For the Hy6 users, F&H are announcing :
- 6060 film magazine
- AF Apogon 120mm HTF
- Prism viewfinder
- Remote release

Do you have more details?

http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/photokina...er-fuer-Hy6-AFi

The two new 120mm lenses:

http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/Als-Portr...4120-mm-HFT-PQS

Also see the announcement of a Hy6 DB adapter for the xAct:

http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/Digitalru...ter-fuer-XAct-2

Has anyone seen or used the remote control yet? I use the 6008 remote every time I shoot a static subject, especially the mirror lock up feature.

Does the Hy6 remote offer MLU as well? Hard to see much in this photo:

I managed to take a few frames with the new 120 AFD and it is very very good from what I saw.

And yes the new cable release does MLU.

Yair

Thanks, Yair.

Delivery dates for the 90% viewer?

I have been waiting for them for quite a long time.

I don't know about that little cable release, but that Rolleiflex is a pretty camera.

Still, why can't they make the whole thing black?

JR

James,
the two tone look is actually o.k in real life.
A lot nicer than the Hassy H series two tone.

However the Hy6 in totally black would be nice as well.

In my opinion the all black Rolleiflex looks a lot better than two-tone Leaf and Sinar cameras.
Eduardo
Edit: I just noticed the WLF in the Rolleiflex is slightly grayed out. Come on Rollei, show'em how to dress a camera. Paint it black too. Don't you know black is the "in" color for this fall?

All 3 cameras carry the exact same two tone colour scheme.

Yair

Yair,

Tell em to stop that.

JR

Really? I was under the impression the Rolleiflex was "blacker"
Beautiful cameras anyway. They are my obi-wans.
Eduardo

Well the one they sell at KurlandPhoto is black...

Ebay item: 270276727485

That Rolleiflex is the strength of the Leaf, that and the fact that under the right conditions and processed in pscs, the leaf file looks really film like.

With my A-22 I never shot it under 200 iso, (well maybe just once) and I loved the look.

In my humble opinion the only problem with leaf (and this holds true for many of the medium format makers) is they need to show some props to past customers.

The new AFI 10 will have an lcd that works when tethering. Good, it's about time, becuase when you need to see it both on the computer and the camera, you really need it.

The downside is Leaf has known they need this feature forever and the only way to get it is an expensive upgrade to a new back.

Leaf would do themselves a world of good in the PR department if they made that retroactive to past customers for a low cost upgrade. I don't believe it would hurt future sales and if anything go a long way to showing some good will to past customers, many that have been loyal through the very trying LC10 trial period.

Actually, a lot of us that buy into the expensive digital world seem somewhat caught out, by well intentioned but somewhat failed promises. Promised "workable" wi-fi, (leaf and phase), high clean iso at 800 to 1600 iso (all of the back makers) and many missed software deadlines.

(Let's don't even mention the big, bight and detailed lcds)

Let's be realistic. These cameras are damn expensive and though many of us can afford them and afford to upgrade, we also can use that money to move our business forward in other areas, especially in today's financial climate.

So to me, the company that gets my next purchase is the one that shows some extreme good will and goes the extra step.

This is probably going to fall on deaf ears as during photokina everyone is talking about new stuff without a lot of mention of old stuff, but the makers should remember it's the buyers of the old stuff that kept the companies in a position to offer the new.

Nobody is asking for anything free, or a perpeptual low cost upgrade but I think all the manufacturers shoudl print out their sales pdfs, e-mail blasts, road maps of the last three years and yellow pencil the promises that only came 1/2 true or in some instances not at all.

Go back, get those right for the customers that invested in the products and I'd bet you would have a customer for life.

JR

Two tone colors are better. Why always be black?

Bright orange, fluo green for factory-donated cameras please. So that when we see James with his future Leaf we know that *he* is a photographer

Edmund

I was yesterday at the Photokina ...
of F & H was standing with a tape off, but nobody was in front
by the news was nothing to see (a pity)
I believe in a rear showcase was the cable release but without description
and gone over to see for details
only wonder why F & H have a stand there ...

Adina

The more AF lenses the better for the adoption of the Hy6/AFI platform.

According to Thierry at another forum, the AF 120mm is NOT a macro
whereas the manual-focus 120mm is. Is this correct?

Deleted

Few years back I was in Paris w/my H1 - needed a small repair - went to a studio & they had a Hasselblad H series in Japanese/Fuji version which was completely black. No chrome, I thought it looked cool, I was going to swap mine w/fujiBlad till I found out that being Fuji version, the warranty won't be honoured in States, but EU is fine.
May be you can get one in Europe, though I realize you don't like Hassey...so just FYI.

I really wonder why these trades shows exist because it doesn't seem like anything annouced can be bought within a definate date.

Maybe it's like some insurance convention it's just an excuse to play soccer and party late into the night.

I'm sure we will see a few Viking hat videos soon.

I've only been to Photo East in NY once for about 15 minutes, Photo West in LA once (for about 5 minutes) and both times I realized it really wasn't a place for photographers to meet, but was geared more towards photographic sales people.

Kind of the ultimate Shriner convention, minus the little motorcycles and cone head hats.

Still, I look at all of these annoucements and it's pretty much the same stuff in different wrappers, with not one even semi pretty photograph shot with any of these new cameras.

The Leica doesn't surprise me, or wow me, in fact I kind of wonder what it or any of this will do that I can't do already.

I guess the word evolution is correct, though all of these evolutions costs serious money.

The Phase finally has a right angle grip and some new lenses and I kind of think that's interesting until I realize my Contax has all of that, is paid for and is 1/3 the price of the phamamiya.

The only difference is I can buy a right angle grip for the Contax today and I wonder how long before one hits the shelves in medium format land.

For the photographer probably the best part of Photokina is all of these "upgrades" will drive the currrent prices down, so in a month or so it probably is a good time to pick up an A-22 or a P-45.

Look at the Hasselblad announcement. Obviously there was some extra margins in those prices if they can cut them 40%.

JR

here, in German, but with pics:

http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/Als-Portr...4120-mm-HFT-PQS

Best regards,
Thierry

I think your right about picking up some of the older stuff. I mean there are so many great backs around that are a couple of generations old, all the kinks are worked out, there cheap and available now. Thats the great advancement from the last 2 years.

EXACTLY.

Ok, I see some things in this thread that I would like to straighten out. First off: as far as my information goes the cable release as shown does NOT have mirror lockup. Not sure this will be a problem in practice as the mirror produces very little vibration, but still. I think Yair is speaking about the cable release that connects directly to the Leaf back. But the one that connects to the body does not have it. So yes, the camera has mirror lockup (through an on-body button and through the back controls), but it cannot be activated through the external cable jack. Please Yair or Thierry, correct me if I'm wrong. (I really wish I am wrong this time.)

Click to view attachment

Now, the two-color scheme: anyone who has seen this camera in real life knows that it is NOT blue, but very distinctly dark cool grey with black. Much more subtle than on most pictures I have seen so far. Still, I did notice that the ones shown in the Sinar booth look more contrasted than those in the Leaf and F&H booth. It probably has to do with some metamerism-effect due to the lightsources used in the respective booths.

120mm Lenses: the Macro Apogon 120, the AF Apogon 120 and the AFD Apogon 120 are all based on the exact same optical design, formerly known as the Zeiss Macro Planar 120mm. The license to use the Zeiss brand name has expired, but the glass elements of these lenses still come from Zeiss. The difference between the AF versions and the non-AF version is that the non-AF version (the Macro Apogon) has a shorter minimum focusing distance (80cm against 115cm) and it is also much more compact. Of course all can be used with extension tubes or bellows to get closer. So now this macro lens can also be used by the James Russells of this world because it has AF. The AF Apogon can be used on both the 6008AF and the Hy6 because it has an aperture ring, while the AFD-version is meant to be used on Hy6 only (aperture setting through the camera).

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

35mm AFD-Flektogon: there have been some serious problems with this lens. Without going into details, the outcome was that it had to be redesigned from scratch after an earlier prototype had existed. The new design is now finished and F&H are eagerly waiting for the elements to arrive in order to be able to place them in the barrel. The design now consists out of 11 lenses in 8 groups of glass with a very high breaking index. One aspherical element is part of the design too. The image circle will cover the full 6x6 surface. It is especially interesting that Jenoptik -who have no specific interest in film use- wanted this full coverage with good sharpness into the very corners. The earlier prototype had soft corners, but it would have been fine for use with 645 sensors only.

DB adapter for Rollei xAct2: it takes the Hy6 interfaced backs from Sinar and Leaf. On the camera side the sliding adapter is based on the Alpa mount system.

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

6x6 Film back: the prototype is finished and working, ready to be prepared for production. Unfortunately some new and expensive tooling is needed to make the back, and while everybody at the F&H factory is busy churning out Hy6 cameras and lenses that is not going to help. Expected to be available early 2009. The back takes both 120 and 220 roll film. A very interesting detail is that it can be rotated, although is is square only. The advantage of this is that you can decide how you want your images orientated upright on a roll of film. Some like to view the rolls horizontally and some like them vertically. Anyway, you won't have to turn your head anylonger. Note the double set of contacts that can be seen on the edge of the prototype back. I took a quick shot for easier understanding:

Click to view attachment

The silver laminar drawslide on the picture will be replaced with a matt black one in the production version, just like they are in the older backs for the 6008. To my eye the Hy6 looks very handsome with this film bac attached. You can now clearly see the Volvo design resemblance that the Hy6 was aimed at.

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

That's what I've learned about this Photokina thing -- what you do is, ignore the current Photokina, and google the website for the prior Photokina, two years ago, and then study up on what was announced there. Because, chances are, the stuff that was announced two years ago is just now shipping in normal volumes, and they've fixed all the initial bugs.

Stay two years behind the curve, and your satisfaction will be much larger, (and your initial investment will be much smaller). Both are good things.

I agree -- that P45 (not the plus), is going to get affordable pretty soon. Same will go for other items that were announced at that time.

While you were writing this, Ann just bought Rosie a Fez and a tiny motorcycle...

I think what's interesting about all of this is Hasselblad dropped the biggest bomb at Photokina with just an e-mail.

Is Hasselblad actually there, because I've seen nothing from them, but it kind of goes to show you that you can have an impact with just a pdf, a laptop and a willingness to cut the prices.

JR

I think it's great.

I've been saying forever that the problem with MFDB pricing is the upgrade path that forces each new model to be more expensive than the last. If Canon did the same thing, the IDs3 would probably cost sixteen grand.

$33K for a H3II60 including body is a lot more realistic than over $40K for a 65+

I can't wait until tomorrow when Yair is going to announce that Leaf is dropping their prices 60% and throwing in Broadway show tickets...ooops sorry I wasn't supposed to say anything...everybody act surprised when Yair "breaks" the news, ok?

Yes, I noticed the the sign "for Hasselblad guests only" at the opening in the fence around their champaign and caviar area. There was also something to do for Joe Anybody: a white dressed girl in a white plastic snow landscape was lit by about ten thousand watts of HMI light. Around her some guys with H-cameras were firing, plus some eighty would-be's with 35mm DSLRs. And they had white plastic grass on the ground all over their area, next to the black Leica labyrinth. Both Leica and Hasselblad have an ability to immerse you in their own marketing world like none of the other players in the field of photography. I wasn't able to find any information on their new equipment, BTW. (And on a side note: the Leica S2 was not on display in the public area. Behind a heavily guarded corridor in their catering wall I could see older people in suits and dresses gather around displays with invisible content, while hostesses handed out exquisite consumables.)

Hasselblad is there at Photokina, alright, but they are saving their big announcement about a new electronic cable release for Friday.

I asked in another thread with no response so i thought I would give this thread a chance to ask.

Anyone use the focusing bracketing successfully with the Afi camera? I just did a shot with a Leaf Aptus 75 and H2 and changed the focus manually. Now I am trying to piece it together in Photoshop. As you know when you change focus you also change the crop. Does the software correct the adjustments in post automatically? Does it work with people in the shots?

John

Whoa! That's exactly how I roll....

Visible content is vastly over-rated.

I'll take the hostesses with exquisite consumables.

LOL! Very well worded, EPd!

And thank you for the F&H update.
Eric

Thanks for the F&H update.

Addendum regarding the mirror lockup of the cable release: Thierry has specified that it does not have a classical mirror lockup, but with some settings on the camera something which comes close can be activated: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....ndpost&p=224524

It's not a big deal. I assume there's a MLU on the camera somewhere which can be activated first, then the remote control can be used to make the capture. You still get the mechanical isolation from the body that way when you press the shutter release, which is why I use it.

I did a shoot last week in Old Street, London where I had to photograph people in a room - they had to move about to make interesting abstract blurs (art-director's idea). The mirror was up all the time (as I'd worked out the appropriate exposure) while the camera took various photographs from the same location.

It worked fine.

Is there going to be a long cable. The DRM can use something like a 100 foot cable which is required for some situations.

Best,

Mitchell

Yes Graham, that's right and exactly as you describe it.

Thierry

To my eye, in real life, the lighter grey does have a distinctly bluish tinge. But folks can decide for themselves how blue or not blue it is.

we live in complicated times and some folks are making more so..

All this partnering going on. I am finding it more and more difficult to ascertain what is really available in the market, who makes what and who sells what.
It is a game of musical chairs with distributors and manufacturers and suppliers all switching places.. or more like a shell game with us customers / suckers trying to run our businesses and maintain creativity ( not easy in itself) and at the same time keeping an eye out on the technology part of the business to stay current.

I hate to say the good ole days.. BUT.. it was simpler before.. like black coffee instead of a double viente cap,half caf. half decaf, soy milk, with a dash of pomegranite....okay, that is the craziness of the customer, but what if the relpy was, "well we no longer carry soy products form our dairy distributor because they are also sellling to the coffee shop down the street, but they are owned by nestle and we have an alliance agreement to share blah,blah,blah.. so have some chocolate instead, but soy will be shipping next year".. I hope you get my point.

give me a break guys will you please figure out what you are going to sell, how much it is and sit in one f.ing chair.

Example - Sinarbron, you want to carry the F&H products? fine, be the distributor and carry the whole line..take it or leave it. It might have been great for some genius mba to figure out a cool stategic alliance with x, y & Z but it is making your customers heads spin.. and we might just stay at home and work with what we have. Now I do not direct any of this to anyone or company in particular, and I am sure all envolved are lovely people to sit and have a meal with but come on!

I think a possible solution in the long run would be a sales laison for professionals with each manufacture, providing directs sales to us. We are already put in the position to do all the legwork anyway and figure out who sells what and what it works with..the middle guys are all playing catchup with us. You want us on the cutting edge and fork out for the new products to drive the industry further along? then bring us in a few steps closer.. try partnering with the photographers who use the products or are we not businesses too, just marks, cause in the current shell game I am seeing, I feel like one.

I think we are all lucky here to have some direct contact with the manufactures..and they do what they can but have their hands tied by the mba / lawyer dudes,.. unless someone is selling stuff out of his hotel room and I don't know about it.

Agreed. Imagine a Rollei user, looking to update the system. Maybe a Sinar 54 LV (on the 6008 back), or a Hy6. But with all this shifting, a "costing" analysis probably won't hold up for 3 months. How does one make a reasoned decision? None too quick, to be sure.

No such plans yet, Mitchell.

Best regards,
Thierry

F&H has a new Hy6 brochure on their website, btw:

http://www.franke-heidecke.net/files/image...GB_A%209.08.pdf

I have always percieved this as blue. Maybe I need to get my eyes examined ?
BTW, nice color checker shot,

Edmund

Thanks Thierry.

To my eyes it's more megenta than blue...