Hasselblad 500 EL (1965–1971)
A medium format camera used during NASA's Apollo XI mission, part of Hasselblad's V-system with leaf shutter compatibility.
Overview
The Hasselblad 500 EL is a medium format camera built from 1965 to 1971 as part of the V-system lineup. It falls among the leaf shutter only models. It went to space, notably on the Apollo XI mission in 1969. One documented photograph taken with the 500 EL shows astronaut Buzz Aldrin inside the Lunar Excursion Module during lunar descent on July 20, 1969. Mission commander Neil Armstrong took it.
Specifications
| Production years | 1965 - 1971 |
Context
On Apollo XI, the 500 EL documented key interior scenes of the Lunar Excursion Module. Its place on the NASA mission points to its reliability and optical precision under extreme conditions. It belongs to the post-1957 Hasselblad V-system, a line designed for modular use with leaf shutter lenses.
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