The older, non-electric databus (though still battery powered) F cameras are called the 2000 series and are renowned for their excellent optics, compact size, and extraordinarily ridiculously high original retail price in Japan, Europe, and the United States.
2000FC (1977)
titanium foil focal plane shutter camera with a 1/2000 second shutter speed, and five F lenses without shutters and thus allowed wider apertures and closer focusing than the leaf-shutter lenses, the C lenses.
2000FCM (1981)
focal plane shutter opened automatically when the film magazine was removed to resolve the problem of the 2000FC which had the same problem of the 1940's 1600F/1000F, namely that photographers had the unsettling problem of putting their thumbs through the fragile and expensive titanium foil shutter.
2000FCW (1984)
The 2000FCW and the 2003 FCW are the most reliable cameras in the 2000 series (and the only ones that Hasselblad will still repair) and the only models you should seriously consider buying. Otherwise, get a 200 series.
The advantages of this lesser known, 'other' H'blad system include the ability to use either the bodies 1/2000th of a sec. focal plane shutter or the C and/or CF lense's, leaf shutter; the ability to use superspeed (and extra close focusing) Zeiss lenses, a choice of three mirror modes, the 'Gliding mirror system' and better used market pricing.
The 200 series doesn't seem to experience the lens jamming problem of the 500 series. However, if you run out of batteries then the 200 series camera may exhibit what looks like a jam: the mirror will raise, the lens shutter will release or the mirror , but the mirror won't fall again. You can't wind on and the lens won't bayonet off. Clearing this jam is easy. Just push in the multiple-exposure button in the middle of the winding crank. This will allow you to crank the camera, winding the shutter and resetting the lens.
The newest 203FE, 205F and TCC offer TTL flash metering, motor capability, Acutematte screens as standard equipt (these features are also common to the 201F and 2003FCW) and H'blad's first TTL, fully coupled metering system.
2000FCM + 50mm f/2.8 lens 2nd hand ~$A2500
202FA + 80FE + E12 kit new $A6622 (2005)
Hasselblad 200 series:
-
Launched in 1991, it solved the problem plaguing the 2000 series by using a relatively tough silk-cloth shutter curtain instead of fragile titanium foil, ECC film backs with electronic data communications, new series of F/TCC lenses (now called FE lenses), while the initial, high-end 205TCC added built-in metering - the 1st in a H'blad.
205TCC (1991) - high end; aperture-priority, spot & zone metering.
201F (1994):
the basic model, is very much like a 2003FCW except that it loses the titanium foil curtains, and the 2000th of a second top shutter speed and replaces it with a far more reliable and durable, cloth shutter. This shutter, common to all of the latest 200 series cameras, max's out at a 1000th of a second (2000th on the 205 FCC).
no in-camera metering
203FE (1994):
Based on high-end model 205TCC, new series of CFE lenses (in 1999) and E filmbacks with electronic databus communications
coupled open-aperture metering (center-weighted), aperture priority automatic exposure but no zone metering
perhaps the most popular model of the 200 series and is readily available on the used market.
$A8386 body only (2005)
205FCC (1995):
202FA (1998):
Based on 203FE with some features removed, can only use its own focal-plane shutter, cannot use C lenses at all, cannot use leaf-shutters in CF/CFe lenses, top shutter speed of 1/1000 sec, voted “Most Disliked Camera” in the 200 series
The most important improvements to the latest 203FE and 205T and/or FCC models are only fully enabled with the very latest 'databus' equipped backs and lenses.