The Hasselblad 555ELD is a professional medium format film camera that was released in 1997 by the renowned Swedish camera manufacturer, Hasselblad. This camera is part of Hasselblad’s 500 series, which has been known for its exceptional image quality and reliability over the years. The 555ELD is designed for professional photographers who demand the utmost precision and control in their work.
**Specifications and Features**
The Hasselblad 555ELD boasts a robust build quality and a sleek ergonomic design. It features a durable metal body that offers a comfortable grip, making it easy to handle during long photography sessions. This camera utilizes a focal plane shutter, providing a wide range of shutter speeds from 1/2000th of a second to one hour, allowing photographers to capture images in various lighting conditions.
The 555ELD comes with an interchangeable viewfinder system, allowing photographers to choose between a waist-level finder or a prism finder depending on their shooting preferences. The prism finder offers a bright and clear view of the scene, while the waist-level finder enables unique perspectives and creative compositions.
One of the standout features of the Hasselblad 555ELD is its compatibility with a wide range of high-quality lenses. With its Hasselblad V-System mount, photographers have access to an extensive lineup of lenses, ranging from wide-angle to telephoto, enabling them to capture a diverse range of subjects with exceptional sharpness and clarity.
**Performance and Image Quality**
The Hasselblad 555ELD delivers outstanding image quality, thanks to its large format negative size. This camera uses 120 or 220 roll film, providing photographers with 6×6 cm square images that exhibit impressive detail and dynamic range. The medium format film allows for significantly more resolution and tonal range compared to 35mm film, making it a preferred choice for professional photographers striving for exceptional image quality.
Moreover, the Hasselblad 555ELD offers precise control over exposure, focus, and depth of field, empowering photographers to fully express their creative vision. The accurate and consistent metering system ensures well-balanced exposures, while the precise manual focusing mechanism allows for fine-tuning the focus exactly where desired.
**Price and Availability**
At the time of its release, the Hasselblad 555ELD was considered a top-of-the-line professional camera, and its price reflected its premium status. The camera body alone had a retail price of around $5,000. Additionally, the lenses for this system varied in price, depending on the focal length and maximum aperture.
Although the Hasselblad 555ELD is no longer in production, it can still be found on the used market. However, due to its popularity among professional photographers, especially those who prefer shooting film, the prices for well-preserved units have remained relatively high.
In conclusion, the Hasselblad 555ELD is a legendary medium format film camera that offers exceptional image quality, precise control, and a wide range of creative possibilities. Despite being released over two decades ago, this camera continues to be sought after by photographers passionate about the artistry of film photography.
