Hi Todd,
Thanks for your long response, really appreciate it.
I am not so negative about the X1D. I cannot really afford one, after spending quite a lot on my Hasselblad V/P45+ system and the Sony A7 system. Both buys were significant, quite a bit beyond 15K$US – a camera body alone doesn't take any pictures.
More importantly, the X1D lacks many of the features that are essential for my photography. Lets see it this way I didn't buy into the Sony A7 system before generation II because they lacked EFCS and on sensor PDAF. It was later found out that lack of EFCS was important with the A7r as the focal plane shutter caused vibrations.
I would say that X1D seems to use a feature of CMOS I would call global reset, that gives fast shutter times and the leaf shutter is almost absolutely vibration free.
Getting back to focusing, I would say the multiple AF-points is a major advantage of mirrorless. You perhaps recall "True Focus"? It has been invented by Hasselblad to compensate for the focusing error induced by focus recompose. Consider also that main subject mostly shouldn't be at centre according to most composition rules. If you are shooting macro there is perhaps 1 mm depth of field. Removing the camera from the tripod for "focus recompose" definitively moves the camera more than that.
Yes, I have been using the Hasselblad V without multiple AF-points, actually without AF at all. I am using a 3X monocular on the PM5 viewfinder and have quite a few issues. With my older DSLRs I composed my picture and removed the camera from the tripod for focusing (using the central focus point) remounted the camera and exposed.
Magnified live view solves most of the problems, but does not help with automatic focusing.
The main reason I bought in the A7 system was the potential to use a wide variety of glass for both shifts and tilts. Shifts are needed for architecture and tilts can tilt the focal plane. I am using both features a lot. But, to use a lot of different lenses you need an FP-shutter. I don't blame Hasselblad for not having an FP shutter on the X1D, but it pretty much eliminates it for me. Why I don't blame Hasselblad for not having an FP shutter? Well it is not in the DNA of the Hasselblad system, it would be a significant development cost and add bulk.
Regarding cable release I always use it on the Hasselblad V, I even don't have a shutter release button on that camera. With the Sony I mostly use the self timer, but that causes a shutter delay that is OK for most of my type of shooting but totally unacceptable for action. Sometimes I use an automatic focusing rail, that would be almost impossible to use without a cable release.
So, the X1D is not on my shopping list. On the other hand I am very glad they make it. Why? Because I am pretty sure that the future is belonging to mirrorless cameras. Live view removes the need for the flipping mirror, simply enough. OK, EVFs may not be there and the future may be a few years away.
For some years, there have been a lot of rumours of Hasselblad having financial problems and they have been owned by venture capital companies for a long time. It seems that the new management with Perry Ousten as CEO is putting the company in order again. Things like shutting down the Italian operation, moving production back to Gothenburg increasing R&D staff. Lot of great things that Hasselblad needs to survive.
The X1D is a nice addition to the product plate, as it expands the market and attracts new customers. The camera is quite affordable for being MFD and that also applies to the lenses.
This interview with Ove Bengtsson is quite interesting:
https://www.dpreview.com/interviews...-with-hasselblad-product-manager-ove-bengtson.
Just to say, I think it is constructive to discuss both
positive and negatives.
Best regards
Erik