Hasselblad Announces Groundbreaking X1D Medium Format Mirrorless Camera

[Bennie_CanonShooter]

I really hope so that this will be the 3D line ( I dont think CANON will mark this as a 5DS/R Mark II)

As the pump in MP is too big and the performance will be (im guessing) backwards, the 5DSR shoots at 5fps.

I think this 120MP cam will shoot at 2-3fps.

I hope the AF and OVF will be based on a newer tech - sort of hybrid Optical - Electronic (like the ones in Fuji/Olympus.. not sure)

I dont even mind if this cam will shoot 1fps - but please CANON - make the darn AF shoot 100% accurate each and every frame at f/1.2

As far as the New Hassy - Im excited... but not because I will be buying one - Im excited knowing the day of MF mirrorless have started and more companies will follow and that Canon will be forced to innovate to retain market shares -

But i will stay on the 35mm canon ecosystem - I've shoot Mamiya Leaf and 645 films with 80mm f/1.9 medium format lenses and 200mm f.2.8 - they're nice, got their own unique look and you can frame your subject up close and still manage to get the telephoto look with these lenses - beautiful bokeh fall off due to sensor size BUT. this new X1D is NOT a true MF and "most" of its benefits can be replicated in post, not to mention the firmware of this hassy is still under development and they made a promise they will offer an electronic shutter.
So, for now, this Hassy has limited potential for adaptability - which is funny since the Sony's can adapt practically any lens.

And for those who will say that the look of the bigger sensor is unique - I've seen people shoot MF- even the FF PhaseONE's - unless you really tried hard to differentiate the shoot - you can easily missed the one's shoot by a Medium format - and since most MF sensor are NOT true MF FF's, the effects are even much less. (most people when they think of MF - what they imagine recalling is the iconic film look and the 8x10 plates) but that's NOT how the modern MF look - especially the cropped MF sensors.

I have Mamiya Leaf with Leaf shutter before - the highlights where horrid, the ISO was terrible pass ISO100 and has a CCD sensor 16 bit that was terrible in the greens - really bad for landscapes. unless you lower the green channel in post. but that was 2012.

the MF bandwagon continues - and btw.... be ready to calll tech support... these cam breaks more often than the main stream 35mm brands. I got rid of mine because of that.

 

[bp]

Personally, I love the camera, but I'm torn over the value with respect to this setup vs. a A7RII (or even a 5dsr) with top Canon glass. For a Studio camera (or outdoor portraiture), the Nikon TTL and super high-speed sync via the leaf shutter lenses sounds cool, but for landscapers/fine arts types (i.e. me), the form factor, assumed quality, and, honestly, the "name association" of being shot with Hasselblad (it matters to some buyers) is attractive, but I'd sure like to see a wider angle lens. Hopefully HB has something coming up soon after release.

Hate to agree with you on the value of that brand name on the front. Total crap that this sort of thing matters to prospective clients, but sometimes it does. Welcome to earth, right?

Regarding the lens line up, there's a Dan Chung / Newsshooter interview, where the Hassy rep states that aside from the 45 and 90, they'll also be announcing a 30mm at Photokina. 30 isn't super wide, but that would be a 24mm equivalent, which makes a lot of sense for an early lens release.

Some very interesting tidbits that I also picked up from reading comments and Hassy responses on their facebook page:

One guy asked how many AF points. Their response:
"At this stage, single point center focus, but we will soon enable also possibility to focus on selected area (single point)."

They didn't specify if "soon" meant before release, or will be added via firmware later... but I would hope they'd add this before it hits shelves. Single point center focus isn't exactly a big selling point for a $9k camera.

Several other people were asking whether there would be an electronic shutter. ...which, since the body itself has no shutter at all, would be required in order to adapt 3rd party lenses. They totally dodged the question.

"X1D is compatible only with LS lenses - the all new two XCD lenses (more to come) and the existing twelve HC/HCD lenses (adapter required)"

I'm hoping this is just the official company answer, and it's still a possibility. If they don't give it an electronic shutter, that could force people's hands, into buying their lenses, but frankly they'll sell fewer bodies. If it does get electronic shutter, it could draw a lot of potential buyers who'd like to use their own glass, like Sony has experienced with the A7 series, but they might sell fewer lenses.

There was also a guy who asked about the possibility of adding 4K video recording in the future via firmware, and they definitively answered that it would not be possible.

 

[kphoto99]

Personally, I love the camera, but I'm torn over the value with respect to this setup vs. a A7RII (or even a 5dsr) with top Canon glass. For a Studio camera (or outdoor portraiture), the Nikon TTL and super high-speed sync via the leaf shutter lenses sounds cool, but for landscapers/fine arts types (i.e. me), the form factor, assumed quality, and, honestly, the "name association" of being shot with Hasselblad (it matters to some buyers) is attractive, but I'd sure like to see a wider angle lens. Hopefully HB has something coming up soon after release.

I'm hoping this is just the official company answer, and it's still a possibility. If they don't give it an electronic shutter, that could force people's hands, into buying their lenses, but frankly they'll sell fewer bodies. If it does get electronic shutter, it could draw a lot of potential buyers who'd like to use their own glass, like Sony has experienced with the A7 series, but they might sell fewer lenses.

An adapter could contain a leaf shutter.

 

[Neutral]

This is replica of what I posted in another smaller thread regarding X1D - wanted to post here but selected other thread by mistake.
---------------

What I see in many comments here and around internet that many people underestimate what does it mean and focus on current camera limitations and native lens selection.

From my point of view, this is major breakthrough and this marks beginning of the new era in photography.

Some of camera limitation (e.g. only CDAF available) is due to the limitation of the current sensor which is more than 1 years old. When Sony will release new generation of this sensor with PDAF support then this will be something great – it will be like Sony A7R2 but in MF format. Even now, current X1D could be great tool for landscapes and architecture using Canon TSE17, which should have enough image circle coverage for the whole X1D sensor.

Frankly speaking I am very positively excited about that and with high probability might buy second generation of X1D with the new Sony BSI stacked PDAF capable sensor with improved high ISO performance. There so many possibilities are opening with that, especially for low light street photography using appropriate lens.
E.g. if there would be one 35 f1.4 AF lens made for X1D this could open extreme possibilities.

 

[ChristopherMarkPerez]

I'm happy to see someone finally build the obvious. Something with a large-ish sensor. Something with a lot of resolution. Something without a mirror. Something that brings to market the kinds of things a lot of folks have been talking about for years.

If nothing else, the new 'blad could act as either a target for the Japanese companies to aim at, or a good market test to see just how strong a customer base might be (given how imaging requirements are rapidly changing to networked instant share narcissism).

 

[Bernard]

An adapter could contain a leaf shutter.

Not really, at least not without significant vignetting.
Leaf shutters need to be positioned near the optical centre of the lens, where the aperture is. You can have an external leaf/blade shutter (look up the Packard shutter), but then it needs to be much larger, and the top speed is very limited.
I don't think anybody manufactures a leaf shutter that big anymore, especially one that can be controlled electronically.

 

[Neutral]

This is replica of what I posted in another smaller thread regarding X1D - wanted to post here but selected other thread by mistake.
---------------

What I see in many comments here and around internet that many people underestimate what does it mean and focus on current camera limitations and native lens selection.

From my point of view, this is major breakthrough and this marks beginning of the new era in photography.

Some of camera limitation (e.g. only CDAF available) is due to the limitation of the current sensor which is more than 1 years old. When Sony will release new generation of this sensor with PDAF support then this will be something great – it will be like Sony A7R2 but in MF format. Even now, current X1D could be great tool for landscapes and architecture using Canon TSE17, which should have enough image circle coverage for the whole X1D sensor.

Frankly speaking I am very positively excited about that and with high probability might buy second generation of X1D with the new Sony BSI stacked PDAF capable sensor with improved high ISO performance. There so many possibilities are opening with that, especially for low light street photography using appropriate lens.
E.g. if there would be one 35 f1.4 AF lens made for X1D this could open extreme possibilities.

Small correction to my post above - Canon TSE17 won't work on X1D as X1D does not have internal shutter and works only with LF lenses. Did not notice that initially.

So had quick look at Hasselblad lenses lineup and found one that could be very useful for low light situation and open full advantage of light capturing capabilities of the camera sensor.

This is Hasselblad HC 100mm f/2.2 Lens http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1245043-REG/hasselblad_h_3026100_hc_100mm_f_2_2_lens.html
This translates to somewhere around f1.6 on FF sensor.
This could be amazing combo.
This would require adaptor which Hasselblad is planning to provide for their lenses.
Very interesting things are happening.

 

[3kramd5]

Small correction to my post above - Canon TSE17 won't work on X1D as X1D does not have internal shutter and works only with LF lenses. Did not notice that initially.

It doesn't have a *mechanical* shutter. Do we know that it doesn't have an electronic shutter option?

 

[Neutral]

Small correction to my post above - Canon TSE17 won't work on X1D as X1D does not have internal shutter and works only with LF lenses. Did not notice that initially.

It doesn't have a *mechanical* shutter. Do we know that it doesn't have an electronic shutter option?

Not sure yet, need to check.
Possibly Phase One specs for IQ3 50mp back with Sony sensor could tell something.
But I do not see anything there related to ES:
https://digitaltransitions.com/product/phase-one-iq3-50mp-system/

 

[3kramd5]

Small correction to my post above - Canon TSE17 won't work on X1D as X1D does not have internal shutter and works only with LF lenses. Did not notice that initially.

It doesn't have a *mechanical* shutter. Do we know that it doesn't have an electronic shutter option?

Not sure yet, need to check.
Possibly Phase One specs for IQ3 50mp back with Sony sensor could tell something.
But I do not see anything there related to ES:
https://digitaltransitions.com/product/phase-one-iq3-50mp-system/

I believe the hasselblad H6D-50c uses the same sensor and has EC (although you have to control it from software).

 

[RayValdez360]

Why would anyone buy other Hasselblads anymore aside from the 100mp version with this camera coming out. the lens so far are even cheaper. Especially new users that haven't invested anything into them.

 

[Ozarker]

Ground will be broken when the brand is finally laid to rest.

 

[Bennymiata]

A real Hasselblad for not much more than a Pentax 645Z.

I reckon a lot of well-off amateurs as well as pros will buy them and that they will be a huge seller for Hasselblad.
Their production for the rest of this year is already sold out!

 

[deleteme]

The groundbreaking aspect of this camera is not how it compares to a FF DSLR but how it compares to a leaf shutter equipped MF competitor.
It brings mirrorless, leaf shutter 50MP CMOS at under $10k. Lenses are very affordable in comparison to competing LS MF glass.

The shortcomings it may seemingly have are largely in comparison to cameras it is not seeking to displace.

It will get a lot more well heeled enthusiasts looking for high performance but are not shooting BIF, sports or astro.
Pros looking to make the jump to MF can now justify the investment.

Of course this just increases the tension in the wait for the Fuji MF offering.