Hasselblad H1

image by Kent Photography (Image rights)

The Hasselblad H1 is a autofocus 6x4.5 medium format system camera from Hasselblad released in November 2002. The camera was displayed Photokina in 2002. It was jointly developed with Fujifilm who also distributed it as the GX645AF. They had previously worked on a 35mm panoramic camera released as the Hasselblad XPan and as the Fujifilm TX. The body is from Hasselblad, the focusing sensor and screen are from Minolta while the lenses, meter finder, and film backs are all made by Fuji. The body can be updated with firmware for bug fixes. The updated H2 model was released in 2006.

The camera uses a dot matrix LCD display on the top right shoulder area to display camera settings. Changing setting requires pressing various buttons and or selecting menu functions, set the values by rotating the knob by the shutter release. Exposure modes include aperture priority, shutter priority, manual exposure and programmed mode. Multi exposure is possible can be set to 2, 3, 4, 5 and unlimited exposures.

The focus modes include a manual mode with focus indication in the finder, a single shot AF and a continuous AF modes. The focusing screen can be interchanged. The standard screen is a acute matte type D screen with markings for spot metering and AF area.

It is powered by three CR123A battery which are loaded onto a insert which attaches to the removable grip. A rechargeable lithium ion battery grip is also offered.

Lenses

The lenses are manufactured by Fuji and uses a built-in electronic leaf shutter designed by Hasselblad. The maximum shutter speed is at a 1/800 of a sec. Compatible lenses are also branded as Fujinon in regions where the Fujifilm GX645 is available. A CF adapter is available to use V series shutter lenses.

HC f/3.5 35 mm HC f/3.5 50 mm HC f/2.8 80 mm HC f/2.2 100 mm HC Macro f/4 120 mm HC f/3.2 150 mm HC f/4 210 mm HC f/4.5 300 mm HC f/3.5-4.5 50-110 mm (zoom)

SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 35mm 1:3.5 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 50mm 1:3.5 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 80mm 1:2.8 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 100mm 1:2.2 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC Macro 120mm 1:4 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 150mm 1:3.2 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 210mm 1:4 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 300mm 1:4.5 SUPER EBC FUJINON HC 50mm 1:3.5-110mm 1:4.5

Finder

The HVX90X prism finder is removable. There is a dipoter correction from -4 to +2.5. The prism contains the metering system with modes for average, centre weighted and spot. It has a metering range in spot mode of EV2 to 21, in centre weighted and average of EV1 to 21. Exposure compensation from -5 to +5 EV in 1/3 stops. It has built-in pop-up TTL flash with guide number of 12. A TTL hot-shoe is on the prism and can be used with a Metz SCA 3902 adapter and the Metz SCA3002 system. A HVM waist level type finder is also available but was released years after the systems debut. It is a rigid type design and cannot be folded. There is no metering with this because the sensor is in the prism finder.

Backs

film back image by KEH Camera (Image rights)

The HM 16-32 removable film backs uses a built-in dark slide system. The film inserts can be used with both 120 or 220 films. Bar coded films can be used which can automatically distinguish the film format chosen. Film loading is automatic and does not require lining up arrows on the film paper backing paper. The film is advanced automatically to frame one and is automatically wound to the end of the roll upon the last exposure. Advancing speeds is about 2 frames per second. Film ISO is automatically set with bar coded Fuji films. Non bar coded film can of course be used, but many automated features are lost. Manually setting the film ISO speed can be done using the LCD. The LCD shows film type (120/220), ISO film speed and the frame number which can be upward or downward counting. The back has a CR2032 coin battery, this is used to power the LCD when unmounted. When attached to the camera body the back consumes power from the body battery. With the back unmounted and a flat battery there will be no LCD display. The film door has a handy holder for placing tabs from film boxes.

Digital backs from Phase One, Kodak and others can also be used. A HMi 100 Polaroid instant pack film back is also available.

Hasselblad H1D

In 2004, Hasselblad merged with Imacon a digital camera back manufacturer. A few months later Hasselblad released a system called H1D, It is basically the same camera but with a removable Hasselblad branded 22 megapixel digital back. It uses a 36.7 x 49.0 mm sensor with a ISO range ISO 50 to 400. Image are stored in a Image Bank 40GB external hard drive with a storage capacity 850 images. This back has its own power supply and uses Sony's InfoLithiumL NP-F series batteries mounted onto the Image Bank. A Firewire IEEE1394 interface is used for computer tethering and file management.

Links

• Hasselblad H1 user manual at Butkus.org
• Hasselblad H1D user manual at Manualslib
• H1 at medfmt (archived)
• Hasselblad H1 (archived) by Michael Reichmann, November, 2002 at photo.net