Most of the time we come across an absurdly large and expensive lens on eBay, it’s some sort of lens with focal lengths in the thousands of millimeters (e.g. this 5200mm Canon lens or this 2000mm Nikon lens).
The lens shown above is the Kilfitt Zoomatar 250mm f/1.3 and is currently for sale on eBay. It doesn’t have an absurdly large focal length, but is pretty standard at 250mm. See the little box handing off the end of the lens? That’s the Hasselblad medium format camera this lens is designed for.
The price? A cool $33,751. Needless to say, walking around doing street photography with this lens would earn you some pretty strange looks.
Thanks for the tip Jon!
Pentax has unveiled the 645D, a medium format DSLR with impressive specs and a (relatively) low price of ~$9,400. The 40 megapixel camera has a 33mm x 44mm sensor, 3 inch LCD screen, and is designed to be compatible with the existing 645 lens system. Features include 11 autofocus points, a dust removal mechanism, 77-segment multi-pattern metering, 1.1 fps, ISO 200-1000 (expandable to 100-1600), a built in HDR mode, and dynamic-range expansion.
Last month, many of you balked at the $19,995 price tag of Hasselblad’s newly announced H4D-40 camera, which also contains a 40MP sensor. However, a vast majority would also consider switching to medium format digital photography if it became more affordable. Looks like things are heading in that direction.
The 645D will be available in May 2010.
Update: Photo Rumors is reporting that there are currently no plans for the 645D to be sold in the US. Here’s what Adorama tweeted:
Pentax’s US rep just told me there are no plans to sell the 645D or 55mm lens in the US. Bummer.
At the beginning of the week, Hasselblad announced the H4D-40 medium format DSLR, and stated the camera would be unveiled next week at the February 10th worldwide launch. Well, details of the camera were leaked onto the Internet, leading Hasselblad to lift the February 9th embargo it had request. Today Hasselblad officially released photos and features of the new camera.
The 40 megapixel camera will cost $19,995, includes a lens and viewfinder, and is meant to compete with the Leica S2 (a 37.5MP medium format camera in a 35mm style body). In their press release today, Hasselblad CEO Larry Hansen states,
Most high-end photographers understand the advantages that a medium format system has over smaller formats, but many younger photographers have never been exposed to larger format photography.
Hmmm… Many younger photographers have never been exposed to $19,995 cameras either.
(via Amateur Photographer)
For the past month or so Hasselblad has had a cryptic countdown on their website. The countdown reached zero today, and Hasselblad announced the H4D-40, a camera the company claims will bring “ultimate image quality to an entirely new generation of photographers”. Since medium format digital cameras have been around for quite a while now, we’re hoping this means a significant drop in price. However, at the bottom of the countdown page, there’s the message “Hasselblad Medium Format DSLRs start at 11,995 EUR”. Hmmm…
As easy to use as any 35mm camera and featuring a 40 Megapixel Medium Format sensor, our easy to use new Phocus 2.0 software, and the new True Focus AF, the H4D-40 provides the perfect entry point into the Hasselblad world. The H4D-40 gives you full access to the entire Hasselblad system of software, lenses, and features and has been designed to meet the needs of the most demanding high-end commercial photographers – and yours.
The camera will launch in 50 cities across the world on February 10th. What do you think the price is going to be? Will medium format digital photography finally be made affordable for (semi-rich) amateurs?
Hasselblad has had a cryptic countdown displayed on their promotions page for a couple weeks now, and we’re about two weeks away from the date being counted down to. The text on the page doesn’t provide any hints:
You might have noticed a strange countdown clock on the Hasselblad website lately. You might have wondered what this rapidly running time gadget is counting towards. A countdown away from Christmas? A countdown towards the next sunny day in Scandinavia? Some unknown Hasselblad holiday? Well, “what?” indeed. All we can say is watch the space and try to be patient. Good things come to those who wait.
Any guesses as to what Hasselblad has up their sleeve? Is this simply a clever marketing stunt that hasn’t attracted all that much attention, or is there actually something big planned that we’ll find out very soon? Either way, we’ve marked the date on our calendar, and will report to you if there’s any interesting announcement.
(via Photo Rumors)
