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Now reading: Hands on with the Hasselblad H6D 50c/100c 268 comments

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Hands on with the Hasselblad H6D 50c/100c

Published Apr 12, 2016 | Damien Demolder

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Hands-on with the Hasselblad H6D

Hasselblad claims that its new H6D is a completely new camera and is redesigned 'from the ground up' on a completely different platform. The new platform is one of electronics compared to the mechanical bias of its previous models, and consequently there is a good deal more communication between the back and the body – and the new HC lenses.

The general thrust is one of modernization with a mass of upgraded specification that brings the company’s flagship camera into line with the new Phase One XF body. And now of course there is the 100 million pixel sensor to match. One of the areas in which Hasselblad differentiates itself from its main competitor is in the provision of video – and 4K video at that.

The orange dot on the lens here indicates that it is part of the new HC series. The top shutter speed for the new body is 1/1000 sec, but with the new HC lens range that increases to 1/2000 sec as the sensor and lens work together to cut the exposure time in half. As the shutter is in the lens, users can synchronize flash at all speeds. The lenses have a new shutter mechanism that is able to return to the open position more quickly after closing which helps to enable the shorter exposures. The blades have new coatings to reduce friction to allow a smoother motion, and the durability of the system has been increased to the extent that the company guarantees you’ll get at least a million actuations. Hasselblad has also tripled the duration of the camera’s warranty to 36 months (if you register before September 30th - otherwise it's 24 months).

Other key developments include:

A choice of 50 and 100 Megapixel backs
New top shutter speeds
Much-improved rear screen
A host of new connection ports
HD and 4K video
A new range of HC lenses

There are two different versions of the H6D. The H6D 50c sports a 50MP sensor and retails for $25995. The 100c has, as you probably guessed, a 100MP sensor and has an MSRP of $32995.

Tags: hands-on, hasselblad

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Oldest first

Mistercohen

Is Hassy criticism due to jealousy of few people not been able to afford it? Please note it is a tax deductible expense. Yes it is expensive but the H5D-50c has had a drop in price. I own a Nikon D750 and for me the Nikon is enough for the pictures that I take. With Nikon I had to adjust the focus of the lenses with LensAlign, But for most of the rest of the lenses the quality is just not there. The Hasselblad lenses are just expectacular and the lenses are more important than the Camera. So when you buy a Hassy, you buy a whole system. Regardless of whether one can afford it, we can acknowledge that we all would want one. Also the new improvements are great like faster shutter speed at 1/2000 with sync speed. I know you can take pictures with flash at speed easily to 1/10,000 but having sync at 1/2000 is great too. In the end it is not as much a question of need (sure few people will need one) but a question of how badly you want one. In my case: I do want one.....

1 month agopermalink

Joshua88

Aha, it is really sharp!!
And will be cool to go with my FEELWORLD FW759.
http://www.feelworld.cn/ShowInfo.aspx?id=308&py=7-IPS-Ultra-thin-Design-1280x800-HDMI-HD-On-Camera-Field-Monitor-with-Peaking-Focus-FW759

4 weeks agopermalink

kusal

I'm using a FUJI GX617 for a decade for capturing university large groups around 400 to 600 participants. I need to go for a digital option. Would this 100MP camera be a solution for this?

1 month agopermalink

Morpho Hunter

May be.. but wait for the (minimum 80MP) Olympus OMD-1 mark II ....to be launched later this year, i.e.
http://www.43rumors.com/

(scroll down)

1 month agopermalink

andymuns

Medium Format is defined as a film or sensor that is larger the 35 mm format (full frame) ( 24×36 mm) and smaller than 4 inches x 5 inches (101.6mm x 127mm) There is no such thing as full frame Medium format.

1 month agopermalink

RingoMan

I am laughing at all those people trying to define professional versus amateur cameras. In the beginning I was shooting serious advertising with a 3mp camera! Yes, a Nikon 990. It was a poor tiny lens and it had bad chroma as well as barrel distortion. I found a program to correct for both. My tiny 9 mb ROB files were regarded as useless by most magazine art directors so I started to upside them to 100 mb. Never had them reject any of my images ever again. With professional skills, equipment becomes a tool. Some tools are better suited to a job then others. I am sure the average sports shooter has no use of a hassy. I am also sure that 100mp images are the Sinar 4x5 images of the past. Cartier Bresson chose 35 mm at a time that film was still 6x9 minimum. This camera fills a gap and nobody cares how much it costs if the clients like the images.

2 months agopermalink

En Trance

People who attack MEGA PIXELS have AGENDA. Great that Big H is leading the way with 100 MP. "Cropping" is enough reason to desire high MP ratings. But approaching perfect resolution should be everyone's objective.

These Keyboard Fools that attack MP really need to drop it already. When an argument has no logic, it is simply DRIBBLE.

Oh, My FAX machine can only print 50 Dpi, I can't see the difference between 10MP and 24MP, I have been shooting with 8MP since 1862, My lens can't "RESOLVE" 11MP, ..., Sad SACK.

2 months agopermalink

tabloid

I used to use Hasselblad (with film) for many years. Calendar companies would only use 6x6 cm trannies (for what i did). They didn't like 35mm even at 50ASA.
The only problem was that the shutter was built int the lens....and quite often stopped working.

This new digital 'blad is amazing....but most professional high end photographers would simply hire the camera if the client wanted it.

2 months agopermalink

Gavril Margittai

Most people make fun of it and think the extra cost does not buy anything extra. Just a waste of money.
Nobody would comment so negatively about an owner operator driver buying himself a more comfortable 18 wheeler truck with better suspension and a more luxurious cabin. In the end the driver spends half his life inside the truck. So is $30k wisely spent on the truck but not on the camera?
When it comes to business $30k is not a large amount of money.
A days worth of shooting with a large team and famous models can easily cost more.
This camera is not for the weekend shooter. This is a business expense.

2 months agopermalink

Meza

Buen dia. Es impresionante esta camara y como un producto profesional esta hecho para un mercado especifico como lo es el estudio.
Me imagino el detalle y la nitidez de sus lentes. Ya quisiera una para tomar las fotos de los museos del Vaticano y obtener la maxima calidad posible que esas obras de arte tan valiosas se merecen.

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

me wanteth zith but daddy's long been gone (while never was this rich in the first place!) and am a poor daddy now myself, so ... ;-)

2 months agopermalink

JackM

It would take 138.24 mp to print 4'x6' at 200ppi

2 months agopermalink

Hasa

100 Mpix for what use? Well, why do people buy a car that is twice (or more times) as expensive as what as a minimum serves to bring them from "A" to "B"? I just uploaded an example of a 136 Mpix image of Queribus castle to my gallery. Most people would be quite happy with an image from a phone on a selfie stick. I am only happy if I manage to stitch (almost good stitch) a bunch of fish eye images to create an image that is NOT already out there on google maps among the 200 uploaded for Queribus

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

your point is perfectly well stated Hasa (Hasselblad basher?) but you're not mixing apples and oranges here, you're simply mashing pineapples with coconuts, which will result in a juicy drink nobody'd like to pay even 5¢ for much less $5 in a fancy restaurant in Hawaii! ;-)

to make it shorter as well as clearer:

try taking a highly precise and extremely fine detailed product shot of a camera or lens intended for a Hasselblad or Sony (or even a smartphone) catalog using the method you just explained in capturing that image of the Queribus castle and see if you can sell it to any of the mentioned companies' marketing division ...

`nough said ...

2 months agopermalink

Hasa

Yihah (fruit farmer?) here we go: recommendations for images destined for my printer (nominal 1440 dpi printer) is 360 Dpi. The printer has to dither the colors so there would be no difference in print quality submitting a 360 Dpi color image or say a 1440 Dpi image to the printer. On the web a quick search of catalog makers reveals "minimum 300 Dpi", sometimes 350 or 400 Dpi. So why would I stitch images for a product catalog when the native D800 images print ~20 inches wide @ 360 Dpi? Camera body shots in the D500 brochure do not fill the entire page. The only full-page images in the current Nikon D500 brochure were shot with? Make 1 guess - and it was not the 'blad :-)

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

yes, you're -again- right, but only somewhat! :)

there are prints, and then there are "prints" ...

and now that you're so knowledgeable in the print department, i'm sure you also know the very fact that (in both film as well as digital photography) the larger the print to be viewed from a longer distance, the less 'sharp and detailed' it has to be! for example, billboards are done using 72ppi or even lower image files, while a catalog in hand cannot be done that way really ... yes, they can be made using 72ppi 'final' image files too, but the original image has to be taken in much higher depth ... (in such small print cases, the resolution wouldn't matter that as much really although higher is better but color depth and DR are very important, even for the super large prints ...)

and sorry, i don't care what camera was used in making the brochure shots of the catalog you just mentioned! it may as well have been a smartphone or a latest model Canon 50MP garbage "Vlad" camera ... :D

2 months agopermalink

Hasa

Yes I know, everybody here knows, so stop fussing about it. Many old geezers like me made poster prints in the 90'ies on a ~3 feet wide roll , HP printer. My posters contained photos, graphics and text. The text and graphics was vector-based, so it printed without any jaggies. Only the photos were bitmapped. Composition was done in Corel Draw. I helped my colleaques make posters as well. The drafts department used Adobe products on Apple, but my department only had money for Corel Draw and PCs and my boss insisted we do our posters ourselves. Corel Draw could in fact import CGM files from the mainframe so I converted CGM to postscript for both the drafts department and my colleagues. So yeah, back then I was the go-to guy when people got stuck importing a graphics file format. But for the last 15 years I work entirely within IT: quality assurance and production load simulation. So I expect to be far behind in knowledge of current printing processes. I buy 60x90 cm prints for my use.

1 month agopermalink

dprived prev

Corel Draw, a really fine program neglected for stupid reasons and overshadowed by Photoshop! of course PS is great too but its dominance in the market is a little bit unfair and overhyped, just like Windows is ... CD still sells well enough though ...

but still i don't quite get your point here?! i can go on telling you about my old times background experience "doing miracles" for myself, my clients and my colleagues or boss too ... so what? i once instructed people twice my age in a technical drawings class because my tutor (also twice my age) sent them to me: "Go ask him!" when he was busy instructing others 1O1 ;-) and i'm mostly into IT for the last couple of decades too ...

no, you're not so far behind in the print department as far as i can tell but printing is not my main area of activity these days either ... i'm just interested and i do most of my printing in small to medium size myself, including business cards and fliers i have designed myself to promote my business ...

1 month ago*permalink

jaygeephoto

Does anyone here understand the difference between high end professional equipment meant to do the heavy lifting and all the other stuff? It's not all about speed and megapixel counts or any of that; it's like comparing sports cars to trucks. If there was a story here about a Sinar or Linfof half the people here would be deriding them for not having neck strap lugs or a built in flash.

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

It *IS* about speed (focus, buffer, how fast it can write to the card FPS, and general interface speed) and it is darn sure about megapixels! All of that stuff *IS* a part of professional "heavy lifting". The reason it wasn't before is because MF cameras were so horribly poor at anything other than focusing with the center point (because there was only one focus point) and dealing with horrible mirror slap and all the other stuff that came with shooting MF.

Technology is such that today, professionals and amateurs alike should expect nikon/canon like features such as multiple focus points, high iso capability, more than 1.x fps, fast menus, better LCD/screen, better battery life and ergonomics, dampened mirror action, better shock & weather resistance, optional stabilized lenses, etc.. We're talking about cameras that are commonly hand-held. Sinar/Linhof are not.

MF to LF today, is what Canon/Nikon was to MF in 2010. LF film is about to become outmoded by MF sensor tech.

2 months agopermalink

jaygeephoto

You make some excellent points. I'm not so sure that mirror/slap.camera vibration matter all that much to fashion photographers or product photographers working with high speed professional strobe equipment . Or even the landscape photographer that is on a tripod with a cable release and the mirror locked up. Other than sports or nature photography I'm old fashioned; I like turning the focus barrel myself. Film vs digital is a whole other debate however. Film has found it's niche as a fine art medium just the same as artist's brushes and paints. Filmmakers seem to still prefer it though.

2 months ago*permalink

Teila Day

I'm thinking maintenance. Mirror slap as it supposedly relates to image quality isn't worth mentioning from a practical standpoint. When you think of a 500 series Hasselblad going KAp-BLAnc! (lovely sound) it makes one wonder if all the mirror re-alignment/re-shimming issues & maintenance requirements may have been kept at bay with a modern designed mirror box that minimize the mirror's banging action. I think a highly modernized, (but made for heavy-duty usage) version of the 503CW for example; metering, H lens mount, fixed 50mp CMOS, etc., for $10k; would sell like hot cakes today.

I agree; there's nothing like turning the focus ring on a well designed lens. I fancy a heavy, all-metal, smooth-as-silk focus ring on Zeiss lenses. Most other lenses feel like they came from a K-Mart "Blue Light Special" bin in comparison.

Film: I think filmmakers prefer it because until relatively recent, there wasn't anything to rival film's qualities?

I'm just glad we have *options* today! :)

2 months ago*permalink

jaygeephoto

Cinematographers and photographers like the film look and "feel". I do sometimes miss shooting with my old 500C loaded with Ilford Pan-F; the results were sublime.

2 months agopermalink

avicenanw

I find it hard to imagine a Hasselblad without a wooden hand grip.

2 months agopermalink

Revenant

Ironic that Hasselblad should come to be associated with a pimped-up Sony camera. What were they (both Hasselblad and Sony) thinking?

2 months agopermalink

MarcMedios

You are probably a baby!!!! Those of us older than the mountains remember a sturdy box, with a crank on the side, a top viewfinder and a weird knob on the side of the lens for focusing

2 months agopermalink

iShootWideOpen

You're thinking Pentax 67.

2 months agopermalink

MarcMedios

Nope. The Pentax 67 looked like a regular SLR only bigger.

4 weeks agopermalink

miles green

Is the yellow shutter button somehow related to the well-known red dot?
I hope Pentax's green button doesn't cause any crazy coloured-dot-price-syndrome. ;)

(ok, ok, i'm just kidding, i'm jealous, and i even like the yellow dot)

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

it's an *orange* dot not "yellow" my friend!
and i'm jealous too! ;-)

2 months agopermalink

tabloid

Moving away from all the silly comments that one gets here.

This Hasselblad camera is used for high end photography, pictures being used in in the likes of advertizing posters, shown on billboards etc etc.
Most professional photographer would hire the camera for the duration of the commissioned shoot and then bill the client (just like they do in the movie business)

Now all you gentlemen who use 1" censors to photograph the budgie.... in my views that 1" sensor is still a over kill for what you need.

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

you're right in everything you said ... and even though some huge billboard size prints can be made using cameras with much smaller sensors too, there are however cases of regular size product shots or other imagery used in catalogs, books, magazines and posters etc that cannot be done by even full frame size sensors ... that is when medium format and larger size films or sensors come into action ... even there and then though, not all photographers and studios will be able to tackle the job btw even if they use a camera like this! working with higher end equipment requires more experienced photographers and image editor professionals too!

2 months agopermalink

tabloid

Again I suspect that the camera is simply hired for the duration of the shoot.

2 months agopermalink

Zigmont

I bet if I used this to take photos I'd get more Facebook likes.

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

although majority of those viewing the image you post there would barely notice the difference between a shot taken by this camera and one taken using a smartphone! ;-) Facebook reduces the quality of uploaded images to a large extent after all ...

2 months agopermalink

fossilized light

When are we EVER going to see a review of these beasts from Pentax, Hassy, Phase One compared to the 50MP DSLR's??

2 months agopermalink

SmilerGrogan

That would be very cool, sort of the camera equivalent of Lambo vs. Corvette. All in favor?

2 months agopermalink

rev32

About the time we see the full D810 review?

2 months agopermalink

Foxy2012

That would be an interesting article.

2 months agopermalink

AngularJS

Sweet camera and seems to be more affordable than a 100mpx Phase One.

2 months agopermalink

maxnimo

Even for the highest quality magazine center-spread this camera is overkill... so what's it used for? Astrophotography? Orbital spy camera?

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

General and fine art portraiture, fine art and fine art repro, macro, composites to be printed on tile/clay/glass (think Oce' flatbed printing), and, of course, the same type of stuff that an old view camera in the attic might be used for.

I'm not sure what the mystery is over 100mp (or even 200mp for that matter). People use large sheet film, but will wonder what's the use for 100 or so mp? 100mp just isn't *that* large. Neither is 200mp.

2 months agopermalink

rev32

Would love to see a comparison of the phase one vs the hasseblad. I loved my old 500 c/m film camera. So have an emotional attachment to the brand. But the phase one advertising campaign, sample shots and you tube videos have gotten my mouth watering...

But then I can't afford either so unless I win the lottery it's all academic interest... But the idea of mounting a show with such large and detailed images really has me wishing, wanting and hoping....

2 months ago*permalink

AlexCHStudio

where is a will there is a way! good luck! I am certain you will have it one day, you just need to be patient and wait a bit... :-)

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

many rich pros don't buy cameras of this caliber either! even in the film photography business, many pros didn't buy Hasselblad or similarly costly cameras and lenses and other highly pricey equipment either ... they rented / rent them ... of course renting is not so cheap or hassle free, but if one does have a client with a highly paying job, then renting is possible and probably a better solution than buying this type of toys ...

besides, there are ways to almost easily emulate higher resolution and more mega pixels, using almost any digital camera: take multiple shots of the same (preferably still) subject in both the X as well as Y directions and then stitch them together in post and there you have it! :)

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

i have seen really fine and noise-free large shots of the interior of a church for example, where the photographer took 50 shots using a 20MP image and reached resolutions of nearly 1GP (giga pixel) and more ... in fact, there is already an area of digital photography called just that: Gigapixels Photography ...

Hasselblad has another older model with a 50MP sensor, which can make images up to 200MP using a sensor-shift trick ...

2 months agopermalink

rev32

Thanks for the input.

2 months agopermalink

sean lee

Wow... 100MP.... Unbelievable...
But with that price, I can buy BMW or Audi...
I thought Leica was the most expensive camera...
Wow...

2 months agopermalink

plevyadophy

But unless you are a cab driver, courier or some such your car ain't gonna earn you any money plus thet car depreciates at an insane rate and attracts additional costs month on month year on year no matter how little you use it.

2 months agopermalink

Joseph S Wisniewski

Leica is the most expensive camera. Hasselblad has nothing in platinum, or with diamonds or ostrich skin.

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

Hassy already has another 50MP camera model, which can emulate a 200MP resolution image via pixel shifting technology, similar to the one used in certain Olympus and Pentax camera models ... in fact, Oly and Pentax got the idea from Hassy if i'm not mistaken ...

2 months agopermalink

Joseph S Wisniewski

You are mistaken. They got the idea from the same place Blad got it from, Creo Leaf.

2 months agopermalink

AlexCHStudio

Bravo Hasselblad! Your trade-in program is excellent! Old cameras are to be taken at a higher than market price - this is really generous! I am in and I am reaching for my wallet as I type this!

2 months agopermalink

En Trance

Price Prohibitive. I would generally be skeptical about such a jump in technology and the price multiplication of X25. Try an introductory price of $4,000.00 please. I guess that someone needs a $100,000.00 camera. Fully aware of the Big H pricing. Wish I had a professional reason to make such an investment. Must be a good life.

2 months agopermalink

En Trance

Sorry about the price reference....

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

The 100mp Hasselblad is noticeably better, and cheaper than the "large" backs of only a few years ago. Prices have fallen considerably. Not sure why you think an introductory price of $4k would be good for a company, when there's too many people willing to pay an intro price of $15k for a 100mp medium format (MF) camera and back combo... throw in the 100mm lens and the camera/back/lens combo would sell out quick if offered for $15k.

You can't buy a good wide angle lens (wider than 30mm) for less than $4k, let alone that being an intro price for the camera and back :)

2 months agopermalink

En Trance

Or maybe you could think like, "Why would anyone pay more than $15K for a 50MP camera, when better cameras are available under $5k"??? Depends on your perspective. I guess I will let others pay $30K for a Beta Version. Just me.

2 months agopermalink

DevelopEdit78

The "better cameras" you may have in mind have full-frame 35mm equivalent sensors, tops. The MF Hassy, at 4 x 5 or 6 x 7 inch or 6 x 6 cm and so on, is not in that category. But Pentax, Mamiya, Zenza Bronica, etc., do have offerings in this category that probably are lower-priced.

2 months ago*permalink

Teila Day

En Trance, I'd like to know what "better" cameras you're talking about. I doubt if I'd consider them "better" over the current 100mp Hasselblad offering for what I like shooting most. I can't think of camera costing $6k, let alone under $5k, that I'd consider "better" than this Hasselblad unless I'm going out to shoot action portraits-- then I'd rather grab a 1Dx. In less than 10 years from now though, MF cameras will be fast enough where action portraiture can easily be shot with the bigger sensor cameras.

2 months agopermalink

marcio_napoli

Hope no one takes it personally, but I find it a bit ironic that enthusiasts claim they need 42 - 50mp+ (whenever a new Canon, Nikon, Sony is released) for their hobbyist needs...

...But, when an equipment meant to be used by really high end pros shooting for Calvin Klein, Vogue, Vanity Fair, has 100mp, some people go "who needs that thing?".

Ironic much, isnt it?

I'd post a bit longer, but you get what I mean.

2 months agopermalink

AlexCHStudio

c-mon, don't pay attention on them, they are just loosers who crave to have such camera in their hands but would never have money for that..

2 months ago*permalink

iShootWideOpen

Believe it or not the vast majority of the 60-100MP backs are being used by wealthy enthusiasts shooting trees and grass, not spreads for Vogue and Vanity Fair.

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

Many people shoot 50 60, 80mp (and I would think 100mp backs now as well) for their own work, which probably pays a lot more in the long run than the "big" magazine gigs.

2 months agopermalink

stylinred

mags arent using these... have you ever seen a shoot? the photogs are using canons

2 months agopermalink

marcio_napoli

Yup, mostly they're using Canons indeed.

But the reason is because unless you're at some sort of national level (whatever your country is) or international level, you're not able to pay for a camera like this, and have to go with Canon or Nikon instead.

The way commercial and fashion photography is today (hint: a war zone), lots of pros are struggling.

But believe me, if most pros were making a decent living out of photography, I bet at least half of them would want to shoot editorials with Hasselblad or Phase One instead of their Canons.

BTW, I'm a retired fashion photographer as well. Things are tough for a lot of pros, but gotta trust me, they drool over MF cameras like these.

2 months agopermalink

En Trance

Sad to say, but most buy cameras to impress others. Even on the low end, this is embarrassingly unprofessional. I am not ashamed to say that at my struggling level, I buy Sony for high specs and high economy. When I see shooters taking pictures with their shiny new CANON and Their Dumb HOT SHOE CANON FLASH, wearing a CANON TEE SHIRT, I say to my self, "Sorry Doggy, Used to be Man's Best Friend"! So at the sight of a Big H shooter, stepping out of his Bentley, parked in front of his apartment complex, I go into a spell of uncontrolled vomiting.

2 months ago*permalink

AlexCHStudio

Uncontrolled vomiting could be a sign of a very serious mental illness. Consult urgently with your doctor! Ask him for pills against envy.

2 months agopermalink

spontaneousservices

Impressive... but what on earth do you do with 100 mp? Do you crop head shots out of a group portait?

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

Why do people keep asking that? People don't think anything of it when some old guy drags out a view camera, and takes photographs of rocks in a dry lake bed... but if the same guy takes out a 100mp medium format camera and does the same thing, now all the sudden it's "Wow... who needs all that detail?" ;)

Kinda like being "wowed' by a new pickup truck when there's monster dump trucks all over the place. 50mp doesn't quite give 20x30" at 300ppi file; 100mp is about 30x40". So basically we're talking about run of the mill large format sized prints that don't have to be uprezed... finally. We're not in Large Format camera territory yet, but the tech is getting there.

At this juncture we're no where near gobsmacked "huge" sizes. What we do have finally is enough resolution to print 20x30" and 30x40" with wiggle room to spare (resizing, cropping, tilt-to-straighten lines or horizon, etc.)

2 months ago*permalink

dprived prev

you wouldn't have said that even if you just knew what *professional* photography is all about, much less if you were a pro yourself!

take it this way: in a matter of less than a decade from now, sensors in these cameras may be capturing images in GP (giga pixels) vs the preset MP resolution race going on already, and even then it'd still be insufficient for certain high precision photography jobs ...

already, there are super large CCD sensors used in satellites for example, which capture images in billions of pixels instead of millions ... and that's because of demand, not for fun or competition!

2 months agopermalink

RingoMan

Reading some of the posts so here is my view on its looks. I don't mind that a hammer looks like ....... a hammer.

2 months agopermalink

RingoMan

Finally! Or maybe I should say "thank you" for honoring the serious wedding photographer with keeping flash sync speed this high! I do not think people realize that shooting wide open requires 1/1000 @ f:4.0 or even 1/2000 @ 2.8.
A good flash can easily provide fill at 20 to 30 feet! Expensive? Yes. So is your depreciating vehicle that cost you more and makes you no money at all! Think about it!

2 months agopermalink

Turlututu

Many people use their car everyday to go to their workplace and you need you to use your personal vehicle for some jobs.

2 months agopermalink

Roman_93

Hope it helps to bring down the Phase One price that is so much higher with the same Chip!?!

2 months agopermalink

6x9

Nice, but too expensive for me.
Waiting for the new 645D from Pentax. Rumors say that it is almost there :) Should be times cheaper.

2 months agopermalink

AngularJS

It will be a steal under $10k.

2 months agopermalink

6x9

I hope so. Still have a few FA 645 lenses bought at the end of the film era.

2 months agopermalink

dprived prev

a "new' 645*D* by Pentax?
ever heard of or seen test images by the 645*Z* that's been out for more than a year already?

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

Hopefully by 200mp (giving Large Format a really good run for its money) Pentax will have their head out-of-the sand, and will offer a system with better / leaf lenses. That said, Pentax rocked the MF world with the 645Z; which basically told other manufacturers to buck up, get off their behinds and make better systems or go out of business.

2 months agopermalink

LEGACYMOMENTSPHOTOGRAPHY

I'm sure it's a great tool, but looks like a old "digicam" from 2001 style wize. The old film medium formats film camera are beautiful. How about a new style?

2 months agopermalink

quiquae

H's been releasing "beautiful" cameras for the last few years if that is up your alley....

2 months agopermalink

Niko Tod

Megapixels, Pro's & Rock 'n' Roll...

2 months agopermalink

maximme

nowadays, they like "grounded up" this
and that...

This grounded up camera looks so yesterday.

2 months agopermalink

AlexCHStudio

These cameras are for retrogrades with huge bank accounts, so just skip Hasselblad stuff altogether. Get yourself a modern mirrorless and brag in FB.

2 months ago*permalink

AngularJS

Let's just say it's not for you :)

2 months agopermalink

Frank C.

this or the a6300...hmmm...

2 months agopermalink

AlexCHStudio

pss-psss.. A6300 sounds so much sexier than H6D-100c.. no brainer..

2 months agopermalink

AngularJS

Neither. An iPhone.

2 months agopermalink

tom1234567

This is for people whom are into photography
I keep seeing remarks that this camera is for professionals that's just not, true
It's for people with plenty of monies not nessary pro camera users
Ther are some very rich amateurs about whom will by
My point it's not just for PROFESSIONALS it's for anyone with monies that can afford it
If I as an amateur had the monies I would by maybe....?..
Tom G

2 months agopermalink

badi

Tom, if you have a hobby in digging tranches and you can afford buying some 1-200.000 John Deere tractor for your hobby, is perfect fine, but that does not mean that John Deere had hobby-use in mind when designing the machine. It's designed, built, marketed and priced for professional use.

Same here, the tool *IS* for professionals. It doesn't require you to be a professional to buy one, of course.

2 months agopermalink

ozturert

Can we just buy the sensor? No?

2 months agopermalink

RStyga

I understand it's a tool but, man, is this ugly or is this ugly?

2 months agopermalink

ColdViking

It's a thing of stunning beauty.

2 months agopermalink

RStyga

:-)

2 months agopermalink

Wild Light

I hope it sells well for Hasselblad. I can't help but feel Medium Format is doomed though.

2 months agopermalink

Conrad567

I have owned a couple of digital Hassys, and part of the problem has been Hasselblad. They were putting archaic sensors in their cameras and then charging $30k for the things. Low light was abysmal, and given that these need faster shutter speeds for any hand held work made them a real pain in the rear. It seems to me that most of us "professionals" decided to go FF 35, because Medium Format just wasn't a real option for location shooting. That is unless you have at least two assistants and a bunch of location lighting...in other words you do glamour. Price point and poor technology have been the death of MF! I hope this changes things, but it may be too late.

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

It WAS doomed until the larger CMOS sensors, etc.. People started using Nikons and Canons instead of buying MF gear because for a few years or more, the good reasons to shoot a CCD MF camera, over a Nikon or Canon were starting to be few. Not so today with great colour range (DR) and high iso capability.

On location, early in the morning or in low light inside a warehouse or home, using a CCD back was crummy unless you could stand using super slow shutter speeds, etc.. unrealistic with many clients. Today, you can shoot a 50mp MF camera with a CMOS at 12,500 iso, wonderful hand-hold'able shutter speeds, convert to grayscale, and print on canvas without worry.

Shooting on an old staircase in a dim ambient light? I can shoot a client w/no flash or just a 1/128 or 1/256 worth of flash for a little bit of "pop", at 1600 iso where before I had to have a much higher % of flash to ambient ratio.

**The CMOS changed everything and will offer large format film performance soon! :) **

2 months agopermalink

Conrad567

Well it is probably time for me to foray into the world of MF again...but truth is, my arms aren't as strong as they used to be! But I do miss the DOF and crop-ability of of the MF.

2 months agopermalink

Porky79

You surely mean the LACK of DOF?

2 months agopermalink

mgblack74

@Conrad567, the benefits of lifting weights is not limited to youth. Gravity resistant excercise has shown benefits from teens to 90's. The body is an amazing thing. Stress it, reasonably, and it gets stronger.

2 months agopermalink

ngollan

I hope they put some work into the overall feel of the device over the H5D, which feels somehow very cheap and "plasticky", creaking at the numerous burred seams all over the body. Just from picking one up, I did not feel confident that it would survive in a work environment.

2 months agopermalink

farhadvm

why everyone always kidding about new stuff ?

2 months agopermalink

bgbs

What's worse? Paying a criminal price for this camera, or taking off with one without paying for it?

2 months ago*permalink

Thematic

why?

2 months ago*permalink

brendon1000

Criminal price for this camera ? :P

Its not a luxury item like say a Leica. Its a professional tool and costs so much because it offers a sensor not available anywhere.

For demanding professionals at the top of their game its what they need to get the best IQ possible at this point in time.

2 months agopermalink

Giklab

Surely the 50MP model must use a similar/identical sensor as the 645Z?
The 100MP one does have that going for it though.

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

Giklab.. While the Pentax uses the same sensor, it's more than that which comes into play such as (1) each manufacturer's own "recipe" so-to-speak that's baked into the raw files before you even start to do your processing. (2) the processing software available (e.g. Lightroom isn't going to give you the same options as Capture One, etc.) (3) lenses and accessories, etc., that help create a whole medium format "system".... which Pentax (which doesn't even offer modern-day leaf shutter lenses yet-- which is in itself utterly ridiculous) is dismal on.

Would I likely go for a 100mp Pentax? Yes; even knowing the glaring limitations. However, if Hasselblad got its pricing better in order, they could snatch market share *easily* from both Pentax and phase like taking candy from a baby.

2 months agopermalink

Ayoh

Aesthetically this looks like it was designed in the early 1990's. The tacky gray rubber along with the embossed "H" on the lens really sums up the cheese

2 months agopermalink

bgbs

Yep, the design along should merit a discount on this camera.

2 months agopermalink

badbob42mk1

yeah, not worth it, with a camera looking this bad, how could it take good pics?

2 months agopermalink

Wild Light

It was designed in the 90's. I do not believe they wanted to keep it this way - just couldn't afford to re design it.

2 months ago*permalink

Conrad567

@ Wild Light...That is Hasselblad's haulmark. My Hassy from the eighties looked like it was designed in the 50's...oh wait... it was!

2 months agopermalink

dash2k8

If I had a hands-on experience with one of these, I'd plot with my friends to kill the power to the facility and make off with this camera. Nevermind that I'll be forced to live underground with a new identity for the rest of my life...

Seriously, if it's a lot better than the H3D I had in the past, I'd not hesitate to have my mates go to prison for me after we boost one (or ten) of these. Seriously.

2 months ago*permalink

CameraLabTester

Just when you thought cameras were getting smaller and pocketable...

Along comes a Lazarus to change your mindset and your biceps.

Huge is not dead. It was just hibernating.

2 months agopermalink

dash2k8

+1 for the humor, but these things will change your wallet more than your biceps. Not "that" heavy. ;)

2 months agopermalink

Conrad567

The camera may not be so heavy, but that zoom lens of their is a MONSTER.

2 months agopermalink

BobHartung

Would that be the 50-110mm zoom that you speak of?

2 months agopermalink

dash2k8

Keep in mind this is not a field camera, so weight isn't really an issue. You're not supposed to run around with this thing. Anyway, I'm one of those people who prefer heavier cameras for the stability.

2 months agopermalink

Conrad567

Yes the 50-110...I think it weighs like 6 pounds. I shoot mostly location portraiture, and like most location guys I like to walk around with my camera. The old Hassys were heavy but nothing like the digital ones of today.

2 months agopermalink

dynaxx

"access to all the principle settings " - wrong principle/principal

2 months agopermalink

TareqPhoto

If i will have only $20000 then i will buy H6D-100C, i only need this amount and i can buy H6D-100C immediately, but i know i am not a pro and i won't use the camera so i have to wait and just hold my current gear.

2 months agopermalink

AlexCHStudio

No, you won't. 20 000 is not enough for H6D-100c. It is not enough even for 50c model :-)

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

(chuckle) ... and we haven't even started talking about lenses yet. 3-5 lenses and basically in for another $20,000 ;)

2 months agopermalink

TareqPhoto

Sorry i didn't explain it good at all, i was meaning if i have $20000 then i will sell my H4D-60 or trade in, i think i will sell it minimum of $10000 but i really think this camera H4D-60 should give me at least $12000 for sale, then if i have $20000 as i said then i will have $32000, even if $10000 and $20000 then i can add more $2000 to get the body, lenses i already have lenses unless i need to buy new versions.

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

TareqPhoto, you better start looking at selling quick then because (1) the prices of new cameras are falling noticeably, and are further heavily discounted around the Christmas holiday season (2) Many buyers prefer the CMOS sensor (3) Those who aren't vested in Hasselblad "system" can get better performance from a brand newPentax 645Z at roughly half the price with multiple focus points as opposed to relying on "tru focus" to compensate for recomposition, etc..

(4) The H4D-60 tech is over 7 years old (no less of a wonderful capable camera however; don't get me wrong!"... it's just that he benefit of new vs. old when considering price, might compel one to buy "new" during the Christmas Holidays at a steep discount and enjoy the benefits of a new CMOS for relatively little more than a used H4D-60 selling for $12k. Something to think about.

I wouldn't sell it. I'd keep working the heck out of it! :)

2 months agopermalink

TareqPhoto

And again, i can't buy anything else unless i have $20000 first, and i said sell or trade in, if i can't sell the camera then simply the trade in program/plan is still applicable for a while, but sounds i will never have both so i think i will keep H4D-60 forever or much longer time.

2 months agopermalink

jpeghorror

After you buy this camera, you can tell people you live with your parents.

2 months agopermalink

Eugene232

no tilted screen for selfies??
in 2016??

2 months agopermalink

badbob42mk1

or food mode?

2 months agopermalink

hertz

i'll buy it if it has "post to instagram" feature

2 months agopermalink

dany weus

A camera for a pro shooter, fashion, advertising, etc.

2 months agopermalink

iAPX

I see it's not a camera for me, it's not probably a good replacement for a pocket mirrorless, or an action dslr. Some seems to find it "pricey", it surely is, but compared to what???

It's not pricey, it's under $100 per work day, or if you mind, with lenses and accessories largely under 10% of what a professional studio photographer will earn with it.

It's really pricey if you think about vacation's photographies, selfies, crush it while attached to a drone, compare it to a smartphone, if you want top put it on your car desk, or as a home-security camera. Do you really think it has been conceived for that?

2 months ago*permalink

FantasticMrFox

"Some seems to find it "pricey", it surely is, but compared to what???"

Compared to a Pentax 645Z, for example, which delivers the same image quality as the 50 MP back with (presumably) better AF in a rugged, high quality body at $7000.

2 months agopermalink

Photomonkey

The Hasselblad has a full line of leaf shutter lenses that make it profoundly more useful with strobe. As strobes are a ubiquitous part of commercial photographer's workflow this definitely trumps the admittedly excellent Pentax. It also has a number of features dedicated to its Phocus software that aid the photographer and, most importantly, their clients.

2 months ago*permalink

Thematic

+1 to photomonkey

2 months agopermalink

utphoto

The Pentax 645z, like prior film and digital Pentax 645s, is really aimed at the nature/landscape shooter. It has a faster fps capability than Hasselblad, higher maximum shutter speed, higher ISO capability, nearly a pound lighter, and it's highly intuitive to use. Pentax now makes some MF lenses with internal image stabilization. You can easily use the 645Z without a tripod. Use the right tool for the job. On a hike or backpack for landscape or nature shooting I wouldn't even consider the Hasselblad.

2 months agopermalink

Teila Day

Utphoto.. makes some good points. When I think of ruggedness, I darn sure don't think of today's Hasselblad. You don't gain much in the studio using the Hasselblad *if* you use the *priolite* strobes which allow the 645z to sync at speeds up to 1/4,000th; if strobe manufacturers knew what was good for them, they'd jump on that technology and better it- because modern strobe tech, all but eliminates the need for leaf shutter lenses to begin with.

I like the Pentax wide lens offering over Hasselblad. You can get a "stabilized" Pentax 28-45 f/4.5 lens and wonderful lens coatings for under $5k. Comparatively, you'd pay far more for the Hasselblad lenses that offer little to no gain in practical performance aside from leaf shutters.

Hasselblad HCD 24mm f/4.8: $6830?
Hasselblad HCD 28mm f/4.0: $5910?
"I don't think so!' on principle alone; the Pentax offering is just too close in performance for me to pay the premium and no better ROI.

2 months agopermalink

Photomonkey

Teila and Utphoto, I agree about the application of the Pentax. However the new Hasselblad lenses do have a max speed of 1/2000 which does not stink.

But the Hypersync of the Priolites are not perfect. Mark Kitaoka and a couple of others using them have reported uneven exposure with them and thus for more critical use that a critical client would demand would not work. The other problem with Hypersync is that it favors long duration flash thus demanding a specification that is in direct opposition to the desires of the market for short duration. HSS is a real kludge as the loss of power is so great one need thumping power to overcome that compromise.
I like focal plane shutters for a lot of reasons but the flash sync and the current workarounds are not one of them.

Pentax has a lot to offer and their lenses are appealing even if some are older designs. Their newer designs, while excellent, are no bargains though.

2 months ago*permalink

Teila Day

Photomonkey, I agree, long duration isn't perfect and is why I mentioned manufacturers (such as Broncolor, Profoto, etc.) jumping in on the tech to make it much better. Short flash (great for studio) doesn't give as many options as bettering the "long burn" technology, which allows for more options when shooting in ambient light at a much lower cost. Easier to get 3200ws over 1/2000th than trying to usher a full 3200ws from a pack in only 1/2000th seconds? Either way, the engineering today is miles ahead of yesteryear and I'm thankful for what we do have.
Short sync still wouldn't help the Pentax out in the ambient as the 1/125th shutter is just painfully slow... need a different shutter.

Kudos to Hasselblad; 1/2000th sync is spectacular; did Pentax get the memo yet? :)

2 months agopermalink

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