Well, after the [shoplink 22672 ebay]Hasselblad Lunar (on eBay here)[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 22673 ebay]Hasselblad Stellar (on eBay here)[/shoplink] we have the first Hasselblad luxury version of a Sony A-mount camera!
Today Hasselblad announced the new Full Frame A-mount “Hasselblad HV” camera. All info can be read at http://www.hasselblad-hv.com/. The tech specs are the same of the Sony A99. What changes are the weight and the material used to change the style of the camera. You can buy the camera only in a special “High Performance Case” package which includes two batteries and the 24-70mm f/2.8 Zeiss. The full package will cost you $11,500 or 8500 Euro!
Here are the key differences between the Hasselblad HV and the Sony A99:
1) Unlike the Sony A99 this camera has a “Machined high-grade aluminium” chassis. Hasselblad writes:
Even though the trend in the camera industry is to manufacture camera bodies in cast magnesium for lightness, the fact is, ‘old-school’ aluminium has far more qualities. It is resistant to corrosion, more durable and much tougher than magnesium – especially when machined from a solid block of top quality alloy.
2) And it has a “PVD – the best coating treatment available today”. Haselblad writes:
We certainly don’t intend to bore you with the details of high temperature vacuum evaporation and plasma sputter bombardment processes, but suffice it to say that PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) is serious cutting edge coating technology. It was originally developed as a specialist hardening treatment for high speed cutting tools but has evolved into an outstanding finishing process solution. Its hardness is second only to that of diamond.
3) The High Performance case details:
THE HIGH QUALITY, PROTECTIVE CASE OFFERS safe transportation for your equipment and is the choice of professionals. All beautifully presented, the case is functional with considered design features to make using your equipment practical and safe. Particular attention has been given to the weight, to the aesthetic and the bespoke foam centre.
THE HV HIGH PERFORMANCE CASE IS MADE FROM RESIN called TTX01 which makes it more robust and protective against external agents yet lighter than any other case on the market. It also guarantees extra protection from dust, water, impacts, shocks and chemical agents and is able to resist extreme weather conditions and temperature changes from -40° C up to 80°C.
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No info on the price, but I bet that case will cost a lot of money.
Petapixel has stated that the price will be €8,500 or $11,500 in US dollars.
See here: http://petapixel.com/2014/02/03/hasselblad-launches-hasselblad-hv-sony-a99-rebranded/
One thing that intrigues me is whether the small SONY logo will appear on the side of the 24-70mm F2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* SSM lens…
In the product images on the Hasselblad HV launch website the logo doesn’t appear. But it the product images (presumably from the press release that Petapixel received) the SONY logo isn’t there. And I think it’s pretty obvious that they are the exact same product images!
Oh… And Hasselblad seems to have forgotten to retouch out the SONY logo in the product shot of the lens at the bottom of this page on their mobile site: http://www.hasselblad-hv.com/zeiss-page.aspx
I don’t know about you, but if I paid $11,500 for a camera and lens from Hasselblad, and the Haseelblad website had tried to hide the fact that it ws going to come with a SONY lens, I’d be pretty pissed when it came in the mail with the word SONY emblazoned on my expensive new toy!
It’s true. I just missed it in the Petapixel article. The price came directly from the Hasselblad press release, here’s the link to Hasselblad’s actual press release: http://press.hasselblad.com/press-releases/2014/2014-02-03_pr_hv.aspx
Oh, and I miss-spoke in my rant above about the SONY logo on the side of the lens. The Hasselblad launch site shows NO LOGO and the press images that Petapixel published show that there is in fact a SONY LOGO on the side of the lens.
I think it’s despicable of Hasselblad to lie to their potential customers in this way.
Oh, so it’s 9000 dollars for the box then.
They make really nice boxes though…
‘a portrait and wedding photographer in Ottawa, Canada’ wrote:
I don’t know about you, but if I paid $11,500 for a camera and lens from Hasselblad, and the Haseelblad website had tried to hide the fact that it ws going to come with a SONY lens, I’d be pretty pissed when it came in the mail with the word SONY emblazoned on my expensive new toy!
If I paid $11 500 to get a Hassy, I’d surely be pretty pissed if they did NOT scrape off the Sony logo!
Or was it this you meant…? 🙂
.
Yeah. That’s what I’m saying.
It honestly looks like something a PIMP would be carrying in Las Vegas.
So that’s the first of the two A-Mount FF cameras of 2014… LOL
No, there is a A77 replacement, and a new camera SKU that will sit between the A77 replacement, and the A99.
A77 is FF eh?
I seriously doubt two full frames are coming.
Why? That’s what the rumors said so far.
“Two FF A-mount cameras (one certainly with 4K)” ( http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/a-mount-showdown-between-february-and-april/ )
Where would both fit in Sony’s product line. I’m aware of the SLT-A88, and that’s all. Is there a possibility of the SLT-A99 being replaced this year?
4K, new mirror, and new sensors.
Its looking good in the A-Mount camp.
Oops honest mistake
This is A99 or A77?
The third sentence says that it has the same specs as the A99
Thanks. Riveting news, I suppose. LOL.
Will there be Hasselblad flashes and other accessories (just to color coordinate this thing)? 😉
Never heard of a full frame Alpha 77!
No, it’s “free” with the camera 😉
Wahoo, a titanium mode dial.
What puzzles me about these Hassleblad expensive re-badges, is how late they are. Sony looks ready to introduce completely new cameras, and Hassleblad are re-hashing the old models.
Maybe Hassy can only get on the production line at the end of the Sony run.
Good idea to get leftovers out of stock.
I read somewhere that early Sony products customers were beta testers. Now early Hasselblad customers will be happy to know that their kit is already proven… by many testers.
the case looks nice. I will pay $200 for it.
but one thing is still unchanged – Hasselblad is a joke.
You can get a Peli case, which will serve you the whole your life 😉 I bet this case will crack if you drop it from the second floor.
This camera is so pointless. Professionals know better than to buy this over the a99, and consumers can’t afford it. Instead of partnering with Hasselblad to produce rebranded gear, Sony should develop their own mirrorless MF camera with Zeiss glass to compete with Hasselblad.
youo are wrong: professionals can’t afford this, but consumers will jump on it!
That’s so true!
In fact I don’t think it is expensive enough.
In fact I don’t think it is expensive enough…
It is really nice that they used the H-logo only 13 times on this camera model instead of 35 times on the previous modded Sonys 🙂
Looks like marketing department has remapped the front wheel to control af range…
I did not find any information about SLT.
I’m guessing as it supposed to be an A99 it must be SLT, but is it the old type mirror or the new more light efficient version? Intriguing!
Best looking Hassony yet but still not worth the price.
And people bitch about no A-mount posts!
more obscene trash from the idiot venture capitalists who have destroyed victor hasselblads good name
agreed! this is so sad.
A missed opportunity; Sony/Hasselblad could have incorporated the latest sensor and processor technology into this chassis and made something unique and special (36 megapixel sensor and Bionz -X processor). Perhaps even an Otis 55mm F1.4 A-Mount lens. As is it’s just a fancy clone of the A99, the styling looks good and the hard case is really nice but still a bit of a letdown.
Yep, what would make sense is stuffing some new tech into an old body 6 months to a year before Sony releases a refreshed consumer priced version. It’d be like charging more for a movie ticket than a cable on demand rental 6 months after release. Spread development costs to early adopters. Also allows Sony to test and tweak new stuff like firmware.
At least they had the sense to put an articulated screen on it.
Same articulated screen found on the A99.
well that’s pretty cheap for a 54 Megapixel camera.
The same 24 Megapixel sensor as the A99.
This is not a MF camera, that was rumored with a brand new, Sony made, 54mp MF sensor. This is a rebadged A99.
Hasselblad is ridiculous.
and may i add it has a case that will protect from an aviation accident ,while bragging about a coating depositation process that make s a surface second in hardness only to diamond , which is it delicate or durable ? thi smachine is for morons with more money that common sense ….. every product these idiots have released is more embarrassing than the last……ok ……im done
In case of a plane crash the owner dies… the Hassy survives in it’s case because it is so precious. That’s great marketing, right ?
Now the Digital Back (IQ250) folks have something to compare with, for live view, high ISO performance and such great new innovations. 🙂
The price is in line with that of the IQ250 and also gives an indication what that would cost when a reasonable maker (such as Pentax) sells them.
Yay!
this one actually look nice, no gaudy wood or leather
Don’t get it.
Year of the A-mount had started…off in the wrong direction…
Its only February. I’d wait until CP+ (Feb 13 to 16) before passing judgement.
I prefer the under-stated design of the E mount and FE cameras rather than these Hassy with wood, leather, etc… But some guys out there breath of it; they love these things. At least the Market cater for all tastes. As we say in France: C’est formidable !
I will wait for Hasselblad Necta(R) … the pimped-up version of A7(R) … 😀
Within an incredibly short time, Hasselblad managed to ruin their brand with such ridiculous SONY “Flash Gordon” derivatives. At least For Business Schools, this will become a valuable exemple of how to destroy a good reputation in next to no time.
Oh no, they are doing the same as Leitz/Leica: repackaging volume models and selling them to people aged 60 and more with money and no photographical skills but remembering that all famous photographers used a Leica and Hasselblads were used by NASA and had been on the moon…
Those cameras are NOT intended for photographers!!!! Just as these high powered SUVs with very wide tires on aluminium rims are not intended for hunters or the open country….
Yes, Leica is also guilty of this, but Hassy just puts the game to a completly new level. While the Pana rebranding is at least decent looking and half way reasonably priced, the Hassy stuff is just plain silly.
yeah, Hasselblad always had been at least one league above Leitz… 🙂 🙂
Really – a lot of former high tech brands from Europe transformed into just marketing/brand names for the aged, wealthy and informed people: look at Grundig (home entertainment), Rollei (photography), AEG (home electric), Olympia (office equipment)
sorry – of course meant “uninformed” instead of “informed”….
What software / firmware is it running? Is it the typical sony alpha software or Hassleblad software (I know, unlikely) ?
Don´t complain about the price tag. It´s cheap as a sheep in wolf clothes.
This one actually looks pretty good, and the aluminum and PVF may be an ok upgrade, but the price is obviously still crazy. If Hasselblad had been able to convince Sony to throw a 56mp sensor in there, at least they’d have some kind of (shaky) ground to stand on. As it is, the price increase is still insane.
Yes, the less Hassy modifies the original the better it looks! Now if they didn’t do anything it would look fantastic and they could charge EVEN more!
Why all the bashing? SONY fans should be very proud that Hasselblad picked SONY products. Great endorsement of SONY tech.
I personally am sick and tired of my diamond neckstrap constantly scratching my cameras and the magnesium allow frames are constantly being crushed when I roll over them in my Veyron. (Kids leave the damndest things in the driveway).
Hasselblad finally found the perfect solution.
I’ve got my preorder in.
YMMD…. 🙂 🙂
But you’re perfectly right about the intended customers and their habits and cars…
It’s why I always buy my Hasselblads in bulk on Rodeo Drive. Don’t want to risk running out. 🙂
I wonder if eBay will start selling “Titanium Mode Dial” upgrade for other cameras … for those who want a Hasselblad look and feel 😀
Congrat on your launch hassel.
Nice color and design, hope it’s selling well
It’s nice to see Sony cam mark 11.000, you made it happen.
Fugly as a fugly does
So do I get this right? Hasselblad is rebranding the A99, does not add optical viewfinder and charges a premium amount of money?
The only good thing about this camera is that it will sell some more A-mount lenses…
For only double the price. Bargain!
My thought as well. Especially compared to the Lunar that now is almost 8 times(!) more expensive than the regular NEX-7 with kit-lens.
The price for that high performance case is actually € 750,00! Including the cost of the designer strap the extra cost for the remake is almost exactly the double price of what a regular Sony kit with same lens, case and similar strap would cost.
Considering how much people are willing to pay extra for designer products, from bags to cars, the up price this time is quite decent. If still silly expensive for ordinary photographers.
Had I been filthy rich I would preorder one!
This is just beyond ridiculous.
Could be to cheap for the Hasselblad customer base.
Or was it $11.500 just for the high performance case?
Hopefully the 2-3 A mount owners will now shut up. Here is your A mount news.
http://www.flickr.com/cameras/sony/
Not scientific, but it looks like A-mount users outnumber E-mount users on Flickr at least.
I made a Excel statistic, to me it looked like e-mount is much more dominant. However with the long tail and old models still in use, a-mount vs e-mount average daily users today is: 2227 vs 1724 or 56.37 % vs 43.63 %.
Howere just taking the top ten spots into account, e-mount is ahead with 1362 vs 808 users (or 62.76 vs 37.24 % for e-mount).
A-mount users might be spread among more camera bodies (some current, some discontinued), but these users are still of course potential purchasers of new A-mount bodies, lenses, etc.
Most of post to our own websites not Flickr. Its a tool for amateurs, which explains the high E-Mount count. A-Mount users are generally employed, and have better things to do. You know business to run, and clients to serve.
Most of us
+1 !
these cams are not for the photographs who want or need a good or very good toll for their job, it´s for the millionaires and billionaires who want to show the rest of the people that they are able to spent this much money for a sign of their economic status. But they are helping Hasselblad ( and their employees ) to survive and hopefully be much more creative in future…
Obviously the “High Performance case” is a big selling feature for this camera because that is exactly where people who would buy this will ‘use’ it.
WTF…..REALLY ???????
The only possible way this would have been intriguing is if they somehow managed to defy the laws of physics and create camera that takes A mount lenses that cover a large MF sensor. Making a camera that is a bulked up version of the A99 seems like a waste of technology.
The tech appears to the the same ( i.e. all Sony). The differences are the body materials. & finishes. It would have been nice if Hassleblad would have designed and manufactured a new a-mount lens to go with it.
Hasselblad never designed nor manufactured any single lens.
Lenses for V series are from Carl Zeiss (and branded accordingly). Lenses for H series are designed and manufactured by Fuji.
Thanks for the information. In that case, it would have been hot to get a Fuji designed Hassleblad a-mount lens!
I will buy this camera only when they release the whole set of zeiss lenses, Hasselblad branded
Shouldn’t this be on The Onion’s website?
Oh, how the owners will gloat that the body is still in pristine condition… as the front and rear wheels jam or fall out, spoiling the otherwise perfect functioning of a sensor that will be (by that time) ten years out of date…
The mind boggles at the thought processes that they went through when deciding what should be ‘improved’. Just about the only thing that can’t be faulted or develop a fault on the original A99 has been upgraded! Not $11,500…priceless!!!
The issue I have with a Sony/Hasselblad partnership is that it makes Sony think that they are a premium brand and push up A-mount prices.
I guess I could eBay my A-mount lenses though, maybe some Hasselblad loser will buy them at more than cost price if I specify Hasselblad in the title.
Well, at least it looks nice – nicer than original Sony A99. Sure it’s not worth the money, but… re-branded NEXes were just plain fugly.
Shame that they didn’t do much with a nose though.
This is a time to be proud as a sony shooter. Hasselblad is very high end and would not put their name on a crap camera or mount.
I think it’s a little crazy if anyone buys it knowing well it’s just a rebranded a99.
P.s. Please feel free to chime in all the sky is falling “the a-mount is dying” evangelists. We need to here from you……(cricket noise) 😉 How do you feel about it?
Hasselblad buys into the amount,, not that it was ever going anywhere but really this just seals up any wanton speculation on the demise of a perfectly great mount.
Amount FTW !!!
I agree, plus, these new Hasselblad re-branded Sony models must be selling fairly well, or they wouldn’t keep churning them out surely? Someone must be buying them? If you look on the hasselblad website they do a good job of selling the products, so perhaps that enough for the people who can easily afford them. Like you say, it can only be good for the a-mount.
The A99 is a rocking camera. At least its stabilized, and has a decent AF system. So WTF not.
Does the $11,500 include a limo ride to and from the camera shop?
Hasslebladder same price as a used car…..waiting for A99 second version.
+ 1
This will be the only “new” a-mount camera in 2014, hahahaha
– 1
Well, this is actually music to my ears, as this is the most reliable indicator yet that the ‘A-Mount’ as we know it, may prevail.
Heck, I could actually go all year without seeing a new ‘A-Mount’ (though I think we will) as I’m actually more hopeful to see a Sony/Zeiss new lens or two. Maybe a 35mm/1,4 and/or a 21mm/2,8 would be very reassuring!
A-mount was never in any danger as stated by sony and the admin of this site. Only a few rouge e-mount users somehow wanted a-mount to die so they could feel better about themselves and have sony focus all development on the e-mount, hence trying to push a self fulfilling prophecy. E-mount is great too, for what it is, but just doesn’t have the super high end lenses available (yet), so cannot take the place of A-mount.
+ 1
I think it’s pretty nice looking, plus it goes to show that if they like the cam, then it must be good. I wonder if they put the new electronics in it.
Hi kevin,
That’s good to hear since I just dumped more than $2k on the new Zeiss 50mm with an extra goodie’ to make it unique. Also picked up a couple of flashes’ to add to my kit.
Hassleblad Titanium lens hood?
Maybe A-mount is only for HB now? My existing A-mount cams will have to last forever.
Does this nice silly camera come with a neck strap?
The website describes it as a DSLR, surely if it has Sony A99 specs. its an SLT not a DSLR?
Hilarious how noone is talking about it being a DSLR and not an SLT. Perhaps it *IS* an SLT if it’s true that it has all the A99 specs, and that Hasselblad is counting that the A99 has always met the official definition of a DSLR in the first place.
It definitely has the best design yet in the “pay more, get the same” series, though that’s not saying much. I fully expect their next one to have embedded gold flakes (like those found sprinkled on pretentious desserts). $5.00 worth of flakes can add at least $500 to the price.
Pretty sexy I think. If I was loaded I would buy this over the sony version any day. But I’m not loaded, so I’ll keep my Sony branded a99.
A mount will never die. It is the culmination of perfection and shall surely live on until the end of life on earth as we know it. When the demi-gods handed down the sacred a-mount design as prophesied in ancient legend it was the utimate gift to mortal man. Kind of like the triforce if you will. Only dark evil doers would dare attempt to usurp its all powerful greatness.
I’m liking the way you think 🙂 . The Alpha and the Omega: The beginning and ending,,, Alpha is all, therefore all is alpha.
So……. Does this mean Sony’s G lens will work with this Hasselblad? Also old Minolta AF lens too??
Remember when minolta cooperated with leica to make the R4!
But at least the “HV” equals the top of the line model of the alpha range. Of course it’s made (styled) for a certain group of customers, which aren’t necessarily professionals. There are better alternatives for this kind of money.
Still waiting for that David Hasselhoff Signature Model with a red “scanner”-light for AF illumniation
For the price, I prefer a Pentax 645D, and I will also not feel like a fool ……
For this price you can buy 5 (FIVE) Sony A99, and then can afford to get rough with it, like going kayaking with it. If you fall in the water, no problem, you have another 4 backup camera in the bag.
Seriously, this is *THE* most utterly idiotic camera release I have ever seen in my entire life, anywhere, ever.
It’s a beautiful looking camera, obviously well built. I hope Hasselblad sells a LOT of them, if for no other reason to keep the marque and the relationship alive. There are always those who can afford a well crafted camera even if the specs can be obtained for less.
For this kind of money, the only way I could get exited would be if it used a square format with say 30 Megapixels. Now there would be something to save for and drool over.
Nice looking camera ! Shame that the price is too high ! Bad marketing from Hasselblad !
(I wrote this on PhotographyLife.com)
Interesting.
When I first saw this, I honestly thought it was a joke. Like Hasselblad was actually just copying the A99’s design, and using it as their own. Now I know from reading this and other sources that it is (obviously) not true. Sony and Hasselblad have created this “brand new ‘elite’ camera.”
Well to me, that’s BS, for lack of a better word. The A99’s a great camera (mind you I’m a Sony user), and changing the look of it doesn’t really make it “‘elite'” in my mind. Romanas is right in that they should have unveiled some amazing pictures, or talked of the super high ISO that you can use, “much higher than any other camera! Better than any other camera!!.” but they didn’t.
And the price tag is what takes the cake, $11500! That’s just around 6 TIMES the amount of an A99! So without any better features, other than a redesigned look, and the Hasselblad logo (which goes for $5000 in itself 😀 ), I’m afraid this won’t fair well in this world. Maybe some hardcore Sony and/or Hasselblad users will give it a go, but I won’t be expecting spectacular results from this endeavor.
why in gods name is an amateur camera makers getting involved with Hasselblad, Hasselblad is purely a professional product and sony are not up to it sorry Hasselblad but I think youre reputation will be destroyed
Note that the press release and brochure never claim that the camera chassis to be manufactured from aluminum. It just says the trend for camera bodies is “cast magnesium”, and that aluminum has far more qualities. This section is headed “Machined high-grade aluminium”. Notice the absence of the word “body”.
In the brochure, above this text, an image of the HV is shown, with the word “Machined Aluminium” and a line pointing to the top cover of the camera. Has Hasselblad just replaced the top cover of the A99 with a (thin) piece of aluminium?
Has anyone found any clear statement from Hasselblad, that indeed the whole body of the A99 has been replaced? Which would still be a useless thing to do, but at least honest.
Niels