Hasselblad CFV-39 digital back updates your V system cameras
By Sean P. Aune
Do you have a Hasselblad V system dating anywhere from 1957 until now? Want to make it into a digital system shooting at 39 megapixels? Then the CFV-39 is for you!
Hasselblad is a Swedish camera manufacturer that was founded in 1841 in Gothenburg, Sweden, but really rose to prominence when NASA chose the camera manufacturer to supply the photography equipment for its missions in the 1960’s. Despite that sudden brush with fame, the company has been quite successful since its inception, and the V series cameras have been going strong since its introduction in 1957.
Now Hasselblad is going to make sure that every V series system is brought in to the 21st century with the CFV-39 digital back. The new system will work with all previous V series cameras to shoot square images at 29 megapixels (5412×5412) and rectangular shots at 39 megapixels ( 5412×7212 pixels). Backwards comparability is always great, but 52 years worth? That’s just astonishing! There are however a few exceptions in that the 202 FA, 203 FE, and 205 FCC are fully supported, but all other 200 and 2000 series models can be used with C-type lenses only. Seems like a small tradeoff for this much shooting power, though. You can see the full breakdown below of any other oddities between the new back and older models.
- Sensor size: 39 Mpixels (5412 x 7212 pixels)
- Sensor dimensions: 36.7 x 49.0 mm (Lens factor 1.1) and 36.7 x 36.7 mm (Lens factor 1.5)
- 16 bit colour
- ISO 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800
- Longest shutter speed: 64 seconds
- Image storage: CF card type II
- Color management: Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution – One generic profile
- Storage capacity: On average 80 images on a 4GB CF card
- Battery type: Sony™ InfoLithium L NP-F series
- Colour display: 2.5 inch TFT type, 24 bit colour
- Histogram feedback
- IR filter: Multi-coated. Mounted on CCD sensor
- Feedback: IAA – Instant Approval Architecture: provides acoustic and visual feedback
- File format: Lossless compressed Hasselblad 3F RAW
- 3FR files are also supported directly in Apple and Adobe environments
- Camera support: Hasselblad V System cameras manufactured since 1957. (Not recommended for critical work together with SWC models and ArcBody due to optical incompatibility. Some earlier SWC models need slight modification for battery mounting reasons). 2000 series cameras and 201F with C lenses only. 202FA / 203FE and 205FCC camera models need a minor camera modification to use F/FE lenses. All other cameras with Hasselblad V interface.
- Digital lens correction supports the following lenses: Supported lenses are:CF/CFE 40 FLE, CFE 40 IF, CFi 50 FLE, CFi/CFE 80, CFi/CFE120, CFi 150, CFE/CFE 180, CFi 250, CFE 250 Sa and CFE 350 Sa.
- Host connection type: FireWire 800 (IEEE1394b)
- Battery capacity: Sony™ InfoLithium L, up to 8 hours of shooting capacity
- Dimensions: 91 x 90 x 61 mm [W x H x D]
- Weight: 510 g (Excluding battery and CF card)
It seems like a dream come true for Hasselblad fans, but sadly we are unable to locate the suggested retail price for the item. Our guess would be “not cheap”, so you may want to contain your excitement until you see what kind of hurt this will put on your wallet.
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