Leica SL or Hasselblad X1D

[LocalHero1953]

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I have always gained good value from Ming Thein's reviews. I've treated them with caution since he became tied to Hasselblad, but, from using products he has reviewed, I have learned to trust him to a certain extent. Given that I never give my trust fully to any reviewer, that's a reasonable commendation from me, FWIW. Steve Huff OTOH.......

 

I expect Hasselblad will learn something of value from him. On balance a good move for both, IMO.

Edited March 28, 2017 by LocalHero1953

[ramarren]

I only know Ming Thein (and Steve Huff) from their internet personae, and I don't read either of their blogs/sites/what have you on a regular enough basis to have more than a surface impression. Which means, with a little consideration, that I don't know them at all. I can't see ragging on people because you don't like their blog.

 

Whatever. I hope that Ming does well in his new position, whatever it is that a Chief Strategist does, and that both he and Hasselblad benefit from his efforts. Because if Hasselblad benefits, we all do.

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[EoinC]

Thein is a photographer and actually sells his work along with the blog.

 

Huff sells his glowing reviews of gear on his blog along with ghost talkboxes.

 

Not comparable at all.

Ming Thein does a lot of other productive work, also (tutorials, workshops, printing...), and did not start life as a phoblogger.

[IkarusJohn]

I like Ming.  Most of his photographs aren't really to my taste - they lack any real subject matter or vision, but they are undoubtedly well executed.  At a personal level, I like the way he has given up on the corporate life and followed his passion.

 

He's also friendly and helpful.

 

Huff'n'Stuff conversely is just too EXCITABLE and too weird - all that talking to the dead nonsense.  Some of his contributors are interesting, but generally there's not much to be learned from his website, in my view.

[Peter H]

I like Ming too, but whether he has the necessary qualities for a successful "Chief of Strategy" is probably something not many of us are qualified to judge.

[IkarusJohn]

Whatever the role actually is ...

[Jeff S]

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His bio says that he graduated Oxford at 16 and subsequently served in in M&A / Private Equity as well as a senior director with McDonalds.

 

Jeff

[LocalHero1953]

I like Ming too, but whether he has the necessary qualities for a successful "Chief of Strategy" is probably something not many of us are qualified to judge.

An interesting thought. I was part of strategic management and planning for my last years of employment; my view was that in such a case as this the job title was utterly irrelevant - it was all down to the particular individual and whether they have any particular qualities that are unavailable from any other source (and certainly cannot be defined by a job description that invokes measurable qualifications and skills).

[EoinC]

An interesting thought. I was part of strategic management and planning for my last years of employment; my view was that in such a case as this the job title was utterly irrelevant - it was all down to the particular individual and whether they have any particular qualities that are unavailable from any other source (and certainly cannot be defined by a job description that invokes measurable qualifications and skills).

Likewise, I am "Director of Strategic Planning" in the company I work with, and the focus is company-specific. The same title may be a completely different role at another company.

[almoore]

I can't help see it as a little bit desperate, a bit of a roll of the dice not unlike the misguided attempt of the previous CEO to position Hasselblad as some kind of luxury brand. I appreciate Ming Thein is no mug but this appointment, assuming it is a proper executive role and not an upgraded ambassadorial post, devalues the brand in my eyes.

Yes, it doesn't seem like the act of a confident company. The guy might not be a mug, but he's also not an especially credible photographer and has an unfortunate habit of peevishly raging online against those who don't take him seriously. It has the potential to tarnish Hasselblad's image.

[IkarusJohn]

For a company with such an amazing history, Hasselbad's strategy of the last few years has been wobbly at best. The X1D has put their products into reach of the photographic mainstream (such as that is).

 

Getting strategic direction from someone like Ming may well be useful for them. Their strategy to date has been rubbish.

[almoore]

Getting strategic direction from someone like Ming may well be useful for them. Their strategy to date has been rubbish.

 

Even more useful for a niche company might be the sales generated by his followers.

 

Hasselblad have some wonderful photographers using their cameras, but what those photographers don't have is MT's following of cashed up amateurs ready to splurge for that extra bit of resolution that their hero tells them will make all the difference to their images. They have the hi-rez Nikons and Zeiss Otus lenses, but now they'll make the jump to medium format.

 

I'm not sure that Hasselblad's recent strategy has been rubbish. The development of the X1D has the potential to move them much closer to the mainstream and secure their immediate future.

[EoinC]

...The development of the X1D has the potential to move them much closer to the mainstream and secure their immediate future.

I read John's post as agreeing with this - ie the X1D has been a positive strategic direction change.

[EoinC]

Yes, it doesn't seem like the act of a confident company. The guy might not be a mug, but he's also not an especially credible photographer and has an unfortunate habit of peevishly raging online against those who don't take him seriously. It has the potential to tarnish Hasselblad's image.

As noted earlier, one of my positions is heading the strategy portfolio of an offshore drilling company. I don't need to be a driller to fulfill this function. Do Hasselblad exec's have to qualify as credible photographers to hold their positions?

 

Please note, I'm not trying to be facetious, just questioning how people here are equipped to assess and judge Ming Thein's strategic business capabilities based on their impression of his blog and photo's.

[wattsy]

Please note, I'm not trying to be facetious, just questioning how people here are equipped to assess and judge Ming Thein's strategic business capabilities based on their impression of his blog and photo's.

 

 

Yes, of course, we (at least most of us) have only the online persona to go on (though Ming Thein has never been shy to tell the world that he graduated from Oxford at an early age and has had an apparently successful career working for a number of blue chip firms) but the Ming as well known "blogger" impression is essentially my point. He may well be the perfect candidate for this job  – he is obviously an intelligent man with a track record – but he is also a well know internet personality and my thoughts upon reading the press release above is that Hasselblad feel they are buying a star player in that world. As I wrote earlier, the courting of those engaged in following Ming Thein as a blogger may well turn out to be a bold masterstroke – the reception to this news here and in other forums seems to be almost universally positive – but I can't help see it in terms of weakness, an admission that the company hasn't got its products right and that it is now turning to an opinion former for direction.

[LD_50]

This is all strange to me, the negative judgement of Hasselblad's overall direction based upon this hire.

 

Thein is not serving Hasselblad as a photographer or a blogger. He's fulfilling the role described in the release. Judging his ability based upon your aesthetic interest in his photography or your opinion of his writing is just odd.

 

I can say that I own a Frankie Falcon camera bag that Thein contributed to and it's a pretty fantastic product. It has been clearly designed by someone who has an interest in the actual use of the bag. I don't typically read any of Thein's articles and don't care for his style of photography much but I can see the technical ability and appreciate his focus on teaching and printing rather than gear.

 

The feedback loop from photographers is exactly what camera companies should be building. Fuji has done something similar and it looks as if they act on that feedback. Their X series is innovative and very well thought out as a system. If there is one change I would like to see from Leica, it's an introduction of a professional support service that includes a feedback loop involved members. I believe this would lead to more transparency, less bugs in shipping products, and a clearer strategic direction for each of the camera lines.

[Belle123]

Is all strange to me too, the negativity and gossipy and rumor nature this thread has become. Many of us have shot film with medium format or larger and now look forward to affording medium format again, either Fuji, Hasselblad, or whatever else comes on the market that is now reachable and less than a 'do I buy a car or a camera' budget. What is wrong with that? Has nothing to do with 50mp and pixel peeping and printing LARGE and people that say such ridiculous comments I just shake my head at their naivity and ponderance to put down things they have not experienced. And the negative comments toward Hasselblad's choices in who they hire, is just more of the same. I personally have no opinion toward Mein Thein and don't care one way or the other. If is a good move by Hasselblad, great! If not, why should I care?

Edited March 29, 2017 by billinghambaglady

[Surelythisnameisfree]

I think it's a great move. Maybe he isn't completely unique but I can't imagine there are a huge number of working photographers who also have his corporate background and a passion for Hasselblad to boot.

As a working photographer he will understand what is and what isn't important to photographers and his corporate background will help him navigate the complexities of bringing products to market effectively (vs holding out for the impossible).

Congratulations to him and Hasselblad.

Edited March 29, 2017 by Surelythisnameisfree

[Xenia]

 

What some here have not taken into account is that Victor Hasselblad (1906-1978), the founder and longtime owner of the company, was a birdwatcher and professional photographer himself. He was an autodidact, though a wellknown naturalist with brilliant technical skills which he applied to his various cameras.

 

During WWII Swedish Air Force asked him for assistance. They needed a camera capable of reconnaissance from the air. Victor Hasselblad obliged. He started his company in 1940/1 and there in a garage his first prototype HK7 saw the light. With the war over, he concentrated on the consumer modell 1000F, which in turn was followed by the 500C and CM series. Every new modell was supervised and tested by Victor Hasselblad himself including the 2000F before his death. It was his genius we can thank for the existence of the 'Hassy'. He was for Hasselblad what Oskar Barnack was for Leica, the inventor with a view.

 

Now Hasselblad has appointed a professional photographer (and birdwatcher ) with well documented technical and corporate expertise and excellent social and verbal skills. In that the company has taken a logical step back to its roots and Victor Hasselblad would smile at the decision, which should be applauded - not sneered - at.

 

Best, Xenia

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[ramarren]

Okay, so now we've heard the news about a new appointment to the Hasselblad team. And many have tossed in their comments. 

 

What has all this to do with "Leica SL or Hasselblad X1D"?