Hasselblad CFV 1 Did I pay too much?

[fotografz]

"The passing of the V" sounds premature. Hasselblad still lists the 503CW in their line up and it is available from the Hasselblad store.

I don't think the need for AF is as big a factor as the suitability of the square format V to use 3:4 ratio digital backs with a crop factor coupled with a 40mm being the widest angle lens ... and the fact that you can't rotate the camera for portrait oriented shots when using a rectangle DB.

For film work, it is hard to beat, and remained my favorite film camera well into the MF digital era until it became to expensive to maintain so may different systems ... film being a luxury not a necessity to do the work at hand.

-Marc

 

[Mammy645]

"The passing of the V" sounds premature. Hasselblad still lists the 503CW in their line up and it is available from the Hasselblad store.

Pretty sure production stopped around 2008, whatever you can find now is old stock.

 

[Uaiomex]

Thank you Antonio for the warning. I'll wait and see.
Eduardo

Eduardo, Pacific Image is a different brand and that scanner has gotten really bad reviews, don't waste your money on it. The Plustek OpticFilm 120 has not yet been released but word is it will be out in July and it will be available in most parts of the world. There is a long thread about it over at photo.net, with input from an employee of Plustek, it seems they have very high ambitions with this scanner. Here's the link if you want to read it: Plustek OpticFilm 120 - Photo.net Digital Darkroom Forum

 

[fotografz]

Pretty sure production stopped around 2008, whatever you can find now is old stock.

All V cameras are discontinued except the 503CW ... which is the camera for the CFV backs. It may be that the production line has ceased, but the camera is yet to be officially discontinued ... not hard to find a new one either. B&H isn't one to hold onto stock for 4 years sitting on some shelf.

Hasselblad 503CW Camera Body (Chrome) 30 10243 B&H Photo Video

Trouble is, who would pay that price when so many mint used ones are available?

-Marc

 

[JorisV]

Trouble is, who would pay that price when so many mint used ones are available?
-Marc

Indeed, the film magazine is $1,067 new, the cheapest of the 4 still available lenses on the usa webstore $4,259, a grand total of $8,786 that is...

 

[Geoff]

Many of those prices are legacy prices, from back in the days when people would/could pay that amount for a carefully made and machined MF camera. While the world has changed, its hard for a manufacturer, distributor or vendor to drop the prices substantially when the model is no longer in the limelight. Thus, new models may sit on the shelves for a few years....

 

[bensonga]

I know of one person who was willing to pay the price for a new 503CW, but as he/she discovered, there aren't many who are willing to pay anywhere near that amount for a mint, used 503CW body.

I bought a 503CW black body with WL finder in like new condition recently for $750.

Unfortunately, the depreciation on my CFV-16II is pretty steep as well.....but since I have no plans to sell it, I guess that's a moot point.

Gary