Hasselblad, along with Mamiya, is one of the most recognised names in medium-format photography. The Swedish camera-maker has announced the X1D, a digital medium-format camera, that features a mirrorless design that's almost as compact as a Sony A7R II.
Hasselblad has for long had an association with Sony. In fact, the company's entry into the mirrorless market was by rebranding Sony's mirrorless cameras, adding bits of wood and selling them at exorbitant prices. However, this time Hasselblad's offering is completely original.
At the heart of the Hasselblad X1D is a Sony-made 50MP medium-format sensor. While full-frame sensor on the Sony A7R II measures 35.9 x 24 mm, the Hasselblad X1D's sensor measures 44 x 33 mm. The camera features a hotshoe and has a max flash-sync speed of 1/2000 sec, which also happens to be its fastest shutter speed setting.
The mirrorless camera also features an electronic viewfinder and a touchscreen rear display.
"The X1D marks a pivotal point in Hasselblad's rich 75-year history," Hasselblad CEO Perry Oosting said in a statement. "This camera makes medium format photography available to a new generation of Hasselblad users, while pushing the existing limits of photography to new heights."
The launch comes after Oosting confirmed that the era of Sony rebranded Hasselblad mirrorless cameras has come to an end.
The X1D mirrorless camera also opens up a new line of Hasselblad lenses. The company has also developed a new range of autofocus lenses. The lens series has been named XCD and the company has announced two lenses with the XCD mounts — a 45mm and a 90mm lens.
According to DPReview, Hasselblad will add more lenses to its mirrorless lineup, which will include a 30mm lens. In addition to this, Hasselblad will also introduce a lens adaptor for the X1D mirrorless camera that will allow users who have Hasselblad's H-series lenses to mount them on the new camera.
