XCD Price Increase

[Michael H. Cothran]

After being closed for the past 10 days, B&H re-opened this morning, revealing a price hike on the 45mm and 90mm lenses - each by a few hundred USD. Whew! I'm sure glad I bought mine when I did! The 30mm and 120mm remain the same.

[satijntje]

Yes, +17%  for the 90mm, +20% for the 45mm and 5% for H lenses in Germany at least.
But there are still X lenses available for the old price in the smallest neighboring country of Germany :-)
John

[Greg]

To increase the prices on XCD lenses BEFORE Hasselblad has fulfilled all the backorders for the X1D camera is unconscionable.  The decision to increase prices so dramatically is absolutely backwards to market norms.  With the tremendous volume of orders for the camera, the lens manufacturer would have the benefit of large numbers of orders for lenses that would increase the economies of scale.  The price should have dropped rather than increased or at least stayed the same.  These kind of decisions harken back to the "bad old days" of the Lunar.  We all want Hasselblad to be healthy and vital, but this decision smacks of gouging.  I was considering the new 120 Macro, but now I will forgo that and use my HC and HCD lenses.  That even gives rise to the question, "Where is the H to X adapter?"  So, we raise the prices of lenses before there is even a hint of delivery time for the lens converter.  I'm left shaking my head as to what Hasselblad is thinking.  I just do not know!

Greg 

[satijntje]

At least HaBla is in line with Leica that has announced an increase of their prices for some for their products (e.g. M10) yesterday. 

John

[ganesh]

 
I had warned against this in another thread
http://www.hasselbladdigitalforum.com/index.php?topic=4853.0

[Imagecrazy]

Doesn't surprise me or phase my enjoyment and awe of this camera.  Even at the price increase, well worth it.  I now am dumping a good bit of my 35mm equipment(Leica) and making the X1d my main gear.  I don't need speed.  Looking forward to adding a couple lenses not available yet.

[satijntje]

Hi, I did exactly the same.
Replaced my Leica M10 and 50mm APO Summicron with the X1D system.
Very nice light system that one can cary around the whole day without problems.
No regrets so far, the IQ is the best I have ever seen, better then Leica M with its APO lenses!
And the AF you get free of charge!

John

[happymac]

I've ordered a M10 a few weeks ago before I got in touch with a X1D in a store in Munich last weekend. Now I am really confused what to do. I own a M6/M9 with 18, 24, 35, 50, 90 and 135. Makes it sense to move to Hasselblad? I prefer landscape and street photography and I am deeply impressed of the qualitity of the X1D. I wonder if th X1D is at the development status the Leica M8 had a few years ago. Leica Photographers have had to wait until the M10, which seems to fulfill most of the things a digital sister of the analog Leicas (M6) should have. I am not shure, if the X1D is in the same situation, the M8 was a few years ago: A really good camera, but the perfect one will be released in the future.

[Greg]

Sold my M240 to move to the X1D and have absolutely no regret (other than the depreciation I absorbed).  The X1D is the camera I have always wanted and is definitely ready for "prime time."  The firmware is solid and has all the features I need.  If one were to wait on the "one will be released in the future", you'd miss a lot of photographic opportunities.  My only complaint with the camera was the deafening silence surrounding the long delayed release of the camera and absolutely no information about when we may expect the XH lens adapter. 

Leica devotees are loyal to a fault, but one was enough for me to know they aren't my cup of tea.  Loved the feel and quality of the Leica camera, but I could not get good results.  Maybe I'm not that good a photographer, and the X1D masks some of my faults. 

Greg

[Cliff S]

I have the Leica M10 and SL. Both great cameras and great to use. But when I see the pictures that I get with the X1D, they're in another league in terms of IQ, colour rendering and the trueness to the object photographed. A picture of brass on the X1D looks like brassed metal. On the M10 it looks like brassy plastic. I look at the photos on the X1D in the little rear screen and it looks like a real object is behind the glass, not a photograph.

Of course, reportage doesn't need focus or realism - just great composition of something intriguing. The M10 and X1D are equals in that respect.

Needless to say, while I won't part with my Leica gear, my go to camera is only the Hasselblad. It feels like I'm shooting with the M10, just as simple, but the results continue to blow me, and those looking at the photos, away.

[Ski542002]

Have an SL and eventually soon the X1D.  A specific Leica blog has hundreds of pages comparing these 2 cameras and IMO, if you shoot professionally at some point you'll utilize the features of both.  Other than their perceived esoteric names & stratospheric pricing, they are very different systems for sometimes different applications.

[incredipete]

I sold my H5D-50c system and switched to the X1D. I have the 30, 45, and 90, and I'll buy the 120 and anything super wide that comes out, too. The size of the system and the SAME sensor?? It was a no-brainer. I made money on the switch.