At Photokina last September Hasselblad launched their '48 mm Full-Frame DSLR camera system' the H3D. At the time there were two models, the 22 and 39 megapixels, Hasselblad has now announced a 31 megpixel option; the H3D-31. Unlike the 22 and 39 megapixel cameras the 31 megapixel unit isn't quite "Full-Frame 48mm" as its sensor measures 44x33mm, however it does surpass them in another respect; it uses microlenses to improve fill factor and gain a stop of sensitivity; now up to ISO 800. Unless you win the lottery the H3D-31 is unlikely to be replacing your Digital Rebel as it's priced at US$ 24,995.

Press Release:

Hasselblad launches the H3D-31

Hasselblad Launches the H3D-31, the high-end DSLR camera system of choice for the professional mobile photographer

Hasselblad today extends the appeal of its outstanding H3D DSLR camera system to a new professional photographic audience with the launch of the Hasselblad H3D-31, the 31 megapixel version of the H3D-39, the world’s first 48mm full-frame DSLR camera system. Featuring near full-frame capture, the H3D-31 uses a 44×33mm sensor enhanced with micro-lenses to boost ISO rating one stop to a new maximum of ISO 800. The system’s new high-speed capture architecture, which is common to all H3D models and enables the fastest possible operation, also gives the H3D-31 an impressive capture rate of 1.2 seconds per image in either mobile or tethered mode. These features give the H3D-31 the highest burst rate of the H3D family and make it the camera of choice for the professional mobile photographer.

Christian Poulsen, CEO of Hasselblad comments: “To date, we’ve introduced the H3D-39 and H3D-22 and, in doing so, have set new standards in image quality and lens performance for digital SLR cameras. Offering a full-frame, 48x36mm sensor and unique features, such as Hasselblad’s Natural Color Solution, Digital Auto Correction and Instant Approval Architecture, the H3D-39 and H3D-22 deliver unsurpassed image quality, including moiré-free color rendering, and have become the cameras that professional commercial photographers aspire to.

With the introduction of the H3D-31, we’re now looking to address the needs of professional mobile photographers, whose work may encompass shooting a variety of subjects on location, but who still want the image quality that high-end 35mm DSLRs don’t offer. We’re confident that the H3D-31’s additional photographic flexibility, including its faster ISO rating and faster capture rate, will make it a very attractive proposition for the professional mobile photographer.”
Developed around a brand new digital camera engine, the H3D takes lens performance and image sharpness to new levels. By focusing solely on digital camera architecture, Hasselblad is able to offer photographers the full benefits of professional medium-format digital cameras as well as the ease of use of the best 35mm DSLRs. When compared with high-end 35mm DSLRs, the H3D delivers unmatched pixel resolution, better colors and detail rendering and a new choice of viewfinders for creative image composition. The H3D-22 and its nearly double-resolution H3D-39 counterpart are both full frame 48mm DSLR’s using the sensor format 36×48mm. These cameras operate up to ISO400 with a capture speed of up to 1.4 seconds per capture. The H3D-22 and H3D-39 are the preferred choice of professional commercial photographers.

The H3D design has also made possible the launch of a completely new 28mm lens, designed and optimized solely for digital image capture. Image quality is lifted to a level, yet unseen in digital photography, including digital correction for color aberration and distortion (see the image quality at www.hasselblad.com/products/hasselblad-star-quality ). The result is flexibility for the professional photographer, including the freedom to choose between eye-level and waist-level viewfinders, digitally APO corrected lenses, and on-the-fly classification of images. The H3D offers photographers the freedom to work with film to allow shooting under extreme conditions, and Hasselblad’s Natural Color Solution delivers out-of-the-box image quality only achievable in a true digital camera system.

The new H3D-31 is available immediately worldwide through Hasselblad’s national subsidiaries and channel partners with a retail price of 24,995 US$ or 19,900 Euros.