Isn't it obvious to all that the 60mp H4D was announced prematurely as a spoiler so that Phase would not have the 'king of the hill' role to themselves for too long? Hasselblad just wanted to imply that they had one coming imminently so that Phase could not make them look second best for too long.
obviously they were not allowed the 60mp sensor for a good period of time (Phase must have had an exclusive lock on it for at least a year) so they pre-announced the H4D way, way, ahead of real-world availability, to try and screw Phase's real world lead.
just see it for what it was - market manipulation - and think of Hasselblad what you will.
if my memory is right:
Phase launched the P65+ in Nov 2008, real deliveries started early 2009. it has been the biggest and best sensor out there for a year.
Hasselblad didn't like being second best, so announced their 60mp sensor, to look like it was just about to arrive. and we waited.
and waited.
and waited.
it was a spoiler announcement, not a real product about to arrive, and nowhere near available.
other companies have done it before, and others will do it in the future.
September 2007... Hasselblad launches H3DII series in 22/31/39mp. Several new upgrades including 3" screen. All models available for immediate delivery when announced.
July 7, 2008... Hasselblad announces the H3DII-50. The highest resolution camera yet. Announced delivery date October 2008.
July 14, 2008... One week after Hasselblad's 50mp camera announcement, Phase One announces the P65+ 60mp back with innovative "Sensor Plus Technology". Announced delivery date Q4 2008.
September 2008... H3DII-50 starts shipping one month ahead of schedule.
September 2008... Photokina in Cologne, Hasselblad now shipping H3DII-50 and announces H3DII-60. Announced delivery date April 2009.
December 2008... Q4 ends. No Phase One P65+ deliveries.
March 2009... The P65+ 60mp back (that Phase One announced one-week after Hasselblad announced their 50mp camera) starts shipping--8-months after announcement in July 2008 and 6-months after the Hasselblad 50mp has begun to ship.
April 2009... No Hasselblad H3DII-60 deliveries.
September 2009... Hasselblad announces H4D series with innovative new autofocus system. Announces that H4D-60 will replace the H3DII-60 that has never shipped. Any pre-orders for H3DII-60 are automatically converted to H4D-60. Post H4D announcement H3DII-50 purchases get free upgrade to H4D. Announced delivery dates Jan. 2010 for H4D-60 later in Q1 2010 for H4D-50.
January 2010... H4D-50 starts shipping ahead of schedule. H4D-60 scheduled for mid-March.
That is an accurate and fairly complete history of the Hasselblad / Phase One announcement and delivery competition for the past couple of years. Make of it what you will. Every company involved in high-technology products of any kind get caught up in the same marketing games. Engineers would prefer that the marketing department not pester them for project completion estimates because unanticipated issues can (and often do) cause delays.
Some products are available when announced. Some are pre-announced and arrive on schedule. Some are pre-announced and delayed. Some arrive in a slightly different form than announced--like the anticipated H3DII-60 morphing into an H4D-60. Some never arrive at all--like the much discussed Phase One Wi-Fi Transmitter from a few years ago. The key thing to remember is no product exists until it ships!
My best regards to "narikin". I'm sure your talent as a photographer far exceeds your accuracy as a historian.
