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Growing concern over availability of XCD (older style) and New V lenses
- Thread starter Paul2660
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shopping mall summary?
darr
Well-known member
Thank you, Paul.
It is easy to write when I am inspired to do so.
I prefer focusing on our shared love for photography and the incredible tools that help us bring our creative visions to life.
At the heart of it all, it's about capturing moments and telling stories through our lenses.
I'd love to hear more about your photography journey and the memorable moments you've captured with your cameras.
darr
Well-known member
Doppler9000
Active member
Hasselblad is making compelling cameras with amazing colors. Surely we can have a separate discussion about managerial decision-making and not get emotional.
TechTalk goes on about how it besmirches the Hasselblad name to suggest that DJI has input on decision-making. He points to irrelevant distinctions to support his views. I was pointing out obvious flaws in his thinking, not criticizing Hasselblad. It is a tough market and companies need to do what they feel is best for them. I find it disingenuous, however, when people romanticize and misconstrue reality. YMMV.
Bill_Evans
Member
I made that very suggestion several pages ago and it was not well received, to say the least. This thread was about concerns over lens availability not corporate relationships and DJI bashing.
So I encourage your willingness to create a new discussion on DJI and Hasselblad relationship.
A very good and warm, heartfelt story. Thank you. And to the broader community - a few more of these more positive outlooks please!
Darr’s story is truly heartwarming. Thank you for the inspiration. I thought I would contribute to the Hasselblad story…
I am an engineer by profession (now retired) with photography as a hobby. Through the ‘70’s I used Pentax 35 mm cameras that my dad purchased for me. As the ‘80’s came about, I switched to Nikon. After several incidents with lenses and camera failures and learning more about photography, I became totally enamored with Hasselblad. Reading Ansel Adam’s books; “The Camera”, “The Negative”, “The Print” further drove my desire for a Hasselblad. My engineering background also made Hasselblad irresistible. In 1992 I was fortunate to have the funds to purchase a 500 CM , 80mm, A12 kit with “free” additional A12 back. My love affair with Hasselblad had officially begun. My Hasselblad went on many adventures with my wife and I, including a swim in the Merced River in Yosemite (it recovered nicely). Over a 10+ year period my collection grew and grew to include a 503CW (so excited to have the floating mirror!), lenses: 40 CF, 50 CF, 80 CF, 120 Cfi, 150 CF, 250 CF, 250 CF SuperAchromat, and 350 CF, and a FlexBody, XPan with 45 and 90 mm. I shot so many images with the Hasselblad, some hang on our walls and some in friends’ houses. Otherwise, they reside in storage to magically make an appearance. The Hasselblad also introduced us to Thomas Mangelsen in 2014 at Schwabacher Landing in the Grand Tetons. My son (then 18 years old) was shooting black and white with the Hasselblad which caused Mr. Mangelsen to approach us and discuss the beautiful morning light. An inspirational discussion with a magnificent photographer. An experience we’ll never forget. Brought about most likely by our Hasselblad.
I came upon a CFV16 that I used occasionally but shooting was minimal because I had adopted a Canon digital system (that also grew a lot). Then, the 907x/CFV50c II was introduced by Hasselblad. The Moon version introduced earlier was intriguing, but the 907x/CFV50c really caught my eye. I ordered the very day it was released. The excitement was palpable but was soon damped by a lens issue and ultimately the camera itself. The lens was purchased at B+H and replaced by them with no fanfare at all (replacement lens was received before the other was sent back). The camera had been ordered direct from Hasselblad. In the couple of trips back to Hasselblad, the 907x body was replaced, and the buttons on the CFV50c II were replaced (all of this I believe to be the result of being an early adopter). All of that was done in a timely manner by Hasselblad with no issues at all. That all occurred in 2020. Ever since, the digital Hasselblad has been awesome including in various weather conditions. Also, in my opinion, Hasselblad did an excellent marketing ploy via the 45p. I shot with the 503CW a lot with my stable of lenses as well as with the 907x/45p. I soon realized that the 45p was amazing and the older vintage lenses just didn’t quite compare. So, I went further into the XCD range (just as Hasselblad’s business plan may have intended, LOL) by purchasing the 30, 65, 90, and 135 w/1.7x. A nearly perfect system (I wish I had the 21mm – anyone have one??) that I enjoy shooting. And I can still go back to my 500 series system anytime I want. All of this started 32 years ago.
So, yes, I really like Hasselblad, I make no apologies for that. If the DJI/Hasselblad relationship had not come about in 2017, it is hard to say where Hasselblad would be today. So, Hasselblad may leverage DJI, or maybe DJI leverage Hasselblad, so be it. I enjoy the Hasselblad system. I make my purchases where I see fit. Sometimes from a dealer, other times direct from manufacturer. I have found that many camera stores in my area have closed over the past many years. Big box stores as well as the internet have had huge effects on business models. Times change, and so does business. If one does not remain flexible, then they run the risk of failure. It’s their choice. And I have mine, it continues to be Hasselblad – wherever I can find it. Thank you.
I am an engineer by profession (now retired) with photography as a hobby. Through the ‘70’s I used Pentax 35 mm cameras that my dad purchased for me. As the ‘80’s came about, I switched to Nikon. After several incidents with lenses and camera failures and learning more about photography, I became totally enamored with Hasselblad. Reading Ansel Adam’s books; “The Camera”, “The Negative”, “The Print” further drove my desire for a Hasselblad. My engineering background also made Hasselblad irresistible. In 1992 I was fortunate to have the funds to purchase a 500 CM , 80mm, A12 kit with “free” additional A12 back. My love affair with Hasselblad had officially begun. My Hasselblad went on many adventures with my wife and I, including a swim in the Merced River in Yosemite (it recovered nicely). Over a 10+ year period my collection grew and grew to include a 503CW (so excited to have the floating mirror!), lenses: 40 CF, 50 CF, 80 CF, 120 Cfi, 150 CF, 250 CF, 250 CF SuperAchromat, and 350 CF, and a FlexBody, XPan with 45 and 90 mm. I shot so many images with the Hasselblad, some hang on our walls and some in friends’ houses. Otherwise, they reside in storage to magically make an appearance. The Hasselblad also introduced us to Thomas Mangelsen in 2014 at Schwabacher Landing in the Grand Tetons. My son (then 18 years old) was shooting black and white with the Hasselblad which caused Mr. Mangelsen to approach us and discuss the beautiful morning light. An inspirational discussion with a magnificent photographer. An experience we’ll never forget. Brought about most likely by our Hasselblad.
I came upon a CFV16 that I used occasionally but shooting was minimal because I had adopted a Canon digital system (that also grew a lot). Then, the 907x/CFV50c II was introduced by Hasselblad. The Moon version introduced earlier was intriguing, but the 907x/CFV50c really caught my eye. I ordered the very day it was released. The excitement was palpable but was soon damped by a lens issue and ultimately the camera itself. The lens was purchased at B+H and replaced by them with no fanfare at all (replacement lens was received before the other was sent back). The camera had been ordered direct from Hasselblad. In the couple of trips back to Hasselblad, the 907x body was replaced, and the buttons on the CFV50c II were replaced (all of this I believe to be the result of being an early adopter). All of that was done in a timely manner by Hasselblad with no issues at all. That all occurred in 2020. Ever since, the digital Hasselblad has been awesome including in various weather conditions. Also, in my opinion, Hasselblad did an excellent marketing ploy via the 45p. I shot with the 503CW a lot with my stable of lenses as well as with the 907x/45p. I soon realized that the 45p was amazing and the older vintage lenses just didn’t quite compare. So, I went further into the XCD range (just as Hasselblad’s business plan may have intended, LOL) by purchasing the 30, 65, 90, and 135 w/1.7x. A nearly perfect system (I wish I had the 21mm – anyone have one??) that I enjoy shooting. And I can still go back to my 500 series system anytime I want. All of this started 32 years ago.
So, yes, I really like Hasselblad, I make no apologies for that. If the DJI/Hasselblad relationship had not come about in 2017, it is hard to say where Hasselblad would be today. So, Hasselblad may leverage DJI, or maybe DJI leverage Hasselblad, so be it. I enjoy the Hasselblad system. I make my purchases where I see fit. Sometimes from a dealer, other times direct from manufacturer. I have found that many camera stores in my area have closed over the past many years. Big box stores as well as the internet have had huge effects on business models. Times change, and so does business. If one does not remain flexible, then they run the risk of failure. It’s their choice. And I have mine, it continues to be Hasselblad – wherever I can find it. Thank you.
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MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
My Hasselblad story is, perhaps, unusual. I never cared for the V cameras or lenses. The H series was too large and heavy. The Stellar was an embarrassment. The X1D came out and it was slow and ran hot.
Then I developed a health problem and could no longer carry a Leica S around. The X1D was half the weight, and the wider lenses were also much lighter than the Leica S, so I gave it a try. I never really enjoyed the system, but got many of my best images with it. I converted almost everything to B&W, so had no appreciation of Hasselblad's colors.
A year later, health recovered, and the Fuji GFX100 was out with IBIS. I found that anything over 40MP needed magnified manual focusing, but that was hard to use with the image jiggling around. IBIS fixed that, so I went to Fuji. Aside from the IBIS and the 250/4, I didn't enjoy the system. Even the GF 23mm, which is close to my favorite FoV, left me cold. I could never get a sky that looked right. Kvetch kvetch. I dusted off the Leica S (I never sold any of that system and probably never will) and went back to that.
Then the X2D came out with IBIS and I thought "It ticks all the boxes for the technology I want. Let's give it a try." Speed and IBIS made it a much friendlier experience. But how about the images? By this time, I had a Leica S3, so the MP difference wasn't that large (64 vs. 100) which is 80% linear resolution. I took both cameras out for a walk with my favorite lenses from each system. S 24 and XCD 21. I was astonished at the results. The keeper rate for both focus and camera shake were MUCH higher with the X2D, and the colors and "look" were almost identical. It was fall foliage season, so there were a lot of good landscape colors and blue sky. Bright reds were a bit brighter on the Leica, but reality was much closer to the Hasselblad. (Perhaps most importantly, the Soup keeper rate is vastly better with the X2D.)
Since that day, I've barely used the Leica. There are a few places where it still excels - the S 120/2.5 Macro is a lens with no equal among the medium format 120's. Hasselblad also has nothing like the S 24 - still my favorite lens this side of tech cams. And the S can use both focal plane and central shutter lenses. It's ironic that Hasselblad V lenses are much easier to use on a Leica than on a new Hasselblad.
Well, not heartwarming, but here we are.
Matt
Then I developed a health problem and could no longer carry a Leica S around. The X1D was half the weight, and the wider lenses were also much lighter than the Leica S, so I gave it a try. I never really enjoyed the system, but got many of my best images with it. I converted almost everything to B&W, so had no appreciation of Hasselblad's colors.
A year later, health recovered, and the Fuji GFX100 was out with IBIS. I found that anything over 40MP needed magnified manual focusing, but that was hard to use with the image jiggling around. IBIS fixed that, so I went to Fuji. Aside from the IBIS and the 250/4, I didn't enjoy the system. Even the GF 23mm, which is close to my favorite FoV, left me cold. I could never get a sky that looked right. Kvetch kvetch. I dusted off the Leica S (I never sold any of that system and probably never will) and went back to that.
Then the X2D came out with IBIS and I thought "It ticks all the boxes for the technology I want. Let's give it a try." Speed and IBIS made it a much friendlier experience. But how about the images? By this time, I had a Leica S3, so the MP difference wasn't that large (64 vs. 100) which is 80% linear resolution. I took both cameras out for a walk with my favorite lenses from each system. S 24 and XCD 21. I was astonished at the results. The keeper rate for both focus and camera shake were MUCH higher with the X2D, and the colors and "look" were almost identical. It was fall foliage season, so there were a lot of good landscape colors and blue sky. Bright reds were a bit brighter on the Leica, but reality was much closer to the Hasselblad. (Perhaps most importantly, the Soup keeper rate is vastly better with the X2D.)
Since that day, I've barely used the Leica. There are a few places where it still excels - the S 120/2.5 Macro is a lens with no equal among the medium format 120's. Hasselblad also has nothing like the S 24 - still my favorite lens this side of tech cams. And the S can use both focal plane and central shutter lenses. It's ironic that Hasselblad V lenses are much easier to use on a Leica than on a new Hasselblad.
Well, not heartwarming, but here we are.
Matt
We Hasselblad nerds always knew. On my wishlist!
Yes, please feel free to go ahead and start a separate thread about managerial decision making among medium format camera manufacturers. BTW, it is not TT that suggests that it besmirches Hasselblad's brand for DJI to have major input in decision making. The clear implication of your insistent comments and those of Mr. Spinnler about DJI's control over Hasseblad are not intended to enhance Hasseblad's image. Nobody here is fooled for a minute that this all about intellectual curiosity. Mr. Spinnler is all about "bespoke" and "curated" experiences. He wants to tear down Hasselblad's image as a prestige brand, by talking about DJI/Shenzen and Hasselblad flipping cameras at shopping malls next to Levi's stores.
And with that summary of what's really going on here, I am out.
Paul Spinnler
Well-known member
"Mr" Cubell ...
"Nobody is fooled for a minute" - lol. The train left the station a long time ago ... you seem to obsess over closed chapters and in the business of pummeling poor passed-on ponies ...
For the sake of a civil discussion would be great if you calmed down a little. Hope you are ok.
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Doppler9000
Active member
If you really want the conversation to end, why do you keep continuing it?
You are correct when you say that my comments are not intended to enhance the image of Hasselblad, but I can speak only for myself. The certitude with which you have made your other statements is misplaced, however.
If you feel that to discuss the current strategy, including selling direct to consumers both online, and in Apple-style stores in malls is “tearing down” Hasselblad’s reputation, then it is you who has the issue, given that this is, in fact, the new strategy. I dislike the diversion of sales away from retailers, but the degree to which this, and the retail storefront approach, affect Hasselblad’s prestige has nothing to do with me pointing it out. Pretending things are just like the old days is simply dishonest, it does nothing to change the current reality.
I have bought several Phase One Hasselblad back adapters from Capture Integration in anticipation of fabricating some cameras to work with the CFV 100C. I am looking forward to Hasselblad addressing the banding issue.
I also hope they address this issue. It's not the end of the world for me as I don't shoot wide that often but it would show that they listen and react to customer needs.
Best....
Victor B.
Please, we are not idiots. We all see right through these transparent efforts to tear down Hasselblad, with the crocodile tears about CI, when you give them zero business.
I would much prefer to end your hijacking of the thread, but I will not allow you to disguise what you are up to. No way. There is a consistent, OCD style history to these efforts to hijack every thread. Over and over and over again. It’s all there for anyone who looks. I call it out for what it is.
Start a new thread. Go over to DP Review where you will find a vast audience of fellow travelers. Start a Hasselblad hates page on Facebook. Be my guest.
I would much prefer to end your hijacking of the thread, but I will not allow you to disguise what you are up to. No way. There is a consistent, OCD style history to these efforts to hijack every thread. Over and over and over again. It’s all there for anyone who looks. I call it out for what it is.
Start a new thread. Go over to DP Review where you will find a vast audience of fellow travelers. Start a Hasselblad hates page on Facebook. Be my guest.
Doppler9000
Active member
I assume that’s a royal “we”?
Please just stop - you don’t know what you’re talking about.
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