Doug,
Your not gonna win on this.
There is just too much P___s envy when it comes to medium format.
Every time medium format makes an advance there seems to be a negative chorus , i.e. Phase's tethering to an Ipad, better lcd's, touch screen etc.
Every time Apple changes a connector (how many are we into now, serial, ethernet, usb1, usb2, e sata, firewire 400, Firewire 800, thunderbolt. it's gonna be Phase's fault if their legacy backs don't have 8 connectors.
Every time the mention of sensors, lenses, cameras, there comes the notion that well . . . Phase doesn't actually go into a room and make them.
Hasselblad has caught the same heat for their association with fuji on the H, for I dunno . . . forever.
It's strange.
Most people know Sony does most of the sensor work for Nikon, Olympus, even Panasonic (who does make their own sensors) and probably a lot more.
Fuji has made some good sensors, some not so good, but they get cut a lot of slack and up to the latest Fuji, nobody was raving about a Fuji/Nikon camera.
Who makes Japanese lenses, actually what company actually "makes" any lens. I can google a lens name and I'll get 3 to 10 different answers and btw, does Apple actually make anything, but the're given credit for inventing air.
It doesn't matter, Medium format works for some, doesn't for others and that's the way it goes, though I'll bet you anything that if Phase or Hasselblad could build volume and lower their cost to the Canon Nikon level they noise would die down, then again probably not because all previous buyers would be mad that their "investment" tanked.
It's just the "I'd never own a Maserati" thing. The people that do seem pretty happy, the ones that don't like to talk down about them.
The only exception is Leica. They obviously need their sensors from Kodak (or did) they obviously needed first Imacon, then Phase to process their files, still don't have their own tethering suite, but Leica lovers let that pass.
Personally I don't want a Canon Medium format, though I will admit I looked long and hard at the Pentax and to be honest the Pentax was right with price and some usability, wrong for me on tethering and write speed.
I looked hard at the Hasselblad H5d, but I can't get a handle on how robust the software is and honestly, as I've mentioned in private e-mail, my studio's business model has changed so drastically in the last few years, that I have to really think long and hard about investing in a new medium format system, though in many ways I want to.
The real thing that keeps me from buying again (and I'm sure you don't want to hear this) is my ancient Phase backs are still so very good. The files are better than any camera I've owned, period and how old is the p30+ and p21+? A billion years?
Anyway, keep up the good fight, I'm sure you guys are doing well.
IMO
BC