My weekend with an H4D and an H5D, and the winner is....

[PeterDorr]

Had the pleasure of testing an H5D-40 alongside my own H4D-40 this weekend.
Have been considering an ugrade for months already, but needed some "self-convincing" arguments.
To cut a long story short....I did not find them.
Don't get me wrong, the H5D is a great piece of gear with a few more/less notable differences vs the H4D, but FOR ME the upgrade just is not worth it. Sure there are thers who do, so pls treat this as my personal opinion.

I very much liked two things:
The more solid Firewire connector
The larger back screen.

The only downside I could find was a slower/inaccurate autofocus compared to my H4D. Maybe incidental, but found that a notable difference.

For the rest differences are small, and not significant for me. Anybody can point out something that I completely missed??
Otherwise, I will wait for the H6 

Grtz

[Greg]

Grtz,

Actually "the larger back screen" is exactly the same size as the H4.  At a demonstration at my local dealer by a Hasselblad representative, I said the same thing, but he said the screen was the same size.  The new one is not outlined by a recessed frame, but because it is integrated into the back, it just looks larger.  Another of the features I especially liked were the P1 and P2 buttons on the back that can be programmed to any function that is handy to each individual photographer.

To me, your decision makes perfect sense.  It might be more logical to upgrade from an H3II or older back.

Greg

[meshuggener]

It might be more logical to upgrade from an H3II or older back.

I absolutely agree with you. Will change my H3DII-39 in a couple of years I think !

[Dustbak]

yes, the AF is supposed to be faster and TF is supposed to lock faster but in reality it seemed my H4D is faster than my new H5D.

[arminw]

I have to say the ridiculous upgrade price from my H4d50 to a H5d50 stopped my interest  . I just cant justify so little upgrade for so much money . Ill wait and see if Hasselblad has anything up their sleeves or if the Lunar and what not is the new direction for Hasselblad ? If the latter I'll switch over to the Leica S system.

[Monty Rakusen]

I've been watching this thread with interest and finally I'm chipping in.
I run an H4D50 with an H3D39 mk1 as backup, I also run a full D800E kit.
I was really disappointed at the small increment of progress on the H5 its almost like all they've given it is go faster stripes! The H5 is definitely a mistake.
I'm now due an upgrade but to what?
I was hoping for better asa capability, this is what I use the Nikon for. The H4D is such better quality than the Nikon and of course the look is better too. That's not to mention how much better the H4D's focus is than the Nikon!
Please Hasselblad get your act together and give professional photographers what they want and desire.
Monty

[KeithL]

I looked seriously at the Leica S but there were potential problems. Virtually all of my work is made with exposures between 1/15 sec to 8 sec. At these speeds vibration, or rather the lack of vibration is of prime importance. As a result I would always choose a leaf shutter system over focal plane. Yes, I know the S system has a range of leaf shutter lenses but the problem is the firing sequence, as follows:-

1.Shutter released
2.Mirror goes up
3.Aperture diaphragm closes down to desired f-stop
4.Focal plane shutter opens
5.Camera starts exposure electronically
6.Central shutter closes
7.Aperture opens
8.Focal plane shutter closes
9.Central shutter opens
10.Mirror returns

If ever there was a recipe for vibration then this is it. I know one photographer who has given up on the Leica S because of this issue.

I love my Hasselblad H system, I'm just not enamoured with the direction Hasselblad is currently taking. To me the H5D looks like an H4D with a software tweak and a nice paint job.

[Hueto]

I borrowed a H4D 40 a month before it hit my H5D 40, did some tests and I am very disappointed with the H5D is the same with different makeup. The only thing in favor of the coup H5D is the mirror that is much lower and that is appreciated, but I am very angry at being compardo a team that has no improvement in quality compared to manufactured years before the H4D. This is incomprehensible all brands have advanced this every month and Hasselblad has not moved in 3 years.
This is just an opinion of a Hasselblad rookie before I had Canon 1DS mark III, 5D III and earlier.