Please Help! Underexposure Issue!

You don't "set" the 500 C/M for film speeds, you would use an external meter set at whatever ISO that you are using in our back. So if you meter for 400 ISO but you load 100 you will be underexposed. Shutter speed and aperture are set on the lens itself. You are not using a meter prism out of curiosity? Also reccomend that you purchase The Hasselblad Manual be Ernst Wildi, it a great tool or a 500 C/M instruction book, you will find it is a great help when starting.

Derek Rader

(Derek... thanks for starting the replies. I've been scratching my head for the past 20 minutes! I'm finding it amazing that there have been numerous posts lately from folks who bought a Hassy to 'learn on' but never read a manual/book.)

Jeff,

Derek is right about setting ASA and the effects of setting the light meter wrong. But, you never told us how you metered... would you please be specfic. You will be able to get great exposures with any speed film, provided you are metering correctly, have an accurate shutter, and the camera is operating correctly. I'm suspecting that exposure is a light measurement issue. As I said... do tell!

The light streaking is quite odd and would lead me to suspect a problem with the back. If the there was a streak only on the side of the film by the dark slide, the problem (light seals) would be more obvious. The dark streak down the middle makes me less certain of what that problem may be.

I have a meter prism that I need to get a battery for. Right now I'm just using the regular waist level view finder. I was looking at the Ernest Wildi book and from your recomendation will have to hunt one down. The lighting was very bright for both pictures so I figured they might end up over exposed instead of the way they came out. Not to mention out of two rolls only two came out. Although I wouldn't consider them a success based on how they look.

Brian, a manual came with my 500c/m and I've read it cover to cover. I'll get the book mentioned above and will gladly read it as well. I was interested to hear what someone might tell me if I asked, so I did. A veteran user is a great resource. Sorry if it's a bother.

To answer your question, I didn't use a meter. But like I said the room was very well lit in both instances. But like you said, I am a beginner and I'll get to metering my shots. Thanks for the help!

Jeff, it's no bother. I'm glad to hear you did your homework!

Estimating the light indoors is more difficult than estimating the light outdoors. Indoor light always seems more bright to the eye than a lightmeter indicates!

Outside you can probably use "sunny-16" to get a good ballpark estimate if you don't have a meter yet. Try your next roll outdoors and you'll likely get more usable shots. It might even help figure out what's going on with that odd streaking.

If you dont have a light meter... do you have another camera you can use as a meter? I use my Olympus OM-1 as my main light meter when Im shooting medium format. Just about any 35mm SLR will let you use it as a meter, just set the ASA to the same film speed you are using on your Hassy. Its also nice because I can shoot 35mm of the same scene and get a different, cheaper point of veiw on the same location.

Your streaking problem is definitely caused by a light leak, most likely in the back. Do you have more than one back and can you try another one to see if it leaks also?

You can buy a do-it-yourself kit on ebay for about $25--the seller's ID is something like "blackbird" I think. It's easy to install and does the trick. I replace my light seals about every year on my backs, but then they get a pretty good workout.

You did take the dark slide out of the back, didn't you?