Hasselblad H4D-50 (2010–2012)
The Hasselblad H4D-50 was the middle child of the H4D generation. It was announced alongside the 60-megapixel H4D-60 and replaced the H3DII-50. It was a medium format DSLR built around a 50-megapixel, 36.7 x 49.1mm CCD sensor with 16-bit color. The lens factor was 1.0, so the HC and HCD lenses mounted with no field-of-view crop - the sensor saw exactly what the lens projected. That full-frame medium format sensor was the core of its appeal, and Hasselblad paired it with the HVD-90X viewfinder in kit form. The camera also introduced True Focus, Hasselblad's system for precise autofocus recomposition, and shipped with Phocus software as the complete digital workflow package.
Period coverage treated the price as a serious commitment. DPReview reported the H4D-60 would be available for delivery in January 2010 at a price of €28,995, and the H4D-50 sat just below that figure - JuzaPhoto lists the average price around €20,000. Photigy's hands-on test asked bluntly whether the H4D was worth its roughly $25,000 - $38,000 asking price. Their answer was a qualified yes on image quality, noting that ease of use, weight, and focus speed are subjective parameters that each photographer has to weigh. A forum user comparing a certified pre-owned H4D-50/80mm against a new Phase One IQ140/645DF+ found the Hasselblad available at a lower price.
Reception in the field was generally warm. One photographer admitted to rarely using medium format for fashion work in magazines like Harper's BAZAAR and VOGUE, but still found it a pleasure to work with. That was especially true when mounting the H4D-50's digital back on a Sinar P2 view camera, where the movements came alive. The sensor's 16-bit color depth and the lens factor of 1.0 were repeatedly cited as the technical reasons the camera could capture subtle nuances and fine details.
The production run was short - 2010 to 2012. Today it survives mostly as a used professional tool rather than a collector's item. A forum listing showed a mint body with under 4,800 actuations, three batteries, and accessories selling for $6,450, a fraction of its original price.
Known specifications:
- Sensor: 50MP CCD, 36.7 x 49.1mm, 16-bit color
- Lens factor: 1.0 (no crop)
- Lens mount: HC and HCD lenses
- ISO range: 50–800
- Shutter speeds: 32 sec – 1/800 sec
- Body: metal and plastic, dark grey
- Kit included HVD-90X viewfinder
Not documented: weight, battery type, storage media, and viewfinder/LCD specifications are absent from the available record.
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