more from Hasselblad that camera company with a weird name…
As mentioned previously, Hasselblad seems to be getting creative to maintain market share as the medium format market gets crowded.
Hasselblad is Offering a Medium Format Kit Now at a Discount*
Hasselblad Wants You to Know the H6D-50c is now Cheaper
Hasselblad has now launched a rental program for their gear through the Hasselblad website
…‘Rent a Hasselblad’ is a global online service to book Hasselblad cameras and lenses for a selected period of time based on a photographer’s need to use the camera. Whether renting a Hasselblad system for a specific photoshoot, booking a camera to try it out before making up their mind to purchase, or reserving gear to pick up and use at their next travel destination, the rental service will give photographers more freedom and higher accessibility to Hasselblad systems.
At its launch, customers can book the world’s first mirrorless medium format camera, the X1D-50c, and choose from a selection of XCD lenses at around 40 rental pick-up locations across the globe
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So in essence Hasselblad is launching their own Lensrentals like service… but with a limited number of pickup locations, no upfront pricing, and apparently no way to ship gear to the shoot location.
And even this nice feature of Hasselblad’s rental program…
“You will be able to offset rental cost against the purchase price if you decide to make an investment in the Hasselblad medium format camera within 14 days after you have rented the gear.”
The ability to apply rental costs to get a discount on purchasing the equipment… is something already offered by Lensrentals.
Kind of disappointing isn’t it…
So why the new rental service anyways?
My bet is Hasselblad is worried about the market for medium format cameras. Not only is the market becoming more crowded with new products like Fuji’s GFX series but the sensors that make medium format cameras so special are becoming more commonplace.
Sony’s imaging sensor road map (a road map is a plan setting out the future generations of a product) shows some pretty impressive sensors coming to market soon… one sensor even has 150MP.
Kind of makes Hasselblad’s products look overpriced and a little silly when you realize anybody can order better sensors from Sony… even Sony itself could create a competing product that would blow Hasselblad away.
Hasselblad knows that.
So why would they sit around doing what they’ve always done when a few years down the road they could very well be out of business?
I’m betting that’s the thought process behind all of Hasselblad’s recent moves. Hasselblad’s idea is to increase their market penetration, their pervasiveness, by lowering prices and increasing general availability.
They do the first part by… well… lowering prices. Instead of a person having to lay out $20,000 to get the equipment they need, they can now get it for $15,000.
The next part they do by making their products available to rent. Instead of a customer having to spend $15,000… they can now rent a Hasselblad for $500.
It all works to increase the number of photographers using Hasselblad’s medium format cameras. You’re joining Hasselblad’s medium format ecosystem instead of Fuji’s or in future Sony’s.
This is all great news for photographers… once again they’re getting new, impressive, and cheaper equipment.
It’s almost like competition is a good thing.
Who would’ve guessed.
Anyways, good luck Hasselblad.