Hasselblad X1D II 50C Review

Hasselblad is back with a second-generation medium format mirrorless camera. Its first take, the X1D-50c, fell shy of expectations. The second effort, the X1D II 50C ($5,750), offers a lot of improvement, but is still held back by an underpowered battery, slow autofocus, and, at press time, promised features that just aren't there. It's an intriguing camera, and may be the right fit for you, but it isn't as versatile or affordable as GFX models from rival Fujifilm, including the budget-friendly (for medium format) GFX 50R. Stunning Industrial Design Hasselbad's design team knows how to make a camera look great. The X1D II riffs on its predecessor, using the same basic body. It's a pretty one, with exposed metal, finished in a darker, gunmetal gray this time around. The texture of the leatherette wrap has changed a bit too—the rectangular grid mottling has been dropped, in favor of a more traditional, and understated, pebble texture. The body measures 3.8 by 5.8 by 4.9 inches (...

The Hasselblad X1D II 50C turns heads with its stunning industrial design and medium format image sensor, but is hampered by an underpowered battery and sluggish response.

Excellent image quality; In-camera charging; Crisp OLED EVF; Dual UHS-II card slots; GPS and Wi-Fi; Strong iPad app

Anemic battery life; Slow sensor readout limits usefulness of electronic shutter; Omits mechanical focal plane shutter; High resolution full-frame alternatives available for less; Promised video function not yet supported

Hasselblad X1D II 50C review

The medium-format X1D II 50C is a refinement of Hasselblad’s original X1D-50C, known for its great image quality and frustrating user experience. Far from a revolutionary update, it is built on the same sensor and uses the same design (albeit with a new, and quite attractive, graphite gray color), but brings numerous small improvements. There is one headline update, however. The price. At $5,750, it’s thousands less than the original, pitting it against flagship full-frame DSLRs from Nikon and Canon, not to mention competing medium format models from Fujifilm. This dramatic reduction in price is exciting for high-end enthusiasts and professionals, and signals that Hasselblad might see medium format — at least this particular 44mm x 33mm variety — as the next full frame. As full frame continues to grow more affordable, photographers may start looking toward a new aspirational format for the next step up in image quality. The 50MP sensor in the X1D II is several years old, but because it...

Excellent 50MP images; Large 3.6-inch LCD; 60FPS refresh rate; Significantly cheaper than X1D-50C; Beautiful design and craftsmanship;

Still relatively slow; Contrast-detection autofocus; Low light AF basically unusable;