It’s been about three years since Hasselblad introduced the 100-megapixel X2D 100C to its lineup of compact medium format cameras. The company’s sticking with that resolution for its next X system shooter, but it’s adding end-to-end HDR, as well as continuous autofocus, for the first time in Hasselblad’s history.
It’s hard to tell the X2D II 100C apart from its predecessor on the outside; heck, they’re mostly identical on the inside too. Like the previous model, the X2D II gets a 43.8 x 32.9-mm backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, and support for 3FR RAW images with 15.3 stops of dynamic range and up to 16-bit color depth. These save on to a 1 TB built-in SSD, and there’s a slot to add CFExpress Type B cards up to 512 GB.
There are a few new things this time around though. ISO light sensitivity goes down to 50 (compared the X2D’s ISO 64) and up to 25,600; the autofocus system now has 425 phase detection AF points (up from 294), and it also does a continuous AF; and the 5-axis in-body stabilization now manages 10 stops instead of seven. Hasselblad says this amounts to eight times the stability of the previous model when you’re focusing on distant objects, and should allow for shake-free handheld long exposures lasting several seconds.
Hasselblad
Both cameras’ shells are fashioned from aluminum alloy blocks, and feature largely the same design. The updated model is lighter by 7.5% at 29.6 oz (840 g) with the battery loaded, and it gets a new textured graphite gray matte coating along with a redesigned grip that should be a little more comfortable in your hand.
You’ll also notice the 3.6-inch, 2.36-million-dot tilting OLED touch monitor looks about the same, but this time it’s paired with a 5D joystick for focus point selection and menu navigation. The screen also gets up to 75% brighter than the old one to reveal the tonal depth and colors of your HDR pictures.
Hasselblad
The HDR mode will allow for more dramatic shots and realistic colors even in harsh lighting conditions, and the continuous autofocus is a welcome addition for folks who enjoy snapping people, animals, and vehicles in motion.
Each of the X2D II’s 3FR RAW shots will weigh in at a hefty 206 MB; you can expect to snap 327 of them on a full charge of the included 3,400-mAh battery, or go up to 466 with HDR off.
You can dive into HDR editing on recent iPads and iPhones with Hasselblad’s Phocus Mobile 2 companion app, or on a macOS machine with a Liquid Retina XDR display. Phocus for Windows currently doesn’t support HDR.
Along with that, Hasselblad also has a new compact zoom lens to sell you. With a roughly 3x optical zoom, the XCD 2,8–4/35–100E goes from 28–76 mm full-frame equivalent focal lengths, and has an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/4. That makes it handy for a range of applications, landscapes to portraits.
Hasselblad
All this new kit will cost you a pretty penny. But surprisingly, at US$7,399, the updated X2D II is cheaper than the previous model by about $800. The zoom lens will set you back by $4,599. It’s a fair bit more than what you’ll pay for Fujifilm’s 102-megapixel GFX100RF from earlier this year that goes for $4,900 – but the pricing is not bad by Hasselblad standards.
Find the camera and the lens on Hasselblad’s site, or at authorized dealers near you.
Source: Hasselblad
