Sinar/Eyelike backs have always been available with change able mounts, we already see images of the Sinar camera unsuprisingly supporting a sinar back
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It must be very hard to choose a system now
For those who need a back now but are interested in the forthcoming Hy6 then it must be sinar/eyelike
For those set on another system the choices are no different - Xept with blad setting ones mind on being a blad user forever is now a harder choice
Current back owners will probably stick with the system that supports thier back, future owners will be aware that choice is closing down
SMM
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
I can understand if current H-1/2 owners see their investment limited, but when you step back and look at it, I doubt if that is the case. Sure there is a loss if you bought new and now decide to sell used, but that's the same with most any cameras, film or digital, past or present.
Actually when the H-1 came out I was amazed at the number of people that bought it even though they weren't that overly thirlled by it, for the sole reason of it was one of the few remaining new systems.
To me, not being new is a plus, not a minus. New, as we are seeing, has agendas of firmware changes and moving people to all in one solutions, probably every 18 months.
I think I bought my Contax the week after they announced the end of production and one of the specific reasons was because they were going out of production. I knew there would be no firmware upgrades to move me to a Contax branded back, or a new lens or finder that only worked with the new system.
Though in honest truth I bought the Contax because I liked it much better than the H-1, mostly because of the build quality and that it was a focal plane shutter and offered almost unlimited lens choices, with and without adpaters. With the Contax I can go tilt shift soft , to uber sharp commercial, all with a change of the lens, autofocus to wide open F2 manual. I just felt that since it had a digital interface and didn't require cords it was a good bet.
Also the price was right. People continue to complain about the cost of medium format digital, but if I sold my Two Contax's, lenses and the A-22 back I have used for almost 2 years I probably would be out less than $4,000 which is pretty much the depreciation of a 1ds2 in 2 years.
In fact I think some of the Contax items have actually gone up from the price I originally paid.
If Hasselblad does close off thier system, then I would imagine the H-1/H-2 will do the same in price and even if they don't they will work as well today as they did two months ago.
Even today I can buy or rent almost anyting in any major market for the Contax as I could when it was new and I assume you can do the same with the H series for a few more years at minimum.
Still, to me the first thought is to buy the camera and lens system you want to use and then find the film (digital back) you want to use it with.
I see this as a very good time for photography and would think mfdb's really are in a great position. Many of us, (myself included) really gained our knowledge with the dslrs and though they are quite good I think we realized there was more we could pursue using a mfdb.
Now that the backs are getting faster in speed, better previews and higher iso, I think the need for a dslr is getting less and less.
Last year I only used my 1ds2 for some specilized projects and as a backup and this week take delivery of my second Aptus, so the dslrs will even see less use if any.
JR
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