The clock is ticking at HASSELBLAD

The clock is ticking at HASSELBLAD

12 months ago I wrote an open letter directly to the CEO of Hasselblad stating my concerns about the future of the company in regards to their product development over the last few years. As an architect and Hasselblad V-system user I find that Hasselblad is leaving V-system customers behind in the wake in favor of developing and supporting the now totally digital, integrated and closed H-system. Hasselblad’s CEO showed great courtesy by calling me on the phone from Denmark and explaining to me the benefits of their integrated and closed H-system which according to Hasselblad is the only way to achieve high-end results in digital imaging. The extremely small mechanical tolerances required by a high-end digital imaging chip can only be achieved by having in-house control of the entire manufacturing process including individual fine tuning of all digital backs to there respective bodies. This is Hasselblad’s position.

The other major player in the field of medium format digital photography namely Phase One + Leaf + Mamiya are committed to a completely different philosophy. Their high-end digital imaging system is open to various photographic combinations. They have proved without doubt that their open system delivers high-end digital image output. Professional photographers worldwide give witness to this on all the major photographic sites dealing with the discourse of high-end digital imaging.

So what is Hasselblad doing at this time when vast numbers of photographers are leaving the Hasselblad brand due to Hasselblad’s closed system approach and inability to listen carefully to customer requests and suggestions? At this time we have not yet seen any indication of new thinking or change of market strategy.

Look at what Red Digital Cinema is doing for it’s potential customers. They are building an open modular camera system to be configured by the user. Red’s research & development is user driven.

Hasselblad V-system users are left in the dust with their investments in high-end Zeiss glass. Hasselblad has a digital back with a crop factor for the V-system but there is no real commitment to this stellar camera. According to Hasselblad’s CEO the manufacturing cost of V-system components are way to high and that this is a major reason for the development of the H-system. The V-system is a 6x6 format. The H-system is a smaller 6x4.5 format. Is it really believable that Hasselblad cannot find a new more cost-effective V-system design? Phase One + Leaf are actually more committed to the V-system than Hasselblad itself.

On Monday, 1st February 2010, GMT+1, 18.00 hours, Hasselblad will post an announcement on their site.

What we can hope for is a Hasselblad rethink and release of a new V-system camera for the future. Why not also restart production of the ArcBody and develop this concept further?

The H-system HTS 1.5 tilt & shift adaptor is a real dud with major constraints such as a 1.5x focal length conversion factor. The H-system was a bad call and is a dead-end for serious photographers because of its lack of flexibility. Eventually it will probably be dropped from production.

Now is the time for Hasselblad to reinvent it’s glorious past. These are great times for photography, both analog and digital.

As this is being posted we have 3 days left of countdown on the Hasselblad site and the clock is ticking for Hasselblad.

Bo Malmlow, architect