Topic: Blad 500c/m frame notches

[zapsnaps]

I am lucky enough to own a vintage 500c/m with 2 backs. When I bought it, I was expecting to see the distinctive MF notches on the left hand border and in the corners of the negs, but they aren't there. I didn't think about it again until I saw Late's lovely photos of the Suffolk coast (http://www.filmwasters.com/forum/index.php?topic=7026.0). Is there anyone on here who can explain this to me as a MF newbie, please? I assume the notches must be on the back, not the camera? As both of my backs are mid-roll at the moment, I can't have a look, but I am (almost) sure that they are both completely square & notch free.

Any advice would be welcome.

[Francois]

Usually the V notches are on the back's frame mask...
Also, when you look at them, they're surprisingly small.

[salvo]

occasionally some are more marked than others and they are barely visible at all (I've 3 backs, they are all different and one barely you see whether there's at all). I remember reading somewhere a while ago that some photographers used to "custom" mark them by adding extra notches so to be able to tell more precisely what back a particular frame was from during busy shoots.

[Francois]

Yep, and some even filed the mask on Bronica backs to try and make people think they shot with a 'Blad

[Late Developer]

Yep, and some even filed the mask on Bronica backs to try and make people think they shot with a 'Blad

Now that's a bit sad. Nothing whatsoever wrong with a Bronica....!!

[Francois]

I know, but editors were known to first look for the notches on the slides and favor those as "better pictures" over the rest.

[zapsnaps]

Hi Francois - you are (as usual) quite right - my negs do have the V marks, but I needed a loupe to see them. I hadn't appreciated that they were so small in reality - they look so much larger in enlargements (DOH!)

[Late Developer]

All's well that ends well.......

[Francois]

Hi Francois - you are (as usual) quite right - my negs do have the V marks, but I needed a loupe to see them. I hadn't appreciated that they were so small in reality - they look so much larger in enlargements (DOH!)

I know. I once wanted to see if I could reproduce them on my Yashicamat and actually went through the trouble of measuring them on an enlargement and scaling them. I then looked at the camera and figured that the mechanical parts prevented me from doing so 

But anyone with a file and a box camera could actually play make believe... just have to get the position and the placement right.

[mcduff]

So my M645 has lovely frame notches. Actually they have added to my scanning time as I like them so much I fuss with the negs more in the tray to ensure I can scan them ;-)

Without jacking the thread, were these just an early attempt at EXIF-esque metadata? Just so we would know what camera we used?

[Francois]

This wasn't the case originally.

The story I heard is that Victor Hasselblad was testing out various prototype film backs to find a design that worked to his liking. Once he found the correct design, to avoid having people mix things up, he took a file and notched two V shaped notches and told his engineer to send the part out to be prepared for manufacturing. So, they measured the back to make blueprints and added the notches as part of the design...

[Late Developer]

This wasn't the case originally.

The story I heard is that Victor Hasselblad was testing out various prototype film backs to find a design that worked to his liking. Once he found the correct design, to avoid having people mix things up, he took a file and notched two V shaped notches and told his engineer to send the part out to be prepared for manufacturing. So, they measured the back to make blueprints and added the notches as part of the design...

Cunning little blighters, those Swedes......!!

[Phil Bebbington]

Interesting conversation. I must say I have never included the notches in any of my hasselblad shots - I probably won't now. 

[Late Developer]

Interesting conversation. I must say I have never included the notches in any of my hasselblad shots - I probably won't now. 

First time I've done it, Phil. It was more to show that I hadn't cropped the photo, as much as anything.  I'm not fussed either way but, from memory, I think Paul Mitchell is one of our throng who actually likes the notches.

[Francois]

Well, for me notches are like sprockets. Either you like them or you hate them.
I know my mom isn't fond of sprockets yet I like them a lot, especially when they're exposed.

[Mike Crawford]

I remember printing for a photographer in the 80s who shot with a Hasselblad who neatly filed out an extra notch or two on different backs. The reason being if any back developed a fault he would know which one to repair. Also gave a little touch of individuality when printed with the rebate. I expect some Hasselblad owners may find this sacrilegious!

[Phil Bebbington]

It's not that I don't like them, I have just never included them. They don't appear on my scans and so I can't be bothered to give it head space. I would imagine if they were in my scans, I might.

I do like the idea of individual notches for each back to identify issues though.

[Francois]

I can't remember which company, maybe it was Kowa, that had adjustable frame markers in each back that you could set to your liking to identify them. Pretty clever.

[charles binns]

Intriguing, neither of my Hasselblad backs have any notches.