Mouthwatering? A camera? Yes indeed. The X1D is massively expensive but beautifully made, and its bigger-than-full-frame 50-megapixel sensor delivers image quality that regular DSLR and mirrorless camera owners can only drool over. (Bit strong?)
The X1D’s quality potential is only going to be reached with the best quality lenses, and Hasselblad has now expanded its lens range with three new models.
XCD 1,9/80
This is the fastest (widest aperture) lens yet made for the X1D system. Maximum aperture (as well as almost the entire contents of your bank account) is one of the first things you lose when you move up to medium format because off the sheer quantity of glass needed to cover that larger sensor area – so an f/1.9 lens for a medium format camera is quite something.
The 80mm focal length might be confusing for regular camera users. It sounds like a portrait lens but isn’t, as the larger sensor has a ‘negative’ crop factor of around 0.8, so that 80m lens actually corresponds to around 63mm in full frame camera terms.
The weight is not too bad at 1044g, and there are dual AF motors to keep the autofocus snappy.
Available: December 2018
Price: €3,990, $4,845, £3,690 , JPY¥ 576,000 (excl. VAT) / CNY¥ 38,500 (incl. VAT)
More information: https://www.hasselblad.com/x-system-lenses/xcd-19-80mm/
XCD 2,8/65
This is more like a standard lens for the X1D with a focal length equivalent to 50mm in full frame terms. The maximum aperture is more modest at f/2.8, but the shallower depth of field with larger format cameras means you’ll still get some nice background blur.
Like other Hasselblad X1D lenses, this one has an internal shutter offering exposure times from 60 minutes to 1/2000sec with full flash synchronisation at all speeds – try doing that with a focal plane shutter! (Well you can, but only with some complex and fiddly flash workarounds.)
Available: December 2018
Price: €2,290, $2,750, £2,090 , JPY¥ 331,000 (excl. VAT) / CNY¥ 22,100 (incl. VAT)
More information: https://www.hasselblad.com/x-system-lenses/xcd-28-65mm/
XCD 2,8/135 and optional X Converter 1,7
You’re probably not going to buy an X1D to shoot sports, but if you do need the extra magnification and perspective flattening effect of a telephoto, this lens will provide it.
With a focal length of 135mm its equivalent to a 105mm lens on a full frame camera, and the f/2.8 maximum aperture should make it pretty handy for portraiture.
You can get an optional 1.7x converter which extends the focal length to 230mm (178mm equivalent) at an aperture of f/4.8.
Available: December 2018
Price: €3,390, $4,050, £3,090 , JPY¥ 489,000 (excl. VAT) / CNY¥ 32,700 (incl. VAT)
More information: https://www.hasselblad.com/x-system-lenses/xcd-28-135mm/