What really makes me crazy, is to see a 90 % finished job with nice and thoughtful details, spoiled by marketing and a management decision to keep this closed system.
Hasselblad had gotten a lot of problems from this over the years, just remember their policy with the bodies and only lately opening them for Phase/leaf backs.
Sinar has pulverized nearly the whole company with this approach and on the other hand Sony and Leica now show how to do this differently.
arghhhhh.......Even I would have bought one did it have an FPS and we all could start working bringing this to little Cambo Actuses, Shift tilt adapters, Long teles and much much more............grmpfffff
:banghead:
While I understand your Point of View, I'm not sure I get your reasoning.
Hasselblad has primarily been a leaf-shutter system. That was, and remains, a key competitive positioning and their heritage. The Hasselblad FPS cameras weren't very successful because there was so many other choices (Pentax, Contax, Mamiya, Bronica), compared to leaf-shutter based choices. While Mamiya and Fuji made leaf-shutter based MF systems cameras, they did not have a FPS either, were primarily for studio, and other than rangefinders like the Mamiya 6/7, were not portable like a V camera nor did the RFs offer long lens options. We've never been able to slap competitive FPS lenses on a V camera … the most successful MF camera in history.
How does Sony and Leica show how to do this differently? How does one turn any Sony camera into a leaf-shutter system? How does Leica? The FPS SL purportedly will take Leica CS (Central Shutter) lenses, but they will NOT operate in leaf-shutter mode. The S system camera does have a FPS, but you cannot disable it when shooting in CS mode.
How much more would this camera have cost if it also had a FPS while still maintaining leaf-shutter ability with their existing H lenses? How much bigger would it have been? How much more complex?
If we look at what the technological future may bring some unknown years down the road, e-shutter may be viable on a sensor this large. Then the FPS would be obsolete, but the leaf-shutter won't be. However, that is the uncertain future and this is NOW. Now H users have a fantastic camera to supplement their H kit, or those for whom a Leaf-Shutter system is a must have (like me and a lot of my photo friends), it is here in a relatively tiny form!
I agree that it is 90% there, but not for the reasons you mention. Besides, 90% is a lot better than more 1st iterations of digital cameras.
I also think that IF there is a market for it, some enterprising MacGivver will invent solid state adapters to use some Leica CS lenses and maybe Schneider LS optics. I also wonder if the mechanical V to H adapter will work on this?
Personally, I'm way over adapting non-system legacy lenses to other cameras. I understand the fascination and creative opportunities but am more interested in streamlining my gear than having a vault full of stuff anymore.
I could see this camera with a native 30mm, native 45mm for reportage, an HC-100/2.2 for portraits, and the HC-210/4 for the long end. I'd be great if the 1.7X also worked.
- Marc