Swedish Lunar Camera

Mr. Frank rang through to the shop this afternoon from Köln where he and Howard are attending Photokina. He asked me to tell you about the new Hasselblad cameras that will be coming.

The big workhorse of the HB stable is going to be the H-5D. It is a slightly reworked digital body that has larger controls, an sturdier construction, a new True-Focus II mechanism, improved waterproofing, and RAW and jpeg simultaneous recording. It will be available in 40 - 50 - and 60 megapixel versions, with prices to match. It will also be available as multi-shot.

The preliminary Photokina announcement re. delivery seems to set December in Europe for one version - I suspect it will be the first quarter of next year before we see it in Australia.

The other new Hasselblad is a camera that sees a cooperative venture with the Sony Corporation. It is a camera that has a great many features in common with the Sony NEX 7 but configured as a fashion designer item - larger, sleeker, more opulent. I see exotic hardwoods and leathers in the handgrip, a jewelled video button, and titanium construction. It is a mirrorless camera designed to exhibit luxury to the observers while exposing through a zoom lens onto an APSC-sized sensor.

Initial reports speculate that it will sell for the $ 6000+ mark in Europe and, no doubt, the Middle East and Asia. It has been dubbed the Lunar camera, possibly in memory of Hasselblad 500EL cameras that were used to photograph on the moon in the 1970's, though what this device has in common with the 6 x 6  medium format film camera is anyone's guess. Perhaps it is just nostalgic advertisement. Or a desire on the part of the makers to suggest that it has something to do with space.

No doubt we will know more when the travellers return. Saul says " Hey".