Hasselblad 500 Seires

True Brain Orgasm

Speaking as an amateur photographer, the only thing I care is to take a bite of the black truffle uni brioche at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, I mean, to press the shutter button on my Hasselblad 500 C/M.

The mechanical response you receive, from the tip of your finger all the way to the end of your arm, is a shockingly crisp and heavy punch.

Of all the most heavenly interactive feedback human has ever designed, Hasselblad 500 series’ shutter deserves a seat.

Feel the Youth

Very few of us could remember the world we see in our childhood. The waist-level view finder on Hasselblad 500 series is a time machine that allows you to explore the world around you as a 9-year-old child, again.

Framed by a deep dark tunnel, the unbelievably bright and crisp image shown in the optical view finder outperforms even the best 8K display, reminding me of the wardrobe in the Chronicles of Narnia.

Simplicity Redefined

It is not easy to figure out how to properly use a Hasselblad 500 if you have never used anything like this. You can definitely feel the precise execution of design through the complexity of its mechanisms.

Actually, Hasselblad 500 series is a classic example of Scandinavian design. Every trigger to an operation is carefully selected, purposefully placed, and reasonably distanced on the exterior.

No two functions are triggered by the same way of interaction. Even each interaction (pulling, turning, pressing, flipping, twisting, rolling, sliding, etc.) is given different texture on the physical surface. Your hands can feel the real estate and memorize the character of every single function.

Neutralizer

Hasselblad 500 series is like a strong, prestigious British gentleman, or a V12 Aston Martin. It contains great power within a restrained yet exquisite exterior.

Unlike any other cameras, by design, Hasselblad 500 series perfectly fits in absolutely every occasion. It does not look as arrogant as the Leica M system, nor as nerdy as the Mamiya RB/RZ67. Hasselblad 500 series automatically syncs with the subject and the photographer, and it rebalances its own presence to blend into the environment.

Recommendations

As a user and an industrial designer, I must say there are a few important parts on Hasselblad 500 series that you want to pay attention to, in relation to the ergonomics.

To the Moon

As you may have heard of, the first camera ever to shoot on the moon was a modified Hasselblad 500C, carried by the crew of Apollo 11. The reliability of Hasselblad cameras is of course one of the biggest features of the brand.

The process of getting a Hasselblad though, could be frustrating. I often hear about how people ended up receiving a broken Hasselblad 500, and it could be expensive to repair. I was fortunate enough to get a good one for the first time, and it is pretty reliable when there’s no broken parts. So, make sure to do enough research if you intend to buy one.

Overall

I think everyone should, at least for once in their lifetime, go to a B&H or any camera store that sells Hasselblad 500 series and try to hold that machine in your palm and press that shutter button. I promise it is, universally, ultra-satisfaction.

A Hasselblad is a Hasselblad, a capable butler, your Alfred. It is whatever you need, and whatever you want it to be. The 500 series is the absolute image of Hasselblad and is probably the most successful modular design for cameras.