Hasselblad has announced the follow-up to its first mirrorless camera, the X1D. The new Hasselblad X1D II looks to be a faster mirrorless camera that’s also friendlier to your budget.
Initial impressions, the X1D II does seem very similar to the previous model. Right off the bat, you can see it has a similar design, size and appearance. It looks like it has the same 50-megapixel, medium-format sensor as well. That’s not to say there aren’t any upgrades. The X1D II has a larger touchscreen, higher resolution viewfinder and, according to Hasselblad, much-improved performance. But it’s price has dropped as well. The X1D II will be priced at $5,750 for the body. That’s a big drop from the original’s $8,995 launch price.
Improved performance
Many feel the original X1D’s performance isn’t up to par. The original is said to have long start-up times, sluggish response to inputs, and slow shot to shot times. Even after a couple of firmware updates, the camera is still lacking in the performance department. However, Hasselblad says the X1D II’s start-up times have been cut down by 46 percent. Also, it says the camera’s continuous shooting has been increased by 35 percent and the live view frame rate has been increased by 62 percent.
You should expect to see a much more responsive camera in the X1D II. It probably won’t be the fastest mirrorless camera out there, but it sure is an improvement over the original.
Design
When comparing the design to the original, you really can’t tell the difference between them. There are a few changes though. There’s a 3.6-inch touchscreen, which is 0.6 inches larger than the original. The touchscreen also has a higher resolution and is brighter. It is still an OLED screen, but it has 55 percent more pixels and a larger magnification.
Hooking the X1D II up to an iPad
Hasselblad has also developed the ability to tether over a USB-C cable to an iPad. That is a first for a medium format camera. This feature works with the 2nd and 3rd generation iPad Pro models. You can image transfer to the iPad when shooting. The company’s app also allows you to utilize wireless transfers, control of the camera remotely, and export full resolution or half resolution JPEGs and full resolution RAW files.
Other announcements
While the X1D II is a huge announcement for Hasselblad, the company also announced a new digital back for its V System cameras and a new camera body that’s a digital back that can mount a lens directly. Also, the company introduced a 35-75mm f/3.5-4.5 zoom lens for its XCD systems.
Pricing and availability
Getting back to the X1D II, Hasselblad will release the X1D II in October for $5,175. You can learn more at Hasselblad’s website.
Image courtesy Hasselblad
