Price of used Hasselblad 500CM?

[sothoth]

A used online camera retailer is selling one of these bodies for ~$250. Seems like a good deal to me. I don't know this body intimately, but I think the only thing it would need to start shooting is a lens and film.

Does this sound like a reasonable price for this body if it's in good shape?

Am I correct that I'd just need to put a lens on, add film, and then shoot?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[Patrice]

The price seems ok, if it works. Does it have a back? An 80 mm f3.5 should be easy to get for a couple hundred, others will be expensive. You could get a digital back for 10 to 15 K$

 

[sothoth]

It's backless. I don't think I'm prepared to spring for the digital back, tho.

I was indeed hoping to buy an A12 back, which I forgot to mention. They seem to go for ~$100-200 on ebay routinely. I don't know as much about the lenses but I'm guessing they're not cheap.

 

[fmw]

It's backless. I don't think I'm prepared to spring for the digital back, tho.

I was indeed hoping to buy an A12 back, which I forgot to mention. They seem to go for ~$100-200 on ebay routinely. I don't know as much about the lenses but I'm guessing they're not cheap.

The 80mm normal lenses are the least expensive and great performers for that matter. My advice would be to try to find a complete camera - body, finder, back and lens from a private party. You should be able to find one on Ebay for around $800. A dealer would probably get $1100 or so for one in pristine condition. They like to break the cameras up into parts to show lower prices. Once you add up all the parts, however, there isn't any savings.

 

[Digital Matt]

There are lots of 500CMs with the 80 2.8, WL finder, and A12 back on www.keh.com for around $900.

You never see one in less than EX condition.

 

[sothoth]

My advice would be to try to find a complete camera - body, finder, back and lens from a private party.

Do you recommend this only because of the price or are there other considerations with piecing together a complete camera yourself?

Thanks!

 

[fmw]

Do you recommend this only because of the price or are there other considerations with piecing together a complete camera yourself?

Thanks!

No, mostly I think that if you buy a pristine camera from an individual you are likely to get an amateur camera. That means it will have a LOT less use the the daily grind a pro would put it through. I've seen some near mint 500C's and CM's by private parties on Ebay that look like barely used units and super buys.

You can piece together a system from parts just fine as long as none of the parts are broken. If you get everything together, you know it works together.

 

[sothoth]

keh.com sells bodies and full kits. They call some bodies "with waist level" and others "without waist level" but I'm not sure what that means. Anyone want to fill me in what the "waist level" addition is? I thought they were all primarily for waist level shooting unless you have the eyepiece adapter.

Thanks in advance...

 

[fmw]

keh.com sells bodies and full kits. They call some bodies "with waist level" and others "without waist level" but I'm not sure what that means. Anyone want to fill me in what the "waist level" addition is? I thought they were all primarily for waist level shooting unless you have the eyepiece adapter.

Thanks in advance...

They are talking about the viewfinder. You can buy bodies with them or without them.

 

[Digital Matt]

The waist level view finder is one you look down into.

 

[sothoth]

The waist level view finder is one you look down into.

Yeah, I just I'm confused about the wording because I thought the waist level viewfinder was standard on the 500C/M. So either I'm wrong (it's NOT standard) or there is some other option that I'm not aware of.

I know you can get a prism/eyepiece option but there are bodies that have this and they say so, unlike the ones I saw, which say "with waist level" or "without waist level." So... I'm still confused about what the body would have if it's sold "without."

 

[Digital Matt]

The waist level viwer is standard, but technically, the 500CM is just a box with no lens, and no viewfinder at all. These parts are all listed seperately, and are all interchangeable. If it says without waistlevel, it does not have a viewfinder. If it has a prism, it will say.