Looking into buying a MF digital

[sbernthal]

I can agree that ABS are unacceptable on all levels and that H4D is the best camera.

However, there's absolutely no problem with a US dealer.
Remember you are working for an organization and playing with other people's money.
When it's your own money you will mind very much if the dealer gouges you unfairly.

Jugend don't have any high end backs on hand - they get them from Leaf when needed.
I've bought three backs in the past six years, one from Jugend and two from abroad.
The only one that gave me major problems and serious expenditure is the one Jugend sold me.
Maybe if I was an institution like your employer, and not just a private photographer, they would pay better mind to treating me right, but they sure didn't.
In any case I've had no problems whatsoever getting service from Leaf regardless of where I got the back.
The malfunctions you are describing are body not back - a totally different thing - Mamiya bodies and lenses are handled by Shimoni and sent to Japan for major repairs.
You can get spare bodies for $2-3K and still your expenditure is way less than what Jugend charges.

[Nick-T]

@Nick: Thanks. Comparing the H3D and H4D, is there any serious improvements made to the sensor? my main shooting is still life, although sometimes I do work with models.
If I have anymore questions, I'll hit you a PM if you don't mind.

Depends which sensor you mean. The 39 MP Kodak chip in the H3D39 is a good performer (same chip as P45) especially in studio.
The 40 MP chip (I don't think anyone other than Hasselblad and Pentax use it) has better colour response (especially in reds) and much better High ISO performance. For a studio shooter I wouldn't expect you would see a huge difference between the two.

By the way I bought my H4D40 from Steve Hendrix at Capture Integration. I highly recommend them, excellent service and they stand behind what they sell.

[telyt]

Yes, the Hasselblad adapter has AF, aperture and 1/800th leaf shutter functions. The Contax adapter also supports AF and aperture. Both of these adapters actually save metadata for the attached lens, so if Lightroom has the profile for the lens in question, it will automatically apply corrections.

I don't know about the Contax lenses but Leica developed profiles for the Hasselblad H lenses and provided them to Adobe for Lightroom.

[Kolor-Pikker]

I don't know about the Contax lenses but Leica developed profiles for the Hasselblad H lenses and provided them to Adobe for Lightroom.

From the Leica S page: S-adapter-C
"EXIF lens data and correction profiles for Contax 645 lenses are also enabled for the conversion of RAW image files in Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop."

For the record, you can buy all the Contax lenses together for less then one S lens, at least until people catch on.
It's all Zeiss glass.

[KhaledA]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations!

[Ben Rubinstein]

I can agree that ABS are unacceptable on all levels and that H4D is the best camera.

However, there's absolutely no problem with a US dealer.
Remember you are working for an organization and playing with other people's money.
When it's your own money you will mind very much if the dealer gouges you unfairly.

Jugend don't have any high end backs on hand - they get them from Leaf when needed.
I've bought three backs in the past six years, one from Jugend and two from abroad.
The only one that gave me major problems and serious expenditure is the one Jugend sold me.
Maybe if I was an institution like your employer, and not just a private photographer, they would pay better mind to treating me right, but they sure didn't.
In any case I've had no problems whatsoever getting service from Leaf regardless of where I got the back.
The malfunctions you are describing are body not back - a totally different thing - Mamiya bodies and lenses are handled by Shimoni and sent to Japan for major repairs.
You can get spare bodies for $2-3K and still your expenditure is way less than what Jugend charges.

See your point.

[ericgibaud]

I don't know about Israel, but in the European Community, import taxes and VAT are levied on new and used products and even if you import them yourself while traveling. It is obviously possible to try to hide stuff in one's luggage but:
-this is illegal and you'll be prosecuted if you get caught
-it is probably not a clever idea to run a business with illegally obtained goods.

Wow, I've never heard so much bullshit rules in one go before, like since grade school... if something's out of it's original box, it's not a product anymore, period. You don't even have to hide the stuff or anything, just put into your camera bag and say "it's my camera", does anyone honestly track what you left and came back with?

I'm glad Russia isn't part of the EU.

Sorry, but I have to confirm what Jérôme is saying about getting caught, many French people travel along with the original invoice for that purpose, just to make sure they can prove the goods did pay French taxes. At border they do not look for boxes, they are not stupid, they know when a camera is new or old..... and if they are not sure, they just ask some kind of expert they have available....

[Martin Ranger]

Sorry, but I have to confirm what Jérôme is saying about getting caught, many French people travel along with the original invoice for that purpose, just to make sure they can prove the goods did pay French taxes. At border they do not look for boxes, they are not stupid, they know when a camera is new or old..... and if they are not sure, they just ask some kind of expert they have available....

Absolutely. Same goes for Germany. I have had to prove twice to German customs that I am a US resident in order to avoid being charged taxes/duties and a fine.