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Where is the X1D ????

tjv

Active member
Mate, the X1D might be the closest thing in digital to my favourite camera of all time, the Mamiya 7ii. I'm interested to see how it performs. As image quality is beyond a doubt great, I'm particularly interested in how 'transparent' the camera is to use. By this I mean how much the technology receeds into the background. If you have to second guess focus often etc. , or the EVF is too laggy, then it might be a problem. So far though, this looks like the small format DMF camera body I've been waiting for. It's a bloody pitty I'm dirt poor.
 

hcubell

Well-known member
Quick reply on a couple of questions posed:

1) The GPS question has been answered...there is a document in the box that needs to be filled out, and returned to the dealer, in order to receive the "external GPS module" free of charge.

Derek
Interesting and VERY surprising. There is a story behind this, as everything I had read and heard indicated that the GPS was built into the camera body. For some reason, Hasselblad did not follow that path. To its credit, instead of telling customers too bad, there is no GPS capability at all in shipping cameras contrary to what we told you, Hasselblad is providing a free external module. Not ideal, but better than no GPS solution at all for those that want it. Personally, my experience with the GPS for the H series cameras was not good. It was a huge drain on battery power if I left it on, and I was not good about remembering to shut it down.
Unclear where the module attaches to the camera. The one for the H cameras attached to an electrical port on the side of the camera, not the hot shoe. I had to file my RRS L bracket a bit to make the module fit with my L bracket in place.
 

hcubell

Well-known member
Congratulations to Hasselblad (and those who purchased) on starting to ship the X1D! It can now be said a new era (mirrorless larger then 35mm digital cameras) has officially begun. It's a nascent category I expect to grow steadily in the coming years. It's pretty rare, really, for a new category of camera to be born, so I, for one, am having a whiskey in celebration tonight.
Sometimes a compliment is just a compliment. Other times, well, you know, Phase One has a strict policy of not announcing products before they are ready to ship. SURE! :ROTFL:
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Thinking I may not jump into the X1D until this is sorted ....

And my preorder is close to being filled .... :banghead:

Whats that Fuji called ????


Bob
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
It sounds so much an incredibly familiar story. Tumultuous times...

But saying "this isn't the Hasselblad we used to know" is kind of making an ominous statement that, to me, is just such typical modern press hype. Everything is a big deal these days ... a tree falls down in a nearby town and the news is full of 40 second spots about it for two days. Sheesh.

This hasn't been the Hasselblad we used to know for over a decade, since the H system was released and even before. Hasselblad has been struggling hard against the odds for a long long time. I'd rank them to be in about the same tight spot that Leica was in a decade ago, when it was unclear that a digital rangefinder would even be possible never mind successful, when going to a digital model in the R system proved that they simply couldn't afford it, when collusions and collaborations with Hermes and other funding sources made a lot of Leica owners uneasy and a lot of the press pointed fingers and laughed at them.

With just a smidgeon of luck and a great deal of common sense, DJII acquired Hasselblad because they feel there's a solid business case behind the products that Hasselblad is trying to offer and want to fund that and participate in that success (that is: make a profit). It would serve their own best interests to be sure that Hasselblad is successful.

Of course things will change ... they always do ... so there will be different things to observe as this business goes forward. The question is do they want to continue Hasselblad's core business or do they want to exploit the company's brand recognition to do something completely different. At which point, why buy a brand name if what you're going to produce isn't in line with what the brand name is famed for?

As I said elsewhere, it's a new year and a time to hope, to hope in the face of adversity posed by the misery of the world situation, the US government crises, and the possibility that your favorite camera company has just sold its soul to be transformed into something else. Not hoping is akin to dying, so I choose to hope that the sensible thing is what DJII has in mind for Hasselblad.

G
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I'm just a little shocked that there isn't at least one X1D on ebay at 2x price :thumbs::ROTFL:
 
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docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
... the possibility that your favorite camera company has just sold its soul to be transformed into something else. Not hoping is akin to dying, so I choose to hope that the sensible thing is what DJII has in mind for Hasselblad.

G
I agree with what you have posted ... but any company based in China is a bit suspect in my view. Their government is one that can pivot on a dime ... and the principals of a company
or a governmental department may be gone in a NY minute ... with no recourse with regards to law and process.

I am at present immersed in Ha Jin's The Crazed ... I was ejected from China trying to transit to Nepal to do a humanitarian medical mission ... heart surgery ... with some 40 persons
and a quarter million dollars worth of heart valve prosthesis ... but you know their take on Nepalese and their ethnic cleansing ....

Please understand that all of the principals of DJI may be standup moral individuals ... the issue is that their country seems to be less so ...

The saying ... "you pays your money and takes your chances" comes to mind.

Personally, and this is not a political issue ... more a moral one ... cannot support the mother ship.

JMHO....

Rant over ... but am so disappointed in this development.

Bob
 

gsmith

New member
LuLa just published that DJII has acquired Hasselblad, wonder if there will be an announcement at CES?

https://luminous-landscape.com/hasselblad-acquired-dji/
I just heard from a third party supplier for the X1D that their product (and I will keep them anonymous) is waiting for Sweden to "approve the final prototype but don't have a 100% solid date for that". And were told "we are close to giving a final go-ahead on production" adding the anticipation is it will be before the end of this month.

Certainly consistent with a major management shakeup if in fact the Chinese have taken control of Hasselblad. A bit scary but not going to cancel my order yet as I am a long time user/believer in Hasselblad; my 40+ year old 500C/M still looks and works like new.
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Money speaks volumes and many principals in our economy will sell to the highest bidder irrespective of the
ultimate outcome ...

Should be a minor issue for most buyers ... me not so much.

Thanks,

Bob
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Its called the "alternative" :) . OK, OK, the GFX
As long as it is not the X Trans ... undecodable processor ... Silky pix not so much
in my domain.

Think I may stay with my Leica M-D and Sony A7RII ... or migrate back to Phase ...

Thanks,

Bob
 

D&A

Well-known member
I just heard from a third party supplier for the X1D that their product (and I will keep them anonymous) is waiting for Sweden to "approve the final prototype but don't have a 100% solid date for that". And were told "we are close to giving a final go-ahead on production" adding the anticipation is it will be before the end of this month.

Certainly consistent with a major management shakeup if in fact the Chinese have taken control of Hasselblad. A bit scary but not going to cancel my order yet as I am a long time user/believer in Hasselblad; my 40+ year old 500C/M still looks and works like new.
I don't quite understand the 1st part of your post. They are waiting for approval of what prototype to put into production? The X1D? Hasn't production units already been shipping? (Although relatively small in numbers). Thanks for clarification.

Dave (D&A)
 
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tjv

Active member
Isn't this just a bit of the usual LL doomsday / sour grapes Hasselblad reporting? All in the name of a sensationalist 'scoop'?
 
The truth behind the X1D delays are the most interesting aspect of that article. FWIW, I spent 3 weeks with Kevin in Antarctica and we spoke about this and I'd heard the same reasons for the delays (Hasselblad not having sufficient funding) at Photokina from other sources as well so I'm confident about the accuracy. Kevin and Perry are also friends, so I'm pretty sure he wouldn't post this if he was told not to. I was curious to see if the Swedish government would intervene with a bailout to keep the Hasselblad heritage Swedish, guess it didn't happen.

The good news for X1D pre-order folks is that Hasselblad should have sufficient cash to fulfill the orders and in volume.

I should add that DJI appears to be a well run company and Frank Wang (their CEO) is a very sharp, shrewd businessman. I wouldn't expect Hasselblad to return to its Lunar and Solar lunacy but focus on innovating and delivering products people really want.
 
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