Hasselblad 503CX User manual

HASSEL LAD
503cx
500C/M
INSTRUCTION MANUAl!

Hasselblad 503cx & 500C/M Manual
Page Page
3 Introduction 17 Checking Depth of Field
17 Flash Synchronization
6 Basic Operation 18 Magazine Operation
6 Front Protective Cover 18 Loadi
ng the Magazine
6 Rear Protective Cover 20 Load Status and Film Type Indicators
6 Attaching the Lens 20 Removing the Film
7 Removing the Lens 20 Film Plane Index
8 Attaching the Magazine
21 Viewfinder System
8 Removing the Magazine
21
Changing the Viewfinder
9 Indicators
21 Changing the Magnifier
10 Focusing Hood and Magnifier 22 Changing the Focusing Screen
10 Wi
nd i ng Crank 23 PME3/PME Viewfinder Adjustments
11 Strap Lugs
11
Left Hand Grip 25 503cx only
11 Focus and Release 25 Automatic Flash Control
26 Flash Adapters 390/590
12 Operating Details 26 Film Speed Setting
12 Exposure 27 Viewfinder Signal
12 Time Lock
13 Pre-release and Cable Release 28 Accessories
13 Double Exposure 28 Accessory Mounts
14 Lens and Shutter Functions 29 Accessory Chart
14 Shutter Speeds
14 Aperture 30 Technical Specification 503cx
15 Exposure Values
31 Technical Specification 500C/M
15 Interlocked Shutter Speed/Aperture 32 Camera Body Dimensions
16 Focusing and Depth of Field 33 Troubleshooting
16 Infrared Photography 34 Camera Care, Service and Guarantee
Copyright © 1988, Victor Hasselblad AB.
All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in anyform or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission
of the company.

Guarantee
Provided that you bought your camera from an
authorised Hasselblad outlet, it is covered by an
international guarantee for one year. Further
details can be found
on page 34.
2
Service and Maintenance
Whilst Hasselblad equipment is extremely reli-
able and durable,cameras and lenses that are
in
constant intensive use in a professional environ-
ment should be maintained and serviced by
an
authorised Hasselblad service centre at regular
intervals. Further information
on service and
maintenance can
be found on page 34.

Introduction to the Hasselblad Camera System
As a Hasselblad owner, you have- in your
possession acamera of exceptional quality,
the product of
an internationally renowned
tradition of excellence
in the world of pho-
tography. Victor Hasselblad, the father of
the cameras which bear his name, was
himself
an accomplished photographer. It
was to satisfy his own exacting standards
and diverse requirements that
he first envi-
sioned the Hasselblad system: a medium
format single lens reflex camera with inter-
changeable lenses and film magazines. A
photographer first and businessman sec-
ond, Victor Hasselblad would never sacri-
fice quality for ease of production. To this
day, Hasselblad cameras are painstakingly
crafted with this principle
in mind.
The Hasselblad system has been taken to
the ends of the earth and beyond -into
space, to earn its reputation for reliability
and absolutefidelity. Arange of accessories
affords limitless flexibility and the potential
for paramount photography
in any applica-
tion. The realisation of this potential
is of
course dependant upon the skill, care and
judgement of the photographer.
The Hasselblad 503cx and 500C/M are
medium format single lens reflex cameras
featuring lens, magazine, viewfinder and
focusing screen interchangeability. The
503cx
is an upgraded version of the
500C/M with through the lens 'OTF' (Off
The Film) flash metering and a number of
additional refinements.
This instruction manual describes
in detail
how to operate both cameras. Where the
operation of the cameras
is the same, a
single set of instructions common to both
models
is presented. The illustrations ac-
companying the common instructions show
the 503cx, as this
is the most recent model,
but apply equally to the 500C/M. Where
there are operating differences between the
503cx and the 500C/M, these are docu-
mented separately.
Lenses
Since the early 1950's Hasselblad lenses
have been manufactured
by Carl Zeiss in
West Germany. The Hasselblad 503cx and
500C/M use CF and C lenses made by Carl
Zeiss.
With the exception of "F" type lenses, all
Hasselblad lenses manufactured since
1957
can be used with the .- 503cx and
500C/M. F-Ienses can only be used with the
Hasselblad 2000 series cameras.
Use this manual to learn how to operate
your camera. The knowledge gained from
reading
it will give you access to the
Hasselblad potential. Exploiting the poten-
tial
is left to your imagination!
3

31
503cx
503cx and 500C/M Components
1.
Focusing hood 10. Shut1er speed selector ring
21 . Winding crank bayonet
2.
Focusing screen 11. PC flash terminal 22. Pre-release
but10n
503cx Acute-Mat1et screen 12. External and internal lens 23. Camera status indicator
500C/M ground-glass screen accessory mount 24. Strap lug
3. Screen retaining clip 13. Exposure value scale 25. Winding crank
4. Flash function indicator' 14. Exposure value index 26. Winding crank index
5. Focusing ring and scale 15. Lens lock release
but10n
27. Frame counter
6. Shut1er speed and aperture 16. Drive shaft 28. Magazine status indicator
interlock
but10n
17. Threaded cable release socket 29. Film plane index
7. Central lens index 18. Shut1er release but10n 30 Film winding crank
8. Depth-of-field scale 19. Time exposure catch 31 . Magazine designation
9. Aperture ring and scale 20. Name plate' 32. Magazine catch
4

503cx
33. Focusing hood magnifier 40. Quick coupling plate 47. Strap lug
34. Magazine slide
41 . 6 pin OTF metering output" 48. Film speed selector"
35. Film holder key 42. OTF metering output cover"
36. Film consumption indicator 43. Le
ns drive coupling t Acute-Matte designed by
37. Film speed and type indicator 44. Depth of field preview button MINOLTA
38. Magazine support hooks 45. Lens locating index
39. Tripod socket 1/4
in . thread 46. Accessory
ra il " 503cx only.
NOTE: In the text, the positions of components are described in relation to the camera as you see
it when taking a photograph, i.e.the lens
is on the front,the viewfinder is in the top, and the winding
crank is on the right hand side.
5

6
Basic Operation
This seetion describes the steps you musttake to
make the camera ready to use. You will find
comprehensive information
on how to operate
the camera
in the following sections.
With the camera, lens, and film magazine un-
wrapped but unassembled, ensure that the
camera
is cocked (i.e. the mechanism is fully
wound), otherwise the circular front protective
cover cannot be removed. The winding crank
on
the right hand side of the camera is locked if the
mechanism
is fully wound. If the crank is not
locked, rotate
it clockwise until it does lock.
Front Protective Cover
Turn the cover (bayonet fitting) in the direction of
the arrow and remove.
NOTE: The front protective cover may only be
removed when the camera
is cocked (fully
wound).
Rear Protective Cover
Depress the catch, tilt the cover backwards, and
lift it off.
Attaching the Lens
Make sure that both camera and lens are fully
cocked. The adjacent illustration shows the cor-
rect relationship between the drive shaft, the lens
drive coupling and their indexes.
If the lens is not cocked, you can insert a coin in
the coupling slot and rotate it clockwise until it
locks (about 4/5 of a turn).

You will find that holding the camera in your left
hand and the lens
in your right hand, as shown in
the illustration, is the easiest way of attaching the
lens.
When you have aligned the red index on the lens
with the one on the camera
as shown in the
illustration, the lens will drop easily into the
bayonet fitting. You can then rotate it clockwise
until it stops with a faint click as the lens catch
locks it
in place.
Removing the Lens
Depress the lens release button and rotate the
lens counter-clockwise until it stops.
NOTE: You can only remove the lens when
the camera is cocked (fully wound) and not
in
the pre-released mode (see page 13).
•
OS II Il
OIOll S ~
7

8
Attaching the Magazine
Ensure that the magazine slide is fully inserted,
and that the indicators are white. If the indicators
are notwhite,
th -en referto the instruction on page
9.
Rest the magazine on the camera's lower sup-
port hooks and make sure that it
is properly
located on them. Carefully swing the magazine
towards the camera body and check that the
camera's upper support hooks fit into the slots
in
the magazine. Push the magazine gently but
firmly against the hooks while sliding the maga-
zine catch button to the right.
Release the button when the magazine has
made contact with the rear plate of the camera,
and push
illo the leftto ensurethatit has reached
the locked posiiton. Remove the magazine slide
and the camera
is ready to use.
Removing the Magazine
It is advisable to have the camera cocked (fully
wound) and the magazineand camera indicators
both displaying white. If the magazine indicator
shows a red signal then follow the instructions on
the next page.
Insert the magazine slide into the magazine with
the hinge towards the front of the camera.
Slide the magazine catch to the right, swing the
magazine back and lift it off the lower supports.
NOTE: The magazine cannot
be removed
without inserting the magazine slide. The
slide protects the film from fogging. Note also
that the camera cannot be operated when a
magazine, with slide inserted, is attached to
the camera.

Magazine and Camera Indicators
The indicators on the right hand side of the
camera and magazine show if the particular unit
is ready to operate (white) or if it has been
operated (red).The golden rule is, that when you
attach a magazineto acamera, the indicatorcol-
ours should match -white
to white, or red to red.
There are only two correct combinations. This is
how you rematch the indicators.
Red Magazine -White Camera
Remove the magazine from the camera.
Operate the camera -its indicator will change to
red.
Attach the magazine.
Wind the camera with one full turn of the winding
crank.
Both indicators will now display white.
White magazine -Red Camera
Remove the magazine from the camera.
Wind the camera with one full turn of the winding
crank. The camera indicatorwill change
to white.
Replace the magazine. Both indicators will now
display white.
)
I)
I
(j)
(Q)
I I
(Q)
(j)
9

10
Opening the Focusing Hood
Lift the lid firmly by the grip at the rear edge, and
swing it u~ to the vertical position.
The Built-in Magnifier
The magnifier flips up into the viewing position
when the oval button insidethe lid is moved
in the
direction of the arrow.
To fold the magnifier down simply press it back
with a fingertip until
it locks into the lid.
The magnifier may be changed for a correction
lens. See page 21.
Closing the Focusing Hood
"Pinch" in the side plates at the hinge points, and
fold the lid down.
The Winding Crank
One full revolution ofthe winding crankwinds the
camera, cocks the shutterand transports the film
one frame.
Removing the Winding Crank
It is preferable that the camera be fully wound
when the crank
is being removed or replaced.
To remove the crank, you depress the latch
button
in the centre of the winding crankand turn
the crank -counter clockwise.
Attaching the Winding Crank
Place the winding crank against the camera's
winding crank bayonet with the smaller crank
index opposite the camera index. Push
in the
crank lightly and turn it
in a clockwise direction
until the larger crank index aligns with the cam-
era index and the crank locks
on .

Strap Lugs
Strap Attachment
Place the main body of the strap clip ove
r- one of
the camera's strap lugs. Press down on the tip of
the clip and pull back
so that the strap lug slips
into the opening at the tip of the clip.
Strap Removal
Lift the clip locking plate and slide the clip for-
ward. The clip will then slide off the strap lug.
Left Hand Grip
You will find that holding the camera in your left
hand with your index fingeron the release button,
as shown in the illustration, is most convenient
when taking photographs. Yourright hand
is then
free for focusing, setting the exposure, rewind-
ing, and changing the lens or magazine.
Focus and Release
Before you can take a photograph, you must
remove the magazine slide. The magazine will
then
be locked on the camera body, and the
camera release button will be unlocked.
Rotate the focusing ring on the lens until you can
see a sharp image of the subject
in the viewfin-
der. You can now depress and release the re-
lease button to operate the camera.
11

12
Operating Details
Exposure
As a general rule for all shutter speed settings
except
B, you should keep the release button
depressed until the lens shutter has opened and
closed fully. This
is especially important at shut-
ter speeds from 1s to 1/15s.
If you relax the pressure on the release button too
soon, the auxiliary shutter will terminate the
exposure prematurely (see page
14, 'Warning
Signal').
You can see the auxiliary shutter, which consists
of two blinds, covering the rear opening of the
camera body.
Time Exposure Lock
The time exposure lock has two settings: 0,
where it is disengaged and T, where the de-
pressed release button locks in the depressed
position until the lock
is returned to the 0 setting.
The winding crank cannot be advanced until the
lock
is reset to O.
You can use theT setting for time exposure when
the shutter
is set at B.
The time exposure lock cannot be used with a
cable release.

Pre-release and Cable Release
Considerable efforts have been made to reduce
camera vibrations caused by moving parts
in the
exposure sequence. However, if you wish -to
avoid these vibrations completely, you can pre-
release the ·mechanism
by pushing the pre-
release button upwards. This causes the follow-
ing sequence: the mirror folds up, the shutter
closes and remains closed, and the auxiliary
shutter opens. When you subsequently press
the release button, onlythe shutterthen operates
at the preset speed.
As shown in the illustration, you can also attach
a cable release
to further reduce vibrations.
Since the image
on the focusing screen disap-
pears
in apre-released camera, asports viewfin-
der
is a good way to keep track of moving
subjects.
Double Exposure
As the camera has been designed to prevent
accidental double exposure you will have to carry
out the following procedure in order
to make
multiple exposures
on the same frame:
1. Depress the main release button and make
the initial exposure.
2. Insert the magazine slide and remove the
magazine.
3. Wind the camera with one full revolution of
the winding crank.
4. Replace the magazine and remove the slide.
The unit
is nowready to make asecond exposure
on the same frame. You can make additional
exposur
es in the same manner.
13

14
Lens and Shutter Functions
Shutter Speeds
The shutterspeed selectorring is the ring located
closest to the front of the lens. The desired
shutter speed
is set against the central lens
index.
The white scale shows the shutter speeds, and
the orange scale the exposure values (EV).
The green F setting is used only when the lens is
attached
to a Hasselblad camera in the 2000
series with afocal plane shutter. The operation of
the diaphragm
is not affected. The F setting can
only be engaged/disengaged when the green
detent button is pressed. When using the 503cx
or 500C/
M, the F setting will cause exposure
errors since the shutter remains open.
Aperture
The aperture setting ring is the second closest
ring to the front ofthe lens.The aperture value is
also set against the central lens index.
CF lenses have an automatic diaphragm that
stops down to the presetworking aperture imme-
diately prior to exposure.
Warning Signal
On the shutter speed scale you will find a red
marking opposite the 1, 1/
2, and 1/4s. This is
to warn you of possible exposure errors. The
auxiliary shutter remains open only as long
as
you maintain pressure on the release button
(see also page 12).

Exposure Values
The aperture and shutter speed combination set
opposite the central lens index determines the
exposure. Every combination of shutter speed/
aperture has
an equivalent exposure value (EV)
which you can read and set against the
red EV
index on the side of the lens.
Interlocked Shutter Speed/
Aperture
If you want to change the shutter speed or aper-
ture without changing the exposure value (EV),
you can interlock the speed and aperture setting
rings by holding down the interlock button which
is on the right of the aperture scale. When inter-
locked, the rings move together, increasing or
decreasing the aperture to compensate for a
decrease or increase of speed respectively.
15

la~7E17.:JSS'tTHI
, 2 4 8 15 3060125250500 2 3 4 5
22 16 " 8 5,6 4 2,8 [ I
2?
16
'1' ~ ,7, II, ;, ~ 1,1
16
22
I , ,
5 7 10
ZO
00
15
25
50
16
Focusing and Depth of Field
On the focusing ring are the distance scales and
a knurled rubber grip which
is closest to the
camera body. You focus the lens
by rotating the
focusing ring until you obtain asharp image ofthe
subject
in the viewfinder.
The distance between the subject and the film
plane
is read off the focusing ring's distance
scale opposite the central lens index. The dis-
tance
in metres is shown in white numerals, and
the distance
in feet is in orange numerals.
Objects closer or further away than the selected
distance will be sharp, within certain limits. The
limitsof this field of sharp focus, i.e.depth of field,
vary with the aperture.
The depth of field available
at any given f/stop
can be read off the depth-of-field scale
on both
sides of the central index. The rings
on the
illustration indicate how to read the depth of field
scale with
an aperture of II.
Infrared Photography
Infrared (IR) rays (wavelengths longer than 800
nanometers) are refracted to afocal plane some-
what behind the focal plane of the visible light
images formed
on the focusing screen. To
compensate for this discrepancy, proceed as
follows:
Focus
as usual on the focusing screen. Then
rotate the focusing ring until the distance set
is
opposite the red IR index.

Checking Depth of Field
To allow you to check the depth of field in the
image
on the focusing screen, the diaphragm
can be stopped down to the preset aperture -
simply
by sliding the manual preview button
downwards until it locks into the previewposition.
To release the button, and reopen the dia-
phragm, press
in the lower section of the button.
Flash Synchronization
The Hasselblad 503cx and 500C/M use lenses
from the Hasselblad CF series. These lenses
have built-in leaf shutters with speeds from 1
to
1/500s. Flash synchronization occurs at full
shutter opening via the
PC flash terminal.
Electronic flash units can
be used at all shutter
speeds, 1 - 1/500.

Magazine Operation
Loading the Magazine
The magazine may be loaded on, or off the
camera.
If it is to be loaded off the camera then
the magazine slide must be inserted, its flat side
towards the rear. This facilitates removal of the
film holder for loading. Follow the procedure
below.
1) Fold out the film holder key.
2) Turn the key counter-clockwise and with-
draw the film holder.
3) An empty take-up spool should be placed
underthe splined knob of the spool clamp bar.
Insert a roll of film under the other end of the
bar,ensuring that it
is turned the sameway as
in the illustration. Be careful to remove all the
paper tape that surrounds a new roll of film.
4) Turn the film holder key clockwise
to open
the film clamp. Pull 8 - 1
Ocm (3 -4in.) of paper
backing off the film roll and slide the edge
under the clamp.
5) Insertthe tongue of the backing paper into the
slot
in the take-up spool.
6) Turn the splined knob clockwise until the
arrow on the paper backing is opposite the
triangular index on the spool clamp bar, but
no further.
7) Turn the film holder key counter-clockwise
and insert the film holder into the magazine -
jiggling it a little if it does not click into place.
Lock the film holder into the magazine by
turning the key clockwise.
8) Fold out the film crank and rotate it clockwise
about ten turns until it stops. Turn the crank
counter-clockwise and fold it
in .
18

4
5
(\
6
Number 1 will now be displayed in the frame
counter window and the magazine
is loaded -
ready for use.
The magazine's film winder crank
is only blocked
at frame 1. A partially exposed film may be
wound off at any frame thereafter.
The frame counter
is automatically reset when
the film holder
is withdrawn from the magazine.
19