Hasselblad H1

50 Years in the Making
Hasselblad is one of the most venerable names in photography. For more than 50 years it has designed and manufactured a series of 6X6cm (2 ¼ inches square) cameras that have essentially defined the format. From fashion photographers to astronauts, a Hasselblad camera has been a professional tool of the first caliber.
Why have Hasselblads developed such a firm foothold in the minds and camera bags of so many professionals? Certainly they are not without problems. Hasselblads break about as often as other cameras, given the use and abuse of many pros.
One reason has been marketing. Hasselblad, especially in the US market, has done an excellent job of positioning its products. How many other cameras have gone to the moon? Another reason has been the lenses. Zeiss optics have a reputation second to none, and those for the Hasselblad series of cameras are exemplary.
But as Dylan reminds us, the times they are a changing. With the exception of the Hasselblad XP...