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Hasselblad's crazy 400-megapixel camera does have a purpose

For pro macro photographers or digital archivists, $48,000 is reasonable.

If you judge cameras by megapixels and dollar signs, then Hasselblad just introduced the ultimate model. The H6D-400c can shoot 400-megapixel photos and will cost you $48,000, the price of a well-equipped Tesla Model 3. It does so by combining up to six different exposures from its 100-megapixel, medium-format 53.4 X 40.0mm sensor in a process it calls "Multi Shot." Each image is shifted by a pixel, creating a much-higher resolution image, similar to how Pixel Shift works on Sony's A7R III mirrorless camera.

Photos are captured at a true 16-bit depth. You can either combine six images to create a higher-resolution 400-megapixel image (23,200 x 17,400, at 2.4GB in size), or create an enhanced 100-megapixel photo with more accurate colors. The images are snapped in rapid succession, but your subject needs to stay relatively still.

400 megapixels may seem like pixel-peeping overkill, but there is a point to this. For digital archivists who log art, insects and other specimens for museums, or macro photographers, more detail is always a better thing. As an example of that, Hasselblad shows just how far you can zoom in on an insect snapped by Göran Liljeberg, a macro photographer and Swedish Museum of Natural History committee member. Professional landscape, art or fashion photographers can also benefit from more resolution to aid in photo post-processing.

Hasselblad, not known for its technical prowess, finally caught up with other camera makers with the release of the X1D. The H6D-400C continues that trend, with USB 3.0 Type C for speedy data transfers, 30 fps live view, dual memory cards (CFast 2.0 and SD) and WiFi that, along with the Phocus Mobile iOS app, gives you speedy wireless studio image previews.

The H6D-400C can even do 4K video recording in Hasselblad's proprietary RAW video format. That would give your films an incredibly unique look, considering the depth of field and bokeh potential from a massive sensor. Just remember that the $48,000 price tag (£43,500) doesn't include any lenses.