Carl Zeiss, a West German manufacturer of Hasselblad’s quality lenses, was chosen by NASA to create a photogrammetric piece of equipment that would be effective and as small as possible. This was to immortalize the unique moments that the U.S. and NASA hoped to live out together: the conquest of the moon to defeat the Soviet enemy in the greater conquest of space. In September 1968, the definitive version of the lunar apparatus was ready, the one that would record Neil Armstrong’s very first steps. It was an entire system conceived to go on the moon dubbed the Hasselblad EL Data Camera System.
NASA decided to bring just one device onto the surface of the moon. Since Armstrong couldn’t hold the camera while descending the ladder for safety reasons, it was up to Armstrong, suspended by a rope, to take the space photos. Other cameras were present in the main craft to take pictures through the porthole. From 1962 to 1975 in the Apollo capsule and a Russian Soyouz, Hasselblad’s cameras allowed each and every exploit to be captured. The photographs inundated newspapers and magazines the world over. More than 500 million viewers were able to attend this “small step for man, but giant leap for mankind” that Neil Armstrong proclaimed on July 21, 1969, when he set foot on the Moon.
All of these technological advances allowed Hasselblad to launch new civilian cameras in the 80s and 90s, initiating a progressive evolution towards the digital age. In vogue with the best of photographers, Hasselblads are the cameras with which the most iconic photographs of our time were taken. Grace Kelly, for one, liked to take pictures of Frank Sinatra with her Hasselblad. Emphasis is placed on the camera’s handheld capabilities in order to make for a perfect union with the user by allowing them to choose the material for the handle. Numerous artisans work on the fabrication of unique materials like Italian leather and exotic wood. The latest model is called the Lunar, a sort of nod to the brand’s rich history, and it’s quickly establishing itself as an exceptional object, just as pleasant to touch as efficient and precise in the photographs it takes thanks to a partnership with Sony. With this model, the Swedish manufacturer is perpetuating its tradition of excellence and innovation in compact hybrid cameras.
Leave a Reply