p.1 #1 · Hasselblad to discontinue X1D II soon? Going cheap at B&H
I spent a little luxury time in B&H this morning, partly to fondle camera porn, but also to test out a TechArt Canon EF to Hasselblad X adapter which I picked up super cheap because it was supposedly broken (more on that below). In asking the B&H sales droid for an X1D II to test the adapter on I was shocked when he told me that they've been removed from Hasselblad's display stand in the store which means they aren't demoing them any more. More importantly, he also told me that the X1DII + 45mm f/4.0 kit has been reduced from $6849 to $4199. This makes it half the cost of the X2D and a bestseller on B&H's site.
Obviously, this is conjecture, but maybe they are going to phase out the X1D once they've exhausted stocks? I wondered whether they might just be reducing the price to increase volume of sales, but if that was the case I can't see that they would stop demonstrating them.
Either way, I decided to jump on it before they exhaust stock of the bundle at this price. The fact that I can use most of my canon glass is huge. I was worried about vignetting when using FF lenses on a MF body, so I shot some test shots with my 16-35mm f/2.8 L III, the 85mm f/1.4 L, and my 70-200 f/2.8 L III. These shots were actually shot on a 907X 50C, but I believe that uses the same sensor as the X1D II. Either way it's going to be the same size sensor and so should be representative of the amount of vignetting I'll get.
Both images were shot at f/4.0 (in camera jpeg) but I don't remember which lens each one was from as the EXIF data isn't correct. Image review in the store showed a similar amount of vignetting for all three lenses.
As a sidebar, the Techart adapter I picked up on eBay which was supposedly fubar was basically brand new and cost me under $100. To 'revive it' I flashed it with the latest firmware from TechArt's site: https://techartpro.com/?page_id=3735
... and then followed their reset procedure which is explained here: https://techartpro.com/?page_id=4257
Note the part where you have to keep the silver button on the adapter held down whilst powering on the camera.
This is huge for me - while I can't look to drop four grand every day, the possibility of using all my Canon glass and also getting the best rated (at B&H) Hasselblad lens thrown in for free was enough to make me pony up as soon as I got home (not that it took much to push me over the edge ). Yes, I would have loved to get the X2D, but it is twice the price, and, if I use this enough to justify the cost of the purchase then maybe I'll use the money I make from commissions to trade up when the X2D also goes EOL.
Either way, I thought the good people here might like to know in case anyone has been on the fence about getting one.
p.1 #2 · Hasselblad to discontinue X1D II soon? Going cheap at B&H
Great news for you. Congrats!
Not all small format glass performs equally on the learner sensor. Some like the Sigma Art 85 cover the full sensor and are incredible. Others leave a hard vignette Just outside the 24x36mm area. There’s a thread in the Fuji forum of the GFX with adapted glass and it also applies to the X1D.
Enjoy the X1D, It’s kind of like an AF M body with extra DR thrown in for free.
p.1 #4 · Hasselblad to discontinue X1D II soon? Going cheap at B&H
I can say the X1D with M Mount lens like the Voiglander 21mm F4 LTM has a very hard vignette. Less with a Zeis 50mm F2 ZM. I am using the TTArtisan Leica M to Hasselblad XCD adapter.
I do have a TTArtisan 90mm F1.25 and Wow oh WOW an amazing lens.
p.1 #5 · Hasselblad to discontinue X1D II soon? Going cheap at B&H
AHPZuazua wrote:
I do have a TTArtisan 90mm F1.25 and Wow oh WOW an amazing lens.
I've been looking at that lens, but I'm guessing I would have the same issues as I'm seeing when adapting foreign lenses to the XCD - having to rely on the electronic shutter.
As I understand it, the minimum exposure time, when using the electronic shutter, is 1/3 of a second? There is no way to speed this up. Which makes it fine for landscapes and architecture, but any portraits have the possibility of being just a little blurry, even with a model holding still for a pose.
If so, then the only options for faster exposures are XCD lenses or HC lenses with the Hasselblad HC->XCD adapter, as both systems have leaf shutters in the lenses?
p.1 #6 · Hasselblad to discontinue X1D II soon? Going cheap at B&H
Electronic shutter blur is more complicated than just a minimum exposure time, since the pixels are getting read sequentially, sweeping across the sensor. In practice it means you can get away with a little bit more than you might expect, since it’s only when nearby rows have different amounts of subject motion that the distorted effect becomes visible. Something moving slowly in a constant direction might be fine with electronic shutter, but visibly blurred with a 1/3s exposure.
My guess is a person posing would be still enough to be unnoticeable. You’ll have to experiment and see what you find acceptable though.
p.1 #7 · Hasselblad to discontinue X1D II soon? Going cheap at B&H
No issues shooting portraits inside a mall of my family. ISO 200 and 400
1/90
1/100
No issues.
Can’t remember the F number since I am not used to this set up. Need to remember to record the F.
Purchasing the 28p and 45p later today. Hopefully good enough for Portraits and a new Elinchrom lighting kit once I decide which one to get.
ELC500
or
Elinchrom One dual light kits
). Yes, I would have loved to get the X2D, but it is twice the price, and, if I use this enough to justify the cost of the purchase then maybe I'll use the money I make from commissions to trade up when the X2D also goes EOL.