Everything Old is New Again with Hasselblad’s 50MP Digital Back

Hasselblad’s V-System has been around for a long time and, if you were smart (or are someone who can’t get rid of old cameras), you still have this workhorse in your collection. If you do, here’s some good news: Although the system has been discontinued, Hasselblad just announced a new 50-megapixel digital back that’s compatible with V-System cameras* from as early as 1957. The company promises that the CFV-50c will deliver the same performance as the H5D-50c since they both use the same CMOS sensor.

Although the CFV-50c doesn’t have the Hasselblad signature square format, there’s a square crop option. Like most medium-format cameras, the CFV isn’t fast; it shoots about 1.5 frames per second, but you’re not buying the back for speed. If you prefer long exposures, the CFV’s longest shutter speed is 12 minutes; battery life is about 8 hours.

The back features a large, high-resolution, 3-inch TFT LCD screen with 24-bit color. It’s the only digital back for the V-System that does not require external cables. It’s compatible with PM90 and PME90 viewfinders and offers an ISO range of 100 to 6400. Excluding battery and CompactFlash card, the CFV-50c weighs about 18.7 ounces and measures a relatively compact 3.58 x 3.62 x 2.24.

The CFV-50c comes with a protective cover, adapter cables, FireWire cable and a 16 GB CF card, Focusing Screen (Split image/Micro Prism) with dual format markings, as well as Phocus software. It’s available for pre-order now (clocking in at $17,500), although the actual shipping date has not been announced.

*Cameras supported: Hasselblad V-System cameras manufactured since 1957. 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.