The Hasselblad 500 Series: A System Overview

This video is loooonnngggg so please jump around with the chapter markers. I've included links to resources mentioned within the video below. I've omitted the motor-drive bodies to manage video length but also because in the current era they fall well behind their manually advanced kin when it comes to portability and weight. The motor 'foot' makes them far less convenient and a lot of the time you're stuck using outdated battery standards. Because they are technically 500 series I'll list them here and tell you how they compare into the manual range: 500EL: Basically a 500C with a motor drive. ('64-'69) 500EL/M: This is to the 500 EL what the 500C/M was to the 500C. ('71-'84) 500ELX: Introduces the CX-type ttl OTF meter and gliding mirror system. ('84-'88) 553ELX:This is the one you want because it uses AA batteries. ('88-'99) 555ELD: This is the most advanced in the lineup. It has separate contacts for digital backs and had an even glidier mirror. ('98-'06) If you're set on a motor-driven 500 then I'll also give you a workaround for the pre 553 battery issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5oICoy1R0c More about the Hasselblad and the moon: https://www.npr.org/2019/07/13/735314929/the-camera-that-went-to-the-moon-and-changed-how-we-see-it?t=1622543713015 Astronaut training manual: https://ia802801.us.archive.org/8/items/pdfy-CrPzRQE7YadZxwnF/astronauts_manual_singlepage_lr.pdf Extension Ring compatibility chart: https://kenrockwell.com/hasselblad/extension-tubes.htm Crop Factor for 6x6: http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HW/HWequifoc.aspx Want to know when a piece of Hasselblad kit was produced? You can get information on Date Codes and serial numbers here: http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HT/HTDating.aspx All the space image imagery is from NASA, used here under the media guidelines https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html Index: 0:00 Intro 1:20 The History 15:03 The Bodies 19:39 The Viewfinder 21:07 The Lenses 24:17 Crop factors and focal lengths 27:27 Loading Film 33:15 The Focusing Screens 34:59 The Accessories 50:04 The Backs 52:11 Conclusions