The Hasselblad 500 C/M | an introduction

Hello my name is Casey Lee Cole and I would like to introduce myself through this item - The Hasselblad 500 C/M

Hasselblad is a camera manufacturing company based in Göteborg, Sweden that invented the medium format Single Lens Reflex camera. Originally providing aerial cameras for the Swedish Air Force, they began to produce a “household” camera after WWII.

In 1957, Victor Hasselblad designed the Hasselblad 500 C and in 1970 the 500 C/M. Famously said in one of their advertisements, “This is a modular system, not to be confused with a camera.” 

This is the camera that I use. It is an entirely interchangeable camera system. To build a  “kit” we begin with a simple cube in the center where the shutter is housed, this will be the foundation of the camera. Then, we add a lens of choice on the front, for the light to be funneled to a fixed focal point. The film occupies a magazine on the rear that includes a slide divider. The intention is to allow the user to use multiple rolls of film at once. On top, a viewfinder to see the potential image, which could either be a waist-level screen or a prism viewfinder.

Even though this camera was constructed over 50 years ago, it is still regarded as one of the finest cameras to use, with the opportunity to make each kit customizable to its user.

Other things to note:

The camera is completely mechanical, referencing firmness and a long life cycle.

Hasselblad eventually became the official camera for the moon. After many years of collaborating with NASA, Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969. Who was there to capture this historic occasion? The trusty Hasselblad. Fun fact - the camera is still on the moon or at least somewhere up there…

In Summary:

The Hasselblad modular system is reminiscent of the process of designing a structure. Always starting with the basics and adding on from there to make the outcome more personal. The system can be seperated into compartments and is mechanical.