I think Hasselblad is doing some interesting things personally with sales and marketing. ..........snip
This is just a market correction and not really that big of a discount, not like 1/2 off or a fire sale.
In fact I have no idea what it takes to make a camera, all of medium format hasn't moved that much in technology in the last few years in regards to technology and price.
Some of that is good in the fact that what your using today really isn't obsolete, some not so good as you don't have multi point autofocus, high iso, and a lot of usability 35mm offers.
I'm not knocking medium format, still use it from time to time, but in regards to electronic development, all still cameras are almost in the stone age compared to everything else that is computer driven.
Sure a h4d 40 does a few things my P30 and Contax doesn't, but I'd view it as a rather have than must have proposition.
This image was shot during a film session with the Contax and p31 using continuous lighting and it worked fine on a 5 to 6 shot day and this with a 6 year old back and a 10 year old camera.
But it wouldn't be my camera of choice on a 20 session a day lifestyle shoot.
The h4d40 looks interesting to me because of skin tones and it goes a stop higher than my current medium format cameras, but it's not a must buy for me, it's a kinda would like to have it buy.
Advertising and marketing has changed. GAP just ran a national campaign, where the on camera talent is social bloggers that styled themselves. 6 years ago they would have been celebrity talent or high end models with a staff of stylists and probably larger crews and most definitely a few medium format cameras in the magliner. Today it was probably 5d2's or 3's.
Anyway, in advertising it's just a different world and will be for a while and for us when it comes time to buy, a $14,000 Scarlet, or Red 1 seems cheap when you start looking at medium format still cameras from any company.
Regardless, I don't see the Hasselblad offer as a omg move, it's just a discount to clear inventory.
Everybody does it.
Now will the Nikon D800 change things. For me no, I don't see the point, but for others that feel they must have 30 something megapixels and have a tight budget I guess it's worth it considering the $3,000 buy in is nothing in the world of professional cameras.
How the effects medium format I have no idea, but I do know the younger assistants I work with don't have $15,000 to spend on an entry level medium format camera and a few lenses, but can scratch up the money for the Nikon.
IMO
BC