Hands-on with the Hasselblad X1D: A remarkably portable & manageable medium format digital camera
posted Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 6:01 PM EDT
After the announcement yesterday morning, reviewer Eamon Hickey then had an opportunity to get some hands-on time with a prototype of the new Hasselblad X1D medium format mirrorless camera during their press event in New York City. As a pre-production model, some of the finer details, such as image quality, AF performance and a number of software features are still rough around the edges, and, of course, we're not yet able to share any images taken with the camera.
However, he was able to get a sense for how the camera feels in the hand and provide a quick video tour of the camera's touchscreen-based menu system. He also briefly chats with Michael Hejtmanek, President of Hasselblad Bron, Inc. for his thoughts on the X1D's sales forecast. And let's just say, there will be a waiting list.
The new Hasselblad X1D is a whole new direction for the venerable Swedish camera maker. A long-standing player in the high-end camera market, their traditional medium format digital cameras carrying a rather steep price tag, leaving them largely in the hands of dedicated professional photographers. Now, however, with the new X1D, Hasselblad -- that somehow managed to squeeze a 50MP medium format sensor into a rather compact mirrorless camera body -- aims to appeal to a much broader market thanks in part to its lower price compared to other digital medium format cameras.
Thinking of making the move to medium format now? Check out Eamon's Hasselblad X1D Hands-On Preview for some notes on its handling characteristics, or get a full run-down of its specs and features in our Hasselblad X1D Preview.