Hasselblad's motorised V-system 6x6 SLR — leaf-shutter lenses, digital-back ready, 1998.
The Hasselblad 555ELD is a motorised medium-format SLR in the V-system, part of the EL branch of bodies that carry a built-in motor drive rather than a manual winding crank. Introduced in the late 1990s, it was designed to work with both film magazines and early digital backs, with wiring to communicate with digital capture equipment of the era.
It is a medium-format (6x6) SLR producing a 56x56mm square frame on 120 or 220 film through interchangeable backs, and it also accepts digital backs. Like the rest of the V-system it uses leaf shutters built into the lenses, giving flash sync at all speeds, rather than a focal-plane shutter in the body. Film advance and shutter cocking are handled by an internal battery-powered motor. The body takes interchangeable finders, focusing screens, and Hasselblad V lenses; metering is external.
The motorised drive suits studio and repeatable tabletop work where a photographer wants hands-free advance, and its digital-back compatibility made it a bridge between film and early medium-format digital. The square frame and modular finders serve portrait and product photography. It is heavier and battery-dependent compared with the manual EL-free bodies.
Used checks include the motor drive and battery contacts, since the body will not advance without power, and the film-back seals and dark slide for light leaks. Test each lens leaf shutter for accurate speeds, inspect the mirror and screen, and confirm the finder mirror is clean. Verify body, back, and lens serial eras match, and watch for shutter-jam 'barn-door' traps common to the V-system.