Dear Forum,
Please allow me to introduce myself.
My name is David Grover and I am working for Hasselblad A/S in Copenhagen. I have been following this forum for quite sometime and decided it would be much more beneficial if I was able to participate formally and help to answer some of the Hasselblad technical based questions that come up from time to time.
My position is a technical one involved with our digital backs (CF and CFV range) and our digital cameras (H3D range), and of course our Raw developing software, Phocus.
I spend a lot of my time traveling (I am sure Thierry, Steve and Yair can sympathise!) so if my presence on the forum is not immediate on answering questions then this is why. However I will do my best to step in when I can.
Perhaps, as a first post I would like to dispell one of the common myths around right now.
First Myth - "The H Cameras were / are made in Japan..."
Fuji had absolutely no involvement with the development of the H camera itself and actually joined the project two years after it started. They are of course a valued and extremely important partner for us, but their involvement stretches to the optical construction and some design of the lenses, the film cassettes and the optical construction of the viewfinder.
Lens design is very much a partnership between the two companies and we have our own designer, Per, based at the factory in Göteborg.
The optical design of the viewfinder also comes from Sweden.
The Lens shutter is also designed and manufactured in Sweden and holds a number of patents.
The production of H cameras has always been in Göteborg on a dedicated production line. The software in the H camera is 100% from Hasselblad.
The Fuji GX645 (A black Japan only version of the H1) was also made by Hasselblad and shipped to Japan.
Ill keep my first post relatively short and look forward to some productive discussions in the future!
Best Regards,
David Grover
Hasselblad A/S