Hasselblad H6D

[maxs]

Dear Forum members,

I have been following the Hasselblad camp for a good number of months, and trying to see what if anything 2016 will bring in the shape of a successor for the H5D. A very positive sign of things to come was the interview with Hasselblad CEO Perry Oosting back in February on this very forum.

As it happens I have been hearing a lot of recent chatter from various sources, to what could amount to be the arrival of the next generation H series the H6D.

It is no secret there will be a H6D-100 at least to me from a competitor perspective (Phase One), however there are indications there will also be a H6D-50, possibly sooner than expected :-)

Reliable sources are telling me the camera will be an upgrade to the current H5D and will include the following:

• Higher frame rate > 1.5 frames a sec
• High resolution touch display similar or better than Phase, so that focus checking can be done easily
• USB 3.0
• Dual memory slots (CF and SD)
• Possibly video (720p or 1080p or 4K)

I guess only time will tell if my sources were right.

Has anyone else heard anything? your thoughts? I am expecting the H6D to continue to sport the good looks of the H series family :-)

Max

[Joe Towner]

This would all be very exciting for most MF shooters.  I know that the dual card bit is a constant ask, and the H backs lack of a better screen and USB3 has been hurting them.  The -50c chip can do 3fps, and I would actually suggest they do dual U3 SD cards, as while CF is nice, it's not mandatory, and the second row of pins would allow for a much faster data dump from the brain.

Add in an improved wifi client, and they're back in the game.

I would actually ask that the do an H back, for all the 'open H' bodies still out there.  Include a battery slot, but come on and give everyone who's shooting an H body with H lenses the ability to shoot with the -50c chip.  I would go so far as making it compatible with the H3/H4 bodies as well, just need to keep the pricing inline with the CFV-50c plus a touch (say $12k?).

[maxs]

I am looking forward to the high resolution touch screen back. Curious to see what if any changes in the menu system this might bring. The current back has buttons...

For me and my style of shooting, I find the screen still too small to accurately redetct sharp focus. If I wanted to check focus I would tether or wirelessly connect to a larger screen in the form of an iPad. Just my opinion.

[Paul2660]

Looks like Phase One has now announced H support for their IQ3100. Only H no V. But I guess good news for Hasselblad shooters.

Paul C

[maxs]

Phase One IQ3XX support for H backs - That's a good sign 

[danielduarte01]

If I was a betting man, which I think I am, I don't see this coming under the H5D sale price.  20k and up for a higher resolution back and an extra card slot?

Edit: by higher resolution I meant LCD screen on their 50C back.  A close friend told me the 100 back with float right around 30 grand.

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[Joe Towner]

DT will have a H mount 100mp at WPPI.

V mount has been stated as a no from PhaseOne.  Hasselblad could do up a back, but it was discussed earlier.

[eronald]

If I was a betting man, which I think I am, I don't see this coming under the H5D sale price.  20k and up for a higher resolution back and an extra card slot?

Edit: by higher resolution I meant LCD screen on their 50C back.  A close friend told me the 100 back with float right around 30 grand.

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Are they gonna have a 100MP back and then a new camera, or do it all at once?
New camera gives them a chance to bring in the 50 at a higher pricepoint while making the H5D50C an entry-level 10K substitute for the H5D40.

Marketing is complicated - look at all the contortions and feature-cutting Phase go through to keep both the high end IQ and more reasonably priced Credo brands next to each other, so as to extract maximal moolah.

Edmund

[danielduarte01]

Are they gonna have a 100MP back and then a new camera, or do it all at once?
New camera gives them a chance to bring in the 50 at a higher pricepoint while making the H5D50C an entry-level 10K substitute for the H5D40.

Edmund

I have no idea, crazier things have happened.

We shall see. 

I don't know how the 100MP back influences the development of a new body.  In reality it's such a niche market that's not something that would sway someone to buy one... "Oh wow, it has video now" "oh wow it has two card slots".  That's not going to change the mindset of someone willing to spend 40 grand on a camera.


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[eronald]

I have no idea, crazier things have happened.

We shall see. 

I don't know how the 100MP back influences the development of a new body.  In reality it's such a niche market that's not something that would sway someone to buy one... "Oh wow, it has video now" "oh wow it has two card slots".  That's not going to change the mindset of someone willing to spend 40 grand on a camera.


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But ... DJI might want better video for their drones

Edmund

[torger]

Updating the aging digital back platform is long awaited and the new CMOS possibilities with video and the very high resolution now with the 100MP made it critical I guess. It's good to see that Hasselblad actually has money again to do fundamentally new development and not just fitting new sensors in their old backs.

Hasselblad has showed some indications of lower prices but as said before it will probably only affect the entry level packages. The 44x33mm CMOS will become the new entry level, and the fullframe 100MP will hold the traditional high price. There's really no price pressure on full-frame 645 as only Hassy and Phase One has it.

It seems likely to me that Hasselblad will go all CMOS before Phase One. I would not be surprised if the H6D will only have the 50 and 100MP sensors, with or without multi-shot in various combinations, and hopefully there will also be a V-mount 645 version but I'm less sure about that. It would be super-cool if the could re-introduce the 49x37mm size inbetween so they had three steps to differentiate, but thats very unlikely due to the difficulty in getting a custom CMOS size.

[Bo Dez]

Every time I hear "it's coming sooner than expected" sort of rumours, it ends up false. There has not been one time this sort of rumour has been true and I do not expect it to be different for a niche high end company, except for, perhaps, in people dreams.

[maxs]

Every time I hear "it's coming sooner than expected" sort of rumours, it ends up false. There has not been one time this sort of rumour has been true and I do not expect it to be different for a niche high end company, except for, perhaps, in people dreams.

Haha but it's true. That's why they call them RUMOURS...lol

[eronald]

Andreas,

 Going Sony CMOS means they have a drop-in digital device and probably a reference SDK from Sony. The imaging part becomes much easier. A bright 13 year old could build a functional back with a CMOS sensor, although I guess some of the postprocessing still needs skill.

CCD is more expensive to make:  CCD tech is a pain with complex analog electronics, signal processing and of course careful manufacturing.

 Last, not least, a lot of the industry is now using the Sony sensor family, and this means subcontracting and hiring engineers and getting code is much easier.

 Hassy are suddenly in camera-designer paradise: Drop-in electronics, mirrored body a segue of the existing well-loved mechanics, mirrorless body a box with a lensmount, a family of existing lenses from which they can cherry pick what to replace first, this is impossible to get wrong, unless Phase cut their pricing to the bone, which would have Doug and Steve protesting in the streets.

Edmund

Updating the aging digital back platform is long awaited and the new CMOS possibilities with video and the very high resolution now with the 100MP made it critical I guess. It's good to see that Hasselblad actually has money again to do fundamentally new development and not just fitting new sensors in their old backs.

Hasselblad has showed some indications of lower prices but as said before it will probably only affect the entry level packages. The 44x33mm CMOS will become the new entry level, and the fullframe 100MP will hold the traditional high price. There's really no price pressure on full-frame 645 as only Hassy and Phase One has it.

It seems likely to me that Hasselblad will go all CMOS before Phase One. I would not be surprised if the H6D will only have the 50 and 100MP sensors, with or without multi-shot in various combinations, and hopefully there will also be a V-mount 645 version but I'm less sure about that. It would be super-cool if the could re-introduce the 49x37mm size inbetween so they had three steps to differentiate, but thats very unlikely due to the difficulty in getting a custom CMOS size.

[Theodoros]

Updating the aging digital back platform is long awaited and the new CMOS possibilities with video and the very high resolution now with the 100MP made it critical I guess. It's good to see that Hasselblad actually has money again to do fundamentally new development and not just fitting new sensors in their old backs.

Hasselblad has showed some indications of lower prices but as said before it will probably only affect the entry level packages. The 44x33mm CMOS will become the new entry level, and the fullframe 100MP will hold the traditional high price. There's really no price pressure on full-frame 645 as only Hassy and Phase One has it.

It seems likely to me that Hasselblad will go all CMOS before Phase One. I would not be surprised if the H6D will only have the 50 and 100MP sensors, with or without multi-shot in various combinations, and hopefully there will also be a V-mount 645 version but I'm less sure about that. It would be super-cool if the could re-introduce the 49x37mm size inbetween so they had three steps to differentiate, but thats very unlikely due to the difficulty in getting a custom CMOS size.

Anders, getting "custom sensor" (therefore "custom size") is much easier for Hasselblad to do than P1... This is due to them having contracts with Arri & DCI while P1 is still "trapped" to the "open" market solutions... Hassy does now have access to other than open "market sensors"... Leica also (and therefore Sinar too...). Don't know if P1 has access to those (very few) W/W labs as to have a custom sensor... but I'm sure they are working on the subject...  I'm not sure that the future path for P1 is as easy as with Hassy though... (near) future will tell... Hassy has promised "lots of new products" for this year....

[Jim Kasson]

• Higher frame rate > 1.5 frames a sec
• High resolution touch display similar or better than Phase, so that focus checking can be done easily
• USB 3.0
• Dual memory slots (CF and SD)
• Possibly video (720p or 1080p or 4K)

USB3! Oh happy day! I have long been putting off upgrading my aging H2D-39 because of Firewire (and an old experience with Imacon discontinuing software support for SCSI scanners even after customers purchased what was advertised as an upgrade to Firewire).

Jim

[kers]

USB3! Oh happy day! ....
Jim

And why not usb 3.1?  for that is now the standard and with 100MP files very welcome...

[Chris Livsey]

Here's a review for you    : Nice to see one of my images on the home page of Hasselblad's website!  I've also had a further peek at their new generation camera. Incredible!
Karl Taylor Facebook Feb 4th

[NickT]

Those who actually know what is coming cannot say...

Wait for Photokina

[eronald]

The who actually know what is coming, cannot say...

Wait for Photokina

I think 6 months is a long time. But maybe there will be some good deals ...

Edmund