Recommended Reading

by Q.G. de Bakker

Biographies

Evald Karlsten

Evald Karlsten Hasselblad En bok tillägnad Victor Hasselblad Hasselblad I am the camera Gullers International AB, 1981 ISBN 91-85228-59-1 (Swedish) ISBN 91-85228-61-3 (English) ISBN 91-85228-67-2 (German) 21 x 30 cm, 122 pages

Sören Gunnarsson

To mark the occassion of the 100th anniversary of Victor Hasselblad's birthday in 2006, Victor Hasselblad AB published a short biography. The second part of this book contains a collection of photographs illustrating the life of Victor Hasselblad and the Hasselblad company's history.
The book was available only through Victor Hasselblad AB.

This biography is written by Sören Gunnarsson. Sören Gunnarsson has amongst other things worked as a freelance writer and was the editor for the Swedish photographic magazines "Hasselblad Forum" and "Camera Natura". He was also one of the initiators of the Friends of Hasselblad Center association.

Sören Gunnarsson's also published a full biography of Victor Hasselblad in 2006, entitled "Victor Hasselblad - Mannen bakom kameran" ("Victor Hasselblad - The man behind the camera").
This book is the result of many years of research and is based on extensive interviews and voluminous correspondence. Apart from relating the story of the man behind the camera, the book also contains a record of Hasselblad camera models and describes the events that took place when the company changed from analogue to digital photography.
This book was available in a Swedish language edition only until 2016, when Journal published an (updated) English language edition, with the translation provided by David Jefferey.

Sören Gunnarsson Victor Hasselblad 1906-2006 A short biography Victor Hasselblad AB, 2006 15 x 15 cm, 184 pages
	Sören Gunnarsson Victor Hasselblad Mannen bakom kameran Journal, 2006 ISBN 91-975770-1-4 17 x 23.5 cm, 372 pages
Sören Gunnarsson Victor Hasselblad The Man Behind the Camera Journal, 2016 ISBN 978-91-87939-00-6 17 x 23.5 cm, 428 pages

User manuals

Les Barry

The first book ever published in the U.S.A. about the Hasselblad camera. It offers instructions, gives a description of the Hasselblad system available at the time (1959), and contains a discussion of medium format photography.
A second printing was distributed in 1960 and a third printing in 1961. There was also a second edition published 1965 by Universal Photo Books.

Les Barry Hasselblad Photography Including a discussion of the 1600F, 1000F, 500C and the superwide Verlan Books, Inc., 1959 Library of Congress cat.no. 59-12541 15.5 x 23.5 cm, 128 pages
	Les Barry Hasselblad Photography Including a discussion of the 1600F, 1000F, 500C and the superwide Third printing, 1961

W.D. Emanuel / Focal Press' Hasselblad Guides

Publishing house Focal Press published a series of instruction manuals titled "Focal Camera Guides". Part of this series were successive revised editions of the "Hasselblad Guide". The first edition of the "Hasselblad Guide" was published in 1962.

(An online copy of the 3rd edition is published on his site by Mischa Koning.)

W.D. Emanuel Hasselblad Guide Focal Press, 1962 - 12 x 16 cm, 72 + 40 pages (The illustration shows the cover of the 3rd edition, 1969, SBN 240-44966-5)

Heinrich Freytag

"Das Hasselblad Buch", by Heinrich Freytag, was published in 1967. The illustrations in this German language book were taken from Focal Press' Hasselblad Guide, written by Walter Daniel Emanuel, with whom Freytag co-authored a number of other camera books.
The English language edition, "The Hasselblad way", was published in 1968, and at least six revised editions followed.

Heinrich Freytag Das Hasselblad Buch Verlag Die Schönen Bücher, 1967 13 x 21.5 cm, 303 pages
	Heinrich Freytag The Hasselblad way Wheaton, 1968 SBN 240-50649-9 Distributed in the U.S.A. by Amphoto 13.5 x 22 cm, 419 pages Second edition, 1969, SBN 240-50649-9 Third edition, 1970 Fourth edition, 1972 Fifth edition, 1973
Heinrich Freytag The Hasselblad way Wheaton, Sixth edition, 1974, ISBN 0-240-50896-3 Seventh, revised edition, 1978, ISBN 0-240-50988-9 Distributed in the U.S.A. by Amphoto 13.5 x 22 cm, 423 pages

William Steinberg / Amphoto Camera Guide

William Steinberg Hasselblad Guide A manual of operations and techniques for the Hasselblad system Amphoto, 1968 Library of Congress cat.no. 68-16460 11.3 x 18.7 cm

Toni Angermayer

A comprehensive guide to the mid 1970s' Hasselblad system, with the largest portion of the book providing a how-to guide, taking the reader on a tour along the many different fields of photography.
Available in a German language edition only.

Toni Angermayer Hasselblad Praktikum Heering-Verlag GmbH, 1975 ISBN 3-7763-3350-2 17 x 22.5 cm, 355 pages

R. Gordon Taylor

"The Hasselblad System" by R. Gordon Taylor was first published as a series of reviews in the "British Journal of Photography" in 1978. It is a short book, which gives a description of the operation of the 500-series Hasselblad cameras (500 C/M, 500 EL/M and SWC), and discusses the lenses and accessories then available for these cameras.

R. Gordon Taylor The Hasselblad System Henry Greenwood & Co. Ltd., 1979 ISBN 0-9004-1418-9 Distributed in the U.S.A. by Focal Press ISBN 0-8038-3057-2 14.5 x 21 cm, 64 pages

Bob Shell / Guido Puttkammer

Photographer and journalist Bob Shell's book "The Hasselblad System" was published as part of "The Hove Systems Pro Guides" series. "The Hasselblad System" contains a rather large number of errors.

The book was also published in a German language edition, "Das Hasselblad System", revised and extended by German photographer and journalist Guido Puttkammer.

Bob Shell The Hasselblad System Hove Books, 1991 ISBN 0-906-44777-1 208 pages
	Bob Shell / Guido Puttkammer Das Hasselblad System Laterna Magica, 1993 ISBN 3-87467-405-3 15 x 21 cm, 256 pages

Dieter Beckhusen, Thomas Maschke and Guido Puttkammer

Dieter Beckhusen, Thomas Maschke and Guido Puttkammer Hasselblad Das große Handbuch Laterna Magica, 1996 ISBN 3-87467-674-9 20 x 25.5 cm, 280 pages

Kaeru Nakayama and Takatoshi Sato

Kaeru Nakayama, Takatoshi Sato Hasseruburaddo (Hasselblad) Green Arrow Graffitti no. 41 Green Arrow Publishing co., 1998 ISBN 4-7663-3261-X 15 x 21 cm, 158 pages

Ei Publishing

Hasseruburaddo (Hasselblad) Ei Publishing co., 2009 ISBN13   978-4-7779-1280-3 15 x 21 cm, 203 pages

Ernst Wildi's Hasselblad Manual

The "Hasselblad Manual", written by Ernst Wildi, is, as the subtitle promises, a comprehensive guide to the Hasselblad system, and a truly outstanding user manual, providing instructions how to use just about every bit of equipment Hasselblad ever produced. It first appeared in 1980, but was updated regularly to keep pace with developments of the Hasselblad system.

The current, 7th edition was published in 2008. And though Wildi writes that

"it would be a letdown for all of these long time friends and loyal supporters of Hasselblad to see The Hasselblad Manual that only discusses digital imaging and only the digital cameras that are manufactured today",

the nature of the book demands that a very large part of it is devoted to a discussion of the - predominantly digital - H-system.
V-System users will find more usefull information in the 5th and older editions.

Ernst Wildi The Hasselblad Manual A Comprehensive Guide to the System Focal Press, 1980 ISBN 0-240-51042-9 16 x 23.5 cm, 301 pages
	Ernst Wildi The Hasselblad Manual Second Edition A Comprehensive Guide to the System Focal Press, 1982 ISBN 0-240-51186-7 16 x 23.5 cm, 302 pages
Ernst Wildi The Hasselblad Manual Third Edition A Comprehensive Guide to the System Focal Press, 1986 ISBN 0-240-51258-8 16 x 23.5 cm, 342 pages
	Ernst Wildi The Hasselblad Manual Fourth Edition A Comprehensive Guide to the System Focal Press, 1992 ISBN 0-240-80132-6 16 x 23.5 cm, 370 pages The Hasselblad Manual Fourth Edition, Revised A Comprehensive Guide to the System Focal Press, 1996 ISBN 0-240-80251-9 16 x 23.5 cm, 392 pages
Ernst Wildi The Hasselblad Manual Fifth Edition Focal Press, 2000 ISBN 0-240-80385-X 16 x 24 cm, 379 pages
	Ernst Wildi The Hasselblad Manual Sixth Edition, Revised Focal Press/Elsevier, 2004 ISBN 0-240-80613-1 17 x 25 cm, 360 pages
Ernst Wildi The Hasselblad Manual Seventh Edition Focal Press, 2008 ISBN13   978-0-240-81026-3 19 x 24 cm, 416 pages

One German language edition of Wildi's "Hasselblad Manual" was published in 1988. It is a translation of the third edition, slightly revised and extended, with some information about the "3"-generation Hasselblad cameras.

Ernst Wildi Das offizielle Hasselblad Handbuch Rita Wittig Fachbuchverlag, 1988 ISBN 3-88984-055-8 17 x 23.5 cm, 426 pages

System overview

Udo Afalter

Udo Afalter's book contains a listing of Hasselblad items. And a fair number of errors too.
Only available in a German language edition.

Udo Afalter Hasselblad Kameras & Objektive Published by the author, 1993 ISBN 3-920890-18-3 Distributed by Lindemanns Verlag ISBN 3-89506-102-6 21.5 x 30 cm, 192 pages

Richard Nordin

Richard Nordin's "The early Hasselblad cameras" is the first systematic, historical description of the pre-1957 Hasselblad cameras.

The "Hasselblad System Compendium" is the most complete Hasselblad system overview available.
Apart from providing large amounts of historical information, it lists every item Victor Hasselblad and his company produced, and all there is to know about these items. It also provides an overview of brochures, leaflets, catalogues and every other bit of printed matter Victor Hasselblad AB have published. The Compendium contains a list of Zeiss lens serial numbers and production dates, provides information about camera maintenance, and lots and lots more.
In short - a definite 'must have' for every Hasselblad user, enthusiast and collector.

	Richard Nordin The early Hasselblad cameras: 1600F  1000F  Supreme Wide Angle / Super Wide Historical Camera Publications ISBN 1-879651-19-0 82 pages
Richard Nordin Hasselblad System Compendium Hove Books, 1998 ISBN 1-897802-10-2 19.5 x 26 cm, 288 pages