The Zeiss 80mm f2.8 Planar is one of the most iconic lenses of the 20th century. From Apollo moon missions to backyard snapshots, the fast aperture and sharp optics of the 80mm f2.8 Planar have made it the lens of choice for countless applications. 

This copy came into our store with a stuck shutter mechanism, the blades halted midway through their travel. It heads next to our Hasselblad repair tech Paul, who will unstick the blades, disassemble and lubricate the mechanism, and bring the lens back into proper working spec. 

The Zeiss 40mm f4 Distagon is the widest rectilinear (non-distorting) lens available for the Hasselblad V-mount cameras such as the 500C/M. It has an equivalent angle of view to a 24mm lens on a 35mm camera. While not quite as wide as the Zeiss 38mm f4.5 Biogon lens found fixed on the Hasselblad SWC, the 40mm Distagon has the considerable advantage of being an interchangeable reflex lens that can be focused traditionally. The Zeiss 40mm f4 Distagon is a large and front-heavy optic -- one of our staff members affectionally refers to it as "the grapefruit." 

Not just the king of medium format cameras, but the king of camera sounds.  No camera sounds like a Hasselblad.  It is the camera that can fire on the far side of a crowded room and you know exactly what it is.  It is one of the most beloved of shutter sounds among film photographers and we feel it is one of the best parts of being a Hasselblad user.  Sure, the camera feels nice in the hands.  Sure, the view through the viewfinder is magical.  But there is something about how the heart lifts a bit at hearing that kah-lump (some describe it as more of a clip-clop, while others think it is a snick-snop) of the shutter and mirror triggering.  So make sure you have the sound on for this post and see if you can resist the urge to smile a bit hearing this camera in action.

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One of the prints that caught our attention and made it into the 2016 Annual Customer Show was this image by Zach Carothers, made on his Hasselblad 500C/M.  Zach is a regular at the shop; we always look forward to seeing him and his bags full of film from his travels, either on his own or with his band, Portugal. The Man.  ⠀⠀

The 2016 Customer Show took place at four different venues: 45th Parallel, Anna Banana’s, Leisure, and The Fixin’ To - all businesses located right here in St. Johns.  We hold the Customer Show on the first Saturday of December, each and every year, so be sure to mark that date on your calendar right now!

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We made this portrait of Spencer barely a month after they started working here at Blue Moon Camera.  That short amount of time was all it took for them to become a proud, new owner of this Hasselbald 500C/M.  Working at a camera store hardly inoculates you from buying exciting, new cameras.  If anything, it encourages it!

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Madonna and child, featuring David Paulin and this Hasselblad 500 C/M and 500mm f/8.

A nocturnal glimpse of the not-so-rare Hasselblad, in one of its many favored environments.  These creatures can be seen in all manner of locale: sunny beaches, urban alleys, frozen waterfalls, quiet forests, and windswept peaks.  These cameras are surprisingly adaptable and very rugged but they do tend to favor the same environments that humans inhabit.  If you are lucky enough to see one out in the field, make sure to pause a moment and make note of what it is seeing.

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For that distinctly Hasselblad-shaped shadow in your life, we might suggest that you consider this modern 500CM, 80mm CF lens, and A12 back - all in black.  Elegant, clandestine, subdued (compared to its chrome brethren), this camera looks and feels just like a secret handshake.  

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In the run up to our Staff Show opening on July 15th of 2017, we featured portraits of our various staff, along with the tools of their trade.  Peter is one of our more sartorially and photographically eclectic staff members.  Though the Hasselblad is often the camera he is seen with, it is not at all surprising to see him toting around his Pentax 67 or a Holga 120N. He can be found shooting a wedding with a Widelux F7 or doing a bit of studio, large format work.  We can always count on him to keep it interesting.⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

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