Hasseblad 500C with P45+ digital back and flash - how to sync

[kristyansen]

Dear All,

I am considering extending the studio capabilities of my Hasselblad 500C (not C/M, just C) with the Phase One P45+ digital back.

I have a pure technical question: how do you sync both the P45+ digital back with the sync cable AND the flash with the body? Where to connect them exactly to the camera or the lens exactly - if at all possible?

Thank you in advance!

[Dicky]

Hi kristyansen
Welcome to the Hasselblad digital forum!

Always used a "PC Sync Splitter Cable" in the x-sync of the V system lens

One cable-socket to plug in our "fat-pixel" V96C digital-back sync-cable,
The other cable-socket to plug-in our low-contact-voltage IR flash trigger
Mounted to either our Hasselblad 500 EL/M body or our 501c Hasselblad body with the slide-in-shoe adapter!

Would consider to suggest to just checking the contact-voltage on firing of your flash-trigger with a multi-meter,(if its an older-type)
As many digital backs cannot handle the higher contact voltages of some of the specialist and/or older flash-triggers
and/or mono-block or generator units

Hope this "work-around suggestion" also works for you too!
Wish you lots of creative fun and superb-results with your PhaseOne P45+ and Hasselblad V system!

PhaseOne user Guide P series

Can see how they have connected the x-sync cable from the lens to this motorised 555 ELD camera body Hasselblad Historical 555 ELD (this model of camera body also has the digital contacts built into the camera-back-plate) this one is mounted with a digital-back and then you can see the x-sync contact-on-the-back for their flash trigger connection! Hope this helps to clarify why some of us use a "PC Sync Splitter Cable"!

Best wishes

[kristyansen]

Thank you Dicky,

appreciated, very helpful and useful idea, I did not know this split cable even existed.
Regarding voltage this makes me slightly unsure - I use a Profoto AirTTL remote (https://profoto.com/int/products/air-remotes/remotes/air-remote-ttl-n) - do you think this may have issues? I can trigger the flash now directly by linking it to the X-Sync V lens contact, but of course, this is without a split cable.
 
Regarding the back, I am considering both a P25(+) or P45(+), let's see what it will be...
Great website by the way.

Best
C.

[Dicky]

Hi kristyansen
A pleasure to be able to help!

Usually, its the older style of triggers that have the much higher x-sync contact voltages by comparison - to the more recent designs!
If unsure? Using a multi-meter is the safest and best way to check!

Regarding the backs, can imagine that they both yield absolutely superb results!
Personally, adore the "fat-pixel" ISO50 "look" from the now "vintage" Kodak sensors ...

Glad you like the minimalist-style web-page, thank you!
Designed in-house with the Sparkle app!
Sparkle Web Design App

Best wishes

[JCM-Photos]

IMO Main issue with a non C/M 500C will be correct focusing with the old  non interchangeable vintage ground glass

Even with the most recent D glass it's not easy for me and quite impossible with 5.6 lenses.

good luck

[Dicky]

Thats a very good point and consideration from JCM-Photos

Recall a location tripod-mounted shoot Sonnar CF250
When focusing a Sonnar CF250 lens on an early V system body ... that also had fixed early-style (focusing screen) in the mid 80's!!

Even in the morning-Arabian sun-light outside,
That fixed-focusing-screen was so very much darker by comparison to using the more recent interchangeable "Acute-Matte" V system focusing screens.

Just a thought,
Perhaps it may be worth considering aquiring a Hasselblad 555 ELD body to use wih your PhaseOne digital backs ...

Another way to solve any "x-syncing-issues" and/or any "potential-focusing-screen-issues"
As theres then the choice of using from the selection of diffferent acute-matte screens!

You can see some v system body specs on Hasselblad Historical

Would seriously also give consideration to aquiring either a HM2 viewfinder and/or a D4 viewfinder
for critical-focusing with your digital-back!

Best wishes

[JCM-Photos]

with modern Hasselblad CFV backs there is the liveview workaround for focusing with and old screen.
But with older backs without liveview 

Even with the most recent D screen it's quite impossible focusing with my Sonnar CF 250 SA + 2x Mutar @ resulting max aperture f:11, but the result is so damn good 

[MSuser]

Dear All,

I am considering extending the studio capabilities of my Hasselblad 500C (not C/M, just C) with the Phase One P45+ digital back.

I have a pure technical question: how do you sync both the P45+ digital back with the sync cable AND the flash with the body? Where to connect them exactly to the camera or the lens exactly - if at all possible?

Thank you in advance!

To sync the camera and back, you attach a sync cable from the PC flash sync contact on the lens to the sync-in port on the P45+ digital back. To connect a flash, you connect a sync cable from the flash sync-out port of the P45+ digital back to your flash or wireless flash trigger. 

If you're unsure whether the flash sync voltage of your flash unit is within safe limits for the digital back, you can use a sync voltage regulator like this example. You can contact Phase One support or a Phase One dealer if you need any additional guidance on this.

Here's a link to the Phase One P+ Series Reference Manual courtesy of Capture Integration. See page 60 for instructions on connecting to Hasselblad V model cameras...  https://captureintegration.com/download/P+_Series_Reference_Manual.pdf

Regardless of which Hasselblad V type camera used, a sync cable is always connected from the lens to the small connector in the front plate on either the left or right side of the P+ back.

The flash cable is then connected to the F-connector on the camera back.

If you are using a mechanical Hasselblad you should set the Shutter latency to "Short latency".

[Dicky]

Just to clarify ...
Any information and/or kind practical advice that may have been mistaken as "Charlatan"

"Regardless of which Hasselblad V type camera used, a sync cable is always connected from the lens to the small connector in the front plate on either the left or right side of the P+ back" ...

Unless of course youve opted to shoot on a Hasselblad 555ELD body- Advice from the Hasselblad 555ELD User Guide
"The 555ELD has an integrated control connector to ensure automatic and direct communication between the camera body and digital back.
This direct interface facility does away with necessity for connecting cables and so does improve working efficiency"

Using and focusing a 500c body with its fixed older styler, darker ground-glass focusing screen and a non-live view-digital-back may prove interesting, especially when hand-held ...

Best wishes 

[MSuser]

The italicized comments in my previous post...

Regardless of which Hasselblad V type camera used, a sync cable is always connected from the lens to the small connector in the front plate on either the left or right side of the P+ back.

The flash cable is then connected to the F-connector on the camera back.

If you are using a mechanical Hasselblad you should set the Shutter latency to "Short latency". 

... are simply direct quotes from the Phase One P+ Series Reference Manual which was linked directly above them. 

Illustrated instructions from Phase One for the 555ELD are also included in the same manual (see pages 64 and 65) previously linked. A Phase One P+ back requires a sync as it lacks the required contacts to be triggered by the 555ELD body. There are other digital backs which do have the necessary contacts in the back and those can be used with the 555ELD without a sync cable.

[Dicky]

Thank you for your kind clarification and expertise
So as a rule-of-thumb the use of sync-cable is required for most including older and now vintage digital backs with V system bodies.

Recall the now vintage KODAK PROFESSIONAL DCS PRO PLUS digital back
Its specs were also included for use with the Hasselblad 555ELD too!

Just to spice-things up a bit ... theres some very clever and talented techs out there
PhaseOne back Modified To Wireless Sync

Best wishes

[MSuser]

Thanks. Best wishes to you as well.