leisurely pace that the camera imposes,
I learned to appreciate it in some ways.
IMAGE QUALITY
Landscape photography is where the X1D
II shines. The camera’s 43.8 x 32.9mm
medium-format sensor is nearly double
the size of a 35mm, full-frame sensor and
produces 50-megapixel images with gor-
geous detail. It’s the same sensor used in
the original X1D, one that DXOMARK
currently ranks the highest among all
cameras it has tested, with a score of 102.
Hasselblad states that the camera is capa-
ble of 14 stops of dynamic range, which
places it among the very best available
in a consumer camera.
One of the advantages of this level of
detail and resolution is the latitude it pro-
vides for cropping post-capture. For our
review, Hasselblad included two lenses:
the XCD 30 (24mm equivalent) and the
XCD 90 (71mm equivalent). I found
myself shooting a lot with the XCD 90
and at times had wished for a longer lens
like the XCD 120 Macro. I was happy
to find that I was able to crop into those
frames to get the subject magnification I
wanted while retaining ample resolution
and detail for a large print. That’s the
medium-format advantage in action.
LENS OPTIONS
There are currently 10 XCD optics
designed specifically for the system.
There’s one zoom that’s “coming soon”
as of this writing, the XCD 35-75 (28-
58mm equivalent), and prime lenses
from the XCD 21 (17mm equivalent)
to the XCD 135 (105mm equivalent) as
well as a 1.7x teleconverter for use with
the XCD 135 (178mm equivalent). The
Opposite: The Hasselblad X1D
II doesn’t have in-camera image
stabilization, so for longer exposures
like this, you’ll need to use a tripod or
find a suitable base on which to set
the camera—I used a conveniently
placed rock for this image. Exposure:
1.2 sec., ƒ/32, ISO 100.
Right: The X1D II’s design makes
it a pleasure to use, with premium
materials and sparse, thoughtfully-
placed controls. The simplicity is
refreshing when most camera bodies
today seem overly cluttered.