Hasselblad cameras: legendary.
The word “legend” gets used too often, but not this time. If you’re not a camera buff, Hasselblad was famous for their so-called medium format cameras. Medium format is the film size/category in between 35mm (which is what most of us think of as film) and large format. Large format cameras often use big glass plates as negatives, as big as 8×10″ for the negative, or even bigger. Ansel Adams shot large format. Think “sheet over the head, air bulb in hand.”
The larger Medium Format negative, favored by high-fashion & other studio photographers, allowed for a sharper image. They weren’t as portable, and so the 35mm format was favored by photojournalists & amateur travelers.
So as a great film-camera maker, Hasselblad hasn’t been on my radar for a long time. But nor have I seen such an eye-catching design in a long time. The style of the new Hasselblad Lunar may not appeal to everyone. But it is fresh & creative.
And it’s no accident they named this model the ‘Lunar.’ Yes, the appearance is otherworldly. But since the early days of US Manned Spaceflight, Hasselblad flew with the astronauts. Neil Armstrong & all his Apollo buddies all took Hasselblads with them to the moon. Check out the gallery of photos below to see the new camera, as well as the original “lunar” Hasselblad.
The grip can be fitted with different materials, including two types of leather, carbon fiber, and even wood!
This new model is not yet available, nor has a price been set. The company claims this will appeal to serious enthusiast.
We’ll see…Hasselblad prices are also legend.