Hasselblad intros 50 megapixel H3DII-50 MS with multishot
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted November 19th 2009 12:23PM
posted November 19th 2009 12:23PM
We know that some of you were holding off on last year's Hasselblad H3DII-50 camera. "Why spend upwards of thirty grand," you asked yourself as you patted your briefcase full of Euros, "if I'm going to be taking shots one at a time, like a sucker?" Then you lit another cigar with a $1,000 bill. But those days are behind you, dear reader, because the company has updated its medium format camera for multi-shot action. The new system can capture four consecutive shots by moving the sensor by one pixel between each shot, thereby recording full RGB values at each position. If you're not a current Hasselblad owner (and you're not) you can't take advantage of the trade-in / trade-up process, but you can shell out €23,000 (roughly $34,000) for the H3DII-50 MS. Hit up that read link for much more info.
@SewerShark Why? I'm a Steadicam operator, and each one of the cameras I'm tasked with are pushing 6 figures each, not to include a lens... I have no purpose for owning one, but I get to use rentals all the time. I shoot something every day with a little (somewhat) inexpensive camera I own, and that's just fine until I need to generate an income. Just not sure why one needs to own it.
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I'm afraid I'm going to lose or damage my 500$ dslr... let alone 34k... That being said I would love to play with one.
I'll take two of these please, and I'll have them delivered to my house in a limo by a tuxedo-wearing, white-glove butler.
Here's a comparison between film formats, the Nikon D3x and a Hasselblad 31MP. I think there's a D3 thrown in there too. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1021&thread=33463991&page=6
As you'll see, the 31MP renders all the rest of the formats, including the Nikon, irrevelent for ultimate detail-type of photography.
Does that include a lens?
Here's a comparison between the film formats, a D700, D3x and a Hasselblad 31MP. For those that say pixels aren't everything you'll probably want to take a look at this. A 50MP sensor would probably make the 31MP picture look blurry.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1021&thread=33463991&page=6
*swoon* Someday Hasselblad Some Day!
"not a current Hasselblad owner (and you're not)"?
How dare you J Flatley, Lol...
Why. I happen to have a Hasse 645 or is it a 6x7?
Hum, wonder how much I can get on a trade-up? ;^)...
Dyamn...
@peepeepants I know right...
Maybe I don't understand the difference, but aren't the lenses for the H series really slow? The fastest I could find on their website was 2.8 - I've been in plenty of situations where anything slower than 1.8 wasn't going to do the job. If you're only shooting in studio I guess it doesn't matter. Personally I need more options when it comes to lenses - if only so I can sell to others or have colleagues vet the lens before I use it.
@Nick Nelson
well, you should understand, that we are talking about a sensor that is way bigger than you can find in your FullFrame DSLR - about twice. So the fastest middle-format lenses are F2, and these are enough:)
@Nick Nelson
2.8 is not a speed, it is the minimum f-stop, which is the aperture, not the shutter. H lenses have a maximum shutter speed of 1/800th of a second. There is not much application for even that fast of a shutter speed though, unless you are trying to do stop motion for something very fast, like perhaps a bullet. H lenses are kind of slow in their autofocus though, but this is medium format, where previously all focus was manual. (Before the H1)
@Theorof
"The 100 mm is a fast lens" Quoting from hasselblad site. The speed is for the F-stop, cause H lenses don't have a shutter ring as in the V-system...
@Nick Nelson This is a studio, landscape, or architectural camera where you either have controlled lighting or will be on a tripod. Futhermore to use the multishot feature, you need to be on a tripod, tethered to a computer, and your subject cannot be moving (you can also use it untethered in single shot mode with a CF card like most cameras and still get 50MP images, the multi shot just produces extra sharp 50MP images.) It is not the camera you want for shooting handheld in a dimly lit bar.
"'Why spend upwards of thirty grand,' you asked yourself as you patted your briefcase full of Euros, 'if I'm going to be taking shots one at a time, like a sucker?' Then you lit another cigar with a $1,000 bill. "
Does anyone else picture Bender when they read this?
"If you're not a current Hasselblad owner (and you're not) you can't take advantage of the trade-in / trade-up process..."
Actually I am, but that price is just a little too steep for my liking. Besides I doubt they'll give me much for my old, but trusty, 500 C/M. ;)
Medium format is so much more fun than DSLRs.
"If you're not a current Hasselblad owner (and you're not)"
Actually I have an H3DII-39 MS sitting right next to me. And I think there's a 503CX sitting in a drawer somewhere around the studio.
These cameras are amazing in the studio or when working on a tripod. To use the Multi-Shot feature you must be on a tripod, tethered to a computer, and the subject must not move between the shots (living things won't work.) Without using multi-shot it's still a great 50MP camera that you can use with a CF card. Just keep in mind while you're drooling that it's not the camera to use in a dimly lit bar. This camera is best for work in a studio, architecture, or landscape work.