Hasselblad is celebrating 75 years in the photo industry this year, and it is only fitting for the manufacturer to expand its family of high-quality cameras.
The company rolled out its H6D flagship in April with two variants, a 50 and a 100-megapixel behemoth, and now it is preparing to launch a mid-sized mirrorless camera.
Meet the X1D, which uses the identical Sony-made 50-megapixel sensor from the H6D-50c.
The device stays true to its proverbial build quality. The body is manufactured by hand in Sweden and its sealed design keeps dust and water particles at bay, making it perfect for unfriendly weather conditions.
Despite the slim design, the camera has a firm handgrip and front- and rear-control dials, as well as a top-mounted mode dial. The physical buttons give quick access to exposure, white balance, focus and ISO settings. The X1D has an embedded electronic viewfinder (EVF), but lacks a pre-installed flash. This means photographers will have to rely on external flashes or studio lights.
The rear of the device is almost completely covered by the LCD. The 3-inch screen has 920k-dot resolution and comes with touch input support.
Those who are familiar with contemporary digital backs for camera should feel right at home due to its square shape-factor. The screen allows for fast access to the Wi-Fi capabilities of the camera, ISO adjustment (between 100 and 25,600) and various other settings. The X1D comes with built-in GPS, but the company notes that a firmware update is required for the GPS to start working.
Thanks to the built-in EVF, the camera behaves like a regular SLR, allowing users to shoot at eye level.
One neat trick that comes with the EVF is that you can preview your shot in various aspect ratios. For example, despite the sensor's 4:3 design, users may customize the X1D's photos to respect a square format, reminding them of the classic V-series Hasselblad. Cropping images to a wide panoramic display is another possibility. Keep in mind that some resolution will be lost in the processing, but when you snap with a 50-megapixel sensor, you can afford losing a number of pixels.
The X1D takes images between 1.7 and 2.3 fps. It holsters two SD card slots, making sure that your photos are backed up in case one of the memory cards decides to break down.
It lacks a flash sync socket, but it comes equipped with USB 3.0 that grants quick image transfers and tethered shooting. You will also find a mini HDMI port alongside the typical audio output and input connectors.
Although not built with video shooting in mind, Hasselblad X1D allows 1080p captures with autofocus.
The manufacturer rolled out two lenses for the X1D, both of which feature a compact design.
The XCD 3,5/45mm is valued at $2,295, while the XCD 4,5/90mm has a standing price point of $2,695.
Both lenses have built-in shutters that sync with flash at up to 1/2,000-second. Additionally, the lenses are compatible with exposures lasting up to 60 minutes.
The company says that more lenses are in tow and promises to launch an adapter that will make Hasselblad H's medium lenses compatible with the X1D.
You can preorder the X1D-50c body for $8,995. If it seems expensive, keep in mind that the price is comparable to its rivals.
Recently, the manufacturer touted that it will bring a "game changer" this week, with a part its fans expecting to see a long-promised Hasselblad Mod for Motorola smartphones.
