Why Hasselblad Cameras Are So Expensive | So Expensive

Hasselblad cameras have taken some of the most iconic photos of the 20th century. From the first moon landing, to The Beatles crossing Abbey Road, and portraits of Marilyn Monroe. But the company has gained a reputation for having extremely expensive cameras. Hasselblad’s H6D-100c camera costs over $30,000. But its cameras weren’t always this expensive.

Editor’s Note: The lens shown at 1:24 is designed for the X System cameras, not the H System as shown.

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Why Hasselblad Cameras Are So Expensive | So Expensive

[jon-williammurphy]

As a mechanical design engineer that works in the consumer electronics industry, I would guess 99% of canon, nikon and sony cameras are also assembled by hand. Just not by Swedish people.

[zch]

Hasselblad: *sells camera without lens for 32, 000*

Apple: "Write that down, WRITE THAT DOWN"

[VisualEducationStudio]

My photo of the motorcycle appears in this video at around 1:50. I've shot with Hasselblad medium format for the last 16 years and the image quality in my opinion is unsurpassable. There are many sectors of the image making world that benefit from this quality and the cost is simply an investment in tools and is no different to a top restaurant spending 100K on ovens and kitchen equipment compared to a small take away spending much less. It's just business economics, if there is a market for these tools then someone will make them and price them accordingly for that market.

[chicobicalho]

I worked with Annie Leibovitz in the early 1990s, in the days of campaigns like AmEx, cardmember since, The Gap, Vanity Fair, and many books being published. She owned just about every piece of equipment available in medium format, and her overwhelming choice was always the Mamyia RZ67 cameras and lenses. One of the reasons was because she shot Polaroid 665 positive/negative b&w film profusely and the Mamyia Polaroid back yielded a 7x7 negative, from which Jim Megargee, her maestro printer, made gorgeous prints in #1 Agfa Portriga paper. But I once asked her, out of curiosity, why she preferred the Mamyia system rather than the Hasselblad, and after thinking for a few seconds her answer was -"I think the Hasselblad lenses are obnoxiously sharp".

[bryan.w.t]

Some extra notes: lens play a bigger role preserving sharpness and color reproduction. Sensor and post processing (color science and dynamic range) are the ones unique to hassleblad.

[masoncarter]

So expensive in a nutshell:
Made by hand,
very rare,
made by hand and rare.

[arvin]

Literally every expensive product rule:
1. Handmade

[merlinsrobe]

The Hasselblad x1d is generally considered a step down from the Fujifilm GFX100 among working professionals. The H6D is widely regarding as a pig of a camera to use, and that's been my experience during the few times I've used one. But there's definitely a clientele that only use these cameras because they enjoy the brand recognition. But in terms of day-to-day usability and image quality, it's not really in the game any more.

[jordanabendroth]

This is one of the so expensive ones that actually isn't entirely pointless, it's not just overpriced clothing or something.

[GardenGuy]

Answer: Very big sensor, accurate color, and high quality standards.

[SHOOTITFilmPhotography]

Funny that nobody really ever speaks about the issues with these cameras. The slow and bad autofocus, all the error messages, the rear screen issues with weird green/pink colors etc... The H5D-40 I owned in 2015-2016 was sadly enough the most expensive camera I ever bought, and the worst functioning one. So many error messages it was unbelievable, couldn't trust it at all. And after about six months of (extremely careful) use and handling it broke down completely... I haven't tried the H6D series, but I REALLY hope they fixed the issues from the H5D series.

I have the X1D II now which works a lot better, so I'm glad they're moving in the right direction at least.

[midwestavgeek]

Hasselblad: *Sells camera for $32, 000*
8K Red Cameras: Baby numbers

[ariknatawijaya]

Me watching this video on 240p: mmm yes the picture quality is amazing

[theartfuldodger]

My doctor opted to use a Hasselblad camera for my colonoscopy. The pictures were amazing but it was quite uncomfortable.

[rayson]

Just so you know, if you drop this camera, you're literally droping a car from your hand. And some might say it's a house, that you've dropped.

[manny]

I've shot Hasselblad off and on (owned a film version and rented the digital).
Medium format was always a great film format for still subjects. Hasselblad was arguably the best at it back in the day. You still have to use them if a client requests it because they heard of the name and wants it.

I wasn't as blown away by the digital version. Zeiss hasn't been Zeiss for awhile. They made a line of "premium" glass for Sony a few years back. Sony almost instantly replaced the line with updated glass. They just weren't great. Not horrible, but not worth the legacy brand mark up you were being hit with. I kinda felt that way about the Hasselblad glass too that is available. Very good, not great.
I do love their color science but I don't think it justifies $32, 000. They were bought out by DJI a few years ago. Unfortunately a bit of the Chinese urge to cut corners has been shining through.

There are rumors that Sony is coming out with a medium format camera soon. It will likely have the same sensor. It will probably also be around $10K.

I dunno, medium format looks great but has very limited applications. If you do tons of studio fashion and advertising work that's going to be blown up to a huge poster or billboard size, you'll need the 3xtra resolution.
For basically every other photographer, a full frame mirrorless from Sony, Canon, Nikon, or Fuji (who have a medium format line) will do what you need for 1/3 to 1/6th the cost.

[MichaelAres]

Can you do “Why Sony, Canon, and Nikon are expensive” for the rest of us super peasants? Haha

[chengyiq]

Hasselblad is like the Rolls Royce of cameras

[mermaidx]

I began shooting with a Hasselblad back in 1983. I found the simplicity and mechanical precision coupled with exceptional reliability gave me a feeling of deep satisfaction every time I used it. Very few possessions I have ever owned matched that however after going digital in 2007 my fine medium format camera was relegated to storage. The prohibitive cost of a digital back just made it impractical to consider. I recently sold my Hasselblad gear to a young fellow whom was very excited to own it. Unbelievably I sold it for almost what I had paid for it back in 83. Still working like the day I bought it is a testament to the quality of Hasselblad and Zeiss optics which cannot be beaten. there’s a reason the 500 c was taken to the moon.

[bobscott]

I owned a photography studio for 18 years. I preferred the Mamiya RB67/RZ67 Professional in the studio as the frame format (6x7 cm), meant less cropping was needed than with the Hassleblad. 5x7, 8x10, 11x14 and up were ideal sizes for this format. Just rotate the film back to either horizontal or vertical and you’re good to go. I had a 30x40 inch portrait that was the center piece in the lobby that was crystal clear and got a lot of attention and great comments as people would study the subject matter.
I also liked to use related props or decorations around the portraits on the wall to give ideas of how it would look in the home.
I also used the Mamiya 645 for weddings with great results. Weddings were lucrative, but I preferred in studio doing portraits and product/catalog shooting.
I will also add that good lighting and a great photo lab that understands your wants is very essential. I had a very successful portrait studio using nothing but the Mamiya cameras.
When digital came on the scene, that’s when I decided it was time to sell and get out….too expensive.