I have been drooling over the Hasselblad X1D since it was first announced last summer. The X1D is the first mirrorless digital medium format camera. It is also significantly lighter and smaller than any medium format camera on the market that uses an optical viewfinder. With a price tag of $8,995 for the body and...
Great review Michael. As always. Any thoughts on using this rig for Architecture?
Cheers,
DC
It could be good for architecture, if you use the XH adapter, put the title shift adapter on it and use the H lenses. But by then you might as well have an H6D I suppose. Here is the link to that adapter: http://www.hasselblad.com/accessories/h-system-accessories/hts-1-5-tilt-and-shift-adapter
Regarding Architecture- I am just now noticing that the 30mm has absolutely no distance focus markings on it.
This is completely and utterly useless for architecture. Everything must be focused manually, and you can’t even see where you’re focusing? I have shot thousands of images for clients and not once have I not relied on distance markings.
Batteries are long available
Niels – Maybe the X1D batteries have been available where you live but here in the USA they are still on backorder and have been for a long time.
How would you compare the AF with a camera as the Sony rx1r? Do you think it is possible to make street photography with the hasselblad x1d?
I rented the X1D for a field test over a weekend a couple of months ago, and one of the shoots I had arranged was a fitness shoot with a boxer. I took around 40 frames of him unleashing his inner fury on a sandbag and I did not manage to nail even one frame just as he hit the sandbag.
Admittedly, maybe the the series of clicks caused me to think there is shutter lag and as a result I pressed the shutter earlier and earlier, but to me it looked like the boxer was in the process of retracting his arm as the sandbag was in full swing.
I am not convinced the X1D is shutter lag free, but I would like it to be 🙂
Erik
Jan – I don’t know. I have not ever shot with the Sony RX1R. You can shoot street stuff with the X1D but just realize the AF is going to be a little slower. I’d say rent one before you buy it.
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Try as I may to convince myself that I need this camera I cannot. The nature of leisure or amateur photography has changed as has our lifestyles. When film and processing was expensive, photos were dear. You put time and thought into every shot. I know because I think back to how much money I spent;-)
With mobile devices and tablets with their amazing resolution we now view more images on a monitor instead of on paper I wonder where standalone cameras will fit. Purists will of course lambaste me for saying all this but I wonder these fine pieces technology and optics like fine watches are like the old steel mills that are excellent subjects for photographers, symbols of a bygone era?
I hope not, especially for the company whose cameras went to the moon and back, but I am doubtful.
Dear AusTex, These cameras are entirely unnecessary if your sole wish is to see your photos on a computer screen or on instagram. However, if you like to print your photos and print them big then they are quite relevant.
And whatever happens with time folks are going to keep having a need to fill their walls with content.
I have not read about any shutter release cable being used with X1D. Do they have anything of this accessory, because this is useful for close-up work.
I have heard folks talking about the smartphone app that can trigger the camera but I don’t think there is an actual cable release as far as I know. I might be wrong on that.
Michael – Thank you for an excellent write up on the X1D – very informative.
I received mine a few days ago and find it a pleasure to hold and work with and the image quality is remarkable. And I am comparing this to my years of Phase One, Leica, and 45 years of Canon use, along with 4×5 view camera film.
One issue I cannot seem to work around is the viewfinder (I don’t use Live View on the back) black out time period, especially in Continuous Drive Mode, but even in Single Drive Mode with quick shutter releases. I shoot only to RAW files, and because the black out period is longer than time between captures (reportedly 2.3 fps), I am unable to see through the black viewfinder what I am shooting.
Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions about this?
Robert – Save for the latest Fuji X-Series and Sony A7 and A9 series mirrorless cameras, most mirrorless cameras lock up the viewfinder when firing off bursts. The black out on the X1D is not optimal for any kind of action photography. I see it as more of a one shot beast. Hard to say. Also, for clarification, I do not own an X1D. I shot with a friends for a few days to write this review. I have an H5D and still use that.
Michael – Thanks for the quick response. You answered my question, but thus wonder why HB would even include Continuous Drive Mode if its unusable. My Sony a6000 (mirrorless) allows for fast blasting, but its not much more than a point and shoot. Thankfully I don’t do much action work, but found this to be an issue when trying to photograph my 5-month old granddaughter’s beautiful new smiles 🙂
PS: Your work is outstanding and Shiprock is a favorite subject of mine.
Cheers, _R
Thanks for the review. Very interested in this Hasselblad system. It’s the dream camera. I wonder about the shutter lag though. I’ve seen a couple people write about that third click thinking that’s the shutter opening and hence thinking there’s a large lag, but it is the shutter re-cocking itself. The third click is after the exposure is made (reminds me of the delayed secondary shutter in a 500cm).
You say there is still a lag? Are there any numbers anywhere? Second click sounds relatively instant to me but perhaps isn’t?
There is a pretty long shutter lag. I just shot with it again here a few weeks ago and for any action it is completely unusable. I was very sad to see the shutter lag. I did a lot of testing and it is only a third of a second or so but it was enough that any moving object wold already be out of frame by the time the image was taken. In comparison, my H5D is damn near instantaneous. When I push the shutter release I have the image I wanted.