Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: rolleiflexpages on September 26, 2010, 12:26:59 pm
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I wanted to share with all who have an interest in the longstanding Rolleiflex tradition some good news from DHW Fototechnik, the successor company to Franke & Heidecke, at Photokina 2010 in Köln (Cologne).
First of all, to dispel possible rumors, all goes very well at DHW. The activity level is increasing and so is the staff number. The people behind the decision to continue the business at the time of the insolvency of Franke & Heidecke are glad and relieved they took the right decision. It is great to see how these committed people are courageous and enterpreneuring, with a wish to ensure continuity with the longstanding Rolleiflex tradition.
On display were a number of Rollei 35 cameras in various finishing; twin-eyed Rolleiflex cameras in various finishing; the Hy6 as well as 6008AF with a number of lenses and accessories.
The big news that will satisfy many classic photographers: I could handle the finished 6060 (6x6) film back for the Hy6 / AFi camera body. This is a great product, which now displays the DHW logo on the back. It handles in a similar way to the existing 4560 magazine in terms of electronics and overall handling. The adaptor to the camera body is fixed to the back. A very nice product that is currently being manufactured with availability to customers in October. There is already a long list of pre-orders.
Furthermore on display were the different viewfinders for Hy6, including the 90° viewfinder which is available contrary to earlier rumors on this forum. Also the new Tele-Apogon 150mm was on display.
Further plans include the production of the Flektogon 35mm lens, which has been in demand by many for quite some time. DHW is fully aware of the interest but has to set its priorities right now. So, this one is scheduled for 2011.
Surely the Hy6 system is far from dead, although it has been declared as such by many. DHW does its utmost to ensure continuity and future development / tweaking of the system. More to follow... DHW is also taking steps with a view towards ensuring that digital backs from other manufacturers continue to fit with the camera design.
DHW is also taking custom orders for tailor-made versions of the classic Rollei 35 camera, as well as twin-eyed Rolleiflex cameras. One can obtain them in a wide variety of finishings etc on demand.
Also, the seasonal business with classic slide projectors is picking up again (typical phenomenon ahead of wintertime).
So, upbeat news from Photokina 2010. Hope this is of interest to some here.
Pascal
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Forgot to mention that I uploaded the 6060 film back information brochure on my web pages (brochure in German language).
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Hi, Pascal,
Did you ask them who actually owns the rights to the Hy6 now? I am curious if there is any sort of an authoritative comment from one of the players involved (Jenoptik, Sinar, Phase, Kodak, or DHW).
Thanks for the update. If I find the AFi-II 10 I'm looking for, I'll definitely look into the 90 degree finder.
Best regards,
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Hi Brad,
this is rather confidential but from what I understand talks are ongoing so let's hope this works out well.
Pascal
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The 90° viewfinder has not changed from what I saw on previous images. See also on my webpages for some of those.
The information about the lens was also available a while ago on the German Photoscala website:
http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/Tele-Objektive-zur-Rolleiflex-Hy6
I believe that the lens is an improved Carl Zeiss design but the name Carl Zeiss is not used as the license to use it has expired.
Hope this helps.
Pascal
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Hi Pascal,
Did the guys at DHW reveal the secret as to how one may actually order the 6060 back? I wrote to Mr. Schoenrock some two months ago and was told it would be introduced at Photokina. I wrote to him again last Monday only to be told that all their production run so far has been sold to pre-orders (not that he would let me know two months ago that I could actually pre-order, that would have been too easy for dealing with a proper German company...). I then enquired how I can order the back and have been waiting for an answer for a week now. Perhaps I should pack my tent and set it up outside the factory and wait patiently for these guys to clear their other priorities, of which a customer ready to buy their product clearly is not the highest....
Regards,
Martin
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Further plans include the production of the Flektogon 35mm lens
Surely the Hy6 system is far from dead, although it has been declared as such by many. DHW does its utmost to ensure continuity and future development / tweaking of the system. More to follow... DHW is also taking steps with a view towards ensuring that digital backs from other manufacturers continue to fit with the camera design.
You really made my day with this news!
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It remains to be seen if Leaf/Phase One will support the hy6/6008AF mount.
If so... this is fantastic news! ;D
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If they don't, maybe Sinar will. Terrific news anyway!
Eduardo
It remains to be seen if Leaf/Phase One will support the hy6/6008AF mount.
If so... this is fantastic news! ;D
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Thanks for sharing this positive news about the Hy6, etc.
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I am sorry to have to cool your enthusiasm.
In Photokina, I had the opportunity to discuss a good moment with a responsable person from Sinar who confirmed me the abandonment of Hy6, even if they will continue to assure the service of repair for the customers. The problems of patents are insuperable. Besides, the future of the Sinar m system is also compromised... Sinar turns to more flexible solutions and less "owner solutions". Return to the fundamental.
This is not a secret: you only have to look at the updated web site of Sinar to understand: no more Hy6, no more m.
PdF
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Great news for me. I plan on upgrading from the Aptus 7 next year and was contemplating the necessity of moving to yet another MF system. Perhaps that will not be needed now.
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Pascal -
Thanks for the update on this. It is not easy to get a read on this situation. It is clear that DHW is making something work - they have been active, have people, making stuff, selling. They are not too visible on the web (hardly) and the only way is by email or telephone. Still, there is some support structure out there for Rollei and Hy6 gear.
And.... they are putting somethings into new production - clearly the film back for the Hy6, and probably a lens or two as well. So they are alive and kicking.
Are they able to reincarnate the Hy6, bring digital backs to the table, revive the old ghost totally? Probably not, certainly not without some time. So where is the line between full re-invention and partial support? Its murky to be sure, and we'll all have to wait and see.
If you are a customer looking for a new system, full factory support, everything up ready, and local dealers - this is clearly not your cup of tea. They aren't yet as active as other MF camera firms, and probably never will be. But they are far from a one man operation. So far, it seems they have a working business model and are increasing their scope slowly. It is likely they are responding first to a local (German?) customer base, which probably is not so active on the web, or in the US. That's OK.
Again, I for one applaud their pluck and wish them all the success in the world. We need more folks like this - committed to a solidly engineered product first above all else. Good for them.
Perhaps they will continue to let us know what they are up to - perhaps Pascal can serve as a window into their world, and help communication.
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Reading what is said here, noting what is not, and adding in PdF's comments, all I see is continued support for film products (TLR's and rangefinder film cameras and a film back for the existing Hy6 bodies) and no hint of hope for putting the Hy6 body back into production, or of new digital backs for it.
All I see is a company that has bought up the assets of a grand but now failed brand and is milking those existing Rollei assets and existing loyal Rollei film camera users and enthusiasts, not any hint of a digital future.
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Everybody is of course entitled to his opinion, but to dismiss the current efforts undertaken by the company like this is a little unfair. The picture is much more complex than this. DHW certainly has the digital future in mind as well. Do not forget that the 6x6 film back was a priority for many photographers. They delivered. Not all photographers want to switch to digital only. As far as new production of Hy6 bodies is concerned, there is for the moment no need as there are still stocks. When asked if the Hy6 system is still doing / selling well, the reply was positive. The company clearly remains fully committed to the Hy6 platform.
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hi Brad,
Neither Jenoptik nor Sinar Photography have any rights or says concerning the Hy6 camera project.
Best regards,
Thierry
I am curious if there is any sort of an authoritative comment from one of the players involved (Jenoptik, Sinar, Phase, Kodak, or DHW).
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Thank you, Thierry. Very helpful.
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http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/1740760/franke-heideckes-ashes-rises-dhw-fototechnik
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This line intrigues me: 'The Hy6 can accept both digital and analog backs from a wide variety of manufacturers – such as Hasselblad, Sinar, Leaf and others.'
Hasselblad and others?
I wouldn't mind trying out a 'blad/others' back on my Hy6 - it's a great camera!
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This line intrigues me: 'The Hy6 can accept both digital and analog backs from a wide variety of manufacturers – such as Hasselblad, Sinar, Leaf and others.'
Hasselblad and others?
I wouldn't mind trying out a 'blad/others' back on my Hy6 - it's a great camera!
Huhu, that sound interesting to me as well. Anybody with insight please clarify.
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My guess is its a mistake about it accepting hassy backs ???
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Hasselblad backs were not mentioned specifically :-)
But if Leaf backs can be made compatible with the Hy6, when then not PhaseOne backs? ...
Anyway this is all rather speculative right now as DHW is currently in a negotiating phase. The one thing, which is clear, is that the Hy6 platform is far from dead.
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Pascal,
Anything is possible, of course, but the question is cost. Obviously it would be more costly to create what is essentially a new platform for the Phase back lineup than it is to continue doing on on a lineup of backs where this work has already been done.
Then the question is a business question--will I recoup my costs? Would I have seen similar sales volumes anyway, just on a different platform? And so on. I firmly believe Phase is simply being careful with their expenditures -- it's a tough market out there.
That being said, I do think there is hope for an AFi-II 12, for the reasons I cite above.
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I am currently using the Hasselblad CF39 on a Rollei 6008 Integral II. It works very well, with a perfect communication between back and body, and the proper dispays in the finder. This back could probably be easily adapted to the Hy6.
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I am currently using the Hasselblad CF39 on a Rollei 6008 Integral II. It works very well, with a perfect communication between back and body, and the proper dispays in the finder. This back could probably be easily adapted to the Hy6.
Which adapter are you using?
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Just a brief note on this. I contacted DHW Fototechnik in Germany for more information. They gave me the email address of their representative in the US. I sent him a message. He replied that he was at a conference and would get back to me later. Never did, even though I sent him a another reminder. I had similar experiences with the distributor for Sinar in the US. Not sure whether I get these companies...