Intro
PME51 (#42296)
The PME51 is my most used viewfinder (VF) when shooting the 501cm and 503cx cameras. The viewing angle is 45° to the vertical, and the focusing image is unreversed and magnified 3x. It has a centered-weight integral meter that is fast and accurate and is designed to be used with the Acute-Matte focusing screen. The operating knobs and buttons are countersunk, and the scales and indicators are behind windows to protect them from damage and the elements. It has a cold shoe on top that I installed a bubble level but will slip in a Profoto Air (remote trigger) when using the 501cm/503cx in the studio.
The PME51 uses a 6V PX28 battery, which I fulfill with a Duracell 28L 6V lithium battery. I highlight the 45° to the vertical above to remind folks this is not a 90° VF, but I do use it as such. I stand slightly to the side when I flip the camera to the vertical position (using a digital back) and get used to it. Even though I have a PM90 VF in the gear closet, I prefer the PME51 as my ‘daily viewfinder,’ so to speak. I found in photography; I can use gear that others seem to have conniptions over.
Below are instructions on how to meter with the PME51. I include this checklist because a few photographers who purchased their PME51 used without instructions were using it incorrectly. If you have a PME51 or plan on getting one for your 500 V camera, read over the checklist to see how you are supposed to use this meter, it might change how you shoot with it a little.
Operating the PME51:
- Readings must ALWAYS be taken with the LENS WIDE OPEN.
- Set the lens maximum aperture in the left side window.
- Set the ASA/ISO of your film, left of the lens aperture setting.
- Compose image, press meter start button; leave for ½ second is best.
- EV is displayed on meter’s EV scale underneath VF image for 10 seconds.
- Transfer EV reading to orange EV scale on right-hand side of lens.
- Adjust lens aperture to your shooting aperture. Repeat to memory.
WAIST-LEVEL FINDER (#42315)
The foldable Hasselblad waist-level finder (WLF) shields the focusing screen from stray light. It displays a full, upright, but reversed image even with the camera at hip level. It has a built-in magnifier that enlarges the image 4.5x, which I appreciate greatly. Hasselblad made interchangeable correction magnifiers ranging from -4 to +3 diopters for this finder, but I have never used one.
The best use I find for the WLF is in its folded position on the camera to protect the focusing screens while in storage and transport. I had used WLFs in the past during indoor shoots when my back was up against a wall, but I found it annoying if it was a group portrait session and having to remember, since the image is reversed, to look up and tell the subjects to go a little more right or left. If I did it while looking through the WLF, I would say the wrong direction 50% of the time. But truth be told, I find it better for this type of shooting (back up against the wall) than the Magnifying Hood #52096 (below).
I have a WLF for my ALPA cameras since I need to protect the Hasselblad ground glass I use with the ALPAs, and because the magnifier 4.5x is an excellent focusing tool. I love how Hasselblad gear will integrate with my ALPA gear, and up next is the viewfinder I use the most with my ALPA and FlexBody cameras.
REFLEX VIEWFINDER RMFX (#47070)
Designed for use on the SW/SWA/SWC and Flexbody cameras with the necessary focusing screens #41025 or #41050 (see below), the Reflex Viewfinder RMfx (RMfx) provides a comfortable working position from a 10° viewing angle. The RMfx has an enlarged eyepiece to provide a full-screen image for users with eyeglasses and displays an upright and non-reversed image. I used this viewfinder with the FlexBody and adapted it for use with my ALPA cameras for composing before shooting with a digital back or film magazine. The RMfx + #41050 setup is superior to anything ALPA has offered for viewfinder/ground glass options.
IMAGE #2: MAGNIFY HOOD #52096, SWC FOCUS SCREEN #41050, PM90 #42288
MAGNIFYING HOOD (#52096)
Better than the WLF for some photographers but not as convenient for others, the Magnifying Hood #52096 (MH) does not fold but does not take up too much space in a camera bag. It features an adjustable magnifying scope with a range of -3 to +3 magnification, and the image is upright but reversed, similar to the WLF. When my back is against a wall, this viewfinder can help, except I cannot see the entire image at a glance. I need to move my head around, from corner to corner, when looking through the MH, which is inconvenient.
Known to many photographers as the chimney viewfinder or hood, the #52096 can also be used as a critical focusing lens for the ground glass on my large format cameras and is perfect for viewing negatives or slides on the lightbox or contact prints. The only thing missing is a cord to wear around your neck. These are not expensive, and if you already have a WLF and are looking for a backup substitute that can also aid as a loupe for your view camera or film viewing, this might interest you.
SWC FOCUSING SCREEN/GROUND GLASS ADAPTER (#41050)
The SWC Focusing Screen Adapter (FSA) #41050 was made explicitly for the Hasselblad SWC and FlexBody cameras. It has a line grid and a split image rangefinder in the center. It is made with the same material as the Acute Matte screen. The top and bottom lines in the grid outline the borders of the 6×4.5 cm image format. The FSA attaches to the camera in the same way as a film magazine. It accepts all viewfinders of the Hasselblad V system. The older, similar model, #40125, is not made with the Acute Matte material. I had one, and because I was familiar with the brightness of the Acute Matte screen, I immediately noticed the difference and sought a replacement #41050.
Besides using #41050 on the FlexBody, I use it on my ALPA TC and SWA cameras, along with the Reflex Viewfinder RMfx. To do this, you must have an ALPA-Hasselblad digital back plate. Install the digital plate, then install the #41050 and any Hasselblad V viewfinder you choose. I sometimes walk around with my ALPA TC with the #41050 and RMfx, looking for compositions before shooting it with a digital back. It works well for my needs and is bright, making it easy to focus on.
PM90 (#42288)
The PM90 #42288 is a low-profile prism viewfinder that allows the photographer to see at the eye-level position of the camera. It is suited for switching between portrait and landscape composing and shooting. It has a 2x enlarged, unreversed image that covers the entire focusing screen. The large, easily interchangeable eyepiece is designed to provide eyeglass wearers with an image that is free from vignetting. Corrective power eyepiece replacements range from -4 to +3 diopters.
I find this viewfinder a pain to use with a digital back. It can be challenging to install and remove due to its low profile. It can also be difficult to install/remove with a film magazine, but this is less costly than a digital back. You do not want to risk the safety of an expensive digital back; that’s a lot of stress!
Here it is if you want a non-metering 90° viewfinder for your 500/200 series camera. I do not use the PM90 often enough to justify keeping it, as I have grown accustomed to shooting with the PME45 in portrait orientation.
IMAGE #3: PRISM NC-2, MAGNIFYING HOOD #72534, PRISM HC-3/70
PRISM FINDER NC-2
The NC-2 provides a 45° sighting angle about the lens’s optical axis. The view provided is an unreversed, 3x enlarged image on the focusing screen—the short light path of the NC-2 results in minimal light loss. I used the NC-2 for over a decade with my 500C and 500CM cameras at special events, portrait sittings in the studio, and in environmental settings. It served me well. If you’re looking for a non-metered 45° prism finder, this might be the right choice. Due to their age, I recommend purchasing from a reputable dealer with a clearly stated return policy if the mirror, glass, or overall condition does not meet your expectations.
MAGNIFYING HOOD 4×4 DPS (#72534)
The Magnifying Hood 4×4 DPS #72534 was designed to help users focus while utilizing a digital back on a Hasselblad V series camera, FlexBody, or a Hasselblad digital back on a view camera. They were recommended for use with a 37mm x 37mm sensor area (and were marginally usable for the 44mm x 33mm sensor of CFV-50C and other digital backs). I have a digital sliding back, made by Kapture Group (now defunct), for my Sinar Norma + Hasselblad V digital back, which came with this magnifier hood. It does a good job, but I no longer need it because of having Live View with the CFV II 50c.
PRISM FINDER HC-3/70 (#52043)
Designed for use with the larger A70 film back and a V-series camera, the HC-3 features a 45 ° sighting angle about the lens’s optical axis. The view provided is an unreversed, 4x-enlarged image on the focusing screen, and the HC-3’s eyepiece is adjustable ± 5 diopters. I used this viewfinder for over a decade while shooting 70mm at special events. It was a lifesaver if you shot 70mm, which many photographers did not. Back then, I would purchase 100-foot rolls of Kodak VPS III film and load it into 70mm cassettes. Kodak Portra is what VPS III evolved into. I am unsure if this viewfinder is still necessary today, given the availability of 70mm film and the need to use an A70 magazine. You could still use it, but it might look a bit awkward.