Some advice regarding Hassy 500c

[londonray]

Hi all,
just purchased a 500c recently and begining to use it... 1st thing i noticed was that the focusing screen was quite dim... i understand that there are various screens that i can change to... what would be a value-for-money screen then? Also i understand that u need a technician to replace the screen for u, where to do this? and How much?

My 500c didn't come with a strap, so what would be a nice strap to buy? anyone selling? can pm me...

Sorry, very very new in the MF area, let alone Hassy... but yah... hoping to learn from everyone here... cheers...

 

[singscott]

There a lot accessory around for hasselblad. 500C need special screen as it not exchangable you can get Bright screen or Beattie they do make screen for 500c and do need a camera tech to do the replacement. Some time owner do it themselves that if you got some camera repair knowhow So many strap I think opt tech is the best. They not available locally, but they be order oversea or in eBay. I hope this useful

 

[billkoh]

actually you can buy and change the screen yourself.

 

[londonray]

thanks singscott and billkoh... think that i will get the optech one then... as for the screen.. someone here is selling it... yah... but it's quite an investment... so still contemplating it...
but the screen can be quite dark at times... esp indoors... so a brighter screen will be rather nice indeed...

 

[londonray]

just to double confirm... will this strap fit my 500c?

 

[Keltzar]

I would be interested to know what screen you get for your 500c because i'm also looking for a new screen for my 500cm.

call cathay to make sure they don't sell the strap first before ordering. I'm sometimes surprised by what they do sell, which may not necessitate the inconvenience of ordering from overseas. The last thing they had which surprised me was the B50-52mm adapter so I don't need the hassy bayonet filters but can use regular screw-in filters.

And it was only slightly more than ordering from overseas.

 

[singscott]

500cm should use the Acute Matte screen as 500cm screen can be easily exchangable. My experience acute matte made by minotla for hasselblad is the best bright screen for 500cm. They can be order locally, but cheaper in eBay. 500c screen is not exchangable thus can't use acute matte.

 

[singscott]

just to double confirm... will this strap fit my 500c?

Ya it will fit unless they sent you the wrong one It the same one I have, quite comfortable.

 

[Keltzar]

500cm should use the Acute Matte screen as 500cm screen can be easily exchangable. My experience acute matte made by minotla for hasselblad is the best bright screen for 500cm. They can be order locally, but cheaper in eBay. 500c screen is not exchangable thus can't use acute matte.

yes, that's correct.
But even on ebay it's still very expensive!!
For that price, can practically order a user-condition 503CX body from KEH ,
take the incl. accumatte screen, and throw away the body.

I was thinking of the Ukranian made screens for the P6 Kiev88cm , but not sure
how to recalibarate them for Hassy.

 

[londonray]

Ya it will fit unless they sent you the wrong one It the same one I have, quite comfortable.

thanks... yups... ordering from US is ok for me coz i am based in UK.. haha... CP is even MORE ex for me... hehe... yah so the accu-matte screen only fits the 500cm... so what can i do with my 500c? Get used to the darker screen?

 

[singscott]

yes, that's correct.
But even on ebay it's still very expensive!!
For that price, can practically order a user-condition 503CX body from KEH ,
take the incl. accumatte screen, and throw away the body.

I was thinking of the Ukranian made screens for the P6 Kiev88cm , but not sure
how to recalibarate them for Hassy.

You just have to wait and try your luck on ebay for the acute matte or get the beattie

 

[singscott]

thanks... yups... ordering from US is ok for me coz i am based in UK.. haha... CP is even MORE ex for me... hehe... yah so the accu-matte screen only fits the 500cm... so what can i do with my 500c? Get used to the darker screen?

Get the beattie one loh

 

[londonray]

Get the beattie one loh

thanks bro... will look into that...

 

[szekiat]

it is not a well known fact but u can in fact install the accute-matte screen on the 500c as well. The difference between the C and the C/M is that the C's screen is held down by 4 screws whose tension must be calibrated in order to get the plane of focus right. This does not apply to the slip lock system that was applied to the c/m and beyond. Hasselblad or any of their trained technicians will be able to remove the accute-matte screen from its housing and install it onto a C with proper calibration. I've checked with hasselblad uk and it costs a bomb over here just to buy the screen. This explains why good condition 503s and 501s are so expensive. that darn screen. Last time i bought one, it cost me $130 or so from TCW. That was when i scratched the one on my 503.

 

[londonray]

it is not a well known fact but u can in fact install the accute-matte screen on the 500c as well. The difference between the C and the C/M is that the C's screen is held down by 4 screws whose tension must be calibrated in order to get the plane of focus right. This does not apply to the slip lock system that was applied to the c/m and beyond. Hasselblad or any of their trained technicians will be able to remove the accute-matte screen from its housing and install it onto a C with proper calibration. I've checked with hasselblad uk and it costs a bomb over here just to buy the screen. This explains why good condition 503s and 501s are so expensive. that darn screen. Last time i bought one, it cost me $130 or so from TCW. That was when i scratched the one on my 503.

where would i be able to find "trained technicians" in sg/uk then? cost of workmanship?

 

[szekiat]

google it or go via word of mouth. Or just go to hassy themselves when u strik 4d

 

[boonn]

there's philip tay in singapore, near lor 41 geylang, the shopping centre which i can't remember the name. i won't know how much he charges.

in London, there's seadan (can't spell, will try to find the receipt from 2001!), changing costs 50 quid.

hope this helps.

 

[szekiat]

senden's at St Anne's Court off Waldorf St which is off oxford st. Its a smallish shop run by i think an italian chap. Dunno how good he is really. I can take u there at some point if u want. I brought the mamiya there and he quoted me a rather high price.

 

[Neo]

Here goes... I bought a 500C years ago, and the original screen drove me crazy. So I bought an Accumat screen and discovered it wouldn't fit. Looking back, I wonder where I got the courage, but I prised open the metal frame of the accumat screen (don't ever do that... cuz it's easy to slip and scratch the screen). I unscrewed the original screen and replaced it with the new screen, and wow... what a a difference! I thought I was a damn genius... it's so easy.

I went out shooting a couple of rolls, and guess what? The focus was off in all my photos. So I tried to refocus the screen by adjusting the screws (the original ones were applied with some substance to prevent the screws from going out of alignment...) based on the focusing distance on the lens barrel. It worked to some extent, but the critical focus was still off. I sent it to Shirro and the technicians said they don't have the equipment to do it. Bummer....

 

[szekiat]

As mentioned above, u need the proper technicians to do it. Shirro probably had them, its just that they won't do it for u unless u got them to do the whole upgrade. Hassy does offer a upgrade plan.