Hasselblad's 35mm XPan panoramic camera falls foul of new laws set out by the European Community
| Specialist
Hasselblad has, unfortunately, been forced to discontinue the manufacture of the XPan system with immediate effect. Hasselblad (UK) Limited has a small number of kits, but has said that it will not be able to get any more when they have run out, although there will be a supply of both 30mm and 90mm XPan lenses for a while more.
There are a number of reasons why the XPan cannot be continued, but the timing has been forced upon us by the European Community in the form of the Disposal of Hazardous Waste Regulations. These come into effect in mid July and prevent electronics manufacturers using lead solder in their circuit boards. The XPan is evidently manufactured using lead, and falls foul of these new rules. The cost of redesigning the circuits in a way that removes the need for lead solder is too high, given the declining worldwide sales of the camera. Consequently Hasselblad have been forced into the decision not to produce any more.
Simon Barnard, Managing Director of Hasselblad (UK) Limited stated: It seems a great shame that this innovative, iconic camera should have to be discontinued in this way, especially as UK sales have been particularly good, but there is really no other choice open to us. Obviously, we will continue to support the product line for at least ten years.

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Comments
but too be fair it is quite of Lead, which is a danger tot he enviroment.
can always but one in the USA?
Any thoughts?
There are a million and one other things that probably contribute by a factor of a million and one to lead in our environment.
Has the world gone mad?
how much lead is in there?????? 10g?? can't be much!
Lead free solutions require higher temperatures to melt the solder, and not all electronic components are available lead free anyway. So in some cases it's not possible, or cost effective, to update a design.
Still, this directive has been known about for a long time...
In the case of this camera - it's a great shame. Would've liked to actually see one (have seen some of the great results).
Now its going to be my 'one day when I'm exceptionally rich and can afford the even higher prices to which it will now no doubt soar' camera.
I'd vote for a new EU regulation to control the emission of methane gas and semi-solid animal effluent from the EU's legislative ar**, sorry, I mean arm....
Its a shame to see the camera disappear however.
D
Perhaps not but earlier in the week there was a news item that St Paul's Catherdral in LONDON may not now be able to restore their organ pipes which apparently contain lead.
... and the first one to say 'Scotch-Locks' gets it!! OK!!
I understand the UK was the most successful market for the XPan (as it apparently was for the much missed Fuji medium format rangefinders), but the sales of the camera have been declining. For the current sales volume, Hasselblad say it would simply be uneconomic to redesign the circuit boards to eliminate the lead. They are annoyed by this, because the EU legislation is primarily aimed at short life-span consumer goods like computers, mobile phones etc, but as is so often the case, the half-wits who draw up these rules prefer to condemn all the innocent as well, rather than let one guilty man go free.
I did see that piece about church organ pipes being caught up by this rule; indeed, I very nearly mentioned it in my previous post, but thought it a bit OT. The problem seems to be that many modern instruments use electric motors to pump air through the pipes. Presumably, some of those contain lead solder (as mentioned the pipes are also partiaally lead, and to remove it would have a detrimental impact on the sound quality). Someone recently commented that our obsession with health and safety is costing us dear in the quality of our lives - how true that is.
Mattw
I love using my XPan so much I have just bought another to keep me going. I just can't imagine a walk in the highlands with out it!
Quote:What about mercury amalgam fillings? Will people with these in their mouths upon dying have to be disposed of as hazardous waste too?
I'm guessing you're a dentist? Surely you'd be aware that you could drink several pints of mercury before the gut would absorb enough of it to do damage?
To have an Xpan was always an unachievable aspiration, but I might be able to secure similar panoramic views by cropping the middle out of my 6cm x 4.5cm (actually 57mm x 41mm) transparencies, to get 57mm x 21mm photos (a ratio of 2.71:1, the same as the Xpan). An alternative with my Mamiya 645Pro would be to use a 35mm back with panoramic adapter, producing frames of 13mm x 36mm, a ratio of 2.77:1. So the world of panoramic photos need not die with the Xpan, there are alternatives, but often at a cost.
I feel that I have missed something but don't know what....any comments?
What gives?
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