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Hasselblad announces 24MP Lunar - an 'ultimate luxury' mirrorless camera

Sep 18, 2012 at 13:59:46 GMT

CAMERA NEWS E-MOUNT HASSELBLAD MIRRORLESS

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Photokina 2012: Hasselblad plans to release a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera utilizing Sony's E-Mount. The Hasselblad Lunar, which is expected to cost around €5000 (~$6500) appears to share a lot of technology with Sony's recent NEX-7 model, including the same 24.3MP CMOS sensor, OLED 'True Finder' EVF, and the 'TriNavi' navigation system. The Lunar, which is set for launch in the first quarter of 2013, will be available 'in a choice of standard models plus a variety of exclusive hand grips and precious materials on special order.'

Press release:

Hasselblad plans Lunar launch

Hasselblad, manufacturer of the world’s most advanced medium format camera system, has announced a revolutionary plan to market a state-of-the-art, Italian-designed ‘ultimate luxury’ mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera early next year.

Luca Alessandrini Hasselblad’s New Business Development Manager said: “The Lunar is a celebration of the passion that the company’s founder Victor Hasselblad had for photography. We’ve developed this model in the traditional way, using handmade wooden prototypes to ensure superior ergonomics and functionality. This is a camera for both serious photographers and enthusiasts who aspire to shooting with a Hasselblad.”

He added: “Lunar, which can be used in fully automatic or fully manual mode, has been designed to be easy to use and versatile but with all the advanced technology employed in top DSLRs. For the first time the market now has a camera embracing traditional Hasselblad state-of-the-art image capture combined with stunning Italian design features.

And for the first time ever we are using carbon fiber, titanium, wood, leather and precious metals – including gold. The camera grip itself offers unparalleled ergonomics and has been developed to embrace both compact E-mount and the larger professional A-mount lenses.”

The Lunar, which is set for launch in the first quarter of 2013, will be priced circa 5000 Euros and will be available in a choice of standard models plus a variety of exclusive hand grips and precious materials on special order.

Hasselblad will showcase a unique ‘Lunar experience’ at photokina. Visitors to the stand (Hall 2.1 Stand A-021/B-020) will see a ‘snapshot’ of latest work-in-progress designs and wood- en models, purpose-built to demonstrate the company’s pioneering ‘ideal luxury’ camera vision.

Dr. Larry Hansen, Hasselblad Chairman and CEO said: “It has always been my ambition to enable all fans of the iconic Hasselblad brand to have an opportunity to own one of our cameras. The company mission is to develop exceptional products at the very top end of the market segments in which we operate. In 1962 astronaut Walter Schirra took the first Hasselblad camera into space. Walter had painted the 500C’s metal surface black to minimise reflections. Now, in celebration fifty years later, we have developed Lunar – an aesthetically and ergonomically beautiful piece of camera art, complete with colour options and an evocative vintage look and feel, for photography lovers down here on planet Earth.”

Key Lunar features will include:

DSLR-like performance thanks to the highest technology APS-C 24.3 MP sensor with 25AF points focusing matched to an Ultra fast Processor with real time image process ing and accurate RAW to JPEG translation.
Accurate composition for both still and video in any light conditions thanks to the Ultra-bright 3” high definition display and revolutionary OLED viewfinder that guarantees superior contrast and ultra fast response.
One-touch instant full HD video recording to shoot in Auto or fully manual mode. Focus and exposition control plus the connection for an external microphone and the option to use larger A-mount lenses for professional video creation.
Instant shutter response (0.02 second release time lag) ten frames per second and an extremely Wide ISO 100 -16000 range.
The camera software includes an exceptionally comprehensive set of creative styles, picture effects, scene selections and the smart ”intelligent face registration” making the shooting experience even more fun.
Auto HD, DRO and Anti-motion blur mode.
An Innovative TriNavi system for DSLR-like tuning, two flash options and Anti dust system complete the Lunar state-of-the-art package.

Added Dr. Hansen: “This new model is the result of meticulous engineering research, culminating in the creation of an unprecedented camera which underpins the Hasselblad mission to pioneer and produce supreme quality across all our products.”

Additional Images:

Comments

Total comments: 756

This is just a ruined NEX7. I've been scoffing at Leica for years, but this is by far the most idiotic camera product I've seen.

8 upvotes

I think Hasselblad would gain more if they entered the Professional and Advanced digital market with a full frame camera using the Sony Mount, which would allow for use of Zeiss glass offered by Sony.

They would probably sell many more cameras since most enthusiasts purchasing an over-glorified point and shoot would not be willing to spend $6,000 plus on such a camera.

Someone must have spiked the Kool-Aid at Hasselblad.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

who cares about sensor size, i mean look at the design !!!

why not take classic hasselblad design ??

WHYYYYY ???????

0 upvotes

and their mockups where done in google sketchup i guess

and those two knobs, i mean who the f designed this, it hurts my eyes

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 50 seconds after posting

1 upvote

A wood-marble shell over SONY NEX-7. Wow!

4 upvotes

If there were an Ugly award for cameras, this one would win hands down. What could they have been thinking?

8 upvotes

I think the designer was tripping on belladonna

1 upvote

A Hasselblad NEX-7? Oh Hassy... oh Hassy...

Comment edited 6 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Does it come in black??

0 upvotes

the green parts on the first picture are stone arent they?

it has a marble lenshood ... i bet it has a marble lenshood

cant believe hassi is bringing out something like this camera, just cant believe it ^^

0 upvotes

More like Hasselbad Lunatic. Dont know what kind of **** they are smoking, but it must be really good stuff.

3 upvotes

Hahahaha, "Lunatic"...why didn´t I get first in finding tha exactly perfect wprd for all of this? (at least regarding the disgusting outer design, technically it may be all good..)

0 upvotes

I just pre ordered

3 upvotes

HILARIOUS!!! I love subtle humor. You get a Gold Award.

0 upvotes

Mouammar Kadhafi style.

6 upvotes

hahaha

or the guy that designed the titanium leica m

0 upvotes

Looks like it was perpetrated by Hassy marketing.Their engineers are probably cringing with embarrassment.
Hasselblad wants so shore up their financial image with partnerships that will look good to shareholders, but what is Sony after? Can't be just the sale of a very small number of components which would not require a formal partnership anyway. Medium Format? Large format medical imaging? I have no idea.

0 upvotes

Those who keep saying and wishing for a digital X-pan would probably find their Anti-Climax here , and a big big surprise .... LOL

0 upvotes

there were some rumors about digital Xpan, but we saw this #^^T)@

0 upvotes

Fail. I hate when companies lose sight of what made them iconic in the first place, and release crap like this and slap a "Luxury" tag on it. They should be taking more than just sensor notes from Sony.

5 upvotes

Introducing the Hasselblad Lunar. Because pimps love photography too.

28 upvotes

Too expensive for a NEX, too ordinary and very very cheap for a hasselblad...

0 upvotes

wonder how much they would charge for the uglification of the Fuji X-E1

5 upvotes

"Uglification", another perfect word here... ;-)

1 upvote

So, a hideous looking piece of glitz for the price of several Sony NEX-7s. Leica, all is forgiven.

6 upvotes

Leica has style (pretty old style too). This has neither style or taste.. bleh.

1 upvote

exactl!y, to both comments

1 upvote

I am at a loss for words....

1 upvote

Speechless....(in a bad way)....

1 upvote

ughh!!

1 upvote

I wonder who will buy a thingy like that. Lady Gaga?

0 upvotes

She'll launch the Hassy Lunar Hat craze.

1 upvote

What a shame !! what a ugly style, what a useless piece of hardware !!

If I see someone in the street with that in the hands, I will laugh hard, very hard. I will even point at him, saying to the children "look at this clown !!".

Hasselblad ... the apple felt far from the tree, you, ridiculous brand now.

5 upvotes

Sooo trying to be another Leica. Except Hassy puts a Bentley body on a Toyota Camry chassis and calls it 'unprecedented'.

8 upvotes

Well, if VW Beetle body on and old Lada (AKA Leica M-E) works...

0 upvotes

Wooden grip for cuckoo clock kitch lovers. Seriously Hasselblad?

0 upvotes

It is basically a NEX 7 with Italian sports car spare part added as a grip, which costs 4000 euros. They should call it Lunatic instead.

5 upvotes

Beware: now we know what happens when Mr Ferrari entertains Mrs Ikea in a dark Tokyo tunnel without adequate protection... And do not mix grappa with aquavit and sake ! This hurts.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

7 upvotes

In fact the cameras dispatched to Italy will be rebranded as Pirlablad

0 upvotes

Wish they would have used the new hot-shoe to match the NEX 6, looks like a rendering of the iISO show. Also it would have been very nice in the FF NEX version, especially if Hass brought some full frame NEX lenses.

No matter what the price of the body if Hasselblad starts making e-mount lenses that would be good for Sony.

This also makes the RX1 look cheaper.

0 upvotes

Hasselblad don't make lenses.

0 upvotes

Luna.....cy

1 upvote

Perfect for street shooting East Side Detroit

Comment edited 58 seconds after posting

1 upvote

It's a rebranded Nex-7 Leica/Panasonic style.

0 upvotes

Is there any thing Sony hasn't put a sensor in these days?

Meh ...

0 upvotes

Sigma. Sigma is independent, family owned, with proprietary sensor.

1 upvote

The bottom right version looks a bit like a golf club, which might appeal to this camera's target demographic.

1 upvote

More jewelry for the one percenters, as if they needed it.

2 upvotes

hmmm daydreaming or drunk again, cant decide but iam for sure not sober, or this is an editors joke ^^

1) uglyyyyy
2)apsc
3)sony mount

this tells me one possible story

sony plans to make sensors for them, which means

a) there will be a sony medium format
b) hasselblad has to give their name to attract some guys to the sony mount by bringing out a rehoused nex7

0 upvotes

APRIL FOOOOOOL!!!!!

Oh, hang on a minute.

9 upvotes

Hassle Bad
Need I say more.
BTW: what will the resale value be in 2 years?

0 upvotes

Resale value will be higher than the original price. because these things are not gonna sell well. and there will be people wishing to own one examlpe of one of the costliest and most stupid camera ever made.

0 upvotes

Wow, that looks terrible!

1 upvote

Thank you Hasselblad for cheering up my afternoon. I laughed out loud in the office!

1 upvote

Amazing camera for the other 53%

1 upvote

love that comment!!

but does this mean the cam is for US-Americans only ;)

0 upvotes

Have to say they do look terrible, is this a joke?

2 upvotes

"does this mean the cam is for US-Americans only"

We're not THAT stupid.

Comment edited 15 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Sonyalphanexblad camera! Woot woot!

Zeiss just announced 3 autofocus lenses for the NEX system that will be available next year, 12/2.8, 32/1.8 and 50/2.8 macro lens.

3 upvotes

So the Hassy boys don't feel stupid carrying around a Sony....But on a serious note, if it was full frame at that price, it would be a different story.

0 upvotes

It is on the roadmap, it will be based on the a99 dslr and a price tag of 15.000 €.....

0 upvotes

they are on sale now at IKEA gothenburg

3 upvotes

the audience responded with incredulity...

0 upvotes

And they ran the troupe off the stage and out the windows.

0 upvotes

the lens still looks like a lens. they should do something about it...

17 upvotes

Add titanium ruffles.

1 upvote

And the lens hood should match the hand grip!

0 upvotes

To buy the new Hasselblad Lunar or the new Leica M-series camera? Both have 24-MP sensors; both are finely crafted engineering masterpieces. Decisions, decisions.

Since I'm of sound mind and not made of money, it's actually a pretty easy decision: none of the above. I'll be waiting for the next sub-$800 Panasonic, Nikon or Canon masterpiece, thank you very much.

2 upvotes

What is worst, that it is a huge fail and HB looses a lot of money on the effort ?
Or that it is a huge success and HB decides that this is the way to go ?

Either way, Hasselblad MF looses.

1 upvote

At least the news made me laugh.

1 upvote

so ugly piece of way overpriced junk !

0 upvotes

What? No curb feelers?

0 upvotes

Total comments: 756


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