Last Updated on 01/30/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
Here’s why the Hasselblad 500cm may or may not be a great choice for you.
Want to give medium format film a go? Hasselblad cameras are among the most recommended and coveted cameras for this, especially the Hasselblad 500cm. If you found Aidan Moneyhon’s long term review of the Contax T2 helpful, you might also want to watch this one to find out if the Hasselblad 500cm is the right choice for you.
Aidan has been shooting with the Hasselblad 500cm for a little short of a year now, prompting him to share his experience with it in a long term review. If you’ve got this camera on your list of medium format snappers to add to your analogue collection, his insights could help you come to a decision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBps4CQ1TQE
As with many film photographers, the Hasselblad 500cm was a dream camera for Aidan when he was starting out. So if that’s also the case with you, you’ll surely share his excitement to shoot with this iconic camera. For one, you’ll get to have the waist level shooting experience many medium format cameras are known for. Then, you’ll also get to make the most out of legendary Zeiss lenses, especially for making beautiful portraits.
However, the waist level finder comes with some sort of handicap, as he found out eventually. You’ll have to get used to a composing a shot in reverse with this type of viewfinder. If you move to the left, your view shifts to the right.
Used to eye-level viewfinders? You might struggle a little when shooting portraits with the Hasselblad 500cm. You’d have to constantly adjust the way you shoot since your view won’t be at the head or eye level of your subjects. Using an eye-level prism finder would be a fix, if you can find one.
To recap, the Zeiss lenses used by the Hasselblad system are definitely a plus for Aidan for their outstanding sharpness. If you’re fine with slowing down your shooting process, this camera is a great choice. For something easier to use, or something that handles more like an SLR, you might be better off with another option.
Check out Aidan Moneyhon’s YouTube Channel for more of his photography reviews and tutorials.
Screenshot taken from the video