I notice you can't upgrade a Phase one P21 anymore either. I wasn't told that when I bought my back. Humf, a bit silly really, those Leica's are looking very nice and the Hassy is quite cheap now too...
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I've always felt that the upgrade system's main purpose was to keep the amount of used backs out of the market, so the prices could be managed by the manufacturers and the dealers.
In other words an Aptus 22 wouldn't drop used to $5,000 but instead be $10,000 so going with the newest model for a $15,000 upgrade price made more sense.
Same with Phase and I guess Hasselblad.
Now it seems there is less bottom end to protect, because dslrs are now at 20 mpx, so I guess the makers assume that if the used market gets flooded with 18 or 20 mpx backs then it won't effect their new sales.
The problem with all of this is the element of trust that get's tossed away when they change the rules in the middle of the game.
You can't play both sides of the fence. Staying stick with us and you can always upgrade doesn't work when your told a year later, uh sorry, we don't upgrade from that product anymore.
Once again, when it comes to customer trust, medium format at times has walked a pretty shaking line and this is just another example.
I think all of this will have the opposite effect for the manufacturers and probably in the end a positive effect for the photographer as probably a fairly large (by medium format standards) used market will open up.
Personally, there is nothing I've seen from photokina that would make me run out and spend 40 or 50 grand, even at U.S. peso standards.
In fact the only thing I would think of purchasing right now (other than a 5d) would be an Aptus 22 or 54 as I assume those used prices are going to drop, especially in light of Hasselblad's latest annoucement.
I think eventually as the dslrs increase in file sizes and medium format gets more and more into the closed format system, you will see medium format begin to devise ways to lower thier prices substantially. Probably by cutting dealer margins or even selling direct.
Medium format is chaning the rules and I would keep a sharp eye out on the for sale section of this forum and e-bay.
I would also get ready to dust off those RZ's hasselblad V's and Contax's because once the older, lower mpx medium format backs drop in price the average photographer, even to the serious amateur level can add one to their kit without taking a big hit.
Somewhat like buying a used bmw that came off of lease. Let the original buyer take the big hit.
In all the photographer's I've spoken to in the last few weeks, a few have said they might "look" at a new medium format back, though none has confirmed they would buy one.
To a person they all said they'll buy a 5d2.
JR
