Your Dream Hasselblad system

[NickT]

Hi everyone

I have an opportunity to get together with some of the Hasselblad folk next year and knock around a few ideas. I'd like you to use this thread to describe your ideal system based on the sort of Photography you do. Don't be afraid to ask for anything at all no matter how crazy.

Please title your response with the sort of Photography you do for example:

"Full time professional shooting still-life in studio"

or:

"Amateur shooting landscapes in challenging environments"

And then go on to describe the dream camera/system for your setup. Some suggestions:

Megapixels
LCD
Battery life
Battery accessories
Phocus features
3rd party software integration
New Lenses
Other Accessories
Tethering solutions
Speciality solutions (ariel reproduction for example)
Frame rates
ISO performance

Anything else you can think of!

Please take the time to answer and I will make sure your views are heard.
Thanks in advance
Nick-T

[Stonemonkey]

Please have them add the eyedroppers back to the tone curve. They have it in Flex but not in Phocus and it's driving me crazy.

Thanks

Brian R.

[Barry Goyette]

Let's see:

40 MP Full frame sensor (same dimensions as current H4d-60 (did this ever actually deliver?)) with Higher quality High ISO

True Focus: current system seems quite buggy to me..not as precise or reliable as my h3d-31. I think the algorithms need reworking.

Phocus: more precise, numerical, repeatable color correction toolset. The Current "mini-color corrector" is A) the most important tool in the kit and B) the least adequately realized tool in the kit.

Battery: it's really phenomenal that a hasselblad needs 4 batteries to get through a one day shoot. I realize the power requirements of a large sensor are greater, but the $225 hasselblad battery (1850mAh) has the same juice as a $50 Canon consumer battery. The hasselblad battery power should be on par with other professional cameras 1ds or 1d battery (2300 mAh) which run about $110. It's truly amazing that it takes $900 worth of batteries to get through a medium duty fashion shoot.

LCD (external)..It would be nice to have some form of portable larger LCD screen that could be used when shooting to cards on location. Like the Apple retina screen only about twice the dimension. This could be accomplished also with some sort of connector to Ipad, or a bluetooth/wifi dongle to allow iPad to be used without a tethering to a laptop first.

Shoot to cards and Tether at same time. Instant back-up, and for me, easier than transferring from the laptop after location shoots.

Barry

[Andy Johnson-Laird]

Hi Nick:

I shoot forensic images, product photography, and allegedly landscape and abstract "art" photography (well, my wife likes them!) 
I've been shooting since 1964. I work as a forensic software analyst. I'm a beta tester for Photoshop.

Your list is a good starting point. Read the following with the idea that "Andy is often wrong, but never uncertain," please. I'm not trying to start a flame war or a debate on the merits, nor even say that I'm right. What I am trying to do is to respond to your message as requested.

On a philosophical note I think it would be good if you could persuade the good folks at H to remove some of the limitations they currently impose on the camera. For example, if I want to time an exposure to be, oh, 200 seconds, I realize that the quantum noise will be bad, but why not let us be the judge of what we will accept. Of course, what I don't know is whether have the sensor powered up for that long does Bad Things (like overheating), but you get the drift. Allow us alleged professionals to be the limitations, not have a sort of Nanny State, telling us what we must do to avoid degraded image quality. We will take responsibility for the results.

Megapixels: I'm not sure at what point the HC lenses resolving power will limit the resolution of the sensors. I've long thought that increasing megapixels, if taken to it's logical conclusion, will eliminate the need for long focal length lenses. Not sure this is a good idea, but imaging a gigapixel image and you'll see what I mean. It will happen, of course, it's just going to be a question of when.

Image format: I use both Phocus and Photoshop in my workflow. I've long dreamed of having an H Photoshop plug-in so that I can take advantage of Bridge, Lightroom, and PS more easily without the need to work through Phocus. I'm not saying eliminate what Phocus does, just to integrate it more with Adobe products. Make the Rolls Royce of cameras work more tightly with the Rolls Royce of image manipulation software. Of course, one way would be to be able to emit DNG files.

Automated DOF slicing: The ability to set the camera up to take N shots, varying the focus by, say, 5 mm between shots. I'll take responsibility for whether or not this results in crappy images! 

Connectivity: I was reading MacWorld this morning. There was an article predicting that Firewire might not be with us beyond 2011. That either means those of us who shoot tethered are out of luck, or we'll have to hope that the current models of Mac Book's will last longer than the current range of H backs.

Firewire port: I really fret a lot when I'm shooting tethered that someone (probably me) will walk through the firewire cable and there will be a loud, expensive noise thereafter. Is there no way of designing a connector like the Apple magnetic power cord for the MacBook such that it acts as a "weak link" and disconnects before either (a) keeling the camera over, or (b) or dragging the laptop off the table, or (c) both?

Grip LCD display: I shoot a lot using a gear head tripod with the camera at standing eye level -- that means the display and the controls demand that I point the lens to the zenith so that I can see the display. It would be really great to have the controls on the back of the camera and the LCD display replicated on the back or in the viewfinder. That's in the H5D, of course. 

HTS: On a more near term timescale, it would be good to have the HTS with a more positive "click-lock." Right now it's somewhat ambiguous as to whether the lens really is locked on the front of the HTS. No positive feel or sound. Of course, I could have a rogue HTS, but it is worrisome! "Drop lens now or later?"

HTS#2: The geometry of the present HTS interferes with the tripod mount (RRS/Bogen gear head plate). Be nice if it didn't.

Multi-focusing points: A la Canon/Nikon. Not much more to say there.

Anyway, that's all that comes to mind. Hope this helps.

Regards
Andy
(Who is writing this very near an active volcano. Mt. St. Helens.)

[pschafrick]

Hi Nik,

My only real issue is, and continues to be, Phocus.

If I had my wish, Phocus would run quicker, address some of the bugs still remaining (especially with the 39MS back), and generally be more stable and responsive before adding extra bells and whistles.

Cheers.....

[fotodik]

Hi Nik,

Most of my work is architecture, and overall I'm quite pleased with my system.  However
the most glaring lack on the Hassy is the lack of Live View.  This one feature, I think,
would give me a lot more confidence in knowing that I'm critically focused on what I
want in focus.  That's it

Roy Engelbrecht

[peteforde]

I'm a passionate amateur that shoots street photography and portraiture on my 503CW. I use an Imacon 16MP back (in addition to film).

I have the luxury of shooting MF because I love it; I do not accept paid assignments. I guess my $0.02 would be to not forget about the V system in their future product planning. The number of film shooters is growing again (thanks to things like Lomography and The Impossible Project bringing in young blood) and frankly V system is both iconic and the price level most non-pro shooters will ever be able to justify to their spouse.  

I think that there's a lot of opportunity to introduce new products for the V system that wouldn't have made sense even five years ago. For example, I'd love to see a digital viewfinder with an on-screen light meter that would allow me to sample from different points of the display. If people are willing to pay $900 for a prism viewfinder with a mediocre meter, how would people respond to the ability to preview a film shot in real-time in a device the size and form-factor of the waist-level finder?

[Dustbak]

Productphotography but in the transition towards shooting more people.

1) I would like to be able to send the preview image wirelessly to another machine (Ipad, desktop, laptop) while the RAW is written to a CF card.
2) I would like to be able to alter this preview image in Phocus and send the adjustments back to the camera.
3) I like the idea Andy had about focus stacking however in the macro range the focal length breathing will lead to difficult to stack images. I rather had Hasselblad talk to people like Cognysis to get their electronic macro rail integrate into Phocus. Or make sure these type of companies get there hands on PDK's (Phocus Developer Kits) to be able to do so.
4) All the other wishes already expressed in the previous wish list

All in all, I am quite happy with the functionality of the equipment. I believe that a lot of effort should be put into getting it more stable, the software faster and to finish things that have been started before new stuff gets integrated. I know it is very tempting to go head over heels into the rat race of incorporating new features but I believe there are already some that need to be improved upon.

5) I seriously think Hasselblad needs to start thinking about abandoning the Firewire path. Unfortunately it is unclear where it needs to go (USB3 or Lightpeak).

[Ali Alriffai]

Megapixels
I think we are on track


LCD
This is #1 need to improve and canon G series quality would be nice and not costly please give more attention to it I don't have to run around in location with cables and laptop


Battery life
Make it heavier! No problem if it can take another 500 shoots and it can operate the back so no need for FW power from laptops


Battery accessories
Dual chargers


Phocus features
Hire the geeks behind LR


3rd party software integration
Why not but I like the quality from phocus if it'll be improved I don't think we need it



New Lenses
Newer primes and markII versions but don't forget upgrade program and offers





Tethering solutions
USB option is better and the speed is not bad with option to connect directly to an iPad for just preview quick version of the capture and it'll solve bad LCD problems!



Frame rates
2-3/sec



ISO performance
Yes yes yes and yes

[SCVentura]

Amateur shooting portraits and still Life
Megapixels: No need to increase beyond 50 MP
LCD: High Def screen to accurately assess focus
Other Accessories: "really" would like 45 degree, fully functional viewfinder (like I had with PME45 for the V System)
Tethering solutions: USB connection
Speciality solutions: "spot" autofocus with Tilt and Shift
ISO performance: more choices between 50 and 200 (like 80, 120 and 160).
Flash: allow optional upward extension of built in flash so it can be used with longer lenses.
Why, why why can't hasselblad engineers figure out a way to let me use my film back with my H4D-50 camera, even if it is in fully manual mode??

[silvesterkok]

Megapixels
Fine as is

Body
Make the Viewfinder (HV90 series) sealed dust proof


LCD
Use same quality as iPhone 4 Retina display

Battery life
Should be improved, and a more sturdy loader, current loader is a $0,50 japanese piece of plastic

Phocus
Faster, better interface like LR or aperture, and a real searchable image DB like LR

other than this, don't change a winning horse...

[davidthescot]

Hi

I am a part time pro shooting period architecture and landscapes as well as some commercial stuff for our businesses.

What would help me a lot:

1. Some degree of weather proofing so that I didn't have kittens every time it rained.
2. Better battery life - the present system really sucks
3. Some kind of focus assist with the HTS - I sold mine because I just wasn't getting enough reliably focussed shots
4. A CMOS sensor so we could have longer exposures and live view
5. A more secure tethering connection perhaps even wirelessly although in my experience these are complex systems that take a lot of setting up.
6. A high quality medium telephoto with VR built in
7. A very fast wide angle lens
8. A much better screen

Some or any of this would be pretty good.  As far as extra pixels I am not sure I need it if it means more diffraction problems or a poorer signal to noise ratio.

[HLArt]

free Artist with small dreams,

I`ve also had a dream last night, and my hassi works in the same way like my canon 1Ds Mark III, but the body was called Hasselblad and the prime of all, the quality of the pics also was hasselbladquality, and the very best of all, the service was the hassiservice too. I´m wonder, and feel, the best dream I ever had, and sometimes in lifetime a dream come true ;-o)  hope dies last!

ISO up to 1.600 I would like it, and it would very fine to see the ISO-settings always in the viewfinder,
Battery life must be the double or more than now, this currentl accuhandgrip ist loughable
faster workflow with phocus, and a dustremovingtool - no other software get me the same smile like phocus, I love it, because no LR or somewhat else of software will work with the same and right true colors like Phocus,
Phocus is the very best software for the Hasselblad 3F-files, LR or other software is unable to hold a candle to Phocus, only the speed can be a little faster. I personaly can`t find mistakes inside, i work with my MacbookPro 17"
8GB RAM, 512GB SSD and it works day bye day flawless, in tethered mode also. I think, the most mistakes are behind the machine, it`s the same like the pc-works.
I wish a better finish of the face,  - the color around the displayframe drop down.
maybe a waterproofed stainless steel body would be wondernice and would give the label a good reputation in the world outside

[KeithL]

Artist and fine art photographer.

Camera
Full frame 6x6
Weather proof

Sensor/Back
Full frame 6x45
40-50 MP
Rotating back

Viewfinders
90, 45 and Waist Level
Framing to reflect orientation of sensor/back

LCD
High definition + wireless transfer to Ipad or equivalent

ISO
25>

Software
Phocus
Selective adjustments
Full numerical info

Lenses
Leaf shutter
T/S lenses wide and standard

Too expensive? Buy the rights to the AFi/HY6 ;-)

[Alex Maxim]

Full time fashion, beauty, fine art, product, stock.

- stable connect/reconnect to Phocus
- iPhone 4 type LCD with antiglare screen, touch screen with no delay 100% zoom to the point you pick with your finger.
- wireless, full-res tether of previews to iPad, iPhone with an option to do the same quick 100% zoom there.
- using cards as storage while tethered with preview on both the computer and the camera LCD (as said before, it's easier to import images from a card than from a laptop)
- dual CF card slot for backup or additional storage
- faster and snappier autofocus with all lenses
- weather sealing
- more life to batteries is always welcome
- ISO capabilities of H4D40 without the crop
- software emulation of gradient filters in phocus
- an option to charge two batteries simultaneously without carrying two chargers.
- 3, 5, 7 or even 9-point AF if possible. Very important for tracking action.
- replace the in-camera flash with a nice AF assist light.
- compatibility with Nikon speedlights? Don't use them much but what the hell. Could be a good AF assist replacement.

Alex