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.
View profile →slr-medium-format
The Hasselblad 501CM (1994) is a stripped-down variant of the 500C/M line, designed for photographers who want full V-system compatibility without the winder-drive socket present on the 503CX and 503CW. By removing the winder coupling, Hasselblad shaved weight and mechanical complexity from the body, producing a pure, fully mechanical 6×6 SLR aimed at studio and portrait work where motor-drive speed is unnecessary. The 501CM ships with the Acute-Matte D focusing screen as standard — Hasselblad's bright micro-lens-array screen that significantly improves image brightness and split-prism effectiveness compared to the plain ground glass of the original 500C.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the — format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →C41
Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Develop — film
We're growing the lab directory near you. Browse all labs.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The pared-back V-system body — the 501CM omits the winder coupling of the 503CX to deliver a lighter, cleaner mechanical 6×6 with the Acute-Matte D screen as standard.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220 film (6×6 cm, 12/24 frames) |
| Mount | Hasselblad V bayonet |
| Years | 1994–2013 |
| Shutter | Leaf shutter in lens: 1s – 1/500s + B |
| Flash sync | All speeds (leaf shutter) |
| Meter | None built-in |
| Modes | Manual |
| Finder | Acute-Matte D waist-level (standard); prism optional |
| Weight | ~1,450 g (body only, without back) |
| Battery | None required |
| Winder coupling | None (distinguishes from 503CX/503CW) |
Hasselblad's 500 series had diversified by the 1990s into several parallel lines: the 503CX (1988) added TTL flash metering and a winder socket; the 553ELX (1988) offered a built-in motor drive. The 501CM was introduced in 1994 to fill the gap for users who wanted the latest Acute-Matte D screen and modern V-system engineering without the winder infrastructure — a professional studio body with a deliberately simple specification.
The 501CM remained in production until 2013, an unusually long run that reflects both the stability of the V-system architecture and the enduring demand for a clean, mechanical 6×6. During its production life Hasselblad introduced the CFi and CFE lens generations, all fully compatible with the 501CM body.
The 501CM represents the most affordable entry point into the V system for photographers who want a body manufactured after 1990 with the Acute-Matte D screen already installed. The Acute-Matte D is a meaningful upgrade over the screens in earlier V bodies: it is visibly brighter and makes manual focus confirmation faster and more accurate, especially with lenses faster than f/4.
The absence of a winder socket is a genuine limitation for photographers who want to add motor winding, but for the majority of medium-format shooters — particularly in studio and portrait contexts — hand-winding the film back after each frame is not a disadvantage. The 501CM is mechanically simpler and lighter than the 503CX as a result.
The 501CM is popular among film photographers returning to medium format because it is typically less expensive than the 503CW, shares all accessories and lenses, and produces identical image quality.
Hasselblad V bayonet mount. Compatible with all CF, CFi, CFE, CB, CT*, and older C-series lenses with Compur integral shutter. Key lenses: Zeiss Planar CF 80mm f/2.8 T* (standard), Distagon CF 40mm f/4, Distagon CF 50mm f/4, Sonnar CF 150mm f/4, Sonnar CF 180mm f/4, Makro-Planar CF 120mm f/4. Accessories: A12, A16, A24, A220 film backs; Polaroid back; waist-level finder; 45° prism; PME45/51/90 metered prism finders; extension tubes; bellows; Superslide back; Databack.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Hasselblad 501CM
Image coming soon