We don't foresee
too many tears being shed over this news, but the Hasselblad faithful will probably want to know that the tried and true
H2 product line has been nixed. Not surprisingly, the company reported that "demand simply no longer justified the dedicated manufacturing line required for its production," and that it would be shifting those resources to the
H3DII. On a more positive note, the outfit is introducing the H2F, which is being billed as a "greatly simplified film-only version of the H2," so those (still) sticking with film can look here to get their fix. Lastly, the firm reassured H1 / H2 owners that it would continue to support those products "for a minimum of 10 years from the date of purchase." So long, H2, it's been a good run.
[Via
CNET]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike Isler @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:29PM
You will see tears shed from professional photographers who shoot with the H1/H2 system and Phase One or Leaf backs... as the H3D and H3DII are not compatible with any digital back except those made by Hasselblad themselves. So, for those H1/H2 photographers out there (and there are MANY), don't let your cameras get destroyed or stolen... or you might be ponying up big bucks for a "new" used camera or a new $35,000 H3DII with Hass digital back.
Adam @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:58PM
ack, in my rss feed i saw "discontinues" and "h2"
i got so excited, then i saw this
greatslack @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:34PM
Ditto, I thought maybe GM had finally come to its senses.
prokanda @ Oct 24th 2007 12:49AM
HAHAHA.. no, my friend. the only times that GM could claim sense was when it discontinued the Aztec and shut down their needless Oldsmobile brand.
companies rarely make smart moves for anything other than money... and they make a boatload with the hummer brand.
Kris Payne @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:19PM
Awesome. Every job I do with the H2 will be replaced with the shittiest software known to man since leaf 10. The digital backs for the h3d's suck huge balls too. Why is hasselblad blindly going into this, my entire career is based of using hasselblad's with phase backs. Pull your heads out, Hassy. Your digital backs suck.
slam digital @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:42PM
This really does suck. I "guess" H2/Phase users can switch to Mamiya backs but really, the H1/H2 was the only bodies I used for the past 4 years with MF backs. Damn. I loved hassy and now they're getting all gready up in this biz. Though the H2 was a pretty overpriced fragile body with only decent glass. I hope hassy buys Phase One. The hassy backs stink
AoD @ Oct 26th 2007 7:53PM
I agree this sucks, all they are doing is 'closing' the H2 system by turning it into the H2F film only camera. Like the H3 is a closed system. Hasselblad sure are p*$$ing off more than a few customers by trying to force you to use their digital backs and software which I agree is crap. I think everyone will just move over to HY6 and forget Hasselblad in the future, the lenses are not even good anymore, they are fuji and nothing like the old zeiss.. whos the dork that's taken over this company in the past few years and is trying to run it into the ground?