Hasselblad are inviting a limited number of photographers to join Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin Aldrin and their design team at the Kennedy Space Center for an exclusive, all expenses paid weekend to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first lunar photographs and the launch of the new Hasselblad H3DII-60. In order to be one of them, you need to purchase either a Hasselblad H3DII-50 or a H3DII-60 medium-format camera between 1 July and 21 August 2009. The weekend, taking place from 24-26 September, will consist of seminars, professional training, and “out of this world photography”, Hasselblad says.

Website: Hasselblad promotion

Hasselblad Press Release

You could say our most important development stage started in space.

40 years ago, when the first men stepped out on the lunar surface, in their hands were Hasselblad cameras and - to paraphrase Neal Armstrong - this “small step for man” proved to be a giant leap for photography. Naturally, Hasselblad cameras were not originally designed to work in zero gravity, nor in the harsh temperatures found on the moon’s surface – but they did. Flawlessly. And they helped capture some of the most historic and memorable images ever recorded.

The R&D team rose to every occasion, producing designs that could withstand the stringent demands made by space travel. The advancements gained during the space camera design process did not just benefit extraterrestrial photographers, however, but those with both feet firmly planted on the ground as well. Every advancement was brought back to earth, benefitting photographers on this planet as well. A research tradition that continues to this day. Because what happened 40 years ago isn’t just our legacy – it’s our future too.

Simply put, NASA chose Hasselblad to go into space because we had the best cameras on earth. A claim that we are still proud to make today, forty years later.

And now, to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of our historic lunar landing, we are inviting any customer who purchases a Hasselblad H3DII-50 or H3DII-60 to join us in celebrating both the past and the future of photographic technology at the Cape Kennedy Space Center. We are hosting an exclusive packed weekend packed with photographic seminars and training, as well as a behind the scenes look at the NASA facility and a special lunar photography presentation given by Apollo 11 Astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. This is a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we are thrilled to be able to bring some of our most dedicated customers along for the experience.

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