Hasselblad was uncharacteristically busy this 12 months, releasing a “new” digital camera and three new XCD lenses. The premium Swedish digital camera producer continues to focus closely on celebrating nonetheless pictures and the expertise of taking images, and we’re right here for it.
The Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C Is a Classic-Impressed Digicam With Unimaginable Picture High quality
Now, let’s get one factor out of the way in which proper off the bat, the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C will not be technically a brand new digital camera in and of itself. Nevertheless, the whole bundle is new in 2024.
The 907X digital camera physique was initially released in 2019 alongside the CFV II 50C digital again, which options the identical 50-megapixel sensor because the Hasselblad X1D 50C and X1D II 50C interchangeable lens medium-format cameras launched in 2017 and 2017, respectively. So, that a part of the 907X CFV 100C equipment isn’t new and even modified for 2024.
What’s new is the CFV 100C digital again, and it’s a transformative change to Hasselblad’s vintage-inspired digital camera system. The brand new digital again has the identical 100-megapixel sensor as Hasselblad’s excellent X2D 100C camera, and for that matter, the identical fundamental sensor as Fujifilm makes use of in its GFX100-series cameras. Nevertheless, it’s price noting that Hasselblad performs its personal engineering and fine-tuning on the sensor, impacting the pictures’ general look. In distinction to Fujifilm, Hasselblad additionally focuses solely on nonetheless pictures — no video modes right here.
Talking of the X2D 100C, Hasselblad additionally launched a tundra-inspired brownish-green model of the digital camera this 12 months. The “Earth Explorer” edition doesn’t affect the corporate’s grade for the 12 months, but it surely’s price mentioning.
The 907X and CFV 100C mix to ship a retro-inspired pictures expertise. With further add-ons, photographers can use a waist-level viewfinder or perhaps a technical discipline digital camera array. Heck, photographers may even put the brand new digital again on Hasselblad 500 and 200 collection movie digital camera our bodies from many years in the past. In some ways, the 907X CFV 100C system celebrates pictures’s previous, lengthy earlier than digital pictures was even a glint in an engineer’s eye. This classic spirit and deliberate workflow is the first motive why I picked the digital camera as one of my favorite pieces of gear of 2024. The digital camera is gradual and never ideally suited for any particular kind of pictures, but it surely’s so enjoyable to make use of as a result of Hasselblad respects pictures as an artwork type and understands that taking images ought to be tactile and enjoyable.
Three New Lenses, and They Are All Nice
The Hasselblad XCD 25mm f/2.5 V, the corporate’s first of three lenses launched in 2024, arrived in Might and added a swift choice to the gorgeous crowded wide-end of Hasselblad’s X System. The widest V-series XCD lens, Hasselblad constructed its new 20mm-equivalent lens for cityscapes, landscapes, and night time sky pictures.
Given its $3,700 price ticket, the lens ought to be good, and fortunately, it’s — wonderful, actually. “The flexibility and vivid aperture make this a wonderful alternative for the Hasselblad system,” writes Chris Niccolls. For followers of wide-angle pictures, that is among the many finest Hasselblad lenses obtainable, if not among the many absolute best on medium-format at massive.
The wide-angle love didn’t cease there. Just a few months later, Hasselblad introduced the XCD 20-35mm f/3.2-4.5 E, its first ultra-wide-angle zoom lens. Delivering a 35mm-equivalent focal size vary of 16-27mm, the lens additionally kicked off a brand new collection for Hasselblad, the “E” collection. The “E” stands for “Unique,” promising the very best optical high quality but. It may additionally stand for costly, because the lens is an eye-watering $5,929. That’s extraordinarily costly.
As Chris Niccolls writes in PetaPixel‘s review, the lens is sort of good. It may stand in for a collection of wide-angle prime lenses, making the worth proposition a bit simpler to make, however virtually $6,000 is a heavy worth to pay.
Hasselblad wasn’t executed but, although. In November, the corporate introduced the XCD 75mm f/3.4 P, a surprisingly light-weight normal prime lens. With an equal focal size of slightly below 60mm and a fairly swift f/3.4 aperture, the lens can do quite a bit: portraits, road pictures, and documentary work.
It’s a great lens for portrait photography, and pleasantly compact and simple to make use of. There are quicker choices in Hasselblad’s lineup, however many photographers are glad to compromise a bit on aperture if it means getting a extra reasonably priced and lighter lens.
Grading Hasselblad in 2024
By typical requirements, a semi-new digital camera and three new lenses wouldn’t represent a busy 12 months. Nevertheless, for Hasselblad, 2024 was comparatively prolific. Final 12 months, Hasselblad launched only one new product, the XCD 28mm f/4 P lens. 2022 regarded very like 2024: Three lenses and a digital camera. In 2021? Nothing. 2020 had solely the X1D II 50C.
Hasselblad had a comparatively prolific and excellent 2024, simply incomes a excessive mark.
Grade: A-
Picture credit: Featured picture created utilizing an asset licensed by way of Depositphotos.
