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.