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6x6 digital film back? - why not?

Remember it's only a proofing back and it only has a resolution of 10 megapixels and a capture takes less than 30 secs. The owner is a still life photographer for the luxury goods industry and uses an 8x10 has his main cam. with that investment he intends to offset the loss of 8x10 polaroids - of which he used quite a few per 8x10 capture of which he made a few hundred per year .. - all to be read on the original blog post.

Still, it's got to be an awesome beast!
 
I may be wrong but I don't think they have ever built the sensors, I understood that they used 3rd party sensors from the start? Anyone know for sure?
 
Analog6 said:
I may be wrong but I don't think they have ever built the sensors, I understood that they used 3rd party sensors from the start? Anyone know for sure?
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Hasselblad uses Kodak sensors. Since Kodak is selling all their patents (or most of them) I'm wondering if they're going to remain in the sensor developing business.

There are other companies out there creating and selling sensors, but my whole thing is that if this one man can have a company make a 8x10 sensor, low resolution as it is, then there's no reason why one that's 2.25"x2.25" couldn't be created. The market may not be very high, but I'm sure there's a market for it nonetheless. Not all Hasselblad V-series, Bronicas, Rollei's have been thrown out or being used for scrap metal. If the price is right, I'm sure people will buy one.

The only other part of the equation is software. Someone would need to develop the software for the back too. Sigh.
 
I've asked the same question and all I get is it can't or won't be done. I waited as long as I could and finally bought a CFV39 back which I really love but I like square better for my work. I wouldn't think a 40 mp square back would be that much more than a 40 mp rectangular one.
 
Get over it..

Lets stop arguing: the V-series is no longer a viable professional tool worth investing tons of $$ in. At least that is HB's management view, and they are right. There are simply not enough pros willing to spend 10-thousands of $ in a V-series FF digiback to justify the investment of developing (well, have it developed & produced) FF square sensor.

Sad as that might be.

Wilko
 
There are many of us professionals out here that still feel our V system is what works best for our work. I considered the H system but it brought nothing to the table for my business that the V didn't do at least as well or better. I think there are plenty of other commercial photographers out here that feel their V system is still viable.
 
I must admit I felt very much the same until I bought a H1, I was very surprised at how well it was laid out and how it felt in the hand. The only thing I would like to see would be a proper WLF.

That's not to say though that I wouldn't like to see a 6x6 back of say 50MP. Would be out of my price range though.
 
DDudenbostel said:
There are many of us professionals out here that still feel our V system is what works best for our work. I considered the H system but it brought nothing to the table for my business that the V didn't do at least as well or better. I think there are plenty of other commercial photographers out here that feel their V system is still viable.
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The unfortunate thing for us is that, as was pointed out, Hasselblad doesn't care since they want "new" money in the H-system sales.
 
Have the V backs been discontinued?

I think it was a big move for a company like Hasselblad to design a system around a fifty year old camera and it work on virtually every camera after the 1000 and 1600. How many companies care enough about existing customers to do that.

I've been a commercial photographer for 44 years and used Hasselblad V cameras for a big part of those years. It's not that I don't want to learn new systems because I have since going digital thirteen years ago. I have a comfort factor with the V cameras and they're like a part of my body. I don't have to think when I use them. This goes a long way in a shoot allowing me to concentrate on my subject and not fiddling with a new camera. I know in time I would feel comfortable with an H system but again it brings nothing to my style of shooting that the the V cameras don't already provide. In fact the H system is less suitable for use on my Technikardan 23. The battery for the V back attaches directly on the bottom where as the H system requires an external battery and adapter. At least this is my understanding. My work is very structured and not fast moving where the H system would shine and when I do shoot faster work I have my Canon 1DsII system.
 
DDudenbostel said:
There are many of us professionals out here that still feel our V system is what works best for our work. I considered the H system but it brought nothing to the table for my business that the V didn't do at least as well or better. I think there are plenty of other commercial photographers out here that feel their V system is still viable.
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Yes, but that is not my point. The point is that HB does not feel that way. Just go and check what parts of the V system are still available new from the factory.
 
There never was anything inherently wrong with the V-system platform. What it needed was a range of auto-focus lenses for the 205, and then an evolution with digital backs to make a fully backwards-compatible digital system, able to utilise all the existing V-system finders, bellows, manual focus lenses, film backs and so on. It could have been done, but Hasselblad chose not to.

John
 
wbulte said:
Yes, but that is not my point. The point is that HB does not feel that way. Just go and check what parts of the V system are still available new from the factory.
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My point is they thought enough of their existing customers to allow us to update our existing equipment at minimal expense. They could have been like so many other companies and said screw the customer we'll make them buy all new equipment at $xx,xxx. We have a choice and if we want another lens or body as I did there's no shortage or premium quality used equipment at cheap prices. Thank you Hasselblad for thinking of your existing customer base.
 
DDudenbostel said:
My point is they thought enough of their existing customers to allow us to update our existing equipment at minimal expense. They could have been like so many other companies and said screw the customer we'll make them buy all new equipment at $xx,xxx. We have a choice and if we want another lens or body as I did there's no shortage or premium quality used equipment at cheap prices. Thank you Hasselblad for thinking of your existing customer base.
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You lost me. I don't see what HB has to do with the availability of *used* V-series equipment. I explicitly mentioned *new* kit for the V-series.

Mind you, V-series is lovely kit, and I do not plan parting with mine, ever.

But moving from V to H-series is/was a disruptive update, I do not count the V-lens adapter for the H-cameras as overly viable. Nicely built as it may be, mind you.

Wilko
 
wbulte said:
You lost me. I don't see what HB has to do with the availability of *used* V-series equipment. I explicitly mentioned *new* kit for the V-series.
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I think the whole idea is that Hasselblad hasn't entirely abandoned the V-series cameras by bringing out new digital backs that fit them. The backs, though relatively expensive for amateurs, is actually "cheap" if you look at the alternatives. For example, a 50MP CFV is $17,000, but the alternative 50MP H-series is $29,000.

My deal is that if they really wanted to give Hasselblad V-series users something to really cheer about they should make a full-frame 6x6 CFV sensor. Again, if a guy can make a 10MP 8"x10" sensor for about $500,000 then I'm sure Hasselblad can have Kodak make a 6cmx6cm sensor for a few more $$$. However, not knowing the cashflow of Hasselblad, that extra $$$ in R&D might be a make or break the company that only sells a few hundred or thousand H-series units a year. That's why some entrepreneur should step up and make one. As I said previously, the software will be the only real hurdle.
 
I'm sure the CWD was a marketing accident: The goal was to prove that no one use Haselblad V anymore but Hasselblad try to satisfied old users that may go later with Hasselblad H.

Gloups the demand for a CFV really existed. …so they sold CFV as it's easy to make it (most of composants allready exist for H production) and ok to earn monney for one or more years more.
At the same time, V production stopped as lenses and other accesories. To sell V lenses is not so interesting as it's Zeiss lens are made by zeiss and perhaps not a good deal.
The CFV-39 and CFV-50 exist now as senror are very expensive to produce for a restricted market so it's interesting to sell them even if V line is disconcidered for Hasselblad.
Leica had 3 lines: M, R and S. They killed R ligne. Hasselblad had 3 lines: V, Xpan and H. They killed Xpan line.
Let see next.
 
6x6 sensor

From what I remember, the Hubble Telescope is fitted with a 10x10 cm sensor ... so the thing happens to exist, but at what price. At least $100000 for the sensor. Remember that rectangular sensors are cut from round objects. The industry today is set to cut 4/3 ratio sensors, and not 6/6 ratios sensors ... unless one can pay a fortune for something that is way overdesigned ... my five cents worth of interpretation!
 
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