case it is still not clear, the Acute Matte is a replacement focusing screen, the piece of plastic or glass that you look at directly, when the folding (i.e. waist-level) finder is attached, or when no finder is attached. There are two little metal tabs holding the screen on a 500C/M, one on each side. These can be carefully pushed to the side, and the camera can be turned upside down, to let the screen fall out. Try not to touch the screen, especially the matte (bottom) side. The top side can be wiped, if necessary. To replace the screen, carefully drop it back in, feet towards the bottom, and then attach a finder to close the tabs again.

The Acute Matte probably starts at around 100 Euro used in good shape, but since it gives about 2 extra stops of light (I believe), it is well worth it, and help tremendously with focusing.

What you need is something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230323449541

Paul and others can help more here.

 

[polypal]

Careful, the screen where the link leads to is not for a V series camera but meant for the H series.
It will not fit a 500 camera!

The standard old style screen can be recognised by the painted crosshairs on the screen.
Later standard Acute Matte screens have the crosshairs sort of engraved.
They are also thinner.

Crosshairs are only present with standard screens.
There are many other screens available.
This is not an easy matter to advise in unless a picture of the current screen in Lines camera is available.

 

[CarstenW]

Ouch, that was more than a bit misleading, nice catch Paul.

Here is a real link:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300292458206

Careful, the screen where the link leads to is not for a V series camera but meant for the H series.
It will not fit a 500 camera!

The standard old style screen can be recognised by the painted crosshairs on the screen.
Later standard Acute Matte screens have the crosshairs sort of engraved.
They are also thinner.

Crosshairs are only present with standard screens.
There are many other screens available.
This is not an easy matter to advise in unless a picture of the current screen in Lines camera is available.

 

[fresvik]

hello! I took some pictures of my focusing screen, it looks like it's the same kind you posted a link of last, Carsten

Also, there's a number engraved at the bottom of my camera. Does anyone know why that is? I mean is it a known thing to do that?

 

[CarstenW]

hello! I took some pictures of my focusing screen, it looks like it's the same kind you posted a link of last, Carsten

Also, there's a number engraved at the bottom of my camera. Does anyone know why that is? I mean is it a known thing to do that?

My 500C and 2000FC/M don't have scratched numbers on the bottom.

There are two types of screens with these marks. The older screen has the marks painted, but on the Acute Matte, the marks are actually engraved into the glass. At least, my Acute Matte has them engraved. Yours look to be painted. In that case, getting an Acute Matte screen should gain you, I think, about a 2 stops brighter image to focus on.

---

Someone will be along shortly to ask you to upload the images directly to this website, I think. Externally linked images tend to disappear after some weeks or months, and the rules here say to upload directly.

 

[polypal]

Focusing screens

The screen shown in Lines camera is an early standard screen.
An acute Matte is about two stops brighter and will make focusing a lot easier especially when light levels are low.

The screen the link leads to is the early standard Acute Matte screen. That screen will be a significant improvement over the screen now present in Lines camera.

Thanks for uploading the images.
It is not so much a "rule" as well as a request to keep old posts alive long after the link has become active.
It saves the forum from becoming Swiss cheese with lots of holes that is.

 

[fresvik]

Do you have any suggestions for what should I search for to get that specific type of focusing screen?
i cant buy that one cause its all german. I think I have to get it at .com

 

[polypal]

As long as you are registered at eBay you can make an offer for the screen shown here.
Of course the seller must agree to sell/ship to Norway.

Otherwise an Ebay member may help you get this screen or any other one being offered for sale.
How about a screen with a split and or microprisms or grid?
Those are the other options often asked for by users.

The choice is a personal matter.

 

[Olof B]

Could the scribed number be some social security number (personnummer in swedish)?
As you have the quick-connector I can't see the hole number.

Aren't there any second hand shops in Norway that is dealing with Hasselblad gear?

 

[CarstenW]

Could the scribed number be some social security number (personnummer in swedish)?
As you have the quick-connector I can't see the hole number.

Aren't there any second hand shops in Norway that is dealing with Hasselblad gear?

I think it is more likely that it belonged at some point to some kind of organization with a lot of equipment, maybe a newspaper or something like that. In that case, it would be a stock number, or an ID to help identify it, and partly, to keep it in possession of the organization

 

[fresvik]

I think carsten is right, cause the number isnt long enough to be a "personnummer"

a screen with a split and or microprisms or grid? my nonfunctional hasselblad 500c has a little dot in it in the middle for better seeing/focusing i guess and there are cut in squares in it aswell. is this a newer focusing screen perhaps?

 

[polypal]

a screen with a split and or microprisms or grid? my nonfunctional hasselblad 500c has a little dot in it in the middle for better seeing/focusing i guess and there are cut in squares in it aswell. is this a newer focusing screen perhaps?

The cut in squares are also known as grid.
A grid helps to make a composition or just to keep the horizon level with a wide angle lens.
The later AM screens with grid also have a split to make focusing easier.

Paul

 

[fresvik]

The cut in squares are also known as grid.
A grid helps to make a composition or just to keep the horizon level with a wide angle lens.
The later AM screens with grid also have a split to make focusing easier.

Paul

so thats what ive got? grid and a split? OK I googled that and it looks like thats it. But its got alot of scratches. I guess I can try and use this in my CM without ruining anything, right?

I managed to make another problem yesterday aswell.
As I was loading a film into the film back, it wouldnt get to number 1. I had to wind it all through the film and take it out and reload it. Then it happened again. This time there was a big struggle getting the film out cause of the tape at the end of it being stuck to the paper. Third time I figured out I had to turn the wheel counter clockwise to get it to 0 again and it then started agreeing with me. But when I was done with the film,
it wouldnt open up, so now its just jammed stuck. I am beginning to feel embarassed about all these problems I manage to get. Anyway, the film is done with winding, since when i take out the metal slide theres no film to be seen. It just wont open. Any ideas?

 

[polypal]

Problems

Hello Line,

It begins to make sense now after all you wrote here.

Your first body 500C that is, came with the early type film back.
After loading a film you need to set the counter of that back to number 1 frame by hand.
To do that you turn the RH knob of the back counter clockwise.
After that the back is ready to take picture one.

From your description you have an early screen with grid.
That screen has a sort of magnifying clear center about 10 mm diameter.
This is not an AM and is relatively dark.
Screens from a 500C cannot be fitted to a 500CM body.

I suppose the film is blocking the insert with the film back.
Try a moderate amount of force to remove the insert.
You will ruin the film in the process but that is not to be avoided.

Take pictures of all your gear to make clear what you are using.
That makes help easier and more effective.

Paul