Hasselblad 503cw w/ CFV-39 Digital Back

[Ballistics]

Just started my third semester as a photography major and in my Digital Photography class, I just learned that the entire semester
is studio only, and we will not be using our own cameras anymore (for this class, but we will be using our own camera for another class).
The camera we are using is the Hasselblad 503cw w/ CFV-39 Digital Back, which is a medium format camera.

I've never even heard of this camera until yesterday. I also learned that the complete camera we will be using is more expensive than my
2012 Altima. While I am excited to use this camera, I'm kind of bummed that I wont be continuing studio work with my own gear.

Now, I understand Hasselblad is the bentley of the studio world, but what makes it a $20k camera?
It's a 39 MP camera, so how would it compare to a D800?Is it really worth the extra $15k?

I was pleasantly surprised about what this specific class is geared towards, being that I've made a couple threads regarding this specific
genre. The entire semester we will be learning about fashion photography, posing, studio lighting etc. While we touched on it last semester,
this class is entirely dedicated to the studio.

 

[Tuffythepug]

The Hasselblad 6x6 has long been considered the pinnacle of film camera engineering. I'm surprised that any serious photographer or photography student has not heard of it.
Why do you think NASA chose it for the first missions into space ? Remember those historic shots from the moon landing ? Those were taken with a Hasselblad. They've always been one of the most expensive film cameras you could buy. The addition of a 39mp back to the already-expensive body and lens does, indeed, push it into the area where most photographers can only dream of having one. Consider yourself lucky that you will be using the best equipment available.

I think that you will understand the $$$ value when you have one in your hands. Do a little research into this camera's history and you'll see why it's considered the top of the heap.

 

[Tuffythepug]

On second thought, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you've never heard of Hasselblad. After all, as a college student you probably have grown up in the age of digital cameras and know little about what came before. Of course and old guy like myself has cameras much older than you so our frame of reference is considerably different.

 

[CCericola]

It's not the camera that is 20k it is the digital back. When professionals were film you were medium format. To shoot a wedding with a 35mm was unheard of. What is nice about your set up is you have the option of shooting film or digital. The Hassy body itself is about $3500, the new 50mp digital back is 15K. You can upgrade backs and still keep your same body so no learning new buttons. What is nice about medium format digital is the sensor size which can give you better detail, they used to have a better bit depth than DSLRs, and you have the advantage of a leaf shutter so you don't have to worry about a sync speed limitation. On the down side the files are HUGE, you only get 1 frame per second approx and they are expensive, but so were full frame DSLRs when they first came out. They are slower but it forces you to slow down and really think about your shot more.

 

[KmH]

There is a direct relationship of image sensor size to cost. The larger the image sensor, the more a camera costs. Lenses have to be made larger to as image sensor size increases, adding to the cost.

That's why cheap P&S cameras have the smallest image sensors, and digital medium format cameras with large image sensors cost so much.

 

[Ballistics]

On second thought, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you've never heard of Hasselblad. After all, as a college student you probably have grown up in the age of digital cameras and know little about what came before. Of course and old guy like myself has cameras much older than you so our frame of reference is considerably different.

I'm almost 30. I picked up a camera for the first time a year ago.

Also, while hasselblads were being used after the 3rd manned mission into space, the minolta was the first to be used with Kodak film. Does that make Minolta a photography juggernaut? Also Nikons and Hasselblads were used throughout the entire Apollo program.

 

[Ballistics]

It's not the camera that is 20k it is the digital back. When professionals were film you were medium format. To shoot a wedding with a 35mm was unheard of. What is nice about your set up is you have the option of shooting film or digital. The Hassy body itself is about $3500, the new 50mp digital back is 15K. You can upgrade backs and still keep your same body so no learning new buttons. What is nice about medium format digital is the sensor size which can give you better detail, they used to have a better bit depth than DSLRs, and you have the advantage of a leaf shutter so you don't have to worry about a sync speed limitation. On the down side the files are HUGE, you only get 1 frame per second approx and they are expensive, but so were full frame DSLRs when they first came out. They are slower but it forces you to slow down and really think about your shot more.

Right, which is why I said the complete camera. Including back, viewfinder, body and lens. The file sizes weren't as big as I expected to be honest. A single .fff file was about 26Mb. You are right about how slow they are though. I think 1fps is being generous lol.

 

[Tuffythepug]

On second thought, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you've never heard of Hasselblad. After all, as a college student you probably have grown up in the age of digital cameras and know little about what came before. Of course and old guy like myself has cameras much older than you so our frame of reference is considerably different.

I'm almost 30. I picked up a camera for the first time a year ago.




Also, while hasselblads were being used after the 3rd manned mission into space, the minolta was the first to be used with Kodak film. Does that make Minolta a photography juggernaut? Also Nikons and Hasselblads were used throughout the entire Apollo program.

What is your point ? That Minolta is in the same category as Hasselblad ?

 

[Ballistics]

On second thought, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you've never heard of Hasselblad. After all, as a college student you probably have grown up in the age of digital cameras and know little about what came before. Of course and old guy like myself has cameras much older than you so our frame of reference is considerably different.

I'm almost 30. I picked up a camera for the first time a year ago.




Also, while hasselblads were being used after the 3rd manned mission into space, the minolta was the first to be used with Kodak film. Does that make Minolta a photography juggernaut? Also Nikons and Hasselblads were used throughout the entire Apollo program.

What is your point ? That Minolta is in the same category as Hasselblad ?

That's what I'm asking you. Minolta was the first camera in space, does that make it as good as Hasselblad?

 

[PhotoWrangler]

That 503 is also manual focus only! Better start practicing your manual focus skills.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

On second thought, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you've never heard of Hasselblad. After all, as a college student you probably have grown up in the age of digital cameras and know little about what came before. Of course and old guy like myself has cameras much older than you so our frame of reference is considerably different.

To sum it up... Hasselblads are the Rolls Royce of cameras. Then, and still today.

 

[Tuffythepug]

I'm almost 30. I picked up a camera for the first time a year ago.




Also, while hasselblads were being used after the 3rd manned mission into space, the minolta was the first to be used with Kodak film. Does that make Minolta a photography juggernaut? Also Nikons and Hasselblads were used throughout the entire Apollo program.

What is your point ? That Minolta is in the same category as Hasselblad ?

That's what I'm asking you. Minolta was the first camera in space, does that make it as good as Hasselblad?

No. And I assume that this was a rhetorical question. I think you might be looking for an argument or perhaps be trying to be sarcastic so I won't bother with any further response. I do hope you enjoy working with the Hasselblad.

 

[Solarflare]

The reason Hassleblad is so expensive is because (a) they are produced with maximum quality and (b) there are not many people out there wanting one, so the advantages of mass production cannot be used.

Its pretty much like the Leica M9 or S2, really - the people doing the production arent cheap and the production has to be done by hand.

If tomorrow everyone would call Canon and Nikon demanding a maximum quality medium format camera, the end result would probably be much cheaper.

Also, you wont actually be very happy with Hassleblad for certain applications. Modern stuff like image stabilization isnt present, and autofocus wont compare at all to what your D7000 has.

 

[Ballistics]

What is your point ? That Minolta is in the same category as Hasselblad ?

That's what I'm asking you. Minolta was the first camera in space, does that make it as good as Hasselblad?

No. And I assume that this was a rhetorical question. I think you might be looking for an argument or perhaps be trying to be sarcastic so I won't bother with any further response. I do hope you enjoy working with the Hasselblad.

Nope, just complying to the tone of your post. Not a fan of those who assume.

I'm surprised that any serious photographer or photography student has not heard of it.
Why do you think NASA chose it for the first missions into space ?

This came off a bit condescending to me. Kind of took it as, I'm not a serious photographer or a student for that matter because I've never heard of this specific camera.
Which is why I didn't understand why the NASA reference was relevant, being that it wasn't the first camera in space, and was never the only camera in space.

 

[Ballistics]

That 503 is also manual focus only! Better start practicing your manual focus skills.

It's in the studio, not concerned about manual focus.