Hasselblad 553ELX Medium Format Camera Body, Chrome Review

The Hasselblad 553ELX is a medium format film camera body that sits in the company's legendary 500-series lineage, designed for studio and field work where image quality and modularity matter. It uses the same V-system interchangeable backs, lenses, and viewfinders that made Hasselblad a standard in professional photography for decades. This chrome body comes with an Acute-Matte D focusing screen featuring microprism and split-image aids, helpful for manual focus precision in portraiture and commercial shooting.

At $560 in excellent condition from KEH, the 553ELX offers an entry point into Hasselblad's medium format ecosystem without the premium of newer or mint examples. It lacks a waist-level finder in this configuration, so you'll need to source a prism or other viewfinder separately if the standard setup doesn't suit your workflow. The body uses electronic shutter control and requires battery power, a departure from the fully mechanical 500C/M that some purists prefer. For shooters already invested in V-system glass or those looking to move up from 35mm film, the 553ELX delivers the resolution and tonal range medium format is known for, provided you're comfortable with its operational quirks and accessory needs.