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All digital cameras require power. How is Hasselblad's solution better?

Convenient

One camera, one power. The Hasselblad Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) power grip for the Hasselblad H-system is the only battery you will need to take pictures on film or digital. The energy demands for film, auto-focus, and flash are minor in comparison to modern digital magazines with bright displays - some even require a separate battery or power source to operate. Less is truly more when it comes to keeping up with multiple batteries and chargers on location and another risk to the shoot is avoided.

Functional

Starting with the Hasselblad H2 and the Hasselblad CFH digital magazine, Hasselblad developed the ability to power the entire camera system from the battery grip. Successive DSLR models H2D, H3D, and H4D benefit from the single power source without the need for extra batteries. The Li-Ion grip can power any Hasselblad H-system and the photographer can display the amount of energy remaining on the grip by holding the backlit button on the top of the camera (you may need to install a firmware upgrade for this feature, we can help.)

Simple

The Li-Ion grip is easy to remove and replace. A battery release button and lever free the grip and securely hold it in place when re-inserted. The photographer's right hand uses the grip to hold the camera and the center of gravity is noticeably right in your hand to minimize fatigue. The AC charger comes with removable adaptors for four major electrical plugs worldwide, and rapid charges the grip in about an hour, with a full trickle charge at four hours.

Economical

The ROI of the Li-Ion battery grip is straightforward - 3 x CR123 x 30-60 minutes usage is about $21-$42 per energy hour. If we use an equivalent estimate of 4 energy hours in the Li-Ion rechargeable grip, that is $168 for each time we use a fully charged grip. At a cost of $225, you are in the positive after the first 1.5 uses of the Li-Ion grip as compared to CR123 batteries. A classic no-brainer.

Responsible

Many of us are aware of the products that we use and inevitably at some point, discard. Think about the number of batteries used in your medium-format camera systems that are purchased, then disposed. Some modern photographic equipment uses up to (6) AA batteries, an advantage some say because you can buy them anywhere on the planet. Given the advances in energy products, especially Li-Ion and its related minimal impact in the landfill, we should be seeing more DSLR systems moving away from out-dated energy designs.

Items mentioned in this article

Hasselblad Li-Ion battery grip - $225