It’s no secret that the medium-format industry has experienced dramatic changes since the advent of digital. Open camera systems (think Hasselblad’s H2 series) became closed, leaving players such as Phase One and Leaf no access to Hasselblad’s systems. Additionally, the disappearance of beloved medium-format models signified harsh times in the sector as Contax, Bronica and Pentax fell by the wayside.
A renaissance has blessed the industry, however, as new systems have entered the marketplace. Hasselblad, Mamiya, Phase One, Leaf and Sinar all have pushed their technology forward and opened up a new arena once considered dormant.
Hasselblad has been producing medium-format cameras since World War II. Its latest creation is the H3D, a camera that reflects a radical change in direction for the company by effectively sacrificing interchangeability and backward compatibility. But this has allowed Hasselblad engineers to focus on ways of improving image quality and camera functionality. Examples include lens-correction technology to fix aberration issues and a new 28mm lens.
