Nasaco Hasselblad 500 EL/M User manual

This Astronaut’s Photography Manual has been
prepared by Hasselblad in close cooperation with
the Training and Man-Machine Divisions at the
Johnson Space Center of the National Aeronau-
tics and Space Administration. As a guidebook
for the NASA Photography Training Program, it
not only describes the operation of the Hassel-
blad 500 EL/M cameras used on the U. S. Space
Shuttle but is also a concise manual on photog-
raphy to assist astronauts in creating the best
possible space photographs.
Hasselblad cameras have performed with preci-
sion on every manned space ight since 1962
and undoubtedly future missions will continue to
yield those awe-inspiring and beautiful images
from space - a priceless pictorial legacy for future
generations.
A Hasselblad lunar data surface camera was mounted into the Shuttle
Pallet Satellite and operated remotely by the astronauts by means of a
radio signal to record images of the Challenger in ight.
Foreword

1
Sunlight coming through the windows can make beautiful "available
light" shots. The slide is perfectly exposed for the most important part of
the scene - the astronauts facial esh tones.
Camera Controls ............................................................................................. 2
Film Magazine Controls................................................................................... 2
Viewnder Controls ......................................................................................... 3
The EL/M Power Supply.................................................................................. 4
Releasing the Camera..................................................................................... 4
Remote Operation ........................................................................................... 5
Camera Steadiness......................................................................................... 5
Operating Modes............................................................................................. 6
Film Magazines ........................................................................................... 6, 7
Film Magazine with Databack.......................................................................... 8
Permanently Attached Databack ..................................................................... 8
Databack with Removable Module.................................................................. 8
Changing Lenses............................................................................................. 9
Lenses........................................................................................................... 10
Lens Controls ...........................................................................................10, 11
Viewing .......................................................................................................... 12
Diopter Adjustment ........................................................................................ 12
Focusing........................................................................................................ 13
Focusing Suggestions ................................................................................... 14
Depth of Field .................................................................................... 14, 15, 16
Depth of Field at Different Apertures ............................................................. 15
Depth of Field with Different Lenses.............................................................. 16
Focusing for Depth of Field ..................................................................... 17, 18
Use of Lenses.................................................................................... 19, 20, 21
Lens Aperture ................................................................................................ 22
Shutter Speed................................................................................................ 23
Setting Aperture & Shutter Speed ................................................................. 23
Changing Aperture & Shutter Speed ............................................................. 24
Exposure ....................................................................................................... 24
Exposure from Charts.................................................................................... 24
The Exposure Meter...................................................................................... 25
ASA/ Shutter Speed Setting .......................................................................... 26
Viewnder on Meter....................................................................................... 26
Operating Meter....................................................................................... 26, 27
Determining Lens Settings with Exposure Meter...................................... 27,28
Exposing for Sun or Shade............................................................................ 29
Exposing for Slides........................................................................................ 29
Exposing for Negative Film............................................................................ 29
High Contrast Scenes.................................................................................... 29
Bracketing Exposure ..................................................................................... 29
Exposure Techniques .................................................................................... 30
Composition....................................................................................... 31, 32, 33
Obtaining the Most Effective Images................................................. 34, 35, 36
Table of Contents

2
Camera Controls:
1) Operate Push button
2) Mode Selector (taped)
3) Lens Cocking Tool (Under tape)
4) Remote Connector
5) Battery Compartment
6) Battery Compartment Lock
7) Lens Release Button
Film Magazine
Controls:
8) Magazine Release Button
9) Magazine Insert Lock (Taped)
10) Darkslide
11) Frame Counter
12a) End of Film Indicator
12b) Film Advance Indicator
Hasselblad 500 EL/M Camera
14 11 12a 312b 2 1 134

3
Viewnder Controls:
13) Prism Viewnder
14) Diopter Correction Eyepiece
15) Lock for Correction Eyepiece
16) Rubber Eyecup
75 8 10 6 9 15 16

4
The electric lm advance is powered by
two 6V rechargeable nickel cadmium
batteries located in the battery compart-
ment. Two fully charged batteries provide
power for approximately 2000 exposures
and changing the batteries should not be
necessary. A slowing down of the wind-
ing cycle, however, indicates low battery
voltage and that both batteries need to be
changed.
The battery compartment is opened by
turning the slotted compartment lock (6)
counter clockwise to the vertical position
using the lens cocking tool (3). Remove
the compartment cover (Fig. 1). Always
remove both batteries and insert one
spare battery in either compartment. Bat-
teries (A) are inserted with the (+) end rst
(Fig. 2). Properly inserted, the batteries
rest on a spring and can be pushed up
&down. When inserted the wrong way, the
cover cannot be closed easily and may
be permanently bent. Do not force. Check
position of batteries. Cover is re-attached
by placing the hooks at the front of the
cover into the openings (D) in the camera
then pressing the rear rmly towards the
compartment while turning the slotted lock
(6) clockwise to the horizontal (locked)
position.
NOTE: Camera operates only if a fuse in good
condition is in the fuse receptacle. The fuse (C)
can be replaced and inserted in (B) either way.
The image is recorded on the lm by
pressing the operate push button. The
shutter is re-cocked, and the lm ad-
vanced to the next frame, when removing
the nger from the button. A second expo-
sure can be made as soon as the winding
cycle is completed. If the camera does not
operate when the release is depressed:
1. Darkslide may be inserted in lm
magazine. Remove it.
2. There may be no lm left in magazine.
Check lm load signal (12a) if red,
change magazine.
3. The fuse is dead. Replace.
4. The batteries may have no charge left.
Replace.
The EL/M
Power Supply
Releasing the Camera
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3

5
Camera can also be released with remote
cable, Remove socket cover (Fig. 3) by
turning it counter clockwise and attach
remote release cable to remote connector
4. The camera operation is determined by
the position of the mode selector (page 6)
one picture in position 0 - or sequences in
position A.
The camera must be perfectly steady
when the exposure is made. Camera mo-
tion while the lm is being exposed can
result in unsharp pictures. Reduce the
danger of camera movement by:
1. Holding camera rmly with both hands,
one hand on the bottom, the other on
top (Fig. 4&5). 2. Pressing both elbows
into your body for additional support.
3. Pressing rubber eyepiece of the view-
nder against your viewing eye to form
a rm contact between the forehead
and nder (Fig. 6).
4. Holding Breath.
5. Pressing the operate push button
slowly and gently so you are hardly
aware when the exposure is made
and keeping it depressed until the
exposure is completed. Don't jerk the
release or depress it rapidly.
NOTE: Perfect camera steadiness is important
with aIl lenses - but more so with the 250mm
Sonnar. The long focal length magnies camera
shake.
Remote Operation Camera Steadiness
FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6

6
1) The mode selector is set at 0 at launch
and taped over (Fig. 7). Do not remove
the tape and change the setting except
for automatic sequence operation.
2) For automatic sequence operation
(1 picture per second) remove tape,
change selector to A (Fig.8). When
the release is depressed, the camera
takes pictures at regular intervals of
1frame/second as long as the release
is kept depressed - and as long as
there is lm in the camera. When se-
quence is completed, change dial back
to 0 and re-tape.
To attach a lm magazine to the cam-
era body, hook the magazine onto the
two lower support catches (E) (Fig. 9),
swing the top of the magazine rmly and
completely against the upper catches (F)
and camera body while at the same time
sliding the magazine release button (8) to
the right (Fig. 10). After the magazine is
attached remove darkslide (Fig. 9a).
To remove a magazine, insert darkslide
(10) slide magazine release button (8) to
the right (Fig.11), lift off magazine (Fig.
12).
NOTES: a) Magazines cannot be attached or
removed unless darkslide is inserted. b) Never
remove the darkslide from a magazine that is
not attached to the camera. It would expose
some of the lm in the magazine.
OPERATlNG SIGNALS: (Fig. 13)
The lm magazine includes a frame coun-
ter (11) which counts up and indicates
number of frames exposed. Check once
in a while so you do not run out of lm in
the middle of an important picture taking
sequence. There are about 120 frames
on a roll of lm. There is also an end of
lm indicator (12a). It turns from white to
red when the roll of lm is nished and at
that moment the camera will stop operat-
ing. Film advance indicator (12b) goes
from white to red to white to show lm is
advancing properly.
Operating Modes Film Magazines
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 8

7
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9a
FIGURE 10
FIGURE 12
FIGURE 11
FIGURE 13

8
Some or all lm magazines used on your
mission may be equipped with a databack.
It may be permanently attached to the
magazine (Fig. 14) or have a removable
electronics module which can be switched
from one magazine to another (Fig. 15).
The lm magazine of either version is at-
tached to the camera body, as is the regu-
lar magazine 100/200 but the magazine
release button (8) is pushed towards the
left (not right). To remove a lm magazine,
push the magazine release button again
towards the left (Fig. 14).
Proper operation is indicated by a green
LED at rear. Check whether it goes on and
off after the exposure. This indicates that
the data recording has been successful.
The electronics module is removed by de-
pressing the latch and sliding the module
towards the rear. It can now be attached
to another magazine in the same fashion
by depressing the latch again (Fig. 15). It
is made operative with the On/Off Switch.
Make certain that the exposure setting
switch is set for the ASA rating of the lm
in that particular magazine.
Position 1 for ASA 25 - 100
Position 2 for ASA 100 - 400
Position 3 for ASA 400 - 1600
Position 4 for ASA 1600 - 6400
Instructions for the correct setting will be
supplied.
A green LED lights up momentarily at the
end of each shot to indicate a successful
data recording.
Malfunctioning or low battery power is
indicated by a red LED. The batteries,
however, have sufcient power for an
entire ight.
FIGURE 14 FIGURE 15
Film Magazines with
Databacks
Permanently Attached
Databack
Databack with
Removable Module

9
FIGURE 16 FIGURE 17
FIGURE 19
FIGURE 20
FIGURE 18
Changing Lenses
To remove a lens, press lens release
button (7) and turn lens counterclockwise
about 1/10 turn (Fig. 16). To attach a lens,
match red marking on lens barrel with red
marking on camera body (Fig. 17). Turn
lens rmly clockwise until it clicks positive-
ly in place (Fig. 18). Do not depress lens
release button when attaching a lens.
NOTES:
a) Lenses can be removed only when the shut-
ter is cocked, which is normally the case on
the EL/M. The lens could be uncocked only
if the camera stops before completing the
cycle due to low battery power, or if a fuse
is blown. If so change batteries to complete
cycle or change fuse.
b) Lenses can be attached only if the camera
body is cocked and the shutter in the lens is
also cocked (open). (Shaft J) in lens is op-
posite red dot (L) (Fig. 19). If a shutter should
have been closed accidentally while lens was
removed from camera insert lens cocking tool
(3) located under the taped mode selector (2)
in shaft slot (M). Make a full turn clockwise in
the direction of the arrow. (Fig. 20)

10
Hasselblad cameras may be equipped
with either "C" lenses or "CF" lenses. The
"c" lenses have a VXM lever on the left
side (Fig. 21)
This control is only on the "C" lenses (Fig.
21), not the "CF" types (Fig. 22). Other-
wise, the lenses differ only in the location
and operation of the lens controls.
17) Focusing Ring with distance engravings
18) Lock for "F" setting ("CF" lens only)
19) Aperture Setting Ring with aperture engravings
20) Shutter Speed Ring with shutter speed engravings
21) Index for distance, aperture &shutter speed
22) EVS Engravings
23) Index for EVS Setting
24) Lever for unlocking aperture & shutter speed (on "c" lenses only)
25) Button for interlocking aperture and shutter speed rings (On "CF" only)
26) Movable depth of eld indicators (on "c" lenses only)
27) Engraved depth of eld indicators (on "CF" lenses only)
28) Flash Sync Lever, (must be on X or M) (on "c" lenses only)
29) Flash cable connector
30) Manual diaphragm stop down
C Lens CF Lens
FIGURE 21 FIGURE 22
Lenses Lens Controls

11
C Lenses
CF Lenses
FIGURE 23
FIGURE 26
FIGURE 24
FIGURE 27
FIGURE 25
FIGURE 28

12
The prism viewnder (13) provides a
magnied, upright and laterally correct
image. Make certain that you always see
the entire square groundglass screen from
corner to corner. This requires placing
your eye rmly against the rubber eyecup
(16) and in the optical center of the eye-
piece lens (Fig. 29 & 31).This is especially
important when photographing through the
windows in the space shuttle. You may not
see a window frame cutting into part of the
image unless you move your eye around
the viewing screen. The rubber eyecup
which 0ffers a comfortable support for
viewing can be turned for left or right eye
viewing. Pressing eye and forehead rmly
towards the viewnder eyepiece also
provides an important camera support for
increased camera steadiness.
NOTE: It is recommended that you remove
your eyeglasses. Eyeglasses prevent the close
contact between eye and eyepiece. They also
allow objectionable light to enter between the
eyeglasses and eye. (Fig. 31).
The prism viewnder is equipped with an
adjustable eyepiece (14) (Fig. 29). It may
be adjusted to your eyesight for accurate
focusing and strain-free viewing. Remove
lens from camera. Remove eyeglasses.
View through nder and turn diopter
adjusting ring (14) until the groundglass
screen appears critically sharp. Remove
the eye, relax it for a moment by looking
at innity, and view through the nder
once more to ascertain that the screen is
still sharp. The eyepiece is now adjusted
to your eyes. Lock it with screw (15) (Fig.
29).
NOTES:
a) It is suggested that you read the diopter
setting after adjusting the eyepiece to your eye-
sight (-1 in Fig. 30). This makes it unnecessary
to repeat the diopter adjustment after someone
else uses the camera simply set it to your pre-
determined number (-1 for example) and lock it.
b) If you cannot view without eyeglasses,
make the adjustment on the diopter correction
eyepiece with the glasses on. c) The viewnder
is not meant to be a handle for carrying the
camera.
d) Should the image in the nder appear dark
the diaphragm in the lens is probably stopped
down. To re-open it, proceed as described
under "lens aperture" (Page 22).
Viewing Diopter Adjustment
FIGURE 30
FIGURE 29 FIGURE 31

13
Focusing
FIGURE 32 FIGURE 33 FIGURE 34
The prism nder is also used for focusing
the lens (setting the lens for the camera to
subject distance). The groundglass screen
is split into various sections (Fig. 32):
(A) Groundglass screen area.
(B) Bright microprism area.
(C) Split image rangender.
The distance is set by turning the focusing
ring on the lens until one or more of the
following conditions are achieved:
1) The image (Fig. 33a) appears sharp
on the groundglass (Fig. 33b).
2) You see a ne detailed image within
the microprism area (Fig. 33b).
3) A straight line crossing the split in the
rangender (Fig. 34a) appears unbro-
ken (Fig. 34b).
NOTES:
a) With the 250mm lens, one of the range nder
elds remains dark. Focusing must be done in
the microprism or groundglass area.
b) The image always appears sharp in the
rangender area, so you must have a straight
line intersecting the split.

14
1) For fast and accurate focusing, turn
the focusing ring quickly back and forth
over the point of sharpness making
smaller and smaller back and forth
movements until the point of sharp-
ness is locked in. This is better than
turning the focusing ring slowly in one
direction towards the point of focus
(Fig. 36).
2) Do not try to focus visually for earth
shots, simply set lens at innity.
3) If all the important elements are at the
same distance (not some closer and
some further away), simply turn the fo-
cusing ring until these subjects appear
sharp in the nder.
4) If important subjects are at different
distances (in front & rear of cargo bay
for instance) try to set the lens so that
both are sharp. That means setting the
lens for depth of eld.
NOTE: The CF lenses have distance scales in
feet and meters. The footage scale is in orange,
the meter scale in white.
Theoretically, on Iy subjects that are
exactly at the focused distance (Fig. 37)
appear sharp on the lm. Sharpness
gradually falls off in front of and beyond
the set distance. On the photographic print
or transparency, however, some degree of
"unsharpness" is acceptable. This range
of acceptable sharpness is called depth
of eld. One third of the total depth of eld
is in front of the focused distance and two
thirds beyond (Fig. 37).
The depth of eld scale on the lens is
used to determine the depth of eld range.
On Hasselblad C lenses (Fig. 38/39)
depth of eld is indicated by the two red
pointers which move automatically as
the aperture ring is turned. The distances
opposite the two red pointers indicate the
range of acceptable sharpness.
On the Hasselblad CF lenses, the depth of
eld is engraved (Fig. 40/ 41 ). Read the
close and far distances opposite the two
white lines corresponding to the aperture
set on lens (11 if lens set at f/11 ).
The depth of eld range depends mainly
on the lens aperture. At large apertures
(f/5.6 in Fig. 38 &40) depth of eld is less
than at small apertures, (f/22 in Fig. 39 &
41 ).
FIGURE 36
Focusing Suggestions Depth of Field

15
FIGURE 38
FIGURE 37
FIGURE 39 FIGURE 40
FIGURE 41
Depth of Field at different apertures
Large Aperture gives
shallow depth of eld
Small aperture gives
great depth of eld
Large aperture gives
shallow depth of eld
Small aperture gives
great depth of eld

16
Depth of Field with Different Lenses
Depth of eld also varies with lens focal
length. The 50mm lens (Fig. 43) has
more depth of eld than the 100mm (Fig.
44). The 250mm (Fig. 45) has less if the
lenses are used from the same distance
(each lens covers a different area).
The 50mm has depth of eld from 50 feet
down to 7 feet (Fig. 43) the 100mm at the
same aperture from 50 feet only down to
17 feet (Fig. 44), while the 250mm goes
from 50 feet only down to 40 feet (Fig. 45).
NOTE: Sharpness beyond the depth of eld
range falls off more rapidly with the longer
lenses. Backgrounds are blurred more with the
250mm than the 50mm wide angle.
50mm 100mm 250mm
50mm Wide Angle has depth of
eld from 50' down to 7'
100mm standard has depth of eld
from 50' down to 17'
250mm Telephoto has depth of
eld from 50' down to 40'
FIGURE 43 FIGURE 44 FIGURE 45

17
Focusing for Depth
of Field
If subjects at different distances are to be
recorded sharply, set the lens for depth of
eld. Proceed as follows:
1) Focus the lens at the farthest subject
to be sharp. Read the distance on the
scale (30') (Fig. 46).
2) Focus the lens at the closest subject
to be sharp. Read the distance on the
focusing scale (8') (Fig. 47).
3) Set the lens, so the two distances are
within the depth of eld indicators (Fig.
48).
NOTE: If the two distances cannot be placed
within the depth of eld range (because of
exposure requirements), decide whether it is
more important to have the background or the
foreground sharp, and set the lens accordingly.
30' is the farthest
subject distance
FIGURE 46

18
FIGURE 47 8' is the closest subject distance
FIGURE 48 14' is the distance set on lens
Focusing for Depth of Field