My First Hassey

I purchased my first 500c from the old camera shows that they held at the Valley Forge George Washington Motor Lodge back when I was at Antonelli. I recently sold my Hasselblad equipment, but I couldn't part with this one. It is like a piece of art. It is just a simple box design with a lens and film back. Now it sits on my desk and I stare at it. Lens was overhauled by Hasselblad and really doesn't have many clicks on it as it became my backup over the years as newer equipment was obtained. Then I jumped to digital and it all sat in the closet. So many memories went through that lens onto film. With a thunderous KACHUNK, the mirror would slap to let everyone within earshot know that I took a photo.  

One of the best features on these 500c series cameras is the ability to interchange backs, lens and viewfinders.  Over the years, they made improvements and new models were released along with new lenses.  By the serial number, this camera was an early 1970's model.  I could attach and use brand new equipment.  My 1970's camera worked well with a lens from the 2000's.  I didn't need to run out and buy the latest and greatest camera body to get the job done.  That was one of the great things that Victor Hasselblad and other designers did in the last century.  They designed and built their vision to last and be practical.  Then along came the great Harley Earl, a head of design for GM and later a VP.  His vision was to get the car buyer back into the showrooms year after year by tweaking the design on the new models.  So if you didn't have the latest and greatest, you lost out.  Thus the beginning of product obsolescence.  If a product is reliable and doesn't break, manufacturers will reverse engineer to find out why and make sure that the replacement  does fail eventually so there is always turnover.  If you hung in this long, I commend you - I will get off my soap box now and go eat dinner before I start in on how our society grooms us to be consumers and the whole dumbing down thing.  (OK, think of a product - like the brakes on your car...When you drove down the road, you needed to think about distance and a panic stop was successful only if you pumped the brakes.  Anti-loc brakes now take the thought process out - just put your foot to the floor thus giving you extra time to read or write a text) So tell me, are we better before Anti-loc brakes or after?