Breaking Hassleblad/Sony: "Lunar" mirrorless with sony E/A mount 5k EUR

[Jorgen Udvang]

2. Have a clueless management.

While the management at Hasselblad may not be clueless, they are in the very dangerous situation of having the same man as CEO and Chairman of the Board. One of the board's tasks is normally to control the CEO and provide constructive as well as critical input to the management. But who will control and, if necessary, sack the CEO when he's also the Chairman of the Board?

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

One must wonder how Fuji feels of this ??

I'm sure that relationship is purely business now, and possibly frozen solid. Fuji is not any longer selling the GX645 in Japan, and the obvious mirrorless opportunity for Hasselblad, the Fuji X Series, was apparently not on the agenda. The reason may of course be that Fuji wanted to keep the X-series for themselves, but somehow I doubt that is the reason. With a CEO at Hasselblad that has strong connections with Sony as well as Zeiss, it's easy to suspect a Swedish/German/Japanese "Ménage à trois" here. A simple Swedish/Japanese partnership may not have been exciting enough :sleep006:

 

[pophoto]

Beyond what has been discussed, I really feel Hasselblad has sold out by this collaboration and conforming to everything else that is already out there. Hasselblad makes MF cameras period, but no more. Kinda disgusted.

 

[Anders_HK]

My thought was of the H series lenses that are made by Fuji...

 

[Vivek]

http://www.hasselblad-lunar.com/index.php/news/hasselblad-lunar/

 

[Shashin]

The Hasselblad brand is a plus for those that recognize it. That is pros and advanced enthusiasts. The image of the brand with that group is very strong. These products are not going to match that image. These are also the group that will know these are really Sony cameras in disguise. And they look like toys.

The other group they can market to is those that don't know the brand. At that point you need to convince them that this is something better than what is out there. These are the buyer that know the big brands. These cameras look like toys and they will be expensive. Who will buy one?

Hasselblad looks desperate. Hopefully it is not too late and someone will wake up and turn this ship around.

 

[markymarkrb]

Well, that is just too bad. I was really thinking about getting rid of my IQ180 and 645DF if Hasselblad had come out with a FF XPAN today. They dropped the ball and didn't read the writing on the wall. Hopefully Fuji has seen it because the door is wide open for them to continue to challenge Leica and build us a digital TX-1! Please come through Fuji.

 

[MaxKißler]

You know, I already imagined that the pure essence of disappointment was heading our way, but this press release just totally hit it. What is wrong with Hasselblad? From a users perspective I have never liked Hasselblad cameras and I have tested both V and H. I have always liked the brand itself and respected the people shooting a Hasselblad.

You used to get what you pay for even in the plasticky days of the H. But nowadays? You pay for a name and get an inferior product that is in most cases not associated with that name. (inferior because you pay 500% for it) I think it's just sad and plain wrong strategy to sell out Hasselblads name. Maybe they will immedeately make a huge profit but in the long run decrease the value of the brand itself.

 

[Uaiomex]

The problem I see with the Lunatic Project is that the entire MF industry may be affected in their trust factor. I have problems getting into DMF not only because the high cost but also for the lack of real innovations which leads me to feel that my investment may be at jeopardy. (Many say it's not an "investment". Well, for me it is. Every time I buy anything non-perishable, to me it is an investment). I could afford a nice used DB (with some blood and tears, me not the DB) but everytime I plan for it, I fear killer new products from Canon, Nikon, Sony and Leica (after the M, Leica is in). I freeze.
Now, this silly Hasselblad new product only entrenches my fears (real or unfounded) about getting into DMF.
The only way to understand this Sony-Hasselblad venture is to believe that it is some sort of trial shacking. If things work, they will sign a pre-nup and Sony will produce a cmos MF sensor for Hasselblad. Other than that, WTF???!!!!
Eduardo

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

My thought was of the H series lenses that are made by Fuji...

I'm sure there is a contract that none of them can exit without considerable loss.

 

[MaxKißler]

An interesting thought that just came to my mind. Maybe 80% of the Lunatic profit goes directly to Sony and not to HB. All of this money is being spent on Sonys R&D expenses to develop an MF cmos sensor for Hasselblad? Well, probably not...

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

To me, the Hy6 looks like an increasingly interesting option. No Ferrari logos, no exotic lizard skin, just proper, German workmanship. With the current upgrade, I suspect they're in for a long time. Not in any grand or spectacular style, but as a photographer's tool. But they have to survive for a couple more years for me to afford it.

Or I could just buy a Sinar back for my beloved GX680

 

[Uaiomex]

Right. On the Hy6 or the Leica M's is where I would put my money.
Eduardo

To me, the Hy6 looks like an increasingly interesting option. No Ferrari logos, no exotic lizard skin, just proper, German workmanship. With the current upgrade, I suspect they're in for a long time. Not in any grand or spectacular style, but as a photographer's tool. But they have to survive for a couple more years for me to afford it.

Or I could just buy a Sinar back for my beloved GX680

 

[glenerrolrd]

VW Toureg - Porsche Cayenne ring any bells? Base model even used to share the same V6 engine (may still do).

I undertand exactly how they did this . New factory in Finland joint production of Porsche and VW products . Each brand retained control over key components e.g. engines . This is totally different that picking an existing car and changing the name plate . Many car manufactures share components or buy from the same suppliers . I can assure having drive both that the Tourberg and Porsche are quite different in final form .

Here is an example inside Leica ...the X2 ..which clearly uses major components from other producers verse the rebranding of the panasonic bodies .

What exactly is HB adding to the lunar ? They took a NEX body and added a wrapper and branding .

 

[Qamaro]

While I am having the same WTF reaction as most of you.

I must admit that I am seeing some things a little differently. Sony has wanted to be a bigger player for a while and they are doing that on the foundry / sensor side of the house. On the product end while they have the low end covered (NEX to RX), the mid-range covered (NEX - Alpha), they still don't have that killer high-end product (excl. A99). As most folks stated to spend the R&D dollars for any company to develop a high-end product takes lots of time and resources (both of which Sony has). History though shows that Sony, like a lot of other established players with resources, will commandeer a product line to shorten the window on that development (Minolta).

If you take into account Hasselblad's current CEO's business relationships and understand that most investment companies are looking to either remake their acquisitions to increase profitability or to look as an attractive investment for buyers. I see Sony and Hasselblad working on high-end versions as Sony getting Hasselblad's know-how and seeing if the teams can work successfully together (typically in my industry we call this a strategic-alliance). From Hasselblad's investors side I see it as them wanting a Sony acquisition.

This checks off the boxes nicely. Hasselblad gets bought and Sony gets its high-end line (the brand and staff essentially become a division of Sony - a la Porsche, Lambo, Bugatti is to VW). Consumers are already well prepared for this by the run of Hasselblad re-badges. So, Hasselblad brings its brand cache, plus its MF know how and Sony brings its $, manufacturing capability and senor tech. As you can see Sony is in the dominant position here but, they would get what they need to tackle the Canon / Nikon brands at the very top. Didn't Sony state they wanted to by #2 in this industry within short order (if I recall correctly)?

The flip side is if it doesn't work Sony still makes money!

Just my 2 cents, YMMV!

 

[Stefan Steib]

Whatever the Lunar is, but I have to admit there is a smart move too: this reunites Hasselblad and Zeiss Lenses on a camera. If this will lead to another MF output..... who knows....
But the downside is: this Alpha adapter already is ugly on a normal Nex 7 which is black. On the various Wood , leather, whatever versions of the lunar this looks like a cancer growing out of the mount of this "designwonder"....

You guys really should have seen the redgold/Crocodile leather version.....
hehehe..... I was really speechless. And this doesn´t happen all too often.......

here is a link- someone over in LL couldn´t resisit photographing it:
http://2.static.img-dpreview.com/files/news/8207632916/Lunar4.jpg?v=1584

Regards
Stefan

 

[Antonio Chagin]

The REAL import of this announcement is not the release of a grossly overpriced, rebadged Nex-7. It's the new relationship with Sony, which just may give Hasselblad access to technology for its professional level medium format line that it could not develop on its own. Maybe this is a precursor to Sony taking over Hasselblad. Lots of potential benefits to that if handled and executed properly.

Looking in perspective this is the real benefit of this announcement. Provably the camera would never come out of the blue print.

 

[Swissblad]

Well, that is just too bad. I was really thinking about getting rid of my IQ180 and 645DF if Hasselblad had come out with a FF XPAN today. They dropped the ball and didn't read the writing on the wall. Hopefully Fuji has seen it because the door is wide open for them to continue to challenge Leica and build us a digital TX-1! Please come through Fuji.

That would be great!

 

[msadat]

i see this move as a strong M&A activity. Sony is expanding in the photographic market in the wholesale (cmos) and retail market. i do see a the possibility of sony buying hassi and make it the perineum brand of sony. whats in it for us still unknown., may be the next rev of all the hassi digi backs gets cmos, may they incorporate the IS technology, may

 

[JesperMP]

"My goal is to make Hasselblad cameras accessible to all serious customers."
It strikes me how prepostrious these words are, after todays announcement.

To make accessible means make less expensive.
In stead of taking a real Hasselblad camera and make it less expensive, they have taken a non-Hasselblad camera and made it far more expensive.
And for what do "serious" cusomers need patterned leather inlays, gold, elm wood, etc. ?