New CEO

[fotografz]

They had an enormous lead in market position, but we have to go far back to find an enormous lead in MF equipment, and they never made the lenses themselves. Coming up with a camera that can regain the position the 500-Series had during its golden days requires technical skill as well as solid marketing competence. This will be interesting to follow.

IMO,

No, it takes an "enormous" market ... which existed in the "golden" film era because most all pros, including zillions of portrait and event photographers, used MF cameras rather than 35mm film cameras (or along with them) ... and by extension, anyone with the means to participate in the "prestige" of owning a professional level, finely crafted tool ... like the proverbial Engineer, Doctor or Dentist.

That market evaporated when most all media went digital, and 35mm digital debatably became competitive in imagery, and far more competitive in price for the professional photographer. Literally overnight, most wedding, event, and portrait photographers shed their MF cameras.

Face it, a vast amount of work, pro or amateur, can be done with a $3,000 digital camera verses a $30,000 camera ... with the latter depreciating at a ferocious rate.

That said, there are those willing to stretch for that extra bit of quality ... and IMO that defines "luxury" in this specific case, not "false bling luxury".

The word these marketers are missing is "prestige" ... pride of owning that finely crafted tool that stands way from the crowd. Not stand out not just because it is wrapped in a false imitation of luxury like a fashion item.

- Marc

 

[Chris Giles]

This is how it is, Hasselblad design and make the body (in Gothenborg), Hasselblad design the lenses and make the lens shutters. Fuji make the lenses to Hasselblad design.
I have posted a reply like this more times than I can remember in the forums but the old misunderstanding still won't die. Please, please can someone tell my why it is so hard to believe that Hasselblads are Swedish designed and made cameras. Japanese engineering is first rate but Hasselblad cameras don't look Japanese, don't feel Japanese and certainly aren't engineered in a Japanese way. I have spent my whole professional life repairing cameras and each nation has it's own style of design and build, you can tell the origin of a camera just by looking at the mechanism. It's probably the same as cars.

Apologies Doug, I really thought it was the other way around.

 

[RVB]

This is how it is, Hasselblad design and make the body (in Gothenborg), Hasselblad design the lenses and make the lens shutters. Fuji make the lenses to Hasselblad design.
I have posted a reply like this more times than I can remember in the forums but the old misunderstanding still won't die. Please, please can someone tell my why it is so hard to believe that Hasselblads are Swedish designed and made cameras. Japanese engineering is first rate but Hasselblad cameras don't look Japanese, don't feel Japanese and certainly aren't engineered in a Japanese way. I have spent my whole professional life repairing cameras and each nation has it's own style of design and build, you can tell the origin of a camera just by looking at the mechanism. It's probably the same as cars.

Per Nordlund is the optical engineer at Hasselblad.

 

[Ken_R]

I think the Leica S is brilliant in the sense that it works as a desirable luxury item but also as a VERY capable professional tool (even takes a bunch of lenses with factory adapters, yes including Hasselblad H's with full functionality including AF). Kudos to Leica.

So it proves that you can have both (Luxury and Performance) in one product.

So far PhaseOne is more about performance (no complaints there) and Hasselblad has been straddling both. Sorta. Id say they verge more towards performance but they also take care, somewhat, about looks and feel.

 

[torger]

Leica S is not marketed as a luxury product as far as I know. When I hear luxury I don't think generally high priced item. Luxury is more towards fashion and jewellry, and Leica has done that with the Leica M system, special editions Hermes bags etc, ie this thing:

Leica teases our wallets with $50,000 Edition Hermès M9-P, $1,000 scarf sold separately

There's no luxury about the H system, it's low volume high priced pro gear with too much plastic parts on it, but it does the job well. The luxury items are the Lunar and Stellar. Oh well, they did try with the silly Ferrari editions of the H system, but I don't know how well that worked out.

With a CEO coming from Vertu, and experience from Bulgari, Prada, Gucci, I don't think he's into creating "luxury image quality" or something about that, he's there for trying to create credible bling. I'd love to be proven wrong though.

It's only the CEO though, as far as I know the H team is about the same as it has been for a long time. Possibly the luxury will be on a separate product line as before and the H system continues to be the professional tool it is today.

 

[Ken_R]

I did not say the Leica S is marketed as a Luxury Item specifically. I said it works as such mainly thanks to the Leica Brand per se and the fact that the Leica S looks and feels great in hand. Yes, the Hasselblad H is more utilitarian looking (and feeling) but with the H5D Hasselblad improved the look and feel of the H body.

If tapping into the well heeled amateur and enthusiast market by marketing cameras as luxury items results in more money being funneled into improving the products themselves then Im all for it.

Yes, I, as most people here, find it appalling when a manufacturer makes cosmetic changes to a camera (or product) , rebrands it and sells it for 5-10x the price. (a la VERTU). Hopefully Hasselblad does not do that again, even though the New CEO appointment hints that that might happen, and instead focuses on improving marketing and advertising to financially improve the company to in turn technically advance the products.

 

[torger]

I'm not sure how well luxury sells to the enthusiast market. Maybe it's my prejudices but it seems to me like Hassy's attempt so far is more an aim for newly rich in the east where bling is more accepted.

Frankly I would feel like an idiot if I bought a Lunar. I would be ashamed. Just as I get insulted if someone calls my tech cam a "luxury" item -- it's all function. Enthusiasts are not necessarily rich but are prepared to spend a lot of their income on their favourite hobby. The tech cam landscape photographer embodies the enthusiast, but there are others too.

The CFV-50c is an enthusiast product, and it has sold well as far as I've heard. So aiming for enthusiasts could be a way forward too, but it would require a little bit different strategy I think.

 

[Douglas Fairbank]

Apologies Doug, I really thought it was the other way around.

No problem, I just wanted to set the record straight. I follow your work on Facebook, fantastic!

 

[cerett]

This is how it is, Hasselblad design and make the body (in Gothenborg), Hasselblad design the lenses and make the lens shutters. Fuji make the lenses to Hasselblad design.
I have posted a reply like this more times than I can remember in the forums but the old misunderstanding still won't die. Please, please can someone tell my why it is so hard to believe that Hasselblads are Swedish designed and made cameras. Japanese engineering is first rate but Hasselblad cameras don't look Japanese, don't feel Japanese and certainly aren't engineered in a Japanese way. I have spent my whole professional life repairing cameras and each nation has it's own style of design and build, you can tell the origin of a camera just by looking at the mechanism. It's probably the same as cars.

Thank you, thank you. This is really getting very tiresome.

 

[SHV]

"What? Fuji and Hasselblad collaborate on some things, but Hasselblad are most certainly not Fuji."
****
I would hope that HB would be bought by Fuji rather than continue to stumble along with changing "investment groups" and "marketing" CEOs. The introduction of the CFV50c is a hopeful move by HB but the company needs deep financial pockets and leadership if it is going to survive.

Steve

 

[Nick Devlin]

This story is just so ****ing sad. There are no other words.

No, not ****ing sad. "F U C K I N G sad."

 

[Andy Biggs]

In simple words, Hasselblad is ****ED.

 

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi Douglas,

Thanks for you input. Regarding the lens designs I got the impression that Hasselblad makes an initial design but Fuji refines it for production. So design work is shared. The info has been posted by the guy making the basic designs, Per Nordlund (?).

Thanks for being around and being helpful!

Best regards
Erik

This is how it is, Hasselblad design and make the body (in Gothenborg), Hasselblad design the lenses and make the lens shutters. Fuji make the lenses to Hasselblad design.
I have posted a reply like this more times than I can remember in the forums but the old misunderstanding still won't die. Please, please can someone tell my why it is so hard to believe that Hasselblads are Swedish designed and made cameras. Japanese engineering is first rate but Hasselblad cameras don't look Japanese, don't feel Japanese and certainly aren't engineered in a Japanese way. I have spent my whole professional life repairing cameras and each nation has it's own style of design and build, you can tell the origin of a camera just by looking at the mechanism. It's probably the same as cars.

 

[ErikKaffehr]

Re: New CEO (IMHO)

Well,

I would say that wee need to wait and see.

We don't know about Hasselblad financials, but if those blingy Sonys help the company survive, I guess it is OK.

I heard some presentation by Zeiss, they said that Zeiss is not a luxury brand. They try to offer excellent quality at a reasonable price. I don't know about the H-system, but the V-system is very utilitarian. No luxury, just a well design and decently built product.

Regarding the blingy Sonys, I would say that none of those original cameras were bad. The Lunarcy was just awful, while the Stellar had some more restraint. I have never seen the HV in real life, but it looks like a good implementation of the Sony Alpha SLT 99.

Best regards
Erik

 

[cerett]

This story is just so ****ing sad. There are no other words.

No, not ****ing sad. "F U C K I N G sad."

What's really sad is your language.

 

[Uaiomex]

Yet Hasselblad's classic V cameras still look way more luxurious than H and in my personal style of shooting more utilitarian than both.
Eduardo

I did not say the Leica S is marketed as a Luxury Item specifically. I said it works as such mainly thanks to the Leica Brand per se and the fact that the Leica S looks and feels great in hand. Yes, the Hasselblad H is more utilitarian looking (and feeling) but with the H5D Hasselblad improved the look and feel of the H body.

 

[fotografz]

I wonder if I read the same article as others here?

"Former CEO Ian Rawcliffe's focus was to enhance the company's operations and build a solid base. With this in place together with [incoming] Perry's extensive experience, the company now has the best foundation to successfully implement its long term strategy - based on its unique positioning and strength in its core product proposition."

While Hasselblad still needs to continue developing its base product in the H system, it just as urgently needs to better market what they have, and find new customers. Thus a marketing focus at the top IMO.

- Marc

 

[Uaiomex]

Well Andy, I'm not sure about that but certainly I felt exactly like that when Hasselblad came with H system instead of taking the V to the new millennium, like Leica and Nikon did.
I have felt like that every time Hasselblad missed to provide a digital back suited to work with the V's waist-level finder.
Every time they came with a new CFV back missing rotation of the back or a revolving sensor, I felt ****ED!

I thank God for Sony. Soon, I'm sure we'll have a compelling DMF substitute or better yet, DMF backs will finally and hopefully get reasonably affordable.
Eduardo

In simple words, Hasselblad is ****ED.

 

[Chris Giles]

I thank God for Sony. Soon, I'm sure we'll have a compelling DMF substitute or better yet, DMF backs will finally and hopefully get reasonably affordable.
Eduardo

Let's not forget Pentax as they went 'Oh by the way' with the Z :salute:

 

[Slixtiesix]

Well, to cite Mr. Oosting:

“It is an honour for me to accept this new role at Hasselblad and become an integral part of this iconic brand. This company has an incredible history and with its core DNA has a sound foundation for further development. The recent and widely acclaimed launch of our ‘back to the future’ CFV-50c CMOS back is a great example of our ongoing commitment to the total Hasselblad brand experience that enables customers to benefit from our advanced and exclusive digital engineering know-how.”

source: http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/fash...-expert-perry-oosting-becomes-hasselblad-ceo/

Sounds like they will stick to the development of further CFV solutions to me.
The rectangular backs (apart from CFV I and II) always distracted me as well. Hope they could bring something like a 4,5x4x5 sensor in the near future, though 5,5x5,5 would be the best but I don´t think that we will see that pretty soon. However, sensors are becoming cheaper every year. Mind what a 35mm full frame DSLR did cost 5 years ago and what you pay nowadays. Full frame 6x6 could come true somewhen.

Personally, I have great faith in Mr Oosting and hope he could become for Hasselblad what Mr Kaufmann has become for Leica. Good Luck!