After searching high and low, I couldn’t find a digital manual for my new-to-me Hasseblad extension tubes. I was fortunate enough to get a printed version with the tubes, so I’m pleased to offer one to the Hasselblad community, along with some insights about the tubes that were not really clear in the beginning.
First, this information and the manual itself apply only to the following Hasselblad extension tubes, which are the early series, designed to aesthetically match the C lenses:
- 10mm, Hasselblad #40363
- 21mm, Hasselblad #40010
- 55mm, Hasselblad #40029
Second, if you’re here to download the manual PDF, you’ll find the link at the very bottom of the page, so scroll down.
I bought my set of tubes recently from National Camera Exchange in Minnesota. They came with boxes, and were in really nice condition. I think I paid too much for them, as the set was north of $100, but I’m happy to have them at my disposal. (A review and sample photos will come in a separate blog post at a later time. I’ll edit this point to link to that when the time comes.)
Warnings and Gotchas
There are four very, very important considerations when using extension tubes with your Hassy:
- Be certain the camera is cocked before you remove or add anything to or from the lens mount. This is something that every Hassy owner should already know, and that’s clearly stated in the manual.
- Add or remove tubes and/or the lens one piece at a time, NEVER, ever as a group. When adding, go from the body outward, one at a time. When removing, go from the outermost piece, toward the body, one at a time.
- DO NOT assemble ANY parts as a group before putting them on the camera body!
- Make sure the extension tubes and lens are, and remain cocked.*
When I first got the tubes, and was just playing with them (without a lens), that cocking part (#3 above) wasn’t the case, I was oblivious, and I very nearly got two of them seized together. I can’t believe that Hasselblad designed a system so balky and prone to user error, but apparently the assumption was that people using Hasselblads are professionals, and don’t need hand-holding. (I’m not, and apparently I do.)
* I don’t know how or under which circumstances a lens would become uncocked when removed from a body, but the extension tubes seem to delight in becoming uncocked just when testing and working with them.
Before attaching an extension tube, check to ensure that small slotted shaft on the mount side looks like this:
The right side of the slot should point directly at the red dot. You can use your fingernail gently to try rotating it clockwise. If it will not rotate, it’s cocked and ready. If the slot is not pointing directly at the red dot, or if you can rotate the shaft clockwise, get a slotted screwdriver, and gently rotate the shaft clockwise until it clicks, and cannot rotate any farther. The extension tube is now cocked, and ready to mount.
And with that, please feel free to download your copy of the Hasselblad Extension Tube Manual (10mm, 21mm, 55mm). You’ll note that this PDF is not protected, watermarked, or in any way restricted. Give it away, sell it, print it, or do whatever you want with it.
