Hasselblad's "game changer" 22nd of June?

[Gigi]

I kind of liked the idea to get one camera system and use it throughout the career. Even expensive systems like medium format are quite okay that way. I'm not really interested jumping between "current best" every 3-4 years. Unfortunately I bet on the wrong horse and the MF industry seems to have chosen to slowly kill the tech cam genre, but it hasn't increased my want for other cameras. Shooting large format film may be the most suitable future option for me, which has actually caused me to be less interested in live view and other digital convenience features as it makes me less prepared to shoot film.

Seems a bit hard on the self. Thee has always been a pull in photog between the slow and steady, high quality, view camera system and the more flexible, portable, faster way of working. MF film sat in-between and for some of us, offered the best of both. Up to 20" prints, the 6x6 neg was pretty darn good. Not quite like 4x5, but vastly better than 35mm.

The MFDB offered (suggested?) a new middle ground, where one could get the quality of 4x5 (or better) in a smaller package, with all sorts of other advantages. Yet the pressure to go faster yet, with CMOS etc., is still there from the "younger" market, and like before, the view camera and its current iteration, the tech camera, are pushed a bit more still to the background.

This has been going on for some time, in fits and spurts. I'd suggest you didn't bet on the wrong horse, but rather, you have eeked out a new way for say 10 years, which is great. At some point, the approach might need a recalibration, but whats to say you just enjoy it for what it is?

Yes, large format film is looking attractive - its easy, cheaper, and the quality is there, just not the speed... I shot a bit with a view camera and film and boy, is it easy and relaxing! But hard to give up the digital.

[synn]

Theo...

Is it possible you have time to make a list of specific predictions about this release? Maybe with probabilities or confidences you think for each one?

His mythical powers only extend to the portfolio of Leica-Sinar and the financial future of PhaseOne.

[Theodoros]

His mythical powers only extend to the portfolio of Leica-Sinar and the financial future of PhaseOne.

I wish you would know what "mythical" means... you obviously won't unless you do some "real" photography than what DSLR's can do... 

[Ken Doo]

Are you a unicorn? 

[hcubell]

There are enough clues out there to figure this out. We know that it is a camera body, it is "medium format", it can use H series lenses, and it is described as a game changer.  Sounds to me like a mirrorless camera body with a medium format sensor that can use lenses from a number of manufacturers with adapters. Basically, a Sony A7R in a beautiful form factor with a Eurocentric set of controls and menu system. That would be a game changer. I want one, so I hope I am wrong.

[hasselbladfan]

Medium format mirrorless would be great. I take one.
 

[hcubell]

If this is a mirrorless MF body with the 50mp Sony sensor, is it feasible to implement on-sensor phase detection autofocus across the sensor like the Sony A7RII? That really would be a game changer.

[jduncan]

Any rumors about what's being presented on the livestream event 22nd of June?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tah8tiFLBZc

The tiny crop in the video preview looks like a new camera, right?

What I will like too see:
1) A wide format camera. People that insist on the square either come from a different age with different esthetics and constraints, or they do not understand that people see wide. Younger generations are used to see images on a wide format.  Wide  (3:2 or more) will open new possibilities of composition and complement  the 4:3 ratio of the H.
2) Mirrorless with an ev.

What do I will like to get implemented? (two machines of a new hasselblad R or something):
1. A very low cost machine 36 x 16 sensor. The mount is Leica M or compatible with Leica m.   Resolution is 36mpixels. Auto focus lenses disponible.  EV. The target is the people that want to use something different than their DSLR for personal projects and to spur creativity.  Card: SDXC UHS-II price 1600 to  2500 US$. Sensor by samsung or Sony.

2. A Large sensor machine: (44mm x 24mm  @45mpixels ) EV with a new mount but includes a H mount.  Card: CFAST2 Price: whatever is rentable. This machine will be for the MF people

Both will have: gps, wireless and if possible a celular network.  The big machine will have and the low cost machine 


What I guess we are going to get:
A  machine based on the 44 x33 mm 50Mpixel sensor. I may not have an EV.  It will support the H lenses and, if they are smart, the Phase One's via adapter.  I hope is based on the H6D electronic platform or it will be slow (EV overhead). I hope it has a CFAST2 slot.

If they use the H6D electronic platform, and the price is right, it may be a very good machine, responsible and elegant.  It will not be a revolution on the market but it will for hasselblad. Adding a focal plane shutter will be great, but Hasselblad does not have expertise on that. In any case  it will be unnecessary in one or two generations as electronic shutters become the norm.  If they get  4K out of the machine it will be a nice convergence MF machine.

My 5 cents,  best regards,

[NickT]

I'd rather wait for the announcement to make comments...

Don't know.... IMO it looks too thick to be a mirrorless...  The start of the curve that forms the grip is clear at the right, judging from proportions and the size of the VF, it looks like a DSLR to me... It could of course be that it has been photographed in a way to confuse, but if it was a mirrorless of 33x44 size, the image area to mount distance should be 2-2.2 cm maximum and then another 1-1.5cm max for the rear plate?  That should end to 3.5cm/1&1/2 inch max... This looks to be of similar depth or deeper to a Leica S....

It looks like there is something revolutionary happening with the lens mounting though... Oval shape? ...why? ...are there motorized shifts and/or tilts built in?
Also... That oval shape "hole" next to the grip, seems to have been shaped according to the mount... This is a hint that the two are related... maybe there is some control in there related to the lens mount?

It's not a square sensor... this is just on some people "wish list"... You don't need a "panoramic sensor" to make a panoramic camera... a standard 2x3 or 3x4 (depending on the format) will do... It can be a camera that has "auto stitching"... Everybody is trying to explain  that "oval shape" mount here... It looks like the lens can "travel" from one side to the other...

lol

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

We have to wait and see…

Thanks for your posting!

Best regards
Erik

What I will like too see:
1) A wide format camera. People that insist on the square either come from a different age with different esthetics and constraints, or they do not understand that people see wide. Younger generations are used to see images on a wide format.  Wide  (3:2 or more) will open new possibilities of composition and complement  the 4:3 ratio of the H.
2) Mirrorless with an ev.

What do I will like to get implemented? (two machines of a new hasselblad R or something):
1. A very low cost machine 36 x 16 sensor. The mount is Leica M or compatible with Leica m.   Resolution is 36mpixels. Auto focus lenses disponible.  EV. The target is the people that want to use something different than their DSLR for personal projects and to spur creativity.  Card: SDXC UHS-II price 1600 to  2500 US$. Sensor by samsung or Sony.

2. A Large sensor machine: (44mm x 24mm  @45mpixels ) EV with a new mount but includes a H mount.  Card: CFAST2 Price: whatever is rentable. This machine will be for the MF people

Both will have: gps, wireless and if possible a celular network.  The big machine will have and the low cost machine 


What I guess we are going to get:
A  machine based on the 44 x33 mm 50Mpixel sensor. I may not have an EV.  It will support the H lenses and, if they are smart, the Phase One's via adapter.  I hope is based on the H6D electronic platform or it will be slow (EV overhead). I hope it has a CFAST2 slot.

If they use the H6D electronic platform, and the price is right, it may be a very good machine, responsible and elegant.  It will not be a revolution on the market but it will for hasselblad. Adding a focal plane shutter will be great, but Hasselblad does not have expertise on that. In any case  it will be unnecessary in one or two generations as electronic shutters become the norm.  If they get  4K out of the machine it will be a nice convergence MF machine.

My 5 cents,  best regards,

[eronald]

lol

Instead of all this b.s., i would like a Plaubel Makina remake please. Pocket quality

[Theodoros]

It's a game changer IMO:

LOL...

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I don't think that is that easy. I think that Sony uses a combination of phase detection, for speed, and contrast detection for accuracy. The contrast detection part needs lenses with very fast and accurate focusing.

Bst regards
Erik

If this is a mirrorless MF body with the 50mp Sony sensor, is it feasible to implement on-sensor phase detection autofocus across the sensor like the Sony A7RII? That really would be a game changer.

[cyron123]

If they make a mirror less camera with shorter focal flange they need a bunch of new lenses too. These lenses could be leaf shutters because all hassi lenses are leaf shutters..
A new line for the new camera? Very expensive to design for a small company like hasselblad! 

[Paul2660]

Phase detect on a 50MP chip MF or 35mm would mean a totally new chip.  I agree it would be a nice feature as the two cameras I have used with this tech are very well designed, Fuji X-Pro2 and Sony A7RII. 

Safe to say mirrorless is coming, as the Fuji Rumors site is also full of new "rumors" from a Fuji Medium format camera with interchangeable lenses, now to be announced at Kina in Sept.  To me this will be a bigger "game changer" than the Hasselblad, as it will be more than likely priced to sell in a bit more reasonable range, and Fuji knows very well how to make a very integrated camera/lenses.  I kinda of hope it uses a standard Bayer array, not the X-Trans as no Adobe raw converter really can figure out x-trans.  (and they have had plenty of time so I don't think they want to).

edit, Fuji rumors tends to track about 95% correct, it's really more of an early announcement site as Patrick has great sources.

Paul C

[AlterEgo]

Phase detect on a 50MP chip MF or 35mm would mean a totally new chip.

only Canon implements PDAF on silicone level - all others just mod the CFA, w/o any modifications to the "chip" itself.

[markymarkrb]

I was a 617 film shooter and I miss it.  Stitching does not do the trick for all situations (like the beach) and I don't like the common answer of "buy a high megapixel back and crop."  Why should we have to do that?  I had an IQ180 and throwing away 35 mpx to get my 617 format was not worth the money I spent on the device. We need a company to bring a true digital panoramic camera to fruition.  A high megapixel XPan would have my business in a heart beat.

[BernardLanguillier]

My vote goes to some iPhone related item. The seemingly oval thing on the right looks a lot like the corner of a black iPhone.

Cheers,
Bernard

[EricWHiss]

Until now there haven't been any MF digital rangefinders ....  It sort of looks like that from the teaser picture...

[hasselbladfan]

Interesting quaote from Ming Thein - blogger and Hasselblad / Leica beta tester :


Ming Thein's commentary on the new camera:

let’s say I do have some knowledge about what this might be, and it’s at least twice as interesting as they promise:)