The Hasselblad 500 is perhaps one of the coolest film cameras you could ever own, and this one — which has been to the moon and back — is even cooler. Which perhaps explains why it just sold for a cool $US910,00.
The Hasselblad wasn’t the first camera to reach the moon; that honour goes to the one Neil Armstrong took one with him on the 1969 mission. But it’s the only one to ever make it back. The rest were left behind due to their bulk and weight; this one, which was used on the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, was lucky enough to make the return journey. The cameras were heavily modified for use in space, which in and of itself makes it rare as it gets — let alone if you’re looking for one that’s been on a real NASA mission.
The camera was purchased for 550,000 euros which, combined with auction expenses, means the camera cost 660,000 euros total — or just over $US910,000. The buyer was Terukazu Fujisawa, founder of Japan’s Yodobashi Camera retail chain. It was expected to sell for closer to $US300,000. [AP]
Image by AP