Advice needed... thinking of going from 8 to 50...

[PineapplePhoto]

Leaving my Canon 1D Mark IIn for the new H3DII-50: http://www.hasselbladusa.com/promotions/50-promotion.aspx

The H3DII-50 camera system produces the most detailed, highest resolution files available, providing:
300 MB files
More creative freedom when cropping and altering
Incredible enlargement potential
Less moiré
1 fps capture rate thanks to 4-channel read-out structure
ISO 50 to ISO 400
ISO 800 with Hasselblad’s Phocus software
Full access to all Hasselblad lenses

So what do you think? Anyone actually has got ~$60k to spend? :bow

[gus]

I think if you have 50 to spend on a camera... i dont think you would be asking in a forum.

Anyway i'll play. After the test i saw from marc ( i think it was marc :scratch ) i made my mind up that it was little or no better than a mkII or III.

[Richard]

So what do you think? Anyone actually has got ~$60k to spend? :bow

I suppose some pros need a camera like this, especially those whose company actually foots the bill. :wink If I had that kind of money to spend, I'd buy a 5D, some more glass and spend the rest on a trip around the world. But I sure would love to shoot with one for a few days.

What exactly are you doing that requires a camera of this quality?

[ziggy53]

While I love the direction that medium format digital is taking, if I were purchasing for a fine art application right now I would put my money into a scanning digital back for a 4x5 view camera.

[Moogle Pepper]

I suppose some pros need a camera like this, especially those whose company actually foots the bill. :wink If I had that kind of money to spend, I'd buy a 5D, some more glass and spend the rest on a trip around the world. But I sure would love to shoot with one for a few days.

What exactly are you doing that requires a camera of this quality?

Yeah I would do the same thing as you! $60k for a camera?! :huh

Of course I would love to shoot with it for a couple days, it just doesn't seem to be very relevant to my shooting habits.


Why would you have need of it? Shooting billboard ads?

[Cuong]

How about convincing the BorrowLenses people to buy it so we can each rent it for a few days? Even then the rental cost might still be more than what we can afford.

Cuong

[saurora]

I suppose some pros need a camera like this, especially those whose company actually foots the bill. :wink If I had that kind of money to spend, I'd buy a 5D, some more glass and spend the rest on a trip around the world. But I sure would love to shoot with one for a few days.

What exactly are you doing that requires a camera of this quality?


:thumb :thumb :thumb

[cmason]

:thumb :thumb :thumb

300MB Files!!? I would get 3 photos on my 1GB cards, 13 on my 4GB. I would need 30GB cards just for a normal shoot (100 shots)

Then to manage these: nevermind the computer needed to work with 300 GB files, but storage. I have over 10k images now...taking up 60GB. with the Blad, I would need 3TB (if my math is correct)

So sure the camera is pricey, but you need a Harddrive a week to keep it fed.:rofl

[claudermilk]

I'm with gus. If you have that kind of money to drop on a camera, you won't need to ask those of us who will probably never even see one much less use one. However, my 0.02 is I would lean towards the Mamiya/PhaseOne system as they are keeping things open. Hassy has turned their system into a closed one--you must get all Hassy gear or nothing with them now.

[swintonphoto]

I was an avid Hasselblad user prior to the digital revolution. I am and always will be convinced the zeiss lenses made for those cameras trump anything else made on the market. They are tack sharp. If I had the money, I wouldn't think twice about getting into the digial Hassy system. I truly believe you won't get better results anywhere.
If it was me I would invest in the 500 series simply because I prefer the square format over rectangles.

[moe]

I'm not a pro but I do computer and storage consulting work for a major pro studio and have discussed their camera choice many times. They exclusively use Hasselblad digital cameras. Their reasoning is that their clients expect them to be using the best of the best. However, these guys don't own their cameras. They're leased. At the rate of change in the market they cannot justify repurchasing $35k-$45k cameras ever year or two.

They just finished a shoot of some fancy sports car for a popular german auto manufacturer. The images they showed me were stunning and were destined to become large wall size ads.

These cameras are simply not practical for the average pro photographer. The images sizes alone require a significant investment in processing power and storage. These guys shoot tethered all day long and fill up a storage array in one shoot. Stupid amounts of storage are required and we're constantly fighting the limits of storage and storage performance with these guys. Eventually the physical space and environmental requirements for disk storage becomes an issue that your average studio is simply not equiped to handle.

[Photoskipper]

It should not be an issue to fork out 60K to pay for the body, if I go full time photography and get a contract of 200K a year.
File size is not a problem neither, just connect it direct to a Mac and 1T external HDD.

My problem will be the weight and the accessories. I cannot put it in my backpack and go wild. The lens are just too heavy. Also, with such nice camera body, I should get the best lighting, the most beautiful model and .............. etc.

So I need a big crew to carry it for me and a convoy of vehicle to follow for each of the project.

The big files and high resolution demand a professional software engineer to process the touch up and manage the final photo.

After paying for all these, I don't think it leaves any $$$$ for myself.

So better to go back to the bed and sleep again, cannot dream anymore.

[PineapplePhoto]

I am actually not buying one... I'd be happy with a 1D Mark III! :rolleyes

I am/was playing the devil's advocate :thumb

[silverstangs]

I can't afford that, but I have considered the Mamiya 645AFD with the ZD 22 Mega pixel Digital Back and the 80mm F/2.8 AF lens, which last time I checked was just under $10k...at $9999 which is ONLY $2149.05 more than the Canon EOS 1Ds-Mark III which cost $7,849.95.

:deal :deal :deal :deal

[gryphonslair99]

I shoot sports so it didn't look too appealing to me until I spoke to Canon.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/4079/hassycanonxw5.jpg

Now I'm good to go for this season on the sidelines. Bet the SI guys don't have one. :D :rofl :D

[flyingdutchie]

A new hasselblad will come out. About 50MPixel or so:
http://www.hasselblad.se/products/h-system/h3dii-50.aspx

http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/hasselblad-h3dii-50-digital-camera.jpg

Should i buy it or not :D ?

The 39MPixel version is about $35,000... can just imagine what this new one'll cost :dunno
... Close to a year's salary.

MOD EDIT: merged into earlier thread on the same topic.

[Art Scott]

MP wise it is impressive......but with Hassy.....It is Hassy or nothing...meaning Hassy has always been the proprietary system in the world.....so if you buy into Hassy then you are stuck and cannot go by a sigma or tamron or tokina lens.....not even Kiev Lenses will work or practica...nothing and unless you have the clientele that is demanding the use of a Hassy well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Personally I just cannot see it.....if they had at least made the system to accept Phase one or other backs then it might be worth it.....but not as it is.......Hassy has always been a prestige thing..........You give up a lot just moving to Medium format..........let alone moving to Hassy.........Could I ever be talked into shooting one????..............Sure as long as IDID NOT HAVE TO PURCAHSE IT!!!:D..............but I will stick with 35MM designed cameras and if I need a whopper of a file I can run it thru Genuine Fractals and accomplish that.......I would be more apt to purcahse a 4x5 toyo or Peter Gowland pocket 4x5 and know I had choice of my backs (phase one or leaf and there maybe one or 2 others I am not familiar with:dunno).........but I never again want to locked into just one proprietary system again.......hence not using a mac either...............................Also way toooooo large for street photography

[swintonphoto]

Should i buy it or not :D ?

The 39MPixel version is about $35,000... can just imagine what this new one'll cost :dunno
... Close to a year's salary.

Well, since you're on the fence about it. Just buy two and send em my way.

[PineapplePhoto]

I'd rather go for something more "bling-y" :D

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HWn8kJHzL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

link here: http://www.amazon.com/Minox-DC1011-Digital-Optical-Diamonds/dp/B000LRIU3G/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1215650495&sr=1-6

[RogersDA]

While I love the direction that medium format digital is taking, if I were purchasing for a fine art application right now I would put my money into a scanning digital back for a 4x5 view camera.Why? Suggestions/Recommendations?

[Photoskipper]

A new hasselblad will come out. About 50MPixel or so:
http://www.hasselblad.se/products/h-system/h3dii-50.aspx



Should i buy it or not :D ?

The 39MPixel version is about $35,000... can just imagine what this new one'll cost :dunno
... Close to a year's salary.


Yes, I will go to the shop and get one today (just the brochure)

I don't like it because:
1. just too big
2. too heavy
3. Not many lens can go with it
4. I don't have a backpack suitable for it
5. Too danger to take it out in front of fellow photographers.
6. My boss will question me where I get the money
7. My wife will kill me
8. Most important is I don't have place to hide it.

So i have tons of reason not buying. Sorry.:deal

[flyingdutchie]

Yes, I will go to the shop and get one today (just the brochure)

I don't like it because:
1. just too big
2. too heavy
3. Not many lens can go with it
4. I don't have a backpack suitable for it
5. Too danger to take it out in front of fellow photographers.
6. My boss will question me where I get the money
7. My wife will kill me
8. Most important is I don't have place to hide it.

So i have tons of reason not buying. Sorry.:deal

I decided not to buy it either. Main reasons:
1. I like a roof over my head.
2. I like to eat
What good is it having this camera when sleeping under a bridge :D

[ziggy53]

Why? Suggestions/Recommendations?

I'm not by my home computer just now (which has my collected links of scanning digital backs) but from my research and according to how I would use the system the scanning digital backs would work with the existing 4x5 view camera and lenses that I own and have a better cost per captured pixel than any other system in current production.

The ultimate amount of detail is just staggering and you can view some samples at Better Light:

http://www.betterlight.com/fullRes_zoomifyLIST.html