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Hasselblad 503CW rumors

"I don't know why this question about "open" systems returns again and again."

Qnu, you may have seen it "again and again", but many others may not have. Many on this forum are just delving into digital, or are still using film with the prospect of digital in future.

You seem to have a distinctly negative view of developments, and a conspiracy theory for everything that's happening ... which, in part, may well be true since it is the business of business to make money and compete.

However, having had long term experience with so called "open systems" with the Flintstone technology and Rube Goldberg connections required to allow multi-platform use, I for one welcome the integrated DSLR concept ... as long as the closed system is versatile. If I never see a sync cord triggered system again, it won't break my heart.

Besides, you don't see the relentless juggernaught Canon worrying about interchangeability, or whether components of other systems work with theirs.

All the Major back makers offer multi-platform applications with their backs including Hasselblad. But it ain't cheap to adapt them to different cameras. What's changing is that the cameras themselves are becoming more specialized to the proprietary backs made for them ... to facilitate increased communications between all the modular system components. The benefits of this more recent development is readily apparent with the improvements in imaging using the Hasselblad H3D ... and that's probably just the starting baby steps.
 
'God, I wish they'd do just one more CFV @ 22 meg. How hard could it be? I'd grab one in a NY heart beat. Sigh.'


I'd still be interested in this if it happened, but only at a price less than the current CFV. It seems right now there are a very small number of people able and willing to pay large sums for the high end backs, and a much larger group who would shell out for cameras like the Leica M8 and Canon 5D. My guess is these people mostly place quality of image top of their priority list and may have a film MF outfit in use, in their cupboard or in their past. I doubt many are professionals who may need/want the operability of the integrated solutions, but they would like the benefits of an MF digital back with quality that makes using the cameras worthwhile over smaller, handier alternatives. For myself this would be 22meg at as near 6x6 as possible.

Nik
 
I think you hit the nail directly on the head Nik.

It's a cost issue. There is a price threshold for people with existing Hasselblad MF systems who wouldn't mind a digital back, but aren't willing or able to drop $10,000 plus on one.

A sub $10,000. 22 meg back is possible ... Mamiya has one for Mamiya cameras ... the ZD for $7,000. new. Not priced at Canon 5D levels for sure, but a 22 meg MF back will outperform even the top $8,000. Canon in terms of image quality ... which is what MF is all about isn't it?

Come on Hasselblad, throw us a bone for God's sake. A 22 meg CFV for $8,000. as a last gesture of respect to good old Victor and his amazing machine. For a few years, volume will make up for lower profit per back. Then you can lay the whole thing to rest.
 
Hi Marc,

You even get $1 back from Mamiya, the November "Shutterbug" lists the SD digiback for $ 6,999 It also mentions it uses a 48 x 36mm Dalsa CCD and you get a free copy of Lightroom with it.

Time to buy one, gut an old Hassy 70mm filmback and install the Mamiya guts in the Hassy enclosure.

Sweet dream right?

Wilko
 
G'Day All:

What Marc said.

"We want a CFV22 4848"
"When do we want it?."
"Now"

"We want a CFV22 4848"
"When do we want it?."
"Now"

Ummm, for $7,999 please - BUT with $1000 off Customer Loyalty Bonus for 200/500 owners who are registered with HB.

Oh, did I mention, the 36 month leasing plan? C'mon, Mr. P. You'll sell a bunch of them.

Why leasing? Well, I guess you have all seen the latest Nov/Dec07 Calumet Catalog. They are selling all their rental "H3D-39 Kits" only "three months old" still in warranty, for $21,499.99. Leasing with a $1 buyout avoids such depreciation issues. :)

"We want a CFV22 4848"
"When do we want it?."
"Now"

PS The CLACK is performing just fine, BTW. I wonder if I "open" the back up, can I fit a digiback?

Cheers,

Colin
 
If we are very lucky, the Chinese will buy out Hasselblad and rescue it from an uncertain future. They did this with Quad Electroacoustics and it is thriving and maintaining its original ethos. It can be done!
 
Marc,

I'm sure this is not the first time the "open platform" thingy was discussed in these forums.

But anyway, i did not say anything about the way things go being either bad or good. It's just the way things are.
That you assume i think it bad, and adhere to some conspiracy theory or another is what you read into it.
Could that be because you like to take a particular view, and/or even have are a proponent of a conspiracy theory yourself?
wink.gif


I too think the more integrated approach will lead to better products.
(At the same time, the older, less 'slick' thingies did their job too.)
It leads to better 'economic survivability' too.

But trying to inperpret the present return to proprietary products as opening up systems, just because you can use a Hasselblad back on a view camnera too, is stretching credibility a bit too far.
To dig that old "half full/empty glass" thing out again: it's like someone hoping to see an empty glass rejoicing that, while someone is filling the glass to the brim, he can still see an - albeit ever decreasing - bit of emptiness.

The companies set to suffer from the present course the industry is steering are the back makers.
Just like Shriro took an immensely wise decision when they decided to buy in a digital back maker, and in doing so make Hasselblad's future no longer depend on what third market parties would do without having a say in it themselves, digital back makers would do good to find a camera they can call their own.
And lo and behold, a couple of them have. Again, very wise indeed!

That's the way to survive: get away from open systems as far as you can, and offer package deals only.

(That Canon doesn't worry about interchangeability is rather a given. They too like to earn an extra penny where they can.)
 
"We want a CFV22 4848"
"When do we want it?."
"Now"

I hate to be a dissenter, but i'd rather have a CFV39 5656.
wink.gif
 
If it were a CFV and worked like the current one ... Gotta go with Qnu on the full frame sensor thing.

It'd be suffocatingly expensive, but there would be little to ask for after that. The photosites would be large, and the images would be simply stunning.
 
Q.G. de Bakker (Qnu) wrote on November 06:

' 2007 - 5:19 pm,"We want a CFV22 4848"
"When do we want it?."
"Now"

I hate to be a dissenter, but i'd rather have a CFV39 5656. '
Click to expand...

That is what I am holding out for, but I want it with 32 bits/color, greater light latitude range, ...

heck, just make it a 32 or 64 bit CFV320 5656!

Steve
 
WELCOME TO THE CFV DREAMWORLD

I would already be pleased and very happy to have a CFV with a 48x48 sensor .
As long as it is a working one , that would be more than fine .

z04_carrot.gif


Jürgen
 
Q.G. - I thought Shriro was only a distributor - my 'hope' would be for a manufacturer, of course. But I take your point - it's not enough to be simply bought by the Chinese.
 
Marc Williams (Fotografz) wrote on November 06:

' 2007 - 12:01 pm,A sub $10,000. 22 meg back is possible ... Mamiya has one for Mamiya cameras ... the ZD for $7,000. new.'
Click to expand...

I am going to have a moan again. In the UK, the ZD is listed by Warehouse Express as being £8000 (that's pounds sterling which equates to $16,685.1940) body only.

Robert White has the ZD Digital Back kit (645AFDII body + 80/2.8 AF lens + ZD digital back) advertised at £5,100 for now - offer shortly to end- then £6382. In addition 17.50% VAT has to be added to the prices which makes the, soon to be, kit price £7498.85 or in USD $15,638.1115 according to the Yahoo currency converter.

And the Mamiya outfits are comparatively good value...

I know life isn't fair but really!
z02_banned.gif
 
John

I visited the Mamiya home page today and could not find a single hint , that the ZD back can be adapted to a V-SYSTEM camera . Did I miss something here ? ? ?

Jürgen
 
Hi Jürgen,

No, I don't think so. It was just a moan at what we have to pay for what Marc says he can get for $7000.

John
 
Jurgen, I am sure you are right about their potential influence - but they appear to me to be principally distributors rather than manufacturers.
 
In this case, Shriro are mostly owners, who want to see their company bring in a bit of money.
They did a good job so far, for themselves, for Hasselblad and Imacon, and for us. I doubt that without them, Hasselblad would still exist.
 
I would settle for 22pm in a 44X44 sensor, perhaps a 42X42. In a 44 square sensor, the crop factor would be less or around 1.3X. Good enough for moderate wideangle photography with the 40CF. The current CFV crop factor of 1.5X, totally obliterates wideangle photography with all Hasselblad glass. The production of such back, could even trigger a CFIF 40mm line back into production. SWC's too.

I say 44 square to keep prices down. Not many photographers could buy one back with a bigger sensor, much less a 55mm square, which certainly would turn a 500CM or a 203 into dream machines.

It is my believe that most photographers "stuck" with the V system is for the sake of limited budgets. Amateur or pro photogs that can't say goodbye to their Hassies but found themselves deep into the digital realm. And we all want self contained backs with a minimun of 14bit.

The 10K (usd) psychological boundary, is a good parameter to diferentiate affordable dbacks from those not affordable.

Well, my thoughts, anyway.

Eduardo
 
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