Ted::Blogs(): Photo::Hasselblad 503CWD

April 2006

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Death Valley 2006

During the Easter weekend, I took a long-deserved photo trip to my favorite place in the world, Death Valley. For the past couple of months, we've been having too much rain and it was great to get out in the sun again. I've been to Death Valley a couple of times before, and this time I tried to visit new places. This time I visited: Rhyolite, Stonepipe Wells, The Dunes (I can't remember the name right now), Golden Canyon, Artist's Pallette, Devil's Golf Course, Badwater, and Zabrieskie's Point. I took two bodies - Hasselblad 503CW (with 3 lenses) and Hasselblad SWC/M. I used Kodak TMX for 503CW with a tripod and Kodak TMY for the SWC/M handheld.

I have always been fascinated by selective focusing and shallow depth of field. To me, it is an explicit way to express the most important part of the image. For the same reason, I enjoy using vignetting as a visual effect. The series of pictures here are taken from various places including italy and california. Obviously, they are grouped as a series as they share the same type of visual effects, not because they share the same subject or geographic location.

I was born in the year of the horse. Maybe that's why I am fascinated with horses. When I started photography, I was very inspired by Keith Carter (another reason why I am so obsessed with selective focusing). After buying his book, "Ezekiel's Horse", I always wanted to have a chance to take pictures of this beautiful creature. Last year, I went to Vegas with my friends, and instead of playing golf, I drove out to Death Valley. I had the slightest idea that I would have an encounter these beautiful horses.

Hasselblad has announced their new, limited edition 503CWD camera system. It is basically 503CW plus the new CFV digital back.

In recognition of founder Victor Hasselblad's birth on March 8, 2006, the company unveils the 503CWD Anniversary kit, a prestigious high-end photographic system that offers state-of-the-art digital technology integrated with a classically designed Hasselblad 503CW body. The camera combines the black and chrome V body, with its central shutter-based lenses with the technology of the CFV digital back...

Here are some key specs of the CFV digital back:

16MP sensor (4080x4080 pixels)
36.7x36.7mm sensor (Lens factor 1.5)
Single shot
16bit color depth
Longest shutter speed: 32 seconds
Image storage: CF Type II, Imagebank external HDD, tethered to PC
Sony InfoLithium L NP-F series battery (8 hours)
OLED color display
IR Filter
Lossless compressed Hasselblad 3F RAW file format
Firewire 800 (IEEE1394b)
WxHxD = 91x90x61mm, 510g

This is not really a big news considering that the fact that V96C digital back already exists and the new back is only a (relatively) small improvement. The price is $9,995 (CFV only), which is also nothing new.

I wish they would eventually come up with a full-frame (6x6cm), 20~40MP digital back at a price point lower than $5K. Is that a pipe dream?

However, as a 503CW user, at least I like the fact that Hassy is keep working on building next generation products. With Contax gone and all the film camera companies reducing their business, I'd like to see signs of life from the traditional camera companies ... at least once in a while.

You can find official brochures about this camera/back at:

Hasselblad limited edition 503CWD digital camera (PDF)

Hasselblad CFV digital back (PDF)

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