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The teaser said game changer; those fighting words have been used before and left something wanting. I think now that the dust has somewhat settled after the X1D announcement, clearer heads may prevail in the analysis. For those who missed it: Hasselblad have just announced a 50MP medium format (44x33mm) mirrorless camera with a 2.36MP EVF, new lenses and full back compatibility with existing H system lenses, at a price point that’s bringing the fight to Pentax and making 35mm DSLRs look physically bloated.

It’s now time for a little of my customary analysis, and in a few weeks, an extended shooting report.

The solo camera images say little, but this I think says it all:

These are cameras whose sizes and prices we recognise. The X1D’s image quality is not an unknown: it houses the same sensor, processor and imaging pipeline as the H6D: i.e. the best available, bar the 100MP sensor.

This says more: it’s not a very thick camera at all. What’s interesting is the flange distance is short enough to permit both adaptation for other lenses – from pretty much every system – and that this much reduction has taken place at all. Effectively, what we’re looking at is a H6D-50 that’s been repackaged into something much, much smaller. Granted, we’ve lost several things like a PDAF autofocus system, top panel LCD, interchangeable backs, optical finder and some sync ports, but for most people: this is welcome, given the camera has also now lost approximately half the weight. The X1D is a featherweight 725g without a lens, which makes it lighter than the Nikon D750 – and not much heavier than a Leica Q.

Note: MTF measurements at the usual 10/30/40 lp/mm.

You’d think there’d be some optical compromises: there don’t appear to be. As you can see from the published MTF charts, we’re looking at a couple of world class autofocus lenses here for the launch; the 90mm looks especially impressive. Distortion is a little on the high side, but appears correctable in software. I think compromising lens speed in exchange for size is a smart decision in this case; the missing mirror means that minimum shutter speeds before camera shake kicks in are significantly lower. And the leaf shutters in the lenses will still hit 1/2000s and offer full sync at that speed, with the same 1-million shot MTBF and warranty as the new H system lenses (probably the same physical shutter units). There’s also a Nikon TTL compatible hotshoe (see DPR’s shot of the hotshoe itself for confirmation here). To fill out the rest of the lens line, the camera is fully compatible with the H system lenses – in fact, the contact pins look the same and I suspect the adaptor will just be a tube with extended electrical contacts. It remains to be seen whether the native XCD lenses are highly telecentric or the sensor itself has an offset microlens array. Finally, a 30mm is planned for Photokina.

Before anybody asks again in the comments, the body contains no shutter. This means whilst the flange distance is very short and some 35mm lenses may well cover the format, they will only be usable if a) there is an electronic shutter implemented in firmware – that has yet to be confirmed, and b) some enterprising third party gets out the lathes.

Interestingly, there are both square and 2.6:1 internal crop options, satisfying both those yearning for the V and Xpan cameras (the original Xpan recorded 24x65mm; this will do presumably 44x16mm to preserve the aspect ratio). Personally, I’d just shoot with the full area and crop later, but it does make for an interesting compositional option to have these natively represented in the viewfinder. One hopes the camera saves the entire file and just tags a crop for later adjustment flexibility if we want to shift the crop up or down to gain some perspective control – assuming you’re not using the HTS 1.5x attachment to begin with. Other feature highlights include built in GPS and wifi, which will allow full control of the camera via the same iPhone and iPad app as used by the existing H cameras. It operates the same under tethering (USB-C) as the H6D. There are also dual SD slots, plus 1080P25 video recording – again, identical to the H6D-50c. The battery is actually of a higher capacity than the H system cameras – 3200mAh vs 2900mAh; my experience with live view on the H5 suggests about two hours per battery is normal, closer to three with the more power-efficient H6. I’d expect about the same with the X1D, which suggests two batteries will get you through a day or more if you cycle power between shots.

Design-wise, the camera resembles nothing so much as a clear descendant of the V-system SWC cameras (sans film back) and the H6D; look closely and the lineage is clearly visible in the metal-edged square design with black infill and the hump to conceal (then) the folding waist level finder. The back control UI is all H6D, however. Buttons, menus and touch panel carry over from the H6D. Notably, both metal body and lenses are weather sealed. Personally, as a V shooter – it hits all the right buttons in a good way; there’s lineage here, there’s modernity, there’s a clever attempt to clean up and reduce the external interface to the essentials and nothing more. It looks like nothing else on the market at the moment – frankly, a refreshing piece of industrial design that avoids increasing complexity for the sake of it. Of course, until I get to shoot with one I won’t be able to say if it hits the mark. But it does appear that the design choices and compromises have been sensible ones, and this bodes well.



Lineage: SWC without film back, but with added grip.

The biggest question of all is what this bodes for the rest of the industry. A EUR 7,900 camera body and ~EUR 2,000 lenses are not cheap by any means, but remember that we are now facing significant price inflation in 35mm cameras anyway (as this earlier article shows). The professional Canikon bodies are not much cheaper than this, and are nowhere close in terms of image quality. The Leica SL is similarly priced, and once again, nowhere close in terms of image quality. Lenses are more expensive, too. None of these cameras have leaf shutters or sync to 1/2000s. Surprisingly, the Pentax 645Z wasn’t as disruptive as anybody expected other than outside Japan; perhaps because it filled a niche that wasn’t previously addressed at all, and lacked some critical features that have traditionally been the USPs of medium format (system incompleteness, slow flash sync) it wasn’t really a threat to the main medium format manufacturers, either.

I think X1D is different, though. Mainly because it now becomes part of a much larger system; it brings the same image quality we already know and value to a much lower price point and more easily manageable size; and on top of that, seems to extend the envelope a bit – no mirror slap, (hopefully) a future electronic shutter and 12.8k and 25.6k ISO ranges over its H5D/H6D brethren might well buy us a couple of stops in practice (I believe there’s auto-ISO functionality too, finally – if the preview video is anything to go by). On top of that, it’s a ground-up design that actually addresses the critical needs of the photographer – and doesn’t add anything beyond that. Whilst my preference is for a good optical finder because it’s much easier to see in low light and doesn’t ruin your night vision, an EVF* is really the only solution for this physical size and format. I actually think the biggest casualties of the X1D’s market cannibalization aren’t going to be Leica, Phase One or the 35mm boys – it’s going to be Hasselblad themselves. Serious amateurs and high end 35mm shooters will probably add the X1D rather than replace something with it – I don’t think the native X system in itself is anywhere near complete enough (nor will it be in the immediate short term) to be a complete replacement, and the H system is still very much professionally priced and sized.

*A comment on the EVF: many have stated in the comments it appears under specced; I suspect the limitations are exclusivity of the higher resolution panels (so far, only Leica is using them) and that this sensor does not output more than XGA LV – neither the Pentax nor Phase One nor Hasselblad’s own H5/6 have more resolution that that in LV.

The casualties are likely to be the H5D-50c and H6D-50c, and perhaps to a lesser extent, the CFV. It’s also important to address one question that’s been going around the web: during the launch, CEO Perry Oosting said categorically it is a 100% unique to Hasselblad body and lenses (explicitly stated: not a rebranded Sony or Fuji, so we’ll not see a cheaper variant from one of those companies in future, but this doesn’t rule out their own competitors); the body is made in Sweden by Hasselblad with lenses made in Japan by Nittoh. In economic terms, I don’t see how there’s room in the pricing structure/margin for cheaper option by an OEM manufacturer: the sensor component alone is in the US$4k range.

In real terms, the same benchmark image quality performance as the H5D/6D-50c is now on offer for a third of the cost and physical size of the H6D, with the same or potentially greater compatibility. The one big question remaining is LV fluidity and AF speed (which is linked to LV frame rates, since the camera cannot recalculate AF position until it has a new frame to compare to the previous one – no matter how fast the lens’ motor). I certainly plan to add one to serve as the second/spare body instead of carrying around two H cameras. In fact, unless I need the 100MP H6D-100c – I think this may well land up being the primary body. Still, better to cannibalise one’s own lunch than have it eaten for you. If I were Hasselblad I’d have picked a different name (X1D is far too similar to Leica’s earlier X1) and perhaps added a wide to the launch lens lineup. The H6D-50c may well have been stillborn unless the development costs were mostly covered by the 100MP version – which I suspect they are, since all three cameras (X1D, both H6s) share the same architecture and platform. But I suspect that a lot of potential H5D and H6D buyers will be going X1D instead. All in all though, this is definitely a new step for medium format, and at least something technological innovative; the industry quite desperately needs a kick in the pants like this. There’s bound to be some pain and attrition: better to be the leader than scrambling later.

Coda: It’s interesting that half of the comments around the web and here are of the ‘I get it’ type and the other half are ‘I don’t get it’ type. So long as there are enough ‘I get its’ to keep the company in business and challenging the others, that’s a good thing. I doubt Sony will bother making one if they don’t see the demand, and I doubt Hasselblad will be pressured to respond and fix the uncompetitive aspects without it. If nobody made one then H and P1 could both go on charging 25k for a 50MP MF body with the same sensor. So, even if it personally doesn’t fit your needs – it’s a good thing it exists.

I expect to have an X1D and lenses in my hands very soon for extended evaluation; an in-depth shooting report will follow in due course. In the meantime, I will of course endeavour to answer any questions in the comments to the best of my ability – but please note that Hasselblad’s commercial, marketing and engineering choices are far outside my responsibility… MT

The Hasselblad X1D camera and lenses are available to pre-order here from B&H. I do get a small referral fee from sales, which helps to pay for site bandwidth and hosting costs. More info is here on the Hasselblad site. There’ll also be a special bag made in collaboration with Billingham. Hasselblad says demos will be available end-July, with first deliveries beginning end-August.

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