Buzz Aldrin on the moon (photo by Neil Armstrong)
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. This was one of my favorite photographs when I was growing up. I think what drew me to it was the clarity and detail of it. You can see the footprints in the background. Cameras have come a long way since then, but it’s still amazing to me to see that we were able to take such great photos back then.
Medium format camera are larger than 35mm cameras and use paper-backed or paper-leadered roll film. The most popular medium-format cameras produce negatives that are 2 1/4 X 2 1/4 inches, 6 X 7 cm, and 6 X 4.5 cm. The large negatives make stunningly sharp enlargements, full of detail. The 2 1/4 inch single-lens reflex (SLR) camera has a viewing system similar to the 35mm SLR reflex camera. As the name implies, these larger SLRs produce negatives that are 2 1/4 inches square. The Hasselblad was the the camera used by America’s astronauts when they visited the moon.
- – from NYIP
The Hasselblad wasn’t the first camera to reach the moon; that honor goes to the one Neil Armstrong took one with him on the 1969 mission. But it’s the only one to ever make it back. The rest were left behind due to their bulk and weight; the one below, which was used on the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, was lucky enough to make the return journey.
CREATE TO INSPIRE
Since the beginning Hasselblad cameras were born from a love for photography and the desire of a man to give photographers the technical excellence needed to realise their creative vision. That man was Victor Hasselblad.
For over seventy years now, Hasselblad has been devoted to a very simple task: to produce the finest camera equipment known to man. And for over seventy years, we have succeeded in doing just that. In making the tools that will enable us to live up to the Hasselblad brand proposition, “Create To Inspire”.
- – from Hasselblad website
Food, Art & Culture 
Great post Travis, really enjoyed reading this one, amazing historical insight! 🙂