1-shot, 3-shot, 4-shot (multi-shot) digital backs for Hasselblad, Contax, Mamiya 645.

If you are considering buying a new digital camera you face the following problems:

A medium format digital back with 6 megapixel chip cost from $12,000 to $24,000 from Imacon, PhaseOne, etc. To make the selection process even more difficult, the same size 6 megapixel chip in a 35mm SLR costs less than $2,000.

No camera dealer probably told you that. This is because FLAAR is not paid any commissions. Actually we are not paid at all by any camera manufacturer. Thus FLAAR reviews can remain independent.

But can a $2,000 camera really do as well as a $14,000 camera. Actually that price is not the camera, it is only the chip. The "camera" costs from $3,000 to $6,000 (the new Hasselblad H1 645). Other options to hold medium format 1-shot, 3-shot (multi-shot) backs include the Mamiya 645 and Contax 645.

Then the 16 megapixel chip version of medium format backs now costs the same as a mere 6 megapixels did a year ago, $12K to $28,000. So why does PhaseOne charge $24,000 to $28,000 for a similar 16 megapixel back? It sure helps to have an outside, independent overview, since we do not work for any of the camera companies involved. PhaseOne, Imacon, Jenoptik, Leaf, Fuji, and Kodak all offer medium format backs: JOBO, Rollei, and Heidelberg sort of dropped out of the race. In large format size, BetterLight, PhaseOne, Anagramm and Kigamo hang in there, but Sony now stopped making the chips for PhaseOne and others, so BetterLight (with a Kodak chip) still holds the lead for quality (they won the DIMA shootout two years in a row to the point that the other companies stopped even trying to compete).

Hasselblad reviews and evaluations
Here is a digital camera Hasselblad

So you might wish to get your hands on the FLAAR tips, help, and info available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, in full color.

This web site has been on the Internet now several years and is in the process of complete redesign and overhaul. Most of the updated information (from Photokina tradeshow and from PhotoPlus Expo) is now placed into reports in PDF format. These reports on digital photography and scanning are all listed on www.wide-format-printers.NET.

last updated July 3, 2003.
Previously updated Aug. 12, 2001. Design updated 24/06/2008.