The Hasselblad 500C was introduced in 1957 by the Victor Hasselblad AB, replacing the original focal plane shutter models 1600F and 1000F, which, despite the novel concept never got rid of the problems associated with the shutter. Realizing this, Hasselblad decided to start almost from scratch in order to make a more reliable model. It was a major decision for the company to create a completely new camera, only keeping the physical shape of the original, while everything inside would be new. The single inspiring factor was the promising new Compur shutter, based on Zeiss Ikon’s Contaflex experience, and the fact that Zeiss committed them selves to manufacture the new range of lenses. The shutter would be an integral part of every interchangeable Hasselblad lens. The new design meant electronic flash synchronization at all shutter speeds, and automatic aperture stop down, the latter one year before the first 35mm SLR, the Minolta SR-2. The new model name 500C reflects the fastest shutter speed and the shutter type, already an established practice: a 1/500th second and the Central lens shutter made by Compur.
