It is certainly an interesting move by Hasselblad.
From a pure product marketing perspective, Hasselblad should not ignore its massive "car park" of V series equipment.
Of course it wants V series pro-users to "upgrade" to the H series as that is where the company sees its future and profits and has invested its R&D.
But there is obviously a large market segment of Hasselblad users that just cannot make the move (or don't want to). While the CFV was a nice development, there must be greater manufacturing profits from enabling selected H series backs fit V series cameras - a matter of simple math and logic.
However, by enticing V series users to take up an H series adapted back for the V series cameras, Hasselblad's chances of later migrating a % of those users to H series improve over time. Even if they don't improve by much, Hasselblad continues to sell backs!!
We should remember that from a pure business perspective, Hasselblad is now in the business of selling camera bodies, lenses and backs - whether these 3 product groups sell as kits, individually or more of some than others really matters not (sure some will have higher margins than others) - what they need is SALES!
Likewise, maybe Hasselblad will "discover" it is actually a "digital MF company". No, not just an H series company, nor just a pro-camera company. This would cause it to make H series backs with adapters to a variety of popular MF cameras. In other industries this sort of marketing strategy is what is used to attack competitors and get in to competitors' user bases!
Certainly selling many more volumes of digital H backs to whichever market segment; to whichever customers; to whichever camera body user, is more profitable than selling less and only to "fully committed" Hasselblad H series users (or even H series and V series users). The spread of the Hasselblad brand and its infiltration in many market segments gives it something it desperately needs - sales volumes and SCALE!
In turn a longer-term benefit is that when these customers have the desire and money to make a full move into the H series, Hasselblad benefits again!
Scale is critical to R&D returns that make shareholders happy. But more importantly, scale improves production costs and market pricing - just look at the rest of the digital industry and prices today compared to 2, 3, 4, 5,... years ago!
We live in interesting times - and these times challenge the marketing strategy skills of many niche camera makers.
Likewise Leica is learning this (I suppose it is fair to say: "the hard way") as evidenced by the S2 series semi-MF camera. While full product and marketing strategy information is scant, the information we know makes some key factors obvious.
It plans there will eventually be 2 versions of the S2, but has not disclosed the actual difference/s. Think about it - what real differences could there be to differentiate pro from semi-pro?
It seems likely that the high end "pro-S2" will have the new large sensor of about 156% the area of a 35mm full frame announced by Leica. So what would we guess the "low-end" version be?
My guess is that it will be a full frame 35mm equivalent - a "small sensor" version. This will allow Leica to offer prior R series (135 format SLR) users a new DSLR it promised a while ago - a full frame DSLR equivalent. This could be easily have the same S2 body (we already know it will not be much bigger than the R9 SLR (not necessarily as big as the Canon 1Ds Mk III "hulk" machine gun), thus most importantly letting them use their R series lens investment. Think about it - a super quality German DSLR offering MF size sensor and new larger image circle lenses; plus the same camera with a full frame 135 format sensor allowing R series lens owners a migration path or simply a new "super-camera"!
If this is how Leica unfolds the S2 it may just be the huge success the company desperately needs. The rangefinder market is too limited in volumes; the point and shoot digi-cams market is too competitive and over-crowded for Leica to rely upon.
Likewise, if Hasselblad opens up its market for digital backs - to V series users and other popular MF camera users alike, it might just achieve the volumes it needs to seriously become more profitable and offer very appealing pricing - and we all know that volume sales are critical to competitive pricing which in turn is critical to profits!
Finally, I often read the comment like: "... this should mean the V series lives on...". IMHO, why would the V series not live on anyway - I certainly cannot see my V series equipment breaking down or wearing out; nor can I imagine there will not be readily available excellent 120 film!
SHOOT MORE FILM!!
