Hasselblad - 500ELX or 553ELX?

[Jeff Bannow]

Is it worth the extra price for the 553ELX? I currently have a 500CM and lenses, would like to add the extra features of the motor drive and electronic release. I understand that I will need to also purchase a 9 volt battery converter.

How hard is it to find a nice long cable release for this? What about a remote release? It would be nice to be able to go 20+ feet, more would be better. I assume it will work in bulb mode as well.

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Anyone know if this will work on the 500ELX and/or 553ELX?

Make your own cable release

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

My understanding of the two is that the 500 ELX will need either the Hassy rechargeable battery or the 9V adapter. The 553 takes AA batteries.

 

[Jeff Bannow]

My understanding of the two is that the 500 ELX will need either the Hassy rechargeable battery or the 9V adapter. The 553 takes AA batteries.

Thanks - that lowers the total cost of the 553 then.

 

[Q.G.]

Anyone know if this will work on the 500ELX and/or 553ELX?

Make your own cable release

Absolutely.
All you need to do is what they do: find the right connector, and find a way to short the correct pins.

P.S.
If you want a remote, look for those cheap (although some U.S. firm offers (offered?) the very same Chinese made units for many dollars) Chinese radio remotes they offer for all sorts of 35 mm cameras.
I bought a couple for less than US$ 10 each, including shipping halfway across the world.
All you need to do to them is remove the connector and replace it with a DIN-plug to fit the Hasselblad.

Most (if not all) of these units offer multi-mode operation. You can abuse that feature (and i confess: i have done so) to your advantage.
The units i have have a single release button, which if you press it for a (short) while switches the unit into some sort of T mode, i.e. you have to press the button again to finish te exposure. Ideal for long exposures using a Hasselblad.

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Absolutely.
All you need to do is what they do: find the right connector, and find a way to short the correct pins.

Excellent. The 553 and the 500ELX use the same connector then?

 

[Dave Swinnard]

According to Wildi's "Hasselblad Manual" they do.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

I've owned both. I used them all the time when shooting the NBA on film. Oh the good ol days.

The 553 has a larger mirror, will be newer and has all the up-dates including the AA system. I would go with the 553. They also made a 555 after the 553.... I never had one though.

You can easily make your own cords.... I made huge ones to fire the remote cameras at the basket.... if you send me an email with your address I'll send them to you if I can find it.

If I don't have the cords themselves somewhere in a box, I'm sure to have the plugs that go into the camera.... then all you need is a trigger and a cable.

-rob

 

[daleeman]

Hi Jeff,

I just love the Hassy and have looked at several motorized versions lately to see about picking one up. What I seem to find between the 500ELX and 553ELX besides the battery thing and I am all for AA batteries over 9 volts because of availability... Many of the 500 elx I have been seeing are in fact older than the 553s. So most in the hands of a studio have seen many more cycles than the 553s have.

I like David Odess but hope to buy a camera without a pre-destined trip to see David. Not that it would be a bad thing, but rolling in a couple of great years into a 553 before sending it in for a CLA, just because it was newer to start with is not a bad choice.

I'm looking for an 555 ELD model myself. I'll have to mortgage the three cats to own one but I know some day these huge "D" backs will be flooding the market used and it would be nice to have one system to do both kinds of photography. (Like that will ever happen, you should see how many cats I've mortgaged for all the stuff I have collected)

One very nice option I have looked at was a 503CW with a motor that I can cast off if I want too. I do not know what the CW/CXI motor winder takes as a cable release though. Jut an idea if you can heard a few cats together to mortgage off.

See you in Dec.

Lee

PS, just looked the CW winder is IR, some used ones come with the remote.
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Just looking at the price... You could buy two ELX for the cost of a CW motor, but again... how much life left in them is always a valid question. Let me know what you do?

 

[Batiendo]

am selling my elm anyone ????

 

[Q.G.]

I've owned both. I used them all the time when shooting the NBA on film. Oh the good ol days.

The 553 has a larger mirror, will be newer and has all the up-dates including the AA system. I would go with the 553. They also made a 555 after the 553.... I never had one though.

The 500 ELX and 553 ELX have the same, large (i.e. non-vignetting) mirror.

There are a few differences between the 500 ELX and 553 ELX, but besides the battery thing (and the change from old style to Acute Matte screen in the "3"-generation), they are all minor. Not of any practical importance.

 

[Q.G.]

Many of the 500 elx I have been seeing are in fact older than the 553s. So most in the hands of a studio have seen many more cycles than the 553s have.

They are older, because, well..., they are. Not just many, but all of them.
They stopped making 500 ELX models when they started making 553 ELX models.

I'm looking for an 555 ELD model myself. I'll have to mortgage the three cats to own one but I know some day these huge "D" backs will be flooding the market used and it would be nice to have one system to do both kinds of photography. (Like that will ever happen, you should see how many cats I've mortgaged for all the stuff I have collected)

Would it be worth it, you think?
Very few digital backs use the four contacts the ELD has to trigger backs, and all backs will work on all (!) of the older models just as well.

One very nice option I have looked at was a 503CW with a motor that I can cast off if I want too. I do not know what the CW/CXI motor winder takes as a cable release though. Jut an idea if you can heard a few cats together to mortgage off.

[...]

PS, just looked the CW winder is IR, some used ones come with the remote.
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The Winder CW can be triggered through a cheap electrical cable release. Cheap, if you make it yourself.
You could also adapt and use oe of those cheap Chinese made radio remotes (work over a longer distance than the IR remotes). I saw they can still be had for less than US$ 10, including shipping.

The detachable winder, i.e. being able to turn a C(...) model into an EL(...) model, is what killed the EL line. So many will have thought it a good idea. Myself included, by the way.
But yes, 503 CW cameras and CW winders are still expensive.

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Thanks for the info everyone! Very informative as always.

Looks like the 553ELX is the winner. Now I just have to find one for a good price.

 

[daleeman]

Jeff,

Look here at this one on KEH.
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Lee

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Thanks for the heads-up Lee.

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Got it in and it looks great. Heck of a good deal. Had Dave Easterwood look it over and it's in great working condition.

 

[abhoan]

I guess I'm looking to understand the same issues. Moving from a 500c to 553elx. I don't want to throw away my older gear so the question is that I'll be able to use my original film backs and the lenses yes? Also does the 553 originally come with Acu-mat? And can I connect a grip with a shutter release to it?

 

[abhoan]

And just one more question, how in the world do I know if my camera already has acu-mat or not?

 

[rulnacco]

And just one more question, how in the world do I know if my camera already has acu-mat or not?

A bit of an elderly thread here, but since much of the information is potentially useful to people interested in Hasselblads, I'll answer that last question.

Here is a brief guide to how to identify an acute matte screen:

(1) No matter what style the screen is, if it has the two semicircular cutouts on the edge of the frame near one corner, it is an Acute Matte D screen.
(2) If it is the standard focusing screen with the central cross, if the cross is gray rather than black, and can be felt to project above the surface of the screen, it is an acute matte screen; if it lacks the cutouts, it's a 1st generation (non-D) screen.
(3) No matter what style the screen is, if you shine a bright light through it (such as the light on your phone) and rather than getting a diffused, white glow coming through, you get a sort of starburst pattern with multiple rainbow-colored bits around the edges, it is an acute matte screen of either the first or second generation. Below is what you are looking for (the second image is intentionally out of focus overall, as that is the only way I could get the image of the effect I'm talking about in focus enough to be visible). Again, if it has the cutouts it's an Acute Matte D screen, and if it lacks them it's a first-generation acute matte screen.