I just learned that Hasselblad announced this new back the same day that Kodak made developer kits available to the back manufacturers. It seems fair to conclude that Hasselblad announced this new back before they had even tested this new sensor. If so, the 50MP back could not have existed at that time, even in prototype form. Let's see how much noise they make about being "first to introduce a 50MP back".
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In all fairness, Hasselblad probably had pre-release units to test with its electronics or the published specs were within tolerance of prior chips - either way, the marketing benefit from an early announcement of such a camera, to be available in just under a year, is marketing genius.
It generates interest, builds brand name recognition as a forerunner and clarifies the distance between itself and the competition. People who previously doubted a purchase of a Hasselblad product now could feel much more comfortable with the notion/concept that Hasselblad is on the forefront of technology.
Bottom-line: It’s all about marketing and perception. No one will tell your story better than you, and in this case, Hasselblad tells a great story about a great future camera (other examples include: first full frame MF, the space camera, etc…). Just look at these great photographers that Hasselblad uses to promote their brand:
[a href=\"http://www.hasselbladusa.com/user-showcase.aspx]http://www.hasselbladusa.com/user-showcase.aspx[/url]
Kodak creates a new sensor, these photographers created a brand and name for themselves -- Hasselblad is piggy-backing for the ride.
To me, this is sheer brilliance and something to be studied, admired and emulated in our own business endeavors.
