July 30, 2013

Hasselblad


Long ago and far far away....

Hasselblad SWC
With a Biogon 38mm lens, made its space debut on 3 June 1966, on a voyage in Gemini 9. The camera was largely standard: Only the lining had been removed and the viewfinder was specially designed. The camera was used on four voyages in 1966.

Hasselblad SWC on  Gemini 9, June 1966
Hasselblad SWC on Gemini 9, June 1966

The first images of man on the moon and of earth from the moon captured by Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr., with a Hasselblad 500EL/70.

The terrestial version we grew up with looked more like this.

Hasselblad SWC
Hasselblad SWC

The first and this last image are ones I quickly snapped from the side of the road when last I had this camera in my hands, briefly, decades ago, looking north and west toward Point Reyes, CA. Long family story here, but not telling it right now....


rri