907x and CFV II 50C and 500c : Adjust the Focus

[ALAIN]

Hello,
I am using a beautiful brand new 907x and CFV II 50C set. I mounted my very old 500c with its central shutter optics.
Focusing is quite difficult, compared to the sights we can have now.
I would have liked to use the electronic magnifier on the back to adjust the focus, but that seems impossible to me: as soon as the new assembly is installed on the 500c, the shutter closes. If I mount the mirror, it's the same: it closes. To sum up, I cannot take advantage of the live-view for debugging in this configuration.
If some evil trick could do this service ...
Happy New Year to all Forum participants.
Alain (from France)

[Dicky]

Shooting tethered shots (to adjust the focus) is an easy solution 

Another 'work-around', would be so in effect to use your 500c body as a "view camera!" on a tripod ... great fun + rather time-consuming !!
Recall that our Hasselblad Flexbody kit was supplied with an SWC back-mounted Acute-Matte focusing screen + HM2 Viewfinder

Perhaps another way to try with digital-back + mirror lock-up setting is to try using the F and/or B setting on the lens with your 500c body? ...
Maybe another way to keep the shutter open so you can focus via the back 

Suggest having V system bodies that can accommodate interchangable Acute-Matte focusing screens, makes life so much easier 

Best wishes

[JCM-Photos]

For live view it just needs a cable release with a locking screw or lever.

when the shutter is blocked open, you can turn on live view on the back

[sog1927]

Or an older 500-series body that still had the "lock lever" for the shutter button (referred to as the "time catch" in the 500C manual). I think this was discontinued midway through 500 C/M production (along with the infrequently used PC socket on the body for the auxiliary shutter).

[ramarren]

Hello,
I am using a beautiful brand new 907x and CFV II 50C set. I mounted my very old 500c with its central shutter optics.
Focusing is quite difficult, compared to the sights we can have now.
I would have liked to use the electronic magnifier on the back to adjust the focus, but that seems impossible to me: as soon as the new assembly is installed on the 500c, the shutter closes. If I mount the mirror, it's the same: it closes. To sum up, I cannot take advantage of the live-view for debugging in this configuration.
If some evil trick could do this service ...
Happy New Year to all Forum participants.
Alain (from France)

The Time exposure shutter release lock was first removed in the 503CX body, about 1988 and then later in the 501C. I don't know if/when they ever did this with the 500CM body. Both of mine (made ca. 1978-1979) have the Time exposure shutter release lock.

To use Live View, you set the shutter to B, open release the shutter and lock it, then press the Live View button on the CFVII 50c back. If your model does not have the T lock on the shutter release button, you need to use a locking shutter release cable. Obviously, this makes it difficult to adjust the focus setting you've just made with the reflex viewfinder if you want to use the lens shutter ... then you have to release the shutter lock, rewind the camera and make the exposure.

With my 500CM bodies, I found the assortment of focusing screens (a couple Acute Matte, a couple prior to that) I had were not capable of giving me consistent focusing accuracy with the WL finder's magnifier. The magnifying finder chimney worked with all of them properly, but of course it's a bit clumsy to carry about and use hand held all the time. The solution I found was to order and install the focusing screen Hasselblad tuned for use with the original CFV50c digital back: it has a different "tooth" to the view and allows me to nail critical focus easily, and it also has scribed lines for the sensor's native and square formats. If your 500C is late enough to have user-interchangeable focusing screens, that's the way to go.

B&H Photo - Hasselblad focusing screen for CFV50c H-3042264

They're often out of stock due to demand, but place an order and they will eventually be delivered.

If your 500C is too old for user-interchangeable screens, buy this screen and have it installed and calibrated by a service technician. It's the best solution to the focusing problem, assuming that your 500C body has a mirror mechanism in good condition and is aligned properly.

G

[JCM-Photos]

My 503CX has a T lever on the release button !

[ramarren]

My 503CX has a T lever on the release button !

That's interesting ... That implies it's a unit early in the model run, since the historical record shows that was the model when they phased in the new shutter release. I wonder when they phased in the changed shutter release button into that model run.

Like with other small volume manufacturers, there are always exceptions to the general flow of changes listed in the historical records due to parts lingering in stock from older models that are still interchangeable. You see this with Leica gear all the time too.

G

[docholliday]

My 503CX has a T lever on the release button !

That's interesting ... That implies it's a unit early in the model run, since the historical record shows that was the model when they phased in the new shutter release. I wonder when they phased in the changed shutter release button into that model run.

Like with other small volume manufacturers, there are always exceptions to the general flow of changes listed in the historical records due to parts lingering in stock from older models that are still interchangeable. You see this with Leica gear all the time too.

G

The 503CX has always had the T lever around the shutter release. All 3 of mine had it. It wasn't until the 503CXi that the T lock was removed, as it was necessary to switch to the "fat" smooth button that the Winder CW needed to slide against. The 501C and CM inherited the same big button.

[ramarren]

Very interesting. My information came from the Hasselblad Historical Society's list of models and features ... I'll send them a note quoting your data.

G

[docholliday]

Very interesting. My information came from the Hasselblad Historical Society's list of models and features ... I'll send them a note quoting your data.

G

I'd hope that their info should be accurate... it's in the 503CX's manual from Hasselblad, which I still have a printed copy. Here's the PDF on the Hasselblad Historical Society's website, look at page 12: http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/pdf/hasmanuals/503cx.pdf

As far as the 503CXi and CW, I used to cheat for a T setting. I found that on some Winder CW units, you could fire the IR remote at the winder and lens set to B, then interrupt the IR beam (don't let go of the button, but suddenly cover up the 2 little emitters on the remote).

All 3 of mine worked with the trick and would hold that B until you "resumed" the beam and released the remote at the winder again (or the winder batteries got weak and let go). You had to "resume" the beam and couldn't just fire at the winder to release or it would sometimes release and fire another shot.

I found it one day in studio while holding the shutter down with the remote and somebody walked between me and the camera. I was about to go ballistic on them since I thought the shot was ruined and noticed that the camera never stopped.