New Victor magazine online --- worth reading (free)

<p>I received a mail recently from Hasselblad to register (free) with their online Victor magazine. There's an interesting article in there with nicely illustrated pictures comparing different approaches taken by Zeiss vs Fuji when they designed the older V-system and the new H-system lenses, respectively.<br>

The basic optical concepts are clearly explained and well illustrated and they are clearly applicable to all lenses. I love the discussion about why Bokeh is not as good among the newer lenses.<br>

Go to<br>

http://www.hasselblad.com/<br>

Click on Victor Online</p>

<p>or go here<br>

http://www.victorbyhasselblad.com/en/magazine-/032009.aspx</p>

<p>You need to register to read this online magazine. It's a pretty high quality magazine and worth the registration effort.</p>

<p>Enjoy ...</p>

 

<p>Terrible, how they cannot come up with something new, isn't it?<br />They are recycling articles that have previously appeared in Victor - the paper version. This particular article first appeared in 2/2008.</p>

<p>Terrible also, how they first asked to pay for subscriptions, then stop sending subscribers their issues, publishing them (beit with old content) on-line instead.</p>

<p>Terrible too how they changed from one impractical, unreadable format to another one.</p>

<p>Anyone will have noticed how Hasselblad has stopped being the nice company who cared for their customers a long, long time ago.<br />Just terrible ...</p>

<p>Interesting read, thanks Arthur.<br>

But what a terrible way to present a magazine online - is Hasselblad unaware of the PDF format or afraid that the articles could be printed to easily then?</p>

<p>I hadn't seen the lens article instead, but it was quite weak compared to the stuff that Zeiss publishes in its online magazine. Hasselblad seems to have a desperate need to prove that their H lenses are an improvement over the V lenses. They want to compare lenses with different coverages without mentioning that little tidbit. They make a point of the 100/2.2 being better suited for real-life scenarios than the 100/3.5 although the V system has a perfectly good macro lens for going close. They complain about the price of the 250/5.6 SA even though its beyond visible spectrum qualities are in a class of its own. They make a big point about their digital corrections although many corrections could be applied to the older lenses if they would just bother to put that into their software. They talk about the niceties of AF, although any competent live view system is more accurate than AF and from what I hear, the H system's AF is comparable to 35 mm AF circa 1990. And they discuss how they have more control in lens design now, although I'm perfectly happy to give Zeiss all the control, their newly designed Nikon-fit lenses are in a class of their own.<br>

OK, end of rant, their H system lenses are probably optically good, but Hasselblad is just a bit too self absorbed these days. They run a real risk of being threatened by high-end 35 mm DSLRs, so they should care about their customers.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>They run a real risk of being threatened by high-end 35 mm DSLRs, so they should care about their customers.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>With high-end 35 mm DSLRs chasing an ever higher pixel count, the tide is definitely turning. The only thing still standing in its way is money, the difference in price.</p>

<p>I used to have their Forum subscription until they changed to Victor. But I also received a couple of early Victors. I only use V system with film. But the Victor magzine primarily focuses on H system and digital. So I give up my subscription.</p>

<p>The magazine is really hard to read online and even worse is the User Showcase. Every interview has at least one typo and they have used the same quote for two different photographers.</p>

<p>Ron Kimball says "Whenever I have a big assignment, such as photographing a $13 million Ferrari, I have to trust my equipment and not be distracted from the subject and the shoot. With the H3D-39, I have a digital workflow that is reliable, flexible, seamless, and successful."</p>

<p>Then Marco Grob says "Whenever I have a big assignment, such as photographing a $13 million Ferrari, I have to trust my equipment and not be distracted from the subject and the shoot. With the H3Dll-39, I have a digital workflow that is reliable, flexible, seamless, and successful.</p>

<p>Really bad editing and just poor writing.</p>