Hasselblad still looking to launch new DSLR this year

 

 

Now that Hasselblad has launched its controversial (and pricey) Lunar compact system camera, the venerable medium-format camera manufacturer appears to be going ahead with plans to release a digital SLR and, possibly, two compact models this year.

At the Photokina show last year in Germany, Hasselblad Chairman and CEO Larry Hansen said that along with the mirrorless Lunar camera -- which is built around the Sony NEX-7 -- the Swedish company would launch a full-frame DSLR in 2013. Afterwards, he continued, there would be a compact digital camera, and a line of tripods and luxury accessories.

"As I said before, for Hasselblad this is 'the new dawn,'" Hansen said at a Photokina 2012 press conference. "The plan is to move very quickly. Our plan is to show cameras and launch cameras in every sector of the market."

Now, Photo Rumors has found a recent Hasselblad job listing, which suggests the company plans to announce a DSLR and two more compact cameras by the end of the year.

The job listing, which is for a Corporate Sales Manager position at Hasselblad, includes the following description:

"You will be responsible for the worldwide sales of consumer-oriented line of Hasselblad products starting with a mirrorless Lunar and followed already this year with 2 compact cameras and a DSLR."

That language also turns up in another Hasselblad job listing for a Design Engineer position

Whether a Hasselblad DSLR will resemble one of its medium-format digital cameras, such as the new H5D (photo, top right), or whether the company will partner again with Sony to produce a DSLR based around Sony's A-mount system, remains to be seen.

A Hasselblad representative we reached out to for comment did not have any information to share at this time.