Hasselblad "How To" and Trouble Shooting Page  

Self-testing
Lens is jammed on the camera body
Light leaks

   The information submitted here is meant to help the photographer to overcome common equipment failures in an emergency situation and to self-check the equipment for potential problems.  Some of the procedures are risky and may result in damaging the equipment. Whatever you do, NEVER force any part of the camera! That will only result in more damage and more expensive repairs. 

We hope to add to this page with other manufacturers tips and quick fixes. If you have anything you would like to add contact Jay.

500 Series Cameras

Self-testing:

The photographer or camera operator should check the equipment prior to an important shoot. Functional test can be made by the operator to establish that the camera works at least in its most basic fashion. (Tests that confirm the total integrity of the system can only be made by the properly equipped service shop such as PCR)

Camera Body: 500C, 500CM, 503CX, 503CXI, 503CW

Test with lens and magazine removed from camera body.  From the fully cocked or wound position, (The mirror is down (45 degree pos.), the chrome looking lens key is a little higher than being parallel to the bottom of the body and the rear-baffles are closed) push the release and observe the body cycle.  The mirror will move up and the baffles will open. While holding the release button in, the body will stay open.  Make sure that the mirror is all the way up and that the baffles do not hang into the light path.  When you let go of the release button, the baffles will close fully. The tip of the lens-key will point to the 1:30 position. If the body does not fully cycle the body is defective.

Motorized Camera Bodies 500EL, 500ELM, 553ELX:

Test with lens and magazine removed from camera body. From the fully cocked or wound position, (The mirror is being parallel to the bottom of the body and the rear-baffles are closed) push the release and observe the body cycle.  The mirror will move up and the baffles will open. While holding the release button in, the body will stay open.  Make sure that the mirror is all the way up and that the baffles do not hang into the light path. When you let go of the release button, the baffles will close fully and the camera will rewind to the fully cocked position.

Note: The camera will rewind as soon as you let go of the release that means if you are using a slow shutter-speed (1sec, 1/2sec, 1/4sec....) the film will be advancing while the shutter is still open. You will record image streaking.

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C and CF Lenses :

Visually Inspect the lens. Make sure that the lens is in the cocked position. (You can look through the lens. If the stop-down is activated set the aperture to full open) If the lens is in the released position, cock it using a coin by turning the lens key in a clock-wise direction.  Fully cocked, the slot of the lens-key will be in line with the red dot. To check the shutter, mount the lens on a properly working body.  Set to 1 sec and release the shutter. Watch the shutter blades open and close with the delay of 1 sec.  Listen to the mechanism cycle.  Repeat and check for sticking or intermittent stopping of the shutter mechanism.

Check all the other shutter-speeds in the same manner.  Check the operation of the flash.  Connect the flash to sync-outlet of the lens.  With the film-magazine off the camera, look through the back of the camera and watch for the light from the flash to come through the lens when you fire the camera. The flash is in sync with the shutter if you can see the light from the flash come through the lens.  (On C-lenses you must use the X setting)

Optical performance of the camera:

Many elements of the total camera system are involved to produce the high image quality for which Hasselblad is know.  Some of them relate to the mechanical tolerances of each component and how they fit together. Other elements are related to optical integrity of the lenses. A superficial check can be made with the lens set to the infinity position while observing fine detail more than 500 feet away. Items such as power lines and telephone cables should look sharp and crisp.  If you use a focus screen with "split image" vertical lines must one of several problems.

• The lens may be out of focus or the optics may be damaged.

• The body may be out of alignment: Body length is off, the mirror or focus screen are out of alignment. Contact PCR for service.
  
• The viewing system does not accommodate your eyesight.  Hasselblad cameras are set up to work for normal eyesight.  Some of the prism finders and other viewfinders have adjustable eyepieces which allow the operator to set a diopter setting appropriate for his or her eyesight. Other viewfinders can be changed to the correct eyepiece by adding a a new diopter element. Contact PCR for information.

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Cause For The Malfunction:

There are a number of factors which may lead to this condition.

      1) If the camera has not been serviced for some time, it is most likely out of adjustment and the mechanism in the lens or the body is dry or needs cleaning. The camera may not function freely and stop before the cycle is completed. At this time, jammed on the camera body.

       2)  While using extension tubes or other devises between the lens and the body, the operator removes the tube and the lens together rather then taking the lens off first and then the tube. 
     ( Check the operating manual for the proper procedure).

       3) The operator attempts to take the lens off while accidentally activating the release button. The lens will not be in line with the index mark and the camera is in the partially cycled condition.  Again, the camera can not be cocked and is jammed.

       4) A part in the lens or the body is broken or defective not allowing the camera to fully cycle. The camera is jammed.

Fix:

    Condition # 1:   [Use extreme caution]

If the lens has not been turned off axis (the index mark of the lens is still in line with the center of the camera body) the camera can be cocked from the inside of the camera body.

Fix: 500 series cameras only. (Do not attempt this with 2000 or 200 series cameras, you will damage the focal plain shutter). With the film magazine off the camera, open the rear of the camera body by pushing the rear baffles open.  (They are spring-loaded) Observe the slotted, gray shaft in the middle of the lower front plate next to a black screw head.  Use a screwdriver that fits properly and turn the shaft only in a clockwise direction. If you encounter any hard resistance, stop immediately or additional damage my occur.

If you are able to turn the shaft to the fully cocked position (The lens is open in the normal viewing mode), remove the lens from the camera body.  You can now check the lens and the body separately (See self-check procedure).  If you encountered hard resistance while turning the shaft before you where able to cock the camera fully, send the camera to PCR for service.

     Condition # 2, 3 and 4:

       You will not be able to cock the camera as described above.  While turning the shaft you will feel the hard resistance.  If you continue to turn the shaft you will break some expensive, major component.

Fix:

Send to PCR, your Hasselblad Authorized Repair Center or call us at: 

1-800-330-0503

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Problem: Light leaks.  

All film magazines! Light has leaked onto the film, fogging or flaring the film.

Cause for the malfunction: Light strikes the film through some opening other than through the lens. The most likely cause is a faulty light seal in the dark-slide slot. There are other, more remote causes for light leaks. Faulty light-seals are 95% of the problem. Inserting and removing the dark-slide during normal use wears the seals.

Fix:

They must be replaced periodically. Also, a bent or worn slide will damage the seals. PCR can supply new dark slides.

Note: For a temporary fix, if you do not remove the magazine from the body, place a black piece of tape over the dark-slide slot. Have PCR, your Hasselblad Authorized Repair Center replace the seals and check your slides.