Hasselblad intros 'mid-range' 31-megapixel camera
updated 08:50 am EST, Fri January 26, 2007
Hasselblad 31MP Camera
Medium format camera maker Hasselblad on Friday updated its range-topping H3D camera with a new, mid-range version called the H3D-31. The Swedish firm hoped to strike a balance between the absolute fidelity of the flagship H3D-39 and the relatively low cost of the H3D-22, achieving its namesake 31 megapixels with a smaller 44mm x 33mm sensor versus the original 48mm x 36mm lens of it 39-megapixel peer. The smaller size both allows more images on a CF card or hard drive as well as a faster time to capture full-size uncompressed images, with as little as 1.2 seconds between shots.
The new sensor provides an advantage in sensitivity not seen in other H3D cameras, Hasselblad said. The 31 model reaches ISO 800 instead of the ISO 400 of the other models, making it a better choice than any of its fellow models for low-light photography. The H3D-31 is intended for professionals at a price of $25,000 but is priced considerably lower than the $32,000 of the H3D-39. The camera is available beginning today.
