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Author Topic: Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad  (Read 40501 times)

jbaxendell

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« on: October 22, 2007, 11:27:14 am »

An Open Letter to Hasselblad Photographers and Partners.
There have been several announcements from Hasselblad over the past several weeks, and I wanted to take a moment to write to our photographers and partners to make sure each of you are aware of all of them.

The New H3DII DSLR Family
In the past few weeks, we have been busy around the world launching our 4th generation medium format DSLR, the new H3DII family. Following in the footsteps of the H1D, the H2D, and the H3D; the H3DII is the continuation of a product line that is one of the most successful in Hasselblad history. In addition, we have this week announced our newest camera, the H3DII-39MS a multi-shot version of the H3DII-39.
The H3DII has been available for delivery since the day it was announced. New features in the H3DII include a larger display, a new, more efficient "fan free" cooling technology, an integrated GPS option, and many more features and benefits that can be found on our Web site at www.hasselblad.com.
All of our "H System" cameras, whether film or digital, including the H3DII, continue to take advantage of our HC lens line, which independent testing has shown are the finest lenses Hasselblad has ever offered. This is important to us, since we recognize that many photographers have significant investments in HC lenses, and lenses are the most important and significant long-term investment a photographer makes.

Discontinuing the H2
We have made a decision to discontinue the H2 camera line. Starting with the H1 in 2002, both the H1 and H2 products have served us well, but demand simply no longer justifies the dedicated manufacturing line required for its production. The clear mandate we have received has been to continue to develop products and technologies to help create the best images possible, so we are transitioning resources and bandwidth from the H2 line to the H3DII. This will enable us to keep up with H3DII demand (which has been tremendous), and also help us respond to what the market is asking for – DSLR's.
By trimming our product portfolio of models that are no longer in significant demand, we can concentrate more of our resources on what photographers tell us they want – the ability to create great images. The best way to do this, as we have stated for years, is in an integrated system where all of the components, from the lens to the capture unit to the software, are designed as a system and are communicating and working together. In short, via an integrated DSLR. The great success of the H3D and H3DII families, as well as the huge success and product strategy of industry giants like Canon and Nikon (as well as products announced by Sinar, Leaf and Mamiya) all confirm that this is the way to go.

The launch of the H2F
The H2F is a greatly simplified "film only" version of the H2, and consequently does not require the same level of manufacturing, R&D, and support overhead the H2 does. It allows us to devote our resources to developing and supporting products that are in demand, while continuing to support film.
We have over half a century of history with film, and don't want to abandon film manufacturers or photographers. We feel an obligation to continue to offer a film camera as long as possible, and the H2F is a good compromise that allows us to continue to offer a film alternative, while directing most of our R&D, Manufacturing and Support efforts to the digital products that photographers tell us they want.

Future support for the H2 and HC/HCD lenses
At Hasselblad we continue to devote considerable resources to the support of camera systems that, in some cases, are over 40 years old. We pride ourselves on this, our legacy of support. You can be assured that this support will continue with our H1 and H2 installed base, for a minimum of 10 years from the date of purchase.
In addition, a decision to invest in HC/HCD lenses was a good one. Lenses are a critical and important investment, and we are proud that the HC lenses we produced in 2002 are just as useful and valuable in 2007 as they were the day they were produced. The image files captured through these lenses have improved every day since: with new lens perfecting software, with new natural color rendering, and with several other new advances in digital image perfection. This will continue.

Future Support of Hasselblad CF Digital Backs
We will continue to develop new products in the CF camera back line for Hasselblad photographers as well as photographers using other camera platforms, and will support the CF product line as we do our other product lines.

"Hasselblad Care Program" for H-system owners
To support our commitment to the owners of H-system camera products, on November 1, 2007, we are launching the "Hasselblad Care Program". This program is designed to include owners of all H-camera systems, including digital capture devices, regardless of manufacturer. The "Hasselblad Care Program" consists of a set of product enhancement options, all designed to support our photographers and increase the value of Hasselblad H-system products, including:
- Options for trading in current H-system products for a newer or more powerful model. This includes H1/H2 owners, owners of Hasselblad digital back solutions, as well as owners of a H1D or H2D cameras.
- Options for refurbishing a H-system product to full current factory standards
- Options for access to new H-system product information

Last of all, but most importantly, I want to thank you for your continued support and patronage. It is you who have made our great success possible, and we value your business. And, of course, thank you for helping make the H3D and now the H3DII two of the most successful products in Hasselblad's 50+ year history. I hope you find our new product offerings interesting and I trust you will take advantage of our "Hasselblad Care" program .

Best regards,

Christian Poulsen
CEO of Hasselblad.
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Graham Mitchell

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2007, 11:36:16 am »

Reads like marketing noise to me. Not exactly an 'open letter'
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Steve Kerman

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2007, 11:59:15 am »

I wasn't really expecting them to write a letter that says, "We're doing this to force everyone to buy our new backs."  
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Natasa Stojsic

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2007, 12:14:08 pm »

H1 and H2 Owners can take a deep breath and relax, you guys have 10 years to enjoy and switch when necessary.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2007, 12:14:51 pm by Natasa Stojsic »
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Photomangreg

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2007, 12:44:33 pm »

Quote
Reads like marketing noise to me. Not exactly an 'open letter'
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=147851\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

What a useless and pathetic response to a company finally giving the straight dope!  I guess this makes your life a little less fulfilling in that now you have less rumors to spread!
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Dustbak

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2007, 01:03:48 pm »

Hmmm.... I like the sentence;

"Future Support of Hasselblad CF Digital Backs
We will continue to develop new products in the CF camera back line for Hasselblad photographers as well as photographers using other camera platforms, and will support the CF product line as we do our other product lines."

I believe not that long ago something similar was said about the H2. Anyway, for the moment it is good to hear Hasselblad is planning to further develop the CF.

Now, we CF users only need a camerabody that we can put our backs on  
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Graham Mitchell

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2007, 01:11:22 pm »

Quote
What a useless and pathetic response to a company finally giving the straight dope!

Dope is what you would need to be smoking to think that. Let's keep this forum drug free!

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clayh

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2007, 01:57:30 pm »

I think this letter is a little disingenous. I mean, how hard would it really be to just keep manufacturing the old H2 at its current state of development? In other words, no new development, but produce the current model as it stands today. Not very.

Clearly, they want to incentivize people to move to their own complete MFD solution and not offer a product that would allow people to make their own choice of which MF digital back to use.

I am always suspicious of any communique from a corporation that justifies limiting consumer's choices with a paternalistic tone and a lame explanation that they are looking out for their customer's best interests. Sounds like the US phone company back in the seventies (at&t) that predicted dire consequences if poorly informed consumers were allowed to purchase any phone they wanted. I mean, what do those stupid consumers know anyway?


Quote
Dope is what you would need to be smoking to think that. Let's keep this forum drug free!


[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=147881\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
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mahleu

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2007, 02:00:10 pm »

Quote
In short, via an integrated DSLR. The great success of the H3D and H3DII families, as well as the huge success and product strategy of industry giants like Canon and Nikon

Yes, except they can all still use interchangeable bits.
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Bruce MacNeil

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2007, 02:11:17 pm »

Quote
Dope is what you would need to be smoking to think that. Let's keep this forum drug free!

Drugs  -  are not as bad as all that. The US has a serious industry built up.

Marijuana is good and is not a drug.

Hasselblad makes nice cameras.
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Bruce MacNeil PhD; M. Div.; M.Fol.

mahleu

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2007, 02:19:22 pm »

Quote
Marijuana is good and is not a drug.

It is a drug, but so is alcohol, tobacco, caffeine etc.

None of this has anything to do with the topic.
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Graham Mitchell

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2007, 02:20:46 pm »

Quote
Marijuana is good and is not a drug.

What the...? It most certainly is a drug.
In case you weren't kidding, see the definition of a drug:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drug
and wikipedia's article on marijuana:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana
 
Who was talking about marijuana anyway?
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marcwilson

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #12 on: October 22, 2007, 02:28:34 pm »

quote "In short, via an integrated DSLR. The great success of the H3D and H3DII families, as well as the huge success and product strategy of industry giants like Canon and Nikon"

Quote
Yes, except they can all still use interchangeable bits.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=147894\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Mahleu...which bits of nikon or canon are interchangeable apart form the lenses?
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Photomangreg

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2007, 02:38:13 pm »

Quote
quote "In short, via an integrated DSLR. The great success of the H3D and H3DII families, as well as the huge success and product strategy of industry giants like Canon and Nikon"
Mahleu...which bits of nikon or canon are interchangeable apart form the lenses?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=147905\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yeah, I'd be interested to hear what I can take off my Canon and put on a Nikon????
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John Camp

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2007, 02:44:54 pm »

This is purely a "spin" letter. Makes me laugh to read how killing off the H2 will help protect image quality -- which is not exactly what he said if you parse each phrase, but that's the impression it is designed to leave. His problem, succinctly, is that what's good for Hasselblad is not necessarily good for its customers, and they're doing a tap dance to obfuscate that problem...

"Marijuana is not a drug..." That made me laugh, too. One thing I know for sure is that using marijuana makes you stupider than you would be otherwise; which may explain this posting...

The overall problem with all digital cameras is that they are extremely complex systems compared to film, and camera companies, whose expertise really fell in the area of precision clockwork mechanics, were not prepared to deal with the complications -- which is the reason that electronics companies like Sony and Panasonic and Nokia sell a lot of cameras.

Things shook out more quickly in the 35mm area -- if you remember the first awkward menus, the silly little LCD panels (when better ones were freely available), you know how quickly things have improved, driven by the ferocious competition. But now, that's all worked through. Within a year or so, Canon and Nikon will be doing what they used to do, which is provide fairly comparable top-end 35mm systems with well-thought-out menus, good ergonomics, etc.

The MF companies simply haven't come along as quickly. Mamiya is still peddling what amounts to a first-generation camera, for example, and Sinar/Rolli haven't even delivered their first generation effort. From here -- using the H3 as a benchmark -- things should quickly get better. I think MF functionality should be approaching the Canon/Nikon standard in five to seven years, because the MF manufacturers have the Canon/Nikon equipment to use as models, and will have smoothed out a lot of their own bumps.
 
JC
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mahleu

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #15 on: October 22, 2007, 03:09:38 pm »

Quote
Yeah, I'd be interested to hear what I can take off my Canon and put on a Nikon????
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=147906\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Not between manufacturers, but onto older models. Lenses, flashes, some battery grips, certain batteries, cable releases, angle finders etc
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LA30

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #16 on: October 22, 2007, 03:12:26 pm »

I really wanted to TALK to them at the Photo Expo Show, Hasselblad was NOT at the SHOW.

Classy.

Ken
« Last Edit: October 22, 2007, 03:13:02 pm by kenscott30 »
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sjstremb

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #17 on: October 22, 2007, 03:12:41 pm »

I agree, these guys are full of it and I don't think they can be trusted to work in our best efforts for a moment. Hasselblad went from a primier flagship company to an also ran and are now only a bit player. Anyone who invests in their harware at this point needs to beware.
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Photomangreg

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #18 on: October 22, 2007, 03:21:19 pm »

Quote
Not between manufacturers, but onto older models. Lenses, flashes, some battery grips, certain batteries, cable releases, angle finders etc
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=147910\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

What pre-EOS gear can I use on an EOS camera?
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mahleu

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Letter from Christian Poulsen Hasselblad
« Reply #19 on: October 22, 2007, 03:28:34 pm »

Quote
What pre-EOS gear can I use on an EOS camera?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=147915\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

1 lens mount change vs Hasselblad's 3 in a few years?

And with an adapter all the fd lenses still work. I don't see Hassy providing any adapter to allow their older stuff to work with newer.

*and i'm dropping this now*
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