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Hasselblad X2D 100C and XCD Lenses Header - Foto Koch
Reading time: 8 minutes - September 09, 2022 - by Lennart Filthuth

New Hasselblad medium format camera with 100MP

Hasselblad X2D 100C & new XCD lenses introduced

In August 2016, Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad launched the X1D 50C, the world's first compact digital medium format camera, delighting medium format fans around the world. After continuing the X series in 2019(X1D II 50C), it's now time for a major update - Hasselblad introduces the new X2D 100C!

In this post, you'll learn everything you need to know about the new medium format camera and lenses!

Hasselblad X2D 100C - What's new?

Unlike the X1D II 50C, Hasselblad hasn't just done model maintenance here. We have a similar body here, but it has become a bit thicker and more ergonomic, and the shape has also changed a bit around the electronic viewfinder (EVF). Another new addition is a small shoulder display that replaces the previous mode dial (now as a button next to the upper display).
However, we can only see where a lot has changed when we take a look inside the body.

The new 100mp BSI sensor, image processor & IBIS

Probably the most important update is the new 100 megapixel BSI (Back-Side-Illuminated) sensor. Not only does this new sensor offer double the resolution of its predecessor, but the back-side exposure now allows for a dynamic range of 15 stops (+1 stop compared to its predecessor). In addition, the sensor also delivers a color depth of 16 bits, enabling even more realistic image results.

But the new sensor is not the only thing that makes the image quality of the new X2D 100C so great. In addition to the sensor, the image processor is largely responsible for the image quality and something has changed here as well. On the one hand, the base ISO has dropped from 100 to 64, which is an important feature for many photographers who still like to shoot open aperture in bright light situations. On the other hand, the image quality in the high ISO range has also been significantly improved. Here, the Hasselblad X2D 100C can easily use ISO 6400 and (depending on the situation) even higher, without visible loss of contrast and color noise.

Also new is an image stabilization system (IBIS) integrated into the body, which has never been seen before in a Hasselblad medium format camera and which is enormously important for longer exposure times. On the subject of IBIS, you might think that this is particularly interesting for video, but I have to disappoint you - there is no video mode on the X2D 100C.

New autofocus

The autofocus is always a problematic issue with medium format cameras... Due to the enormous size of the sensor and thus also of the lenses, it is simply not so easy to integrate a fast and above all also quiet autofocus. Until now, the autofocus on the X1D cameras was anything but fast and especially far from quiet.
In the X2D, however, a lot has been done in this area and Hasselblad has not only managed to speed up the autofocus (phase detection and no longer just contrast-based) significantly, but has also made it much quieter with the new lenses - but more on that in a moment.

In the previous models, the autofocus was accurate, but much too slow. Now it is much faster, quieter, and accordingly much more fun. Nevertheless, you can still override it manually with the focus ring.

Display and electronic viewfinder (EVF)

The display of the X2D 100C is a 3.6 inch touch display with a resolution of 2.36 MP, as well as a color depth of 24 bits and is also finally tiltable. However, the much more interesting innovation is the new viewfinder, which has been equipped with a completely new display. It consists of a 5.76 MP OLED display and now has a magnification of 1.0x with a 65 mm medium format lens. Especially because of the high resolution of the sensor, the new viewfinder is a welcome innovation!

On the software side, the operation has also improved a bit and the faster processor has, among other things, accelerated the boot time of the camera by quite a bit.

Internal memory

A 100 megapixel RAW has one drawback - the file sizes are huge. An uncompressed RAW from the Hasselblad X2D 100C can easily reach 206 MB. However, so that storage space is no longer a problem, Hasselblad has installed a 1 TB SSD with a write speed of up to 2000 Mbps. In addition, it is still possible to write to a memory card, but the Swedes use a simple CFexpress Type B card slot instead of the dual SD card slot.

The pictures can then be transferred to a computer via the built-in USB-C port (also supports PowerDelivery). It is also possible to have a backup saved to the CFexpress card in parallel with the SSD. Thus, you can ultimately choose how you want to transfer the pictures to the laptop or PC afterwards.

Hasselblad X2D 100C

  • 100 megapixel CMOS BSI sensor
  • Phase autofocus
  • 1TB internal SSD storage
  • 5.76 MP OLED EVF with 1.0x magnification
  • tiltable 2.36 MP display
  • CFexpress type B card slot

Hasselblad's new V-series XCD lenses

In addition to the X2D, Hasselblad has also introduced three new lenses for the XCD mount (all three with f/2.5 aperture). The new lenses are the XCD 38mm f/2.5 V, the XCD 55mm f/2.5 V and the XCD II 90mm f/2.5 V. The "V" in the name refers to the new lens series, which, in addition to a brand new design, are also supposed to be much quieter, faster and sharper than their predecessors.

What can the new lens series do?

The new V lenses for the XCD mount offer several innovations. They have been developed from the ground up, and this is also reflected in the completely new design.

In addition to the focus ring, all three new lenses have a customizable control ring, which can be assigned with the aperture or ISO, for example. For the focus ring, a kind of clutch was built in, where you can pull the focus ring back and forth to switch between full manual focus and autofocus with AF Overwrite function.

Of course, the new lenses, as well as all previous Hasselblad lenses, are of the highest quality and deliver top-notch image results, both in terms of sharpness, color reproduction, and bokeh. While the new lenses have been developed in conjunction with and for the new X2D and its 100 megapixel sensor, the old XCD lenses also keep up with the new sensor. What you'll miss here, though, is the faster shutter, as well as autofocus and the lighter construction - all of which you'll find on three of the new lenses here, though.

Hasselblad XCD 38mm f/2.5 V

  • low distortion wide angle lens
  • f/2.5 large Weighs only 350 g Aperture
  • low distortion wide angle lens
  • small and lightweight focus module
  • compact design
  • Bokeh effect
  • weighs only 350 g

Hasselblad XCD 55mm f/2.5 V

  • Hasselblad XCD F2.5/55V
  • Standard lens
  • f/2.5 wide aperture
  • Shutter speed up to 1/2000 s
  • first-class optical performance
  • compact design
  • Image resolution of over 100 megapixels supported
  • for different scenarios (indoor & outdoor)
 

Hasselblad XCD II 90mm f/2.5 V

  • medium telephoto lens
  • perfect for close-up portraits/still lifes
  • creates beautiful soft bokeh effect
  • f/2.5 aperture weighs only 551 g
  • compact design
  • small and lightweight focus module

Conclusion

The new Hasselblad X2D 100C is a worthy successor to the X1D II 50C and brings, in addition to the new 100 megapixel BSI sensor, many other exciting and important features, such as the improved autofocus, an IBIS and the internal 1TB SSD. But even smaller updates, such as the shoulder display or the improved OLED viewfinder have not been forgotten here and the camera is therefore currently probably the most interesting compact medium format camera on the market. It inherits the phenomenal Swedish design of the X1D models, but has been improved in all aspects and equipped with current technologies.

Paired with the new "V" lenses for the XCD mount, which have been made lighter, faster, quieter, and even sharper, the X2D 100C can be a compact alternative to more expensive, larger, and more unwieldy medium format cameras.

You can find all the info about the camera and the new lenses, as well as sample photos and stories, here.

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