Hasselblad took steps to drive more of its medium-format camera users to digital today by adding the CFV-39. The digital back adds a 39-megapixel sensor to any of the company's V System film cameras and brings them up to similar features found in the H3DII line. Upgraders can shoot either to CompactFlash or to a Mac or PC using FireWire tethering, and also have the same ISO 50-800 sensitivity as one of Hasselblad's fully integrated digital cameras.

The CFV-39 can shoot about 39 of its full-resolution shots per minute and works with all F and FE lenses. It continues to shoot in the 3FR RAW format and can be imported directly into photo management tools like Aperture or Photoshop and convert into Adobe's DNG format; the image processing app Phocus comes pre-supplied for both Mac and Windows users. Hasselblad hasn't publicly priced the back or said how soon it should arrive at dealers.