Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: Theodoros on September 19, 2014, 05:18:16 pm
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I believe there are number of actions Hasselblad should take if they are to maximise the high appreciation that H5X's release seems to have from photographers, I believe first next action should be that they offer the (fully compatible to the H5X) backs of the H5 cameras as been able to be purchased with an H5X camera instead of the dedicated to it body...
IMO, releasing all the backs of the H5 system as "stand alone" and also offer them with different camera mounts (preferably via adapters) as CF backs were, would be preferable, but since it will be more effective if the backs are redesigned for appearance as to maximise as much as possible such a wide use, which is a time consuming procedure, it is best if they give the opportunity for people to choose the "openness" they want for their system... Such a decision would also let them to have some feedback on what the market requires and would direct them to their future decisions accordingly!
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I completely agree about having an H5X-like main body standardized across their H line. I would like to see more weather-proofing, two card slots, and a focal plane shutter with whatever curtaining is necessary to introduce the least vibration. Oh, and I want mine black, without having to pay extra for it.
That said, I am extremely pleased with the latest direction they've taken. Up until few weeks ago, I was seriously concerned about my investment in lenses. Now I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl.
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I don't believe open systems or one technical feature here or there are going to make the difference.
Hasselblad needs to:
1) build confidence again and re-assure people that they are still going to be around next year as well. They also need to communicate better with their customers. It is great that there is a new CFV back and a new HX camera but nobody expected that anymore. I am sure a lot of existing customers were already considering alternatives or had already settled on an alternative.
2) they need to identify their target audience and focus on that audience. Leica does that very well. They have a very specific audience in mind and target that audience. They a/o have taken a lot of ex-Hasselblad customers and their H (and C) adapters are a brilliant idea.
3) $28,500 for the H5D-50c with WiFi is way too much especially if you can get the H5D-40 for $13K. Long term Hasselblad will not be able to compete with Pentax.
My two cents...
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I don't believe open systems or one technical feature here or there are going to make the difference.
Hasselblad needs to:
1) build confidence again and re-assure people that they are still going to be around next year as well. They also need to communicate better with their customers. It is great that there is a new CFV back and a new HX camera but nobody expected that anymore. I am sure a lot of existing customers were already considering alternatives or had already settled on an alternative.
2) they need to identify their target audience and focus on that audience. Leica does that very well. They have a very specific audience in mind and target that audience. They a/o have taken a lot of ex-Hasselblad customers and their H (and C) adapters are a brilliant idea.
3) $28,500 for the H5D-50c with WiFi is way too much especially if you can get the H5D-40 for $13K. Long term Hasselblad will not be able to compete with Pentax.
My two cents...
What is the MF system you currently use?
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I wish if Paul can enlighten us as whether Hassy is willing to offer the H5 backs sold along with an H5X body, or whether if a customer wishes to buy 2 backs with an H5X (or even with 2 bodies) ...if they'll do him the privilege(!!!!) as to ...sell him the product! ...will they?
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I would like to see the H5X come out with a Phase One interface so a Phase One Mamiya back would clip straight on to the H5x.
That way people who have their tech camera all set up for Phase One could just buy a H5X with a couple of lenses and be on their way without having to commit to change all their existing mounts.
Mal
Phase One DSLR, a few lenses and a Cambo tech cam.
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Next move? I suggest Hasselbald sells their lens line to Arri, the movie camera company. ::)
http://arrirentalgroup.com/alexa65/ (http://arrirentalgroup.com/alexa65/)
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I would like to see the H5X come out with a Phase One interface so a Phase One Mamiya back would clip straight on to the H5x.
That way people who have their tech camera all set up for Phase One could just buy a H5X with a couple of lenses and be on their way without having to commit to change all their existing mounts.
Mal
Phase One DSLR, a few lenses and a Cambo tech cam.
I believe P1 does make their back for H-mount Mal... They'll work on an H5X just fine.
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Yes I realise that Phase makes a H mount BUT - BUT that would mean I could no longer use on my Cambo or my Phase One camera with all the lenses I already have.
So it becomes a major disincentive - where as if I could slot my back onto a H5X and just buy one H lens to start, I could keep a foot in both camps at a reasonable cost.
Regards
Mal
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Mal,
It would work on your cambo with a simple adapter plate change which many dealers will assist in making happen to make it easy. So you can use any back with your cambo.
Until you have a universal mount within all camps, the situation is also present for Hassy owners who wish to use with phase lenses... Probably only a few Hassy owners that wish to use the DF though unless they need 1/1600 sync...
I use my Credo 80 with an H mount on my cambo and H4x. Great solution.
Robb
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Rob
You make a good point - I guess I am happy to see how the cards fall over the next 12 months.
Thanks for your advice.
Mal
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I would like to see the H5X come out with a Phase One interface so a Phase One Mamiya back would clip straight on to the H5x.
That way people who have their tech camera all set up for Phase One could just buy a H5X with a couple of lenses and be on their way without having to commit to change all their existing mounts.
Mal
Phase One DSLR, a few lenses and a Cambo tech cam.
I would like to see this, too. Now, if I want to use H5X with my Phase One back I have to do mount swap, which costs 2000 Euro, I think. Plus I need new adapter for my studio camera, which is 500$ at Kapture group. But, than again, if I have money for H5X plus expensive Hasselblad lenses, extra 2000 $ is not a big deal.
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I'd like to see them separating camera body and digital back again, the H5 camera body should actually be H5X, and you should be able to buy the H5 digital magazines separately, just like Phase One backs. So if you're a tech cam user you can buy the back only. Head-on competition with Phase One and Leaf.
And then of course lowering prices and further go towards a volume model, sell in "regular" camera stores, and make the camera really robust like any camera should be so we could see these type of demonstrations:
(http://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2014/07/645_1.jpg)
(image showing Pentax 645z).
And drop the luxury b*llsh*t. Make Hasselblad the number one serious MF camera for a broad user base professionals and amateurs. One can see the popularity of high resolution DSLRs as a threat to MF, but it's only a threat to the old MF business model with inflated prices. Functionality-wise this popularity means that there are many willing to move into MF if the price is not too steep, this is an opportunity. Probably it's politically impossible to make a price slash in one single move (would upset current customers and dealers), but one could lower prices step by step. Making an "amateur" model say a copy of H5D-50c but stripped of tethering (which pros need) could open up for separate pricing, just like the CFV-50c has separate pricing today (as it cannot be used on the H system).
Hasselblad should also hire someone that actually knows what a tech cam is, and make a clear marketing message. They've had superior tech wide performance all the time with the Kodak 50 megapixel sensor, yet they've failed to inform the customers about that.
Concerning digital back they lag behind in feature set compared to Phase One. I don't think they need to be best there, just have a decency level in terms of features and then focus on robustness and long-term support. I think that will be appreciated.
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their next move will probably be an H6X, or maybe an H5X signature edition with ostrich leather or perhaps a new exclusive Ferrari edition?
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From a realistic perspective, they probably don't have that much capital and little development resources, so what they need to do is to get as much income as possible with as little development made as possible. With such a challenge luxury items easily comes in mind, unfortunately...
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I completely agree about having an H5X-like main body standardized across their H line. I would like to see more weather-proofing, two card slots, and a focal plane shutter with whatever curtaining is necessary to introduce the least vibration. Oh, and I want mine black, without having to pay extra for it.
That said, I am extremely pleased with the latest direction they've taken. Up until few weeks ago, I was seriously concerned about my investment in lenses. Now I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl.
If you want to use your H lenses on a weather-sealed body with a well-damped focal plane shutter (and switch to lens shutter whenever you choose), with two card slots, just use a Leica S. HC and HCD lenses are fully compatible with the adapter. Full AF, full aperture control and full lens shutter control. Oh, and it's black. :)
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From a realistic perspective, they probably don't have that much capital and little development resources, so what they need to do is to get as much income as possible with as little development made as possible. With such a challenge luxury items easily comes in mind, unfortunately...
Agreed, but since they already have the H5 backs in production and since those backs are compatible with H5X and also there is a battery pack provision for the H5 backs that turns them into self contained... Why one wouldn't propose that they offer their existing backs with H5X as an alternative to the H5 complete offerings? ...Surely this (as is proposed in the O/P) doesn't require additional research investment... it already works! ...it's only a marketing decision that is required.
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please please please give me a better screen on the back the amount of times I have said to clients "the images are amazing once they are on computer but the back has a very low res screen"
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Arri uses the entire Hasselblad H line of lenses, (only rehoused) for their top of the line (and cinema industry top) Arri 65...
http://petapixel.com/2014/09/21/need-resolution-arri-unveils-6-5k-alexa-65-sensor-three-times-bigger-super35/
It clearly seems that Hasselblad is still highly respected for the image quality it provides....
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Perhaps Hasselblad needs to focus on designing lenses?
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It clearly seems that Hasselblad is still highly respected for the image quality it provides....
Is it Hass glass or Fuji glass? I know, splitting hairs. :)
I want Hasselblad to do something with Bron - literally make a HVD 90x with a builtin remote for the Bron stuff. Make it work with all the H4/H5 models, sell it as an upgrade or 'addition' for existing owners. With the wifi stuff in the -50c, add in the ability to control the lights via the wifi Phocus app.
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Clearly my intension with the O/P, is on how Hasselblad could make back the damage that closing their system has done. H5X is certainly a good movement in that direction, but there is more that can be done... They obviously have to offer their backs for the H5X but also for other camera makers, but since a physical redesign (new aesthetics) of the backs is necessary for the success of such a decision, I believe that if they offer the current backs with the H5X as an alternative choice, it could be really beneficial for them...
Good lenses, or new VFs, or other improvements of parts, are certainly increasing the appeal of a maker... But certainly Hassy is not under handicap from competition on that matter... I believe they better first work where their marketing handicap is.... meaning that their system is less communicative than competition with associate equipment that photographers use.
Let me give you an example, the new Cambo Actus or Arca F-universalis are cameras designed for use with MFDBs that have excellent LV quality, this means that one that wants such a camera he'll have to replace his back with a modern CMOs back (which he'll obviously choose to fit the MF system that he is using)... But Hasselblad, although that it has three backs for the H-system (50C-50Cms-200Cms) with the additional advantage that two of the backs are MS designs which no other maker offers currently, they don't offer the backs for sale at all... One has to change camera system if he wants his back to work on those new tech cameras... Yet, photographers don't (usually) act under pressure, they invest on what is first priority, then they integrate it in their system and optimise the performance of it and then they may (or not) upgrade the peripherals... which is exactly what Hasselblad has suffered (and is still suffering) after they closed their system.