Hasselblad announced today that it will be introducing a new mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC) called the Lunar early in 2013, something which you can be pretty sure will appeal to a very limited pool of potential buyers. Hasselblad is basically saying as much, calling the Italian-designed camera the “ultimate luxury” in MILC systems, and describing a device made of top-end materials including carbon fiber, titanium, wood, leather and even gold. The final price will be somewhere around €5,000 (US$6,530), so start saving those pennies.
The Lunar will be looking to strike a balance between professional features common to advanced DSLRs, including full manual controls, as well as ease of use for less experienced photographers. The camera is designed to work with both E-mount and A-mount lenses from Sony, and also employs a 24-megapixel full-frame APS-C. It also has an electronic viewfinder with 100 percent coverage, 1080p HD video recording, and an ISO range of 100 to 16,000, with a battery life of up to 430 minutes and Memory Stick or SDXC for storage.
The Lunar is actually the first result of a partnership between Hasselblad and Sony also announced today, that should see the release of several more products, including additional MILC bodies and new products for both the DSLR and compact camera markets. The Swedish company is clearly looking to get in to more of the consumer end of the photography market, after having operated as a highly specialized manufacturer of most medium-format film and digital cameras aimed at professionals.
As for the Lunar, it’s a lot pricier than most other MILCs, but it’s also pretty gorgeous judging by the renders Hasselblad sent over, something consumers in its target bracket should appreciate. Check out its good looks in the gallery below.
