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Hasselblad SWC

The Hasselblad SWC is a 6x6 medium format camera built around a fixed Carl Zeiss Biogon 38mm f/4.5 lens, designed for ultra-wide photography without the reflex mirror box used by the 500-series bodies. It was aimed at architectural, interior and landscape photographers who needed the Biogon's near-distortion-free wide-angle rendering on 120 film, and it accepts the standard Hasselblad V-system film backs.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the SWC have clustered around £1,400–£1,600, with the 2025 results of £1,386 and £1,625 closely bracketing the longer-term median of roughly £1,390. The wider saleroom range across the last two decades runs from under £100 for an incomplete or faulty body up to £4,375 for an exceptional example, so in 2026 what an SWC is worth is strongly driven by lens cleanliness, shutter accuracy and the presence of the original viewfinder. These figures are wholesale hammer results and exclude buyer's premium, so the price an SWC sells for at retail through a specialist dealer is typically higher.

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Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Prices updated: October 2025

Date Price Source
Oct 2025 £1,386 Chiswick Auctions
Apr 2025 £1,625 Flints Auctions
Mar 2023 £88 Flints Auctions
Mar 2022 £1,500 Flints Auctions
Nov 2018 £960 Flints Auctions
Jun 2015 EUR 1,500 Leitz Auction
Nov 2006 EUR 500 Leitz Auction
May 2004 EUR 4,375 Leitz Auction
Jul 2002 £998 Christie's
Feb 2002 £1,057 Christie's
Feb 2002 £1,527 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Hasselblad SWC worth today?

Recent UK auction hammer prices sit in the £1,400–£1,600 range for complete working examples, with the long-term median around £1,390.

How much does a Hasselblad SWC sell for at auction?

Clean, functional bodies have sold for £1,386 and £1,625 in 2025, while rough or incomplete examples have gone for under £100 and an exceptional one reached £4,375.

What drives the price and value of an SWC?

Condition of the fixed Biogon lens, accuracy of the leaf shutter, and whether the original optical viewfinder and a working A12 back are included are the main factors behind the price spread.

Is the SWC the same as the SWC/M?

No — the SWC is the earlier Super Wide C model and the SWC/M is a later revision, so sales data and values for the two should not be mixed.

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