OK, keep in mind I'm a Mamiya RZ user so am not overly familiar with Hassy gear, but here are a couple things you can try.

First, the button you pushed is, I believe, the mirror lock up button for the 500C. It is not a shutter release. The winding knob won't turn because you haven't actually fired a shutter with the shutter release button.

Is the dark slide removed from the back? I assume it is as I don't think MLU will work with the dark slide in place?

Have you tried actuating the shutter release button on the front of the camera? If not, try it. I'm not sure whether it will do anything without a lens attached.

Lastly, since you apparently don't have one, get a manual for the camera and read it thoroughly.

Hi,

Thanks for the speedy reply. with regard to your question, yes, I did remove the dark plate. Incidently, there are indicator windows on both the film back and the body. I'm not quite sure what they do I suspect they indicate whether or not the film at a given position in the roll has been exposed, and whether or not the shutter is cocked. Both of them are colored white, I notice a similarly colored linkage mechanism inside the camera just under the mirror. This appears to be part of the leaf shutter mechanism. I suspect its very important that the lens be in an appropriate state white/red before I affix to the camera.

I definately need a manual. I've been looking around for a downloadable copy form the hassy web set but I have not found one. I'll be running out to borders or similiar book stores to see if the any of the photograhpy books might have some operational guides.

Thanks again for your help!

-John

The indicator window on the film back shows the number of exposures (actually, the current frame number). The window on the camera body will show red when the shutter has been tripped, black when cocked.

The button under the winding crank is the mirror lock up button. Normally, you use it to eliminate vibration to the camera when you actually trip the shutter.

You should be able to trip the shutter mechanism with the dark slide removed from the back, but be sure to re-cock it before installing the lens. When you turn the winding crank to re-cock the shutter, the mirror will return to the down position.

Hi Bill,

Thanks for explaining the indicator functions on the body and back.

BTW, I pulled the dark slide out and attempted to trip the shutter but absolutely nothing happened when I hit the shutter release. I flipped the little thingy on the release both ways but still no worky. Is this because the shutter (leaf type) is in the lens, which I do not yet have? Or is there some sort of focal plane shutter within the body itself, the so called barn doors?

The indicator on the camera body is white and a identical windowed indicator on the film back is also white. The "indicators" I'm refering to are the circular windows which can be found by in the the photographs at this link:

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?Hasselblad500.html~mainFrame

If you look just below the strap lug a window is visible and parallel to this window is an identical one one the film magazine, which is also white.

Well I simply might have to wait until the lens arrives to determine if my so called $175 deal requires a $500 repair!!

Thanks again for your help!,

John

Are you able to advance the film winder after pressing the shutter release button? If not, you may not be able to attach the lens. The camera and lens both need to be cocked in order to attach or remove the lens from the camera. If this is the case, you may be looking at taking it to a repair shop.

A friend of mine messed around with the winder and shutter release on his Hassy once and had to send it back to the shop for them to fix.

OK, you can add me to the moron list! I should have realized there are differences between your 500C and my 501CM. I have no indicator window on my camera body, only on the film back, but the ones on your film back should operate as I described. Oh, and you're right - the "shutter tripped" indicator is white, not red.

The 500 series Hassies have two shutters. The main one is in the lens, the secondary "barn doors" at the rear of the body. The barn doors are usually closed until you trip the shutter, and then they open just before the lens shutter opens. Re-cocking the shutter closes the barn doors.

I didn't see a mirror lock-up button on the photo, so now I'm wondering what you tripped. It may have been the shutter. You may have to wait until the lens arrives to solve the problem.

I doubt that you've damaged the camera, assuming it was sound to begin with. Hassies are pretty bullet proof, and don't let you get away with anything you're not supposed to do. But, most of the functions are designed to be performed with a lens mounted.

There's an excellent book available which is supposed to better than the actual Hasselblad manual: "The Hasselblad Manual" by Ernst Wildi. The 3rd, 4th and (maybe) 5th editionns should cover your camera. I'm about to buy one myself.....

Hi Bob,

Naw, I can't advance anything. Assuming the camera and lens are unsynced, can the leaf shutter in the lens be manually cocked/uncocked to match the state of the camera, thus allowing the lens to be attached? Or does the simple logic prevail, and I can assume the lens can only be attached to a body which is cocked (shutter release untripped)?

Thanks for your help!

-John

Hi Bill,

In the linked photo, the MLU button can barely be seen directly underneath the winder. In this view it appear almost tangent to the curvature of the winding knob.

Many thanks on confirming the state of the shutter!

Well my first impression of the hassy it is a real quality product, decievingly simple to operate. However, simplicity, when scrutinized, is not simple at all!!

-John

I just like to let everyone know that I resolved the issue with my 500C by removing the back and then depressing the shutter release. The barn doors immediately closed and I could recock the shutter which dropped the mirror down. I cycled it a few times, then reattached the back and cycled another three times. All seems to be well now.

Based on this behavior, I'm sure something needs a CLA either the body or the film back. I expect I'll be able to get a lens installed on the body so long as I can change the state of the shutter.

Thanks again!

-John - AKA Fumblefinger

Outstanding, John! One other note: Since you're getting the lens separately, it's important to check that the lens shutter is cocked before you install it on the camera. Look for a screw with a large slot on the mounting flange. It should be turned so that the slot lines up with the red mark. If it isn't, use a quarter to turn it clockwise. Don't use a screwdriver - you don't want a lot of torque. (I'm assuming that it's a CF or CFE lens. Anything else, I dunno....)

Welcome to Hassy world! You won't regret it.