Hasselblad X2D features and commentary
Related: digital sensor, frame averaging, Fujifilm, Fujifilm medium format, Hasselblad, Hasselblad medium format, Hasselblad mirrorless, Hasselblad X2D 100C, In-Body Image Stabilization, medium format, pixel shift, shutter, true-color sensor or image
re: Announced: Hasselblad X2D-100C with 100 Megapixel Sensor, IBIS, Phase-Detect AF
I plan on a thorough review of the Hasselblad X2D 100C and its new lenses, these three if available:
Hasselblad X2D features and commentary
Hasselblad X2D 100C datasheet | Hasselblad X2D 100C FAQ
Resolution — 42.8 X 32.9mm 100-megapixel sensor 11656 × 8742 pixels with the superb XCD lenses should be a huge win. Hasselblad XCD lenses seem to be superior peformers to nearly all of the Fujifilm GF lenses, as they ought to be at 2X to 5X the price.
Sensor — The 42.8 X 32.9mm sensor ris the same size as the Fujifilm GFX100S, with the same demanding 3.76 micron pixel pitch (and Sony A7R IVa/IV). The capture rate of 3.3 fps is fine by me, frame averaging and pixel shift aside (both of which seem absent).
IBIS — a must-have in cameras today and a major customer pleaser. Claimed 5-axis 7-stop in-body image stabilization. A “win” with no downsides.
When stabilisation is not enabled, assume that the safe shutter speed (the minimum speed to capture a clear handheld image) is 1/500s. With the aperture and ISO unchanged, when the stabilisation is on, the safe shutter speed for 1-stop stabilisation is 1/250s. According to this ratio, the safe shutter speed for 7-stop stabilisation is 0.26s.
The IBIS technology enables pixel shift and/or mult-shot, but this appears to be lacking though could possibly be added in firmware. The 0.1 pixel sensitivity bodes well for pixel shift, should Hasselblad implement it.
The X2D 100C is equipped with an in-house-developed IBIS system for medium format cameras that currently is the most compact in the industry.* It can detect camera movements down to 0.1-pixel. These movements can then be compensated for by employing the 5-axis 7-stop image stabilisation to make shooting more effortless in low-shutter-speed scenarios.
Base ISO 64 is a smart move which I applaud vs the Fujifilm GFX100S base ISO of 100. It suggests potentially lower noise images.
Computational photography — will frame averaging be supported? It appears not.
Phase Detect AF— phase-detect autofocus (eg PDAF pixels) means that the sensor might be subject to the same horizontal white stripes problem as the Fujifilm GFX100S/GFX100. I would have preferred a more “pure” medium format sensor myself, but there is little doubt the target market wants this new PDAF focusing.
UPDATE: answers from Hasselblad
1. Does the X2D support any version of pixel shift or multi-shot?
No. Multi-shot and/or pixel shift are not planned for the X2D 100C.
2. Does the X2D support any form of frame averaging?
No. The X2D 100C does not support frame averaging.
3. Does the "V" on the lens names refer to anything about the design/construction?
The XCD 38V is a nod to the Hasselblad Superwide Camera (SWC) 38mm f/4.5 Biogon lens, one of the most famous lenses in medium format camera history. Additionally, we incorporated some of the aesthetics of H System lenses into the new XCD lenses, including the signature H logo engraved on both the focus ring and lens control ring. Also, the full-metal body with an engraved distance and depth-of-field scale on the new XCD lenses is a nod to the Hasselblad V System design.
4. Why is CF Express Type B card limited to 512GB?
The X2D has built-in 1TB SSD storage and the CFexpress card is add-on storage (more than large enough for most users) [diglloyd: this is a non-answer, unacceptable equivocation]
5. What is the startup time (time until a picture can be taken)?
Start up time is 2 seconds.
Built-in 1TB SSD — insanely fast and very nice if your work allows for plugging the camera in for connectivity. And with USB 3.0, transfers should be very fast. If it allows also writing to a card as a backup (or alternative download solution), it's A-OK with me, but the specs say that a CF Express Type B card is limited to 512GB... why the limit on capacity?
OLED EVF with 5.76 megadots. Not as nice as the Sony A1, but on par with the Leica SL2 and superior to the 3.69m-Dot OLED EVF of the Fujifilm GFX100S. The 1.0X magnification means extraordinarily nice viewing.
WiFi support great for some though of no value in the field to me.
Flash sync speed up to 1/2000 second via the lens leaf shutters or 1/4000 with electronic shutter, compatible with various Nikon flashes.
Startup time — the CPU in the X2D needs to be 2X faster to just to support twice the megapixels. But the X1D and X1D II were already slow as molasses, making them a frustrating choice for quick shots: those cameras had to boot-up like some old Windows 3 PC. The desired image was often gone by the time the camera was ready! With high battery drain, it was not feasible to leave the camera turned-on in the field. This single issue is IMO a major consideration. Has Hasselblad made the camera startup in 1 second or less? IMO a camera MUST be ready within 1 second once turned on, or it is a marginal choice for many types of photography.
Controls— no 4-way controller, no direct AF control, paucity of useful buttons, buttons that are troublesome in the dark or with gloves, etc. IMO, the emphasis on attractive design is all good, but a serious flaw when it means the lack of crucial operational controls. I despise camera design that makes simple things harder and slower.
Thank you for ordering your Hasselblad X2D 100C and new lenses through the links on this site.
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