If last year was unusually quiet for Hasselblad, all became apparent this lunchtime with the introduction of the latest generation H camera.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Swedish firm chose London (just around the corner from our office in Shoreditch in fact) for the global launch, explaining that it had been putting its recent investment into R&D while working flat out on the H6D. The camera has an all-new electronic platform, “designed from scratch” to handle a 100-megapixel sensor and HD video, and much else has been added to or improved. In addition, a new lens range was revealed, and further announcements are promised for later in the year (with the Photokina trade show in Cologne this September looking like the obvious venue to make them). The key message for today was that Hasselblad is back.
Meanwhile, the H6D goes on sale later this month in two versions, giving a choice of 50- or 100-megapixel resolutions, both delivered using a Sony-made CMOS sensor, the larger one being 53.4x40mm. The ergonomics of the H camera, and the viewfinder, have been left largely untouched – save for the addition of several new ports to one side and a smart three-inch 30fps touchscreen to access menus and images of the rear –but much else has been changed or improved.
There is now a wider range of shutter speeds, from 60 minutes to 1/2000s, depending on the lens. The native ISO range is 100 to 6400 on the H6D-50c, while the -100c extends to 12,800. The 100c also has a wider dynamic range, with 15 stops compared to the 50c’s 14.The larger sensor camera delivers 4K video, while the 50c is HD. In both, there are dual cards slots for CFast and SD (as well as a tethered shooting option), a USB 3.0 connector, wifi, a histogram read-out, 16-bit colour and a camera grip display.
The newly updated range of lenses, which have an orange marking to denote them from previous versions, support shutter speeds up to 1/2000s.
“We’re back on top of the photography pyramid,” claims Hasselblad CEO Perry Oosting (pictured above). “It’s fitting that we have returned to our pinnacle medium format camera to showcase the innovation and passion that have been present in every one of our first 75 years.”
The Hasselblad H6D is priced competitively at €22,900 +VAT for the 50c and €28,900 +VAT for the 100c, with trade-in options for existing Hasselblad owners, worth up to €11,400 for a H5D-50. Hasselblad is also tripling its warranty.
