In this live stream, I invited my friend Brian Chambers to walk us through the legendary Hasselblad V System. Brian brought his collection to the table and demonstrated why these 50-year-old cameras still captivate photographers today. We explored the remarkable modularity of the 500CM, witnessed the magic of mounting a modern 100-megapixel digital back onto vintage camera bodies, and got a peek at the panoramic X-Pan.

Whether you’re curious about medium format film photography or considering entering the Hasselblad ecosystem, this conversation covers everything from mechanical engineering marvels to practical buying advice.

Because I am a good person to you, I broke the video into chapters for your convenience, so you can jump to the area that most interest you, or just watch the whole thing, I guarantee you will learn something new.

Please consider subscribing if you learned something from us today!

Chapters

00:40 Introduction & How We MetTwo camera nerds who bonded over film photography in NYC

03:31 The Hasselblad 500CMFirst look at the V System and its waist-level viewfinder

05:03 Taking the Camera ApartBrian starts disassembling to show the modularity

05:48 Interchangeable Film BacksSwap film stocks mid-roll with the dark slide system

08:42 Mirror Lock-Up for Long ExposuresHow to prevent mirror slap from affecting your shots

12:47 The Leaf Shutter Lives in the LensWhy Hasselblad puts the shutter mechanism inside each lens

14:14 One Crank Does EverythingThe elegant engineering of the film advance lever

17:28 Multiple Film Backs in PracticeWhy professionals kept several backs loaded and ready

20:19 The Red Flag SystemVisual indicators that prevent double exposures

25:38 Lens Controls: Shutter Speed and ApertureHow the mechanical timing works on V System glass

27:48 How Old Is This Camera?Brian’s 500CM dates to 1974

28:24 V System History and the H SystemFrom the 1950s mechanical cameras to modern electronic bodies

30:33 Why Leaf Shutters Matter for FlashThe advantage of flash sync at any shutter speed

34:15 The Problem with HSSWhy high-speed sync is a compromise, not a solution

39:15 What Brian Loves About This SystemSharp lenses and the discipline of intentional shooting

41:36 Tips for Buying Your First HasselbladThree things to look for when shopping

47:41 The 907X Digital BackHasselblad’s 100-megapixel back that fits on 50-year-old bodies

50:26 The Party Trick: Film Body Goes DigitalMounting the CFV 100C on the vintage 500CM

54:28 100 Megapixels in ActionScreen share showing incredible detail from a studio portrait

58:23 The Hasselblad X-PanA 35mm panoramic rangefinder co-developed with Fuji

1:01:01 Reverse Film LoadingHow the X-Pan pre-spools so you never lose already-shot frames

1:11:01 Adapting X-Pan Lenses to DigitalUsing vintage panoramic glass on modern Hasselblad bodies

1:14:26 Final Advice for BeginnersBuild your kit piece by piece without breaking the bank

1:16:06 Viewer Q&AA chat with a 500CM owner in the comments

Watch the Full Stream

The complete 1 hour 20 minute conversation is available above. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating!

Liked the content? Consider sharing it to spread the knowledge!

Get full access to Camera Clara at www.cameraclara.com/subscribe