RSO – Hasselblad H4D
A couple of weeks ago the kind people of Calumet let me play with the Hasselblad H4D. It wasn’t a real scientific test. Tom and Pieter were trying out some lighting gear and I just snapped away some pics with the Hassy while we acted ridiculous as usual.
We did this just outside the room where Mike Larson was giving one of his great seminars organized by Calumet and Sunbounce. We even borrowed his beautiful model for an hour or so.
So what about the H4D then? First of all, this wasn’t any kind of scientific test. I basically just snapped away some pictures like it was a compact camera and that’s probably not what it was intended for. (Although a friend of mine said he saw a tourist with an H4D in Venice.)
Let’s start with the bad news: ergonomics, build quality and handling sucks big time. And I mean really big time, my 450D feels a lot more professional. The H4D looks and feels like it’s made of the same plastic as my first DSLR, the 300D (aka the digital rebel). It’s very slow in writing pics to the card (not even 1 pic/second). I do understand that these are very large files but then the camera should have a larger buffer / more processing power. The autofocus is slow and simply doesn’t work at all if the subject is backlit. The menus seem to be designed in the 90’s. The LCD-screen is plain rubbish. If Canon would fit such a bad screen on an entry level DSLR, the forums would be filled with complaints. I could not tell anything about the pictures when watching them on the lcd.
Is there anything good to say about the H4D? Well, it has something that my 5D mkII nor my 1D-bodies have … a pop-up flash. Yes, that’s right, a pop-up flash.
But wait, there’s more: Once you download the huge files to your computer, you finally discover what Hasselblad has been famous for during decades: SUPER QUALITY. The resolution is just mind blowing. If I zoom a picture to 100% in Lightroom on my rather recent Macbook Pro, I can go and make myself a coffee while it’s rendering. To some this resolution is essential for their work but most of us can easily get by with a Canon or Nikon. To me, the biggest advantage of the Hasselblad files is the depth. The gradients are way smoother than any digital camera I’ve ever seen.
Since I met him for the first time, I’ve been wanting to take a portrait of Waldemar. You may not know him, but he’s the one that drives the van on the European Sunbounce workshop tours. He’s also the one that bends the ultra strong German steel in the Sun-Movers. He looks like a very tough guy (and I’m sure he is when needed) but he’s also a very generous man. And he’s the owner of a face that just screams to be taken a portrait of.
These were shot outside in the middle of the day. I underexposed the ambient so it didn’t play any role in the picture. We lit this with just one beautydish overhead.
I know the H4D is not supposed to be a replacement for a 5D mkII. It’s probably expected to be used tethered to a computer, in a controlled environment. But still, for that price I would have expected a decent construction, good lcd and excellent ergonomics. I wouldn’t even mind if they would have to drop the pop-up flash for that. If you need the resolution and/or the depth it’s probably still worth the hefty price tag and I’m not sure if the other digital medium format solutions are any better.
Conclusion: The H4D is certainly “haute cuisine” when it comes to image quality, too bad you have to consume it with a plastic fork on a cardboard plate. But still, I wouldn’t hesitate to rent one, if I need the image quality.
I share the exact same feelings about the H4D … feels like driving a Citroen Berlingo stuffed with a Lamborghini engine. It’s so slow that I simply cannot use it in my line of work, “Hey kids, slow down … my Hassy hasn’t cleared it’s buffer”
But … I agree with the proven image quality – I should test it in studio.
how does the 500 feel in comparison? More robust?
The digital back is what’s giving you the depth… Did you ever try the 500 with a digital back as a comparison?
Although I haven’t tested a digital Hasselblad before, I can agree with your complaints as I tested a Phase One 21+ almost two years ago which had the same negative points as you describe… but the image quality was stunning in comparison with my Nikon DSLR. More recently I tested the Leica M9 which also has a lousy screen and is pretty slow in writing files to the card.
Excellent post, Bert. You’re summing it up nicely. I looked into buying a medium format camera a while ago. Eventually I decided to buy Nikon’s D3x which, in combination with prime lenses, gives also fantastic images. The hefty price tags of the medium format camera’s didn’t justify to buy them to get that extra bit of quality …. especially not in my line of work, which is more on-location photography. But even in studio I think the high-end Nikons and Canons deliver well.
In addition, clients aren’t willing to pay extra for medium format files, so why bother after all.
Your images are funny and awesome. Keep up the good work.
@jurgen: i think you totally miss the point of Medium Format … the rendition, the smoothness of the transitions between the different planes of the image and the DOF are totally different with a MF … a 24×36 will never reach that rendition … it’s just pur optical mean…
in the same way medium format will never reach the rendition of full format …
Bert,
Having not had the ‘pleasure’ of field testing a H4D, it’s fascinating to read your review. Sure as you say the image quality is outstanding in it’s detail and tonality but surely for the money these things cost, build quality should be up there too.
Disappointing too, to hear the speed that it handles image files. Understandably the image files themselves are gonna be pushing the MB somewhat but surely that should have been accounted for.
Loving the images you’ve added to the post; the red dress shot and the portraits of Waldemar being my faves.
Thanks for the post,
All the best to you,
Glyn
Hey there, I know this has nothing to do with this post, but I was wondering if you will be making any more Confessions of a Photographer videos on youtube. I’ve only found them recently, watched everyone and then realized the last one was uploaded 2 years ago. I’m hoping you will make/put up more. Thanks for your time.
Pity you didn’t use the free Phocus software to process the images. It is Hasselblad software for Hasselblad images.
We provide free training days to learn a fast workflow for this size and kind of images.
check out the free training days on
http://calumetworkshops.com/
Thx all
@Aileen: I did use the Phocus software, I just used Lightroom for some final corrections. Phocus is indeed pretty good software and allows you to get the best quality out of the Hasselblad files.
Oh my god, Im so wrong? I like the H4D-40 so much! That means of corse the IQ, but that means also the build quality (and yes, the color of the body). What is cheap, what is plastic feeling??? Sorry, a Canon 450 ??? The Hassy feels like a tank! Mor robust could not be possible (ok, the weathersealing would be great and also the display could have more resolution, but its ok). I use the camera mostly freehand and like also the economics! And yes, I have Nikons D3x and Canons to compare…
Useless “review” since it compares totally different cameras and uses Nican as reference for a high grade medium format system.
Might as well compare an 8″x10″ Sinar with a Canon Rebel.
Well, i hav to agree, the pictures from th HD4 are brillant, but the feel and the handle, especially next to my Nikon D3 is crap. Offcorse, the D3 has way less output in pixels, but it feels like a tank, with the H4d feels like a crappy piece of toy. The autofocus is so much faster, noise level way better. And the Hassy has indeed a plastic feel; i know you have to save weight, but this is a bit to much.
I agree that that photo quality depends on the device you used. But there are also a lot of contributing factors that will definitely adds up to the total effect of the photo. Innovative ways of capturing details is one great factor in order to deliver a nice environment. Creative deliverance and a unique treatment of the scene makes a very different outlook.
I agree with Shuan M, I recently bought a 450D and I just think it’s brilliant. But the other techniques make the photo, not the device itself.
Hi Bert.
I’m never going to be in the league of using such a ‘Blad but I would have thought, at the sort of prices they sell for, you would be getting a total quality product. Okay sure medium format camera have always had comparatively poor handling vs 35mm SLRs but given that we’re in the digital age I would have expected basic file handling to be reasonably fast with a good buffer, and a capable LCD screen for the images being produced.
Heck it’s never going to be a mass market product and I’m sure pro’s will put up with such poor aspects because the optics / image quality is what it’s all about, but with that amount of money I’d want a complete product and not something that appears to be missing some crucial finishing touches. Oh and I can’t believe any pro would put up with that polycarbonate feel given the flack Canon’s had over the years for going down that route in the entry level market.
Looking forward to you guest slot on Glyn Dewis’ blog.
Regards,
David
Phase one does a pretty good job on IQ and handling. I think I prefer a phase one over the HD40
I’ve never had the pleasure of using a digital medium format camera before, so I was very interested to read to read your post. I’m not surprised by the qiluality of the shots, but it sounds like the handling isn’t so good. I suppose forfashion shoots it’s not such a big deal with the slow writing speed, but like you and many others have said in the previous comments, for that kind of price I would want something that handles really well and also makes coffee when need be. I guess like many digital products, the problems will be ironed out over time and something better will emerge.
Very good article and fun photos. I have to say the girl model is gorgeous!
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Bert, have you ever tried the Sony Alpha A900 before?
what fantastic pictures. lol:)
I love the jump shot Great timing dude