Many moons ago, when I read the Hasselblad announcement for their H3DII-50 and saw their price tag of US$40,000 (now US$27,000 - quick buy!), I thought to myself "Crazy! Who would buy that??"
Then I realized that while we are now wowing over K-7's 14.6MP, or 5DMk2's 21.1MP, or D3x's 24.5 MP in 2009, Kodak had already launched their 16-MP digital back (with a sensor size of 36.9 X 36.9mm) for Mamiya and Hasselblad MF cameras in 2002!
For comparison, in the same year Nikon launched their D100 at a whopping 6.1MP with a sensor size of 23.7 x 15.5 mm, Fujifilm with their S2 Pro with similar specs, and at the end of 2002 Canon launched their full-frame 1Ds at 11.1MP with a sensor size of 35.8 x 23.8 mm.
Did anyone remember the price for Canon 1Ds when it was launched? US$8,000 it was. The price for the Kodak DCS digital back? US$12,000. Not so bad, I think. If I had bought the Kodak 16MP in 2002, would I be in a hurry to change to a competitor camera? Not likely, considering what is currently on offer from Canon and Nikon. How many people are still using their D100 and 1Ds (Mk 1)?
Fast forward to 2009. The competition has just starting to catch up in terms of MP. Nikon D3x (24.5MP) is now selling at S$12,000, Canon 1Ds Mk 3 (21.1MP) at S$11,600, and Mamiya 645ZDb (22.0MP) complete system is at S$10,500. The Mamiya system is the cheapest, and with a larger sensor too (48x36mm)!
I know comparing like this is unfair, as these different cameras are made for different purposes, but it made me realize that if you want to be at the cutting edge and about 7 years ahead of the game, then the price is not so high, considering that the technology will last you for another good 7 years before the mass market catches up, and 10 years before it becomes obsolete.
Imagine getting a Hasselblad H3DII-50 complete system today. At approx. S$38,500, with Citibank 12 month interest-free installment, that works out to $3,200 per month. Assuming it depreciates to $0 at the end of 10 years (unlikely since it is Hasselblad), that works out to a depreciation of $321 a month, or $10 a day. Can I afford to spend an extra $10 a day?
The advantage is that I do not have to keep changing cameras and thus gain expertise with only one camera (think Michael Kenna who still uses his >20 year old manual film Hasselblad). The disadvantage is that for those who are gadget freaks like me ("cameragraphers"... heh), not having to buy new snazzy camera with billions of functions and gazillion colors will probably kill me.
So what is the solution? If Pentax can come up with a 50MP MF camera at just half the price of H3DII-50, I'll be the first in the queue! My family can survive on $5 less a day... :sticktong
Edit: After I wrote this message, the next day Hasselblad announced the H4D-60!