Hasselblad Follows DSLR Leaders’ Price Slashing Trend
Not long ago, we posted a piece regarding Canon’s recent aggressive rebate strategy that lasts until the end of the year. We speculated that this may be a way for them to unload old inventory to make way for some new and highly anticipated products. Nikon also followed suit with their rebate offerings to either stay competitive or to liquidate old inventory.
Hasselblad isn’t a company that often offers aggressive rebates but the ones they are advertising today are shocking. Hasselblad’s medium format cameras are the things photographer’s dreams are made of. However, the typical price points are out of reach for most but the seasoned pros in the fashion and commercial industry.
The H5D-40 usually retails for around $18,500 and that doesn’t include a lens. Their current rebate will put one of these into your hands for under $10,000 ($9.995). They are also discounting the body and lens kits as well. The price of the H5D-40 with an 80mm f/2.8 HC AF lens is slashed by over $8,500 and you can be up and shooting medium format for under $12,500 (normally $21,000).
The H5D-40 isn’t the only camera they’re rebating. The H5D-50 and the H5D-60 are both heavily discounted as well ($4000 and $6000 respectively). Hasselblad is also steeply reducing the prices of their “entry level” point and shoot cameras. The Stellar Special Editions are being offered for under 1/3 of the normal price. These cameras retail for $3,200 but can now be yours for $999.
It is interesting to note that their latest model, the H5D-200c is not being offered at a discount (it retails for $45,000).
While this is the perfect time for those who have been on the fence about jumping into a medium format Hasselblad system, the question that remains is, “Why are they doing this?” There were rumors heard at Photokina that Hasselblad may be filing for bankruptcy but other rumors whispered that perhaps they had found additional investors. Is this steep rebating a strategy to unload inventory and boost the capital account in order to attract new investors? Or is the inventory liquidation a way to make room for new products? Only time will tell but in the meantime, jump over to your favorite store and into the medium format world while the prices are at rock-bottom.
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