DPReview: Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

One of the most remarkable things about the Hasselblad X1D is its size. It is smaller than the average DSLR and only just as big as the larger Micro Four Thirds camera bodies – which is quite something for a medium format camera. The general design is sleek and the echoes of Hasselblad's V system are clear in the square face around the lens mount.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Obviously the star of the show is the 50-million-pixel CMOS sensor. It is the same 43.8x32.9mm sensor that is used in the 50c backs for the H6D, as well as the Pentax 645Z and Phase One's IQ3 50 backs. In this body it looks gigantic and it really fills the whole of the area behind the mount. Hasselblad says that nothing has been done to the sensor physically, but that internal processing has allowed the top ISO setting to be increased to 25,600.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The back of the camera is pretty minimalist - the buttons have been kept quite small and they're arranged down the side of the screen. The EVF boasts XGA resolution and feels large, crisp and detailed - even in the artificially-lit conference room in which these photographs were taken. 

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Hasselblad has adorned the X1D with the same orange shutter release button that the H6D has, which helps to link the two products together. It seems a little jazzy for a medium format product, but the relationship between the X1D and the modular H6D is significant as they share a working platform, a sensor (in the 50c at least) and a similar user interface.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

This main menu screen is just like that used in the H6D. Users can customise the features displayed by pressing the ‘add’ icon and then choosing a function from the menu to keep on the home screen. This is useful not only for setting your general personal preferences, but also for prioritising certain functions and features to suit the nature of a particular job.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Touching an item on the display creates a scrolling drop-down menu that can be navigated either by touching the value you want or by using the physical dials to scroll the options. Activating the main mode dial brings up an icon of the dial so you don’t have to look at the top of the camera. That would just be lazy if you are shooting using the back screen, but it’s very convenient when your eye is to the finder.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The main mode dial rests in a recessed position. When you want to make an adjustment, a press on the dial makes it pop out of the body so that it can be rotated. It perhaps doesn’t pop out quite far enough as it can be a little tricky to get a grip of. The main on/off button sits behind the mode dial.

If there is one message that Hasselblad really wants to get across, it is that this camera is hand-made in Sweden. Equally, Hasselblad representatives with whom we spoke were at pains to stress that the X1D was designed and manufactured in-house and that Fujifilm isn’t involved in any way.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Interestingly, Hasselblad has chosen to use a Nikon compatible hotshoe on the X1D, so users have a collection of Nikon branded units to couple with the camera as well as Nikon ‘fit’ models from the independent manufacturers. Metz used to be the company’s flash partner.

As with the Hasselblad H6D, the X1D has a top flash sync speed of 1/2000sec. The lenses have shutters in them, so every shutter speed offered by the camera can be used with flash without the loss of power that typically comes with high speed flash sync modes.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The base plate is pretty plain apart from a tripod socket and the lever for the battery release. Although the lens (the 45mm f/3.5 in this case) has a thick barrel, it doesn’t extend beyond the base so the camera can sit flat on a table top with the lens fitted.

There is no sign of connections for a battery grip, but we suppose that would defeat the object of having a small system.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Hasselblad has used a 3200mAh lithium ion cell, but the company couldn’t say how many shots we should expect from a single charge yet as the power saving modes and consumption controls haven’t been finalised in these early bodies.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

Dual flaps on the left hand side of the camera open to reveal twin SD card slots. It offers a microphone socket and a second socket for audio monitoring as well as Mini HDMI and USB 3 for tethered shooting and image download.

The flaps are protected with O rings to ensure the ports are splash proof, and the whole camera is sealed against weather and dust.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

The main rear screen looks big in comparison to the camera body, but it’s only the standard 3in size. It is clear and responsive – though the firmware is still very early on the bodies I got to try.
The shooting display screen is clear and designed in large print – and each item can be activated for adjustment by touching the display.

The menu screens and displays are controlled via a series of swiping motions, much as we are used to in smartphones. While the live view display is active, as shown here, a swipe down from the top of the screen pulls down the information display that also delivers direct and quick access to exposure controls. It all feels pretty slick and well thought out.

Hands-on with Hasselblad X1D

A new range of lenses called XCD has been announced to go with this new body. They are hardly small, but they are a good deal smaller than the company’s H series lenses and considering the decent maximum apertures they're not too thick across the diameter. In the 45mm (shown here) the rear element is set back into the lens quite a long way to make up for the short distance between the lens mount and the sensor.

While two new lenses have been announced so far – the 45mm f/3.5 and the 90mm f/3.2 – the company informally announced a 30mm that will be shown in September at Photokina, in Cologne Germany.

from Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) http://ift.tt/28ODWDj
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