Backlit sensor: RX100 II yes, Stellar no
Articulated LCD: RX100 II yes, Stellar no
Hot shoe: RX100 II yes, Stellar no
Optional EVF: RX100 II yes, Stellar no
Optional external mic: RX100 II yes, Stellar no
Built in WiFi: RX100 II yes, Stellar no
Piece of wood bolted onto the body: RX100 II no, Stellar yes
Price: RX100 II $749, Stellar $2,600+
"The Hasselblad Stellar redefines quality..." must be the piece of wood then.
Most European countries, Sweden included, have strict laws against misleading marketing. If anybody bothered to report the marketing of this product to the capitalist-eating bureaucrats at Konsumentverket in Karlstad, Hasselblad would have a tough time defending themselves.
I've been criticized by some for my relentless attacks of Hasselblad and their products. To start with, I've been an admirer of Hasselblad and their products all my life, and my reasons for not owning one, one of the MF Hasselblads, have been solely financial. I still consider buying a 203FE if I can find one for a reasonable price.
If I come to an airport and there's a queue of taxis outside, all Toyota Corollas, but I have been convinced by a driver that I should go with his luxury limousine paying him 4 times the normal taxi rate to get a more comfortable ride... if that luxury limousine proves to be a Toyota Corolla with leather seats and a golden Lexus logo (this is happening all the time is Asian countries), it's a scam and most people would recognise it as such.
This is exactly what Hasselblad is doing. They attach a piece of wood and their logo and say it "redefines quality". The only reason they can get away with it, if they do, is that there are enough ignorant people with loaded wallets out there. But that doesn't change matters. It's still a Corolla with a Lexus logo sold at a Lexus price. It's still a scam.
One can always claim that many run-of the-mill products are re-branded and sold as luxury items, but the real luxury products are mostly well within the tradition of each brand and they are mostly unique in areas that matter, although many are manufactured and/or assembled in low cost countries.
When Larry Hansen was appointed CEO of Hasselblad, he said: "Owning a Hasselblad is the dream of all serious photographers around the world and we will continue to make every effort to make that dream as accessible as possible for enthusiasts as well as professionals." (Hasselblad appoints new Chief Executive Officer). If this is what he means by making a Hasselblad accessible for enthusiasts, I am the King of Mesopotamia. I would rather call this "Making a Sony unaccessible".
I apologize for all these rants and for being angry about it, but I am angry; angry because the management at Hasselblad doesn't have guts enough or skills enough to develop a product that makes a difference and angry because the same management is doing their utmost to destroy a great brand.
Jorgen, I doubt that you'll find many photographers here on Get Dpi that do not agree that the whole "Lunar thing" is a travesty ... including Hasselblad users. Of all the things they could have done to expand on the Hasselblad heritage, who in their wildest dreams could have even speculated on such a bad one?
However, spreading your anger over it to the one thing they do right was where some of us drew the line. No need to make up stuff about the H ... which you have since recanted ... because the Lunar type products are more than enough bad news. Going on and on about it just sounds obsessively negative. Step outside and scream at Hasselblad's new owners ... you sound so angry, that they may even hear you in Sweden :ROTFL:
Who knows what the hell is going on at that company ... or for that matter a few other companies in Sweden.
I am a huge fan of Volvo cars, and my 2005 CX90 SUV is perhaps the best vehicle I've ever owned ... and newer owners tell me the same. At least Ford did not destroy the Brand's core appeal. They are now owned by a Chinese company who apparently also have enough brains to NOT screw with the product. They have posted record sales in China so far this year, so that is using the China connection to good effect. Conversely, once quirky Saab was destroyed by stodgy and bureaucratic GM who did things like rebadging their dumpy and lumbering GMC SUV with a Saab emblem:wtf: Hardly fighter jet inspired.
Maybe the investment company that bought Hasselblad needs a tax write off by deliberately causing it to fail
- Marc