p.1 #1 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
I used Hasselblad equipment for four decades of my commercial work and they served me excellently, never let me down. Hasselblad became a little confused in their effort to transition to digital and, in my opinion lost their way a bit. A venture capital firm managed them for a few years and, as often happens, the principles and pride that made the company "Hasselblad" slipped a little and their product line and faithful followers suffered. Fast forward to today and the current offerings from the iconic company, specifically the Hasselblad X2DII-100C and the line of phenomenal optics that they are producing to compliment this incredible camera, and Hasselblad's return to it's exceptional roots.
A few months ago I was fortunate to spend four days with the X2DII, equipped with a 55mm and a 90mm lens. Knowing that I had a very limited window to see what this camera was all about, I set out to shoot as many different subjects as I could within that timeframe. Aviation, specifically air to air photography, is probably the most demanding subject and environment with in which I work so that is where I took the X2DII first, and it did not disappoint. My goal was not necessarily to test Hasselblad's claim to 15.2 stops of dynamic range with this camera, but my first series of images did exactly that. The dark aircraft against a shimmering lake with direct sunlight blasting the waves was the acid test. The Hasselblad's excellent preview screen couldn't handle reproducing the range but, happily, the sensor didn't flinch as I post processed the series. The rest of the air to air images went on to demonstrate the exceptional 10 stops of IBIS, and subject tracking.
All of this was accomplished in hands that really had not had time to become comfortable with the camera platform so I can only imagine how it will perform once we get to know each other. Having proven itself in the toughest of environments I filled the rest of my time with the camera shooting portraits, I expected it to shine there and it did.
One can't minimize the premium investment in equipment like this and unless you are a well heeled collector/photographer it has to make sense business wise. My Hasselblads of old were expensive too, but they paid demonstrable dividends over the years in image quality and reliability, there were assignments that I secured simply because I shot Hasselblad equipment. I am not "an influencer", never been given a camera, lens even a memory card, but I recognize equipment that will allow me to excel and I believe Hasselblad is back and back to stay.
I hope this thread will provide a forum for new and legacy Hasselblad owners to show how this iconic brand has allowed them to exercise their talent.
p.1 #2 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
Wow, great images. Images I wouldn't have expected to come from a MF camera. I am mainly using my X2D for portraits, but nice to know it has more capabilities.
I am using the original X2D and 90v. I have owned pretty much every brand, but the Hasselblad oozes a quality unlike any other.
p.1 #4 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
Thanks Scottiet! The "II" adds features that make the camera more adaptable to many of my subjects, but the basic 100MP sensor in your series 1 version is what makes the camera magical. The series II still requires a modicum of intentionality that has been lost, or at least has diminished in our 35mm world, bit the AF, subject tracking options and the 3.2 fps buffer make a significant difference when shooting moving subjects. I took my Canon R5 II along on the air to air and used it intermittently when the action got pretty heavy, they are both just tools to the same end, you just have to learn where and when.
Funny though, that same feeling of amazement that I had when I looked at the first transparency from my 500 C/M came flooding back as I pulled up the files from the X2DII, unmistakably Hasselblad.
p.1 #5 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
Good Morning Algrove,
Thank you! More to come, as soon as Hasselblad gets off the dime and ships me my gear. I have the X2DII along with the 20-35E and the 35-100E ordered, but all I'm hearing is crickets. Not sure if they underestimated demand, or they gave too many copies away to "influencers" and are having a tough time filling the pipeline. The fact they are still "Handmade in Sweden" probably explains some of the lag in delivery, and if that is the reason, I'm willing to wait. The company seems to be returning to their roots and I for one am very happy to see it.
p.1 #6 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
One of my clients refurbishes old passenger Boeing 777 aircraft and turns them into state of the art freighters. The process takes several years and the tab is $50 million +-. Part of the process is strengthening the fuselage and incorporating and very large freight door into the left side of the fuselage. The client called me to ask me to come and photograph the finished freight door at the facility where it had been designed and built. One of the uses of the image was to create a life sized reproduction of the door as the background for their new trade show exhibit. The first thing that popped into my mind was, "I wish I could shoot that on a 100MP Hasselblad". A couple of phone calls later and the X2DII demo arrived. Turned out that the 55 was just wide enough to capture the entire door where it sat in the manufacturing area.
Hasselblad users have gotten used to the question, "Do you really need that expensive camera? You could have captured that image on 35MM and it would have been just fine." I see the point, but when my client viewed the reproduction from the X2DII and they could read part numbers on the components, all I had to do was stand back and grin. Sometimes people say, "You paid for the name......." when you purchase premium products like a Hasselblad, implying that there is a lot of the emperor's new clothes syndrome going on vs actual value. I definitely felt like I paid for the name when I bought my Hasselblad equipment, the name that represented some of the finest imaging equipment ever manufactured, and as clunky and slow as the film era 500 and Super Wide Series cameras were, they always performed and never let me down.
When you buy a product, you pay for the company behind the product as well. I was shooting a sailboat regatta years ago and through a comedy (not so funny) of errors, my photo platform sunk at it's moorings during a lunch break, with two Halliburton cases of Hasselblad gear under the seat. I was out of the medium format business in the blink of an eye and had two weeks of assignments staring me in the face. Hasselblad, because of the nature of it's manufacturing process, has never been an "off the shelf" type of product, replacement gear was nowhere to be found. My rep from Blad heard about my dilemma and called me to let me know that the Dean of Hasselblad, Professor Ernst Wildi was sending me his personal 500 C/M and Super Wide to use until they could ship me replacements for my equipment. Along with legendary quality, that's what you were buying when you invested in a Hasselblad product, so glad that they are back.
p.1 #7 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
Not sure if anyone else was shooting air to air with Hasselblads back in the days of film, and it wasn't easy, but if you nailed it the end product was pretty amazing..................
p.1 #8 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
When it came time to liquidate my Hasselblad film cameras and accessories, I just couldn't come to grips with the idea of parting with my very first 500C/M. The camera had been such a faithful friend over thousands of assignments and millions of miles, so it sits in a place of honor in my hangar office. Every once in a while I open it up, exercise the shutter, and just hold it for a bit. Lot's of memories in that camera.
p.1 #9 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
You could exercise that 500C properly with a 907x/100C back.
I've been shooting the X system since release. I've taken X1D's and X2D's all over the world. I've shot them for work and play. Rather than worrying about what people tell me they can't do I've spent my time exploring what they can do. And that envelope is a lot wider than most people think. The mk2 just makes it wider again.
There's a small but well versed group of X shooters here. Mostly X2D's and X2D2's but some 907x and legacy X1D shooters as well. Friendly, passionate and without the measurbating and egos of other forums. Best moderator on the planet too participates on this forum. The medium format images thread is well worth a look.
p.1 #11 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
I recently obtained the X2D II and immediately took to it or it took to me. I have never had a camera so easy to become familiar with. I can shoot everything but fast sports and wildlife and have been doing just that. The images that are produced many times need little to no processing. As you say in your first post, dynamic range is something to behold as is the Hasselblad Natural Color Science (it's not a gimmick). Also, there is no other camera that I have ever shot that allows me to handhold a 1s exposure and get a sharp image.
Needless to say I'm happy with the camera and experience with it. So much so, I am about to sell off my Sony and Fuji GFX gear.
p.1 #13 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
My short and somewhat frantic stint with the loaner X2DII only allowed me a cursory knowledge of the menu system, but it seemed very straightforward. I goofed up a couple of shots of people because the focus point moved and I was rushing and didn't notice it. I think I must have brushed the preview screen or something and caused it to move to a lower corner. Seems to me there was a setting that allows you to lock the focus point.
p.1 #15 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
JWilsonphoto wrote:
Good Morning Algrove,
Thank you! More to come, as soon as Hasselblad gets off the dime and ships me my gear. I have the X2DII along with the 20-35E and the 35-100E ordered, but all I'm hearing is crickets. Not sure if they underestimated demand, or they gave too many copies away to "influencers" and are having a tough time filling the pipeline. The fact they are still "Handmade in Sweden" probably explains some of the lag in delivery, and if that is the reason, I'm willing to wait. The company seems to be returning to their roots and I for one am very happy to see it. ...Show more →
I had a heads up on the body and there were a fair number of them sitting in the dealer warehouses ready to go on announcement, so I got my X2DII in late August. But the lens was a pain the rear, they are just not moving any product to dealers and really only re-supplying the online Hasselblad store. So I signed up for notifications from the online store via email and missed the first 3 due to life and odd hours for getting them. Then earlier this week I got one right before bedtime and nailed it, the lens has shipped and I get the 35-100 on Monday. As just an FYI, during this last go around, the online store had stock of both the camera and the new lens for at least three hours past the time I got the notification, so hopefully stock is catching up?
I started my now nearly 40 year career as a photographer in the Navy. As a teen I wanted to photograph life aboard a carrier so I went in as a jet mech when I turned 18. It worked wonders, I came out as a photographer. Which brings me to my next point, you must have known my friend and mentor the late George Hall. He was fantastic about air to air, I ended up doing a fair bit of it for his stock agency Check-6 while in the reserves. While it was mostly from the open ramp of a fueling C-130 a few cherry assignments were done from the back seat of a trainer F-18, an early version of the two seater.
I no longer photograph aviation but I do some aerial work for conservation and environmental activism causes and still will occasionally use a 500ELX on a Kenyon gyro. Up until now, the Hasselblad X system was just too sluggish and finicky to be of real value in doing aerial work. But with the new lenses and updated body, it will be my camera of choice. My Hasselblad V film system is now huge, 7x bodies, 14x A12 film mags, most of the lenses 40mm FLE to the incredible 350mm 5.6 Superachromat. They are such a joy to use to create fine art work which is done in a state of the art darkroom.
As much as I love the new digital stuff, the future of my career is in film...;-)
p.1 #16 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
Good Afternoon AI,
Great Backstory!! Yes, George and I were good friends and I still talk with Nikki on occasion. She is struggling with the future of the stock agency and associated calendars. That whole market has changed so drastically that I can only imagine what a pain it must be to keep it moving in a positive direction.
The last iteration of Hasselblad film cameras that I owned were 203 FE's, 250mm was my longest lens. Just wonderful gear that made you step up and shoot better because you knew that you had greatness in your hands. Upload some imagery when you have some downtime, love to see your work!
p.1 #17 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
Ai_Print wrote:
I had a heads up on the body and there were a fair number of them sitting in the dealer warehouses ready to go on announcement, so I got my X2DII in late August. But the lens was a pain the rear, they are just not moving any product to dealers and really only re-supplying the online Hasselblad store. So I signed up for notifications from the online store via email and missed the first 3 due to life and odd hours for getting them. Then earlier this week I got one right before bedtime and nailed it, the lens has shipped and I get the 35-100 on Monday. As just an FYI, during this last go around, the online store had stock of both the camera and the new lens for at least three hours past the time I got the notification, so hopefully stock is catching up?
I started my now nearly 40 year career as a photographer in the Navy. As a teen I wanted to photograph life aboard a carrier so I went in as a jet mech when I turned 18. It worked wonders, I came out as a photographer. Which brings me to my next point, you must have known my friend and mentor the late George Hall. He was fantastic about air to air, I ended up doing a fair bit of it for his stock agency Check-6 while in the reserves. While it was mostly from the open ramp of a fueling C-130 a few cherry assignments were done from the back seat of a trainer F-18, an early version of the two seater.
I no longer photograph aviation but I do some aerial work for conservation and environmental activism causes and still will occasionally use a 500ELX on a Kenyon gyro. Up until now, the Hasselblad X system was just too sluggish and finicky to be of real value in doing aerial work. But with the new lenses and updated body, it will be my camera of choice. My Hasselblad V film system is now huge, 7x bodies, 14x A12 film mags, most of the lenses 40mm FLE to the incredible 350mm 5.6 Superachromat. They are such a joy to use to create fine art work which is done in a state of the art darkroom.
As much as I love the new digital stuff, the future of my career is in film...;-)
...Show more →
Great thread, wonderful images and commentary. Should you find some down time , please take us on a tour of your darkroom. I love my X2D & X2D2, but have been shooting mostly film recently. It has been decades since I moved and never built another darkroom. Anyway, in the right forum, many would probably appreciate your setup.
p.1 #18 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
Ai_Print wrote:
I started my now nearly 40 year career as a photographer in the Navy. As a teen I wanted to photograph life aboard a carrier so I went in as a jet mech when I turned 18. It worked wonders, I came out as a photographer.
Dang, well, now I know who got my billet, when I wanted to convert from MM to PH, and kept getting shot down.
p.1 #20 · Hasselblad X2DII-100C and Associated Lenses
JWilsonphoto wrote:
Good Afternoon AI,
Great Backstory!! Yes, George and I were good friends and I still talk with Nikki on occasion. She is struggling with the future of the stock agency and associated calendars. That whole market has changed so drastically that I can only imagine what a pain it must be to keep it moving in a positive direction.
The last iteration of Hasselblad film cameras that I owned were 203 FE's, 250mm was my longest lens. Just wonderful gear that made you step up and shoot better because you knew that you had greatness in your hands. Upload some imagery when you have some downtime, love to see your work!...Show more →
Ah, I figured you knew him, such a great guy lost way too soon to a heart issue, Nikki was devastated. I really ought to reach out to her, I know she moved from their place in Tiburon to back East shortly after he passed. This was one of George's faves of mine in the agency collection, shot with a motorized F3 sitting on the deck with a waist level finder of all things (Nikkor-Blad?). I recall it was with a polarized 35 1.4 at F16 on Kodachrome 64, sorry about the weird crop/scan.
BTW, that overhead shot of yours with the specular highlights is all anyone needs to know about Hasselblad Natural Color Solution. It's real color represented real well.
