Big Sensor in Small Package

For photographers wanting to get an insane amount of quality from their photos or serve clientele that demand the absolute best, most photographers would want to go medium-format. While some 35mm DSLRs have caught up with medium-format in terms of picture resolution, medium-format cameras are still leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to dynamic range and noise performance. Medium-format cameras also tend to be extremely costly and very large – the Hasselblad X1D announced earlier this year goes against the stereotype (for the most part). The camera is still very expensive at a cost of nearly $9,000 just for the body, but the body itself is the size of most DSLRs – which in the world of medium-format, is quite the achievement.

First thing that should be pointed out about the camera is the size. Most Hasselblad users are accustomed to carrying large, bulky cameras and for most photoshoots, Hasselblads will either be mounted on a tripod or will remain in a studio. With the X1D, it’s now possible to get the quality of a larger medium-format camera like the H6D but with the compactness of a 35mm DSLR. You might be wondering, how is this possible? The answer – no mirror. For the first time in the company’s 75 year history, Hasselblad has come out with a mirrorless camera. Sony, Nikon, and Canon have all come out with 35mm mirrorless cameras over the last couple of year that are more compact and much more affordable than Hasselblad’s X1D. What Hasselblad did was a smart move – rather than try to compete directly with 35mm brands, Hasselblad took what they do best (medium-format) and created the world’s first medium-format mirrorless camera.

The other highlight feature of this camera is that enormous 50MP CMOS sensor. With a sensor nearly 1.5x the size of most 35mm sensors, this translates to better noise performance, ability to capture more light, and nearly 14 stops of dynamic range. Being a new system, the X1D isn’t compatible with most of Hasselblad’s lenses but the company will be offering an adapter to current H system users. From sample images I’ve seen, image quality is good but the depth of field isn’t quite as shallow as I expected it to be from a medium-format sensor. Other 35mm camera brands like Canon have very fast lenses that produced shallower depths-of-field than the 45mm and 90mm lenses that are equipped with the X1D.

Aside from the depth-of-field, the Hasselblad X1D lives up to the name as an innovator of photography. It’s an expensive piece of equipment but when all things are taken into consideration (i.e. sensor size, same specs as the more expensive H6D, small package), the X1D is actually a great value. If you’re a photographer that demands this kind of quality from your images and have deep enough pockets, the X1D is a wise investment. 

Canon's Best 5D Yet?

Let's go back to the 2012 launch of Canon’s 5D Mark III which ultimately, turned out to be one of the company’s best-selling cameras…ever. Just this past month, the company announced a successor to the Mark III, the Canon 5D Mark IV. The Mark IV brings a couple of new features to the table; for starters, the camera now has a touch screen on the back, a new 30 full-frame megapixel sensor, built-in GPS, 4K video and NFC – just to name a few. With a burst frame rate of 7 fps, the camera is also ideal for sports photographers. However, at a price of over $3,000, this camera is not for amateur DSLR users. This is a very serious camera, with very serious capabilities. With that being said – if you take full advantage of what the camera has to offer – this 5D Mark IV, in my opinion, is worth the upgrade from the 5D Mark III.

Let’s start with one of the biggest upgrades since the 5D Mark III and that is the new 30 megapixel sensor. The Mark IV is built around a new 30.4 megapixel CMOS sensor and Canon’s latest and greatest Digic 6+ processor. Canon also incorporated the auto-focus system from its bigger, more expensive brother, the 1D X Mark II, containing over 60 AF points. I think this was a very smart move by Canon since the 1D X, which is geared more towards professional sports photographers and costs almost twice as much, because consumers now have a more affordable option if they’re looking for just as stellar image quality without the burst shooting capabilities. What this translates to is a high-resolution sensor that produces stunning images accompanied by one of the quickest auto-focusing systems I've seen on a Canon DSLR.

The other highlight feature of the new Mark IV would have to be 4K video. We’re living in a day and age where 1080p isn’t good enough anymore. Many compact cameras and other competitor DSLRs have 4K recording capabilities – even Apple's latest iPhone can record 4K video. Canon’s decision to implement 4K video in its latest flagship wasn’t merely a coincidence, but a wise business decision. With that being said, the 4K video on this DSLR was mediocre (see sample video below). Colors were saturated and natural looking but low-light performance left me feeling underwhelmed. The AF system does an effective job of keeping everything looking smooth but for a camera that costs over $3,000, I’ve been more impressed with Sony’s R-series.

Despite the lackluster 4K video experience, I still think this is a fantastic tool for photographers. Most consumers in this particular market will be buying the camera for the 30 megapixel sensor and sharp stills rather than the video capabilities; therefore I don’t see the video performance as a reason to not buy the camera. Sure, there are other options from Canon, Nikon, and even Sony that may be excellent cameras but as an all-purpose DSLR and for the price caliber, the 5D Mark IV will not disappoint.