Hasselblad Lunar

Dustbak · September 19, 2012, 08:40:42 AM

I would rather have had HB solely do the announcement of their cooperation with Sony instead of introducing this horrible caricature of a camera. I just hope it will make them a ton of money, a real ton of money. An insane amount of money.....

meanwhile my upgrade order is on its way, still a pity it isn't a H5D80. The macro adapter has my interest too.

Miller · September 19, 2012, 08:55:34 AM

What this design reminds me of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcDNha5X2a0&feature=related

Why didn't they get this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qik-N21nYN8&list=SPD78DF1BFEAAE0C1B&index=10&feature=plpp_video

Alex Maxim · September 19, 2012, 08:56:35 AM

Quote from: Derek Jecxz on September 19, 2012, 08:28:31 AM
Reluctantly, I re-post these images (FWIW, I am told by a reliable source that Paul Claesson was involved in selecting the fabric color of the 2nd photo):

;d

I don't know. Design sketches look better. On these photos it looks ugly and cheaply made.

Greg · September 19, 2012, 08:59:35 AM

Sorry everyone (especially Paul), but that thing is just grotesque! Why in the world would anyone think they will sell very many of these things when you can get the exact camera for 1/5 the cost? I am still in shock. Maybe someone will just have to have the bling, but you can get anyone to pimp out a camera. I used to watch "Pimp MY Ride" on MTV. Maybe I'll send my Hassy to them rather than plunk down money for the Lunar. (Assuming everyone knows that's a joke)

I am all in favor of them monetizing the Hasselblad name, but they could have, at the very least, partnered with Sony to bring a new idea into the market. In my opinion, they just trashed the brand and devalued their investment. And let's all remember, Sony wants to sell tons of cameras too. Why Sony went along with it is also a mystery to me. With this one they will sell in the tens not in the tens of thousands.

Greg

Barry Goyette · September 19, 2012, 08:59:45 AM

Quote from: NickT on September 19, 2012, 08:23:29 AM
Ventz have always signalled their intention to monetise the Hasselblad name.....
..... I reckon it will sell and make the company money which is probably a good thing for us lot.

Nick-T

I don't know. I think this an "emperor's new clothes" kinda deal. The argument that Leica has managed to do this doesn't really work in this situation. The 6K + M series has the benefit of actually "being" a leica. As Dustbak said, Hasselblad should have announced the partnership, and then purchased the guts from Sony...and worked on a camera that looks and smells like a hasselblad. Then a couple years from now, throw in the neon and snakebutt grips. I think the reaction around the web today is pretty clear. These are an abomination, and are being identified as such en masse. No one's going "when can I get mine". That's a big problem. I remember when the M9 came out. There was a lot of lust..a bit of sniggering about the technology...but a lot of lust. Hasselblad has missed the boat methinks.

rsmphoto · September 19, 2012, 10:00:22 AM

I really find this humorous. What was the designer smoking when he came up with this design? This is definitely a case of the emperor's new clothes. I think they should have named it "Edsel."

Good for a chuckle though.

fotografz · September 19, 2012, 10:59:25 AM

I'm not chuckling.

Decade upon decade of a brand building a reputation for serious photographic tools, for Pro and enthusiasts alike, something to aspire to, gone in a few seconds of a misguided profiteering.

I spent my whole working life helping build brands, protecting them while in my care, and guiding them through tough times without dissipating their potential so they are well positioned for better times ... which always come.

This move is a text-book example of what not to do. The consuming public are not fools no matter what arm-chair marketer's may think ... and the internet has hastened collective opinions to the speed of light.

This is a poser camera, but unlike the Leica limited edition poser collector cameras which are still a Leica M, it is not a Hasselblad, it is an inexpensive Sony APSc camera with bling and a H on it. This is exactly like when Cadillac branded a look-alike K car, and draped bling on it in the '80s, a disaster that Ford capitalized on with their rolling living room Town Car that the customer wanted, and for the first time surpassed Cadillac in sales.

Hasselblad missed an opportunity to solidify their position in MFD arena by stepping on the neck of Phase One and their rebadged Mamiya with a hundred band-aids on it. It wouldn't have taken much, but more than they did.

Moving to other markets can be successful, however, it is based on a true grasp of the Brand's essence, what it is renowned for ... then figuring out the economics of it to expand markets.

I can think of many ways to have done this ... what they did is not one of them.

-Marc

Greg · September 19, 2012, 11:30:52 AM

Marc,

I could not have said it better or more eloquently.

One could not have tried to destroy a legendary brand better than they did in one moment of stupidity and outright greed.

My concern is that Hasselblad could probably care less about what we think, and that is a huge problem.

Where was that bright, young employee trying to build the courage to say "I don't think this is such a good idea." Oh yes, they fired them all.

Greg

Alex Maxim · September 19, 2012, 02:36:23 PM

Take it easy, guys. Do all your shoots turn out awesome?
We got H5D after all...

Greg · September 19, 2012, 02:46:15 PM

Yes, and in the dustup of this debacle, the H5D has all but disappeared on the public relations front. With the less than remarkable improvement in the Phase One camera offering, the Lunar diverted attention from the H5D, so Hasselblad has lost that battle as well.

Greg

Miller · September 19, 2012, 03:15:42 PM

I think that we all see this as a blatant example of selling trash for cash.
The real worry is: can we ever trust H in future to market a serious product aimed at serious photographers?

Fotograf · September 19, 2012, 06:51:15 PM

I was at the press conference yesterday with CEO Hansen who talked about his dream to attack Hasselblad for more then 10 years before he was working for it.
Good job, man - finally you did it !

More interested in the 24mm specs ? have a look there

Michael

KeithL · September 20, 2012, 05:40:33 AM

I woke this morning convinced I'd had the mother of all nightmares...

Greg · September 20, 2012, 07:35:12 AM

+1

Greg

Barry Goyette · September 20, 2012, 11:10:31 AM

It gets better.....

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2206781/hasselblad-were-not-robbing-people-off-with-lunar-camera

He seems to be boiling it down to Hasselblad as a company that has always used the most bitchin' materials, and that's the reason the cameras are so expensive. Did you know you were paying so much for your H4D because it's got stainless steel in it? Who the hell is this guy? Never heard of him before yesterday. Where is Christian Poulsen when you need him?