Hasselblad 500C from 1957 goes digital

The Hasselblad 500 series startet after the less reliable 1600F and the better 1000F with the 500C in 1957. 1600F and 1000F both had focal plane shutters and maximum shutter speeds 1/1600 for the 1600F and 1/1000 for the 1000F. The early shutters are very thin steel sheets and quite vulnerable.

The new 500C, which looked very similar to the former models was introduced in the autumn of 1957 and had a different shutter concept. The lenses have integral leaf shutters, the body only have an auxiliary shutter made from fabric. The 500 series became the biggest success and the most known of all Hasselblad cameras and its last model 503CW was manufactured at least till 2010. All Hasselblad 500 are fully mechanical, without internal light metering.

In 1957 only 1200 500C cameras have been made, mine is one of this first year. At the moment I know only three 500C from that year, some weeks ago I heard about a very early No. 17 found.

From 2006 on, Hasselblad offered digital backs for their V-Series cameras (analog cameras, the new digital cameras are H-Series). The first CFV 16 had a CCD 16,6 MP square sensor, than came versions with 39 MP and 50 MP, but rectangular sensors. The actual version is the CFV 50c, with a rectangular CMOS sensor with 50 MP. Some other companies offer digital backs for the V-Series Hasselblad too, but only the Hasselblad backs fit even to the design of the cameras. I used first the CFV 16 II, now I upgraded to the CFV 50c.

It is highly astonishing, that the Hasselblad technicians of the 1950s designed such an open system, open even for developments, they could not think of that time, like digital photography. Changing from film to digital is so simple, just change the back, not even a cable to connect. Nearly all analog Hasselblad cameras from 1957 on can be used with digital backs.

This is my Hasselblad 500C from 1957, with Carl Zeiss Distagon 5.6/60 from 1956 and digital back CFV 50c from 2016.

First test in a park in Gorzów.

Today I got up early and went to the Natur Protection Area 'Santockie Zakole' near Gorzów, to try some sunrise photos. After some shots it started to rain, but the remaining photos show clearly how good a not even fast Zeiss lens (f5.6) from 1956 works even in digital environment.