C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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slr-medium-format
The Hasselblad 501C (1994-1997) is a simplified variant of the V-system 6x6 SLR, positioned between the 500C/M and the 501C/M in the Hasselblad model hierarchy. It retains the fundamental mechanical architecture of the entire 500-series line - interchangeable V-mount lenses with integral leaf shutters, swappable film backs, and fully mechanical operation requiring no battery - but omits the TTL flash metering circuitry found on the contemporary 503CX. The omission makes the 501C lighter, simpler, and less expensive than the 503CX, appealing to photographers who use handheld meters or never shoot with TTL flash.
Reference
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C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The stripped-back V-system body of the 1990s - all the optical quality, none of the TTL flash circuitry.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220 film (6x6 cm, 12/24 frames) |
| Mount | Hasselblad V bayonet |
| Years | 1994-1997 |
| Shutter | Leaf shutter in lens: 1s - 1/500s + B |
| Flash sync | All speeds (leaf shutter) |
| Meter | None built-in |
| TTL Flash | No |
| Modes | Manual |
| Finder | Waist-level (standard); prism optional |
| Acute-Matte screen | Yes (standard) |
| Battery | None required |
By the early 1990s, Hasselblad's 500-series line had branched into several variants serving different use cases. The 503CX (1988) added TTL flash control but was correspondingly more complex and expensive. The 501C was introduced in 1994 to fill the gap between the aging 500C/M and the more featured 503CX - offering the Acute-Matte screen upgrade without the TTL flash system.
The 501C had a short production run of only three years. In 1997, it was replaced by the 501C/M, which added the interchangeable focusing screen system (allowing users to swap between Acute-Matte and other screens without factory service) while retaining the same no-TTL-flash positioning. The 501C/M remained in the Hasselblad catalogue into the 2000s, effectively making the 501C a transitional model - important for understanding the V-system's evolution but overshadowed by its immediate successor.
The 501C illustrates Hasselblad's product segmentation strategy during a period when the company was managing an aging mechanical system while the industry shifted toward autofocus and electronic integration. By stripping TTL flash from the body, Hasselblad created a lower price point that made the Acute-Matte screen accessible to photographers who did not need or want TTL flash.
For used-market buyers today, the 501C occupies an interesting position: it is mechanically identical to the 500C/M in terms of what you can shoot, includes the superior Acute-Matte screen, lacks TTL flash (which many film shooters consider irrelevant when using handheld meters), and typically trades at a slight discount to the 503CX. It is a rational choice for photographers who want a clean V-system body without paying for features they will not use.
Full Hasselblad V bayonet compatibility. All CF, CB, CFi, and CFE lenses fit and function normally. The CF line (Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8, Distagon 50mm f/4, Sonnar 150mm f/4, Tele-Tessar 250mm f/5.6, and others) remains the primary lens ecosystem. The CB series (a simplified, lower-cost subset) also fits. CFE lenses with electronic contacts provide data transfer on compatible bodies but function identically to CF lenses on the 501C since it lacks the TTL electronics.
Film backs: A12 (120/12-frame), A24 (220/24-frame), A16 (4.5x6 format), Polaroid film back. Finders: waist-level (standard), 45-degree prism, 90-degree prism (metered, though the 501C body has no TTL circuit to receive the data). Accessories: extension tubes 10/21/55, bellows, Kindermann cable release, motor winder (501C does not have integral motor; the 500EL/M series has that feature).
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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