Support for Hasselblad

[KeithL]

Just had a nice exchange of emails with Michael Reichman who has told me that he has nothing against Hasselblad equipment and in fact thinks that the camera is better than Phase One/Mamiya although he thinks that the Phase One backs have the edge.  He also said that his disagreement has always been with Mr Poulson (who has now left) about Hasselblad's strategy.  Perhaps a reader ought submit a review of the HD4-60 to Michael for publication?

I'd be fascinated to know what the catalyst was for this exchange of emails.

[davidthescot]

herewith the text of my email to Michael

Dear Michael

I feel sure that you will get many more emails like this but I would just like to heartily endorse Mark's views on Imageprint 8.  I have been using this software for a number of years (following your original recommendation) and I am totally satisfied with the results.  In fact I have sold my profiling kit because I no longer use it and replaced my HP3100 with an Epson 7900 solely because of Imageprint.

Mark is right, it is not cheap, but it is worth every penny in my view.

Finally can I just say that it is articles like this which make your website such compulsive reading and render it, in my view, a must look at every day.  BTW this is notwithstanding my continuing frustration with your, in my view, unreasonable prejudice against Hasselblad which I know puts a large number of fellow MF users off using your site.  But hey! Nobody's perfect.

and his reply

Hi David,

Thanks for your note. I've passed it on to Mark.

Not sure why you think I have anything against Hasselblad the camera. I definitely don't. Indeed it think it's a better camera than the Phase / Mamiya, though I do think that Phase backs have a slight edge.

My problem has always been with Hasselblad's management and their decision to close their system. As I expected it would, it eventually lead to the firing of the plan's architect, CEO Christian Poulson, who has single handedly almost driven the company into the ground.

I fully expect that the company will reopen their architecture at some point, and this will be good news for the whole industry.

Regards,

Michael

I think that is pretty fair all things considered and I give full credit to Michael for his response.

[Greg]

"... almost driven the company into the ground."  Wow, really!  Granted I do not have sales figures, but Hasselblad seems to be selling more cameras and backs than they can produce.  The lenses are second to none without mentioning the corrections in Phocus, and he does not even mention that part of the equation.  And he hopes they "open" the system some day.  Oh really, Hasselblad should resume being a patsy for Phase.  And just what does an "open system" really mean.  In my opinion, I don't think Mamiya/Phase is all that open.  And how does he expect to use the back from the new Pentax camera.

Michael R is simply pumped up by his self imposed importance, pontificating about all things Medium Format, and as usual spews nonsense and half truths to those willing to be impressed by his bluster.  Not me.  I hate to be so negative, but he rubs me the wrong way.  Every time I hear him philosophize I think of Goober on The Andy Griffith Show where he grows a beard and all the characters on the show lead him down a path to feeling everyone is hanging on his every word.  It was funny on the Andy Griffith Show then, and it is funny to me today when I hear MR becoming the modern day Goober.  Sorry Goober.

Greg 

[Greg]

Thanks Derek.  You always make me laugh.

Greg

[fotografz]

Who cares what Herr Reichmiester has to say?  "Better camera" is a condescending bone thrown to growling pack of dogs. If he believed that as fact, he would have questioned the skewed and inaccurate review of the H camera he published ... which stated the H overexposed by 2 stops, among other things.

I stopped going there after that. I simply don't trust anything on that site now ... what else is skewed and full of half truths and hidden agendas?

As to this site ... yeah a make-over wouldn't hurt. More participation from Hasselblad wouldn't hurt.

One thing that would be of value is some way deal with those new to using Hasselbald or MFD ... so often they come on strong how the equipment is defective ... when it's user error instead. Maybe a FAQ or a trouble shooting guide by category or something. The stuff we all learn for the more common issues that less experienced users don't know.

-Marc

[Henry]

Let's not be too harsh on Michael Reichmann - LuLa is a great resource when all is said and done, and you don't have to agree with everything said there to find something useful - the printer forum is well worth following, in my opinion.  Some of his reasoning can be a little odd - given that he had an H2 which works fine with Phase backs, I couldn't follow his logic in changing systems as a protest to the closing of the future Hassleblad system as he was, in effect, locking himself in to the Phase/Mamiya system by doing that, and saddling himself with not-as-good camera and having to buy a whole new bag of glass to boot!  Still, his choice.  Speaking personally, given that Hasselblad became a back maker as well as a camera system maker by merging with Imacon, they were bound to want to concentrate efforts on their own competitive offerings, and making the back and camera as a unit helped ensure the best possible physical registration between back and mirror box - something which becomes more important the higher the resolution of the backs becomes as tolerances become all the more critical - I wonder if future Phase offerings will follow the same path? In any case, when considering the move to DMF, I looked at the P45+ as well as the H3D 39 - both looked good to me, but by going with Hasselblad I got to use their 28mm (which I absolutely love, especially with the HTS) and had a whole slew of software corrections automatically included which saves a ton of time in post production.  When the H3D-50 came out along with the HTS, that settled the matter for me as I could dispense with my 5x4 outfit and film developing hassles - I have no regrets 15 months on!  Just a personal take, so feel free to shoot me down!

Cheers,

Henry

[Henry]

Cheers, Derek!    When browsing LuLa, or any site for that matter, it does pay to have the scepticism filter on, full strength when MR goes off on one to be sure! But it is good to read that other MFD users are experiencing the same phenomena as you are, and my technique, which I mistakenly thought was pretty good after years of LF film use, needs shifting up a notch to get the best out of my H3D-II 50 (especially if I get as cavalier as when using my H1....) as any errors get magnified hugely at 100% on a 30" screen! I invariably find, by the way, that any errors tend to be mine.... But when it all comes together, it beats anything I've done before.  And I do get a bit bored with fussing over brand X versus Brand Y - in the right hands it all produces pretty incredible results. When people declaim equipment for shortcomings unhampered by experience, or test gear in such a way so as not to get the best out of it in order to make their preferred brand look better, they merely make themselves look a bit foolish!

Cheers,

Henry

[NickT]

Cheers, Derek!    When browsing LuLa, or any site for that matter, it does pay to have the scepticism filter on,

Well not here of course because we are perfect

I haven't forgotten about the forum makeover, just hit an extremely busy period with work so have to put that plan on the back burner. There is also an imminent release of a major upgrade to the board software we use (same as LuLa so I thought it would make sense to roll out a new look with an upgrade.

Nick-T