New Year, New Gear Part II: Phase One H25 Back + Hasselblad 555ELD vs Hasselblad H4D40

Here at the studio, we have one New Year's resolution- to do what we do, even better. 

Since we've already traded up to a newer, faster, all-around better printer [check out New Year, New Gear Part I], the next logical step was to one-up our current camera.

We ended 2010 with a Phase One H25 back on a Hasselblad 555ELD. Now out of production, the Phase One H25 boasted a resolution of 22 megapixels, maximum image size of 3992 x 5312 pixels, and was designed to work with Windows 98 or Mac OS 9.1. While that may not sound very impressive compared to today's cameras, remember that this back was released in 2003. 

The Hasselblad 555ELD is a medium format, single lens reflex camera with built-in motor first released in 1998. It was available in chrome or black trim, and was supplied as a single body without a lens, film magazine, or digital back. Designed to be reliable, long-lasting and able to handle the rigors of day-to-day studio shooting, it featured a unique dual-release system with two separate release ports on the cameras front, one for film and one connected via databus connections to the digital back. An optional infrared release unit allowed you to operate the camera remotely.

What with it being 2011, and us having both feet firmly planted in the digital age, it was time for an upgrade. So, with the new year, we said goodbye to our very dapper 555ELD and made room for the majestic Hasselblad H4D40.

The H4D40 is Hasselblad's "Entry-level" medium-format camera, boasting a whopping 40 megapixels, almost double our previous setup! First announced in February, 2010, it features Hasselblad's new focus technology (called True Focus and Absolute Focus, and touted by some to be the fastest and most accurate focus on a medium format camera), and a CCD sensor by Kodak that performs well in low light, and has a wide dynamic range more closely matching that of the human eye. There's even an aesthetic divide, with the new H4D40 sporting sleek, sexy curved lines and soft edges, a far cry from the quaint, familiar chrome details of the 555ELD.
For more information, you can check it out at the official page.

So, what do we think, you ask? Well, we're so bowled over by the wealth of pixels, depth of color, and sheer joy of having such an incredible piece of equipment. We'll get back with a full review once the stars are gone from our eyes and we've had a chance to play.