Steve Spencer
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 p.33 #7 · Official: Hasselblad X1D-50c Medium Format Mirrorless | |
philber wrote:
Steve, you make a strong case, and I agree completely that the Hassy is targeted at people like you, as a valid alternative to Leica SL.
That said, my 2 question marks remain, so i'll wait it out a bit longer.
I am an odd duck in many ways, but there are two features that really mattered to me in getting a camera to supplement the Sony A7 series. I wanted a camera that was a bit bigger. I have very big hands and at times I want a slightly bigger camera as it is more comfortable and I wanted a good EVF. The Leica SL fit this bill very well (right size and excellent EVF) and it let me keep a small system if I used M glass. Still there were some very significant compromises with the SL. Primarily the sensor doesn't even quite match the A7 II sensor, although it is close. A second compromise is more subtle, but really boils down to the SL not adding all that much beyond the size and EVF over the A7rII. The two cameras are largely redundant for my shooting.The SL largely let me shoot some lenses that can't be shot well on the A7rII, but if I modified an A7r II I could save money and have a better sensor, so it really boiled down to the larger camera and the better EVF being the primary advantage. For some the SL still may makes sense because it shoots at a much higher frame rate and delivers fast single shot AF, but these things matter little to me.
Now comes along the Hassy X1D. It seems to satisfy the size criteria that I want, but I need to confirm that before I make a final commitment to the camera. The EVF does not look as good as the SL which is a bit of a bummer, but I am hoping it is as good as the A7r II--bad EVF performance could still kill this camera for me. If those two hurdles are passed what the X1D delivers is a true complement to the A7rII. It is great in areas where the A7r II is weak. Long exposure shots are a definite weakness of the A7rII and a clear strength of the X1D. The leaf shutters in the lens and the Nikon hotshot (I use Nikon flashes) will make the X1D way better for my flash needs. I also prefer the 4:3 aspect ratio especially for portraits, and the sensor is probably the only one out there in an all in one camera that actually is a bit better than the sensor in the A7r II. So although the A7rII does everything quite well in a great small package, the X1D shores up the few areas it has weaknesses for my type of shooting. Now if I shot a lot of wildlife and sports I would probably want a different camera to shore up different weaknesses in the A7rII, but I don't.
So for me this fits. Will the system thrive? I don't know. Hasselblad may go out of business and even if they don't the X system may bomb. For me, however, I will keep this camera for four or five years. It is already a good system for what I would like to use it for. I don't need more development. If it bombs, then I still have a migration path to Leica S. In 5 years I ought to be able to afford the model that replaces the S007. The S008 or whatever they call it should be one generation old at that point and it should have about a 50 MP CMOS sensor (maybe 60 MP). It might even be mirrorless with the excellent EVF from the SL--I would hope for that but many S users would choke on that. I would probably lose the functionality of the XCD lenses, but I could pick up an S 35 f/2.5 and 75 f/2.5 and be more than happy, and the rest of the H lenses I could use with the Leica S and that would make a workable mini MF kit. Don't get me wrong. I hope that Hassy and this new X system succeeds. I love the small size, the excellent sensor, and the 4:3 ratio and I would expect those to continue if it succeeds, but even if it doesn't a future Leica S system paired with a smaller FF 35mm kit would suit my needs quite well.
Will a cheaper mini MF system emerge? I have my doubts. First, the Pentax 645 system, once you look at the whole system really isn't that much cheaper than the kit I am talking about here. Depending on what lenses you get for what bargains and how you deal with the holes in the Pentax system--which are important to me--the price for a Pentax system is only about 10% less. So, I have a clear preference for the Hassy X system over Pentax, but even Pentax which can draw on older used 645 lenses doesn't save you all that much money. Who would come up with a cheaper system? Fuji? The may well announce a mini MF system at Photokina, but if they do I don't expect it to be available until Spring 2017--even the rumours don't seem to be more optimistic than that. And If they do, I think we can only expect 3 lenses--my bet is a 35mm, a 70mm, and a 120mm macro. This would match their strategy for their APS-C launch. It is also likely to be another 3 years before they would have the full set of lenses that I would like. In particular I would like an ultra wide angle, a fast portrait lens, and a longer telephoto lens. For my needs we would be talking about a 3 and half year wait. I think the Fuji may come out with a mini MF system and it may even be cheaper than the Hassy X system (I doubt it will be by much, however, because the supplementary H lenses I have chosen are likely to be as cheap as the new Fuji lenses and I doubt Fuji will undercut the XCD lenses by much either), but it seems for my needs which are for a mini MF kit the time to consider Fuji would be in 4 to 5 years when I upgrade the system. I doubt I would pick Fuji over Hassy at that point, but of course if Hassy goes under having Fuji as another possible system (if they don't go under) would be a plus.
Will Sony make a mini MF system? I actually doubt it, as I think the market is too small, but if they do I see exactly the same issues as with Fuji. It will take them too long to have the full kit that I want to be a consideration now. In 4 or 5 years if they make it, if it is good, and if it is cheaper I would love to have a Sony option, but that is a lot of ifs. What about Phase? They could make a mirrorless mini MF, but even if they do I can't see it being cheaper than the Hassy X system. So, I am pretty confident that for my needs if I get the Hassy X system a cheaper *system* won't be available until I think about upgrading the X system. Then I certainly hope other systems are available as I think that competition would be great for the market. I am just not sure the market is big enough to attract that type of competition.
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