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Considering X1D II....

sr500

New member
Currently a Sony user here and I've been thinking about switching to the X1D-II. But some things still bother me and I'm hoping the owners here can share their experiences with the camera. Unfortunately I'm in a position where I can't try the camera before buying.

#1 Autofocus
How is it - really. I'm not expecting it to be a Sony A9 killer. Many reviewers pointed out the fact that it's not only slow (which to me is fine), but also unreliable. Especially in low light where it is said to be totally useless (phoblographer review). This has been vastly improved with firmware updates, I believe, so where exactly are we in December 2020? Can it be used as a street photography camera? I'm not planning to use it to capture fast movements.

#2 Reliability
Lots of bugs, glitches and lockups that make you miss shots, says the Internet. I understand that the early versions have had their share of issues but once again, firmware updates have made the camera more stable. So how is it now? Can I take it to a trip with me as my only camera?

#3 Future
A well known camera reviewer on youtube thinks that Hasselblad X-series will most likely be phased out in the near future. I don't want to invest in a dying system. I haven't followed Hasselblad news lately so I have no idea how the brand and the series of cameras are doing. What is your opinion on this?

#4 Lack of IBIS
None of the lenses have OIS and the body lacks IBIS. Almost all other modern camera systems have IBIS nowadays. Do you think not having it hurts the overall experience?

My main usage would be landscape / cityscape photography, but as it would be only camera I still want to use it for other things too.
 
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tcdeveau

Well-known member
You may want to check out this thread, where some users have already posted on their experiences in response to a sony => X1DII move:


I'd get in touch with Capture Integration, the sponsor of the forum. They may be able to perform a remote demo for you.

I own the X1D, not the II, but can say in my experience with the X1D:

1) autofocus is perfectly sufficient for landscape and cityscape (my uses) and is pretty accurate. I personally wouldn't use it as a street camera, but there are those that do (and lots of people use non-AF systems for street photography anyway), YMMV. For faster subjects I use FF35mm systems.

2) Generally, if you dig around the internet, you'll find issues with any camera system. only issue I had with my X1D was the scroll wheels had to be replaced under warranty. usability of the X1D improved over time with FW updates, and the X1D II is a long ways away from the X1D at launch back in 2017. I'd have no issue bringing my X1D (not 2) as my only system, and have done that several times. others with X1DII experience can chime if if they'd like.

3) Doom and gloom is nothing new to medium format but I wouldn't believe the X-system is going anywhere. look around this forum at the popularity of the 907x/CFVII that was just released. if anything, the H-series might be phased out (they haven't updated the H-system in quite some time and have left H6D users in the dark - H6D was released back in 2016/early2017), but I don't see the X-system going anywhere. they've got a pretty robust lens lineup too (21/30/45/65/80 1.9/90/120 macro/135 plus 1.7TC /35-75mm zoom). only thing that's lacking IMHO is a model with the 100mp sensor used in the GFX100 IMHO...some tilt/shifts might be nice too.

4) lack of IBIS I do not find an issue, although medium format can definitely show issues with technique if you're not careful. you do have to take care with technique for sharp images under certain circumstances (all my landscape/cityscape stuff is at base ISO with a tripod). Even though the sensor is older, I find it still performs well at higher ISOs, and ISO bumps can help compensate for lower light and produce acceptable images IMHO.
 

Charles2

Active member
If image quality is your number one desire, the X1Dii is for you. Compare images from it and from the Fuji GFX 50 cameras -- the best you find of both. If you see a difference, you will know what you want.
 

budfox

Member
As a recent 907X acquirer (not the X1D), I would say that the HBlad is great if you have another system to rely on for when you need faster focus and overall performance (I have a Fuji X system). The focus is super slow compared to any other contemporary full frame or APS-C system, with no face/eye detect, and yes, very slow and hunting in low light. I got a fuji S10 last week and the focus on that (considerably cheaper) camera blows away the HBlad entirely.

I think you will be sorely disappointed if you think that the autofocus on the XCD system will in any way compare to your Sony.
 

rweissman

Member
I am a new X1D II owner. I also shoot Fuji GFX, Canon R5 and various Leicas and Pana-Leica L mount cameras. I've previously shot Sony, Fuji X and almost everything else except Nikon. The conventional wisdom--what I was led to believe, reading user comments was:
  1. The X1DII is painfully slow to focus and is good, primarily, for very leisurely composed landscapes and still life photography.
  2. The X1DII, apart from focus, is also slow to configure, operate and use.
  3. Lenses are a pain to remove.
  4. While image quality is excellent, the camera, overall, is a major step backwards for users of other modern systems.
  5. The camera with longer, larger lenses like the 35-75 is really heavy.
For me, at least, receiving the camera with the latest firmware (together with the 35-75), little of this is true and none of it is serious enough to be more than a minor irritant. And the minor irritant is far outweighed by the camera's many, many positives.

Focus. Sure. The camera focuses more slowly than any of my other systems. It is not lightning fast, like Sony. It is comparable to the first and second generations of Panasonic L cameras, perhaps a tad slower--but more accurate. Do I notice this when shooting? Rarely. And yes, sometimes it doesn't find focus. But move it slightly and it will find focus. And with the 35-75, at least, there's no focus hunting, no back and forth, back and forth like some other systems using adapted lenses--like the basic operation of the Sigma FP or many of my systems using adapted Canon EF lenses.

Fiddly operation. Is the basic operation of the camera fiddly, cumbersome or slow? Not at all. It is quite flexible, and the dials + touchscreen makes changing settings fluid and a breeze. NO menu deep-diving like Sony or Panasonic or Fuji.

Are lenses hard to remove? No. I have NO idea what this bizarre complaint is all about.

H-E-A-V-Y. Is the camera with the 35-75 heavy? No. Not more that any of the "majors" with their respective 24-70 f2.8 lenses. I'm 70 and out of shape. I can carry the camera + 35-75 all day, sometimes with a flash attached, with zero problem. I'm mystified by the current general complaint (regarding virtually all systems except point and shoots) that mirrorless cameras are getting too big and heavy. As compared to what, precisely?

I find the camera a pleasure to use and its UI/UX excellent. Is it a sports or fast action shooter? Of course not. But in all other ways, it is a delight to use. The niggling fears I had based on user forum comments and reviews turned out to be baseless. No, it isn't an "everything" camera, but for portraits, landscape and even casual about town shooting it is superb as are the files it creates.

My most serious "complaint," which I knew about before buying the camera, is that there's no way to use flash when using adapted lenses (which require an electronic shutter). But using continuous LED lighting generally solves that problem, unless true high speed freeze-action shooting is required. But the camera excels at flash photography (for most general uses) using its leaf shutter. So I'm spending more time with native lenses than adapted ones.

In any case, for a camera this costly, don't take anyone's word (including mine). Rent one for a week and see if these issues are minor or major for your style of shooting and your requirements. But don't be frightened away by the "oh, no! It is bigger and heavier than an iPhone, and I can't even handle the ginormous weight and size of an iPhone 12 Pro Max!" crowd.
 
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drevil

Well-known member
Staff member
For me to chose the X1D over the GFX line would be the design/looks.

Autofocus is vastly improved with the phase detection of the gfx100 and superior to the X1D. Also the quite higher price for lenses is a no go for me personally.
Do you get what you pay for? i dont know.

I am not saying that HB will drop the X1D line, but the GFX line definitely is more future proof, next year there should be a smaller GFX100 out, and early 21 we will get the 80mm 1.7! day 1 purchase for me.

to make it clear the X1D is a very good system but i am glad i ended up in the GFX universe.
 

fmueller

Active member
A well known camera reviewer on youtube thinks that Hasselblad X-series will most likely be phased out in the near future.
And, why is Hasselblad going to phase out their best selling line of cameras and lenses??
 

davidrm

Member
I'm a fairly new X1DII user. I use it alongside Olympus m43, mainly. I've evaluated it for both walkaround and more rigorous landscape work. So far:

1. It does take some getting used to. In particular the IBIS and DoF safety nets are gone.
2. The X1DII + 45mm f3.5 is around the same weight as the E-M1MkIV + 12-100 f4. I can carry either all day without issue
3. Handling is excellent, apart from moving the focus point. I would really, really like to have a joystick. The UI is fantastic.
4. AF is fine for my purposes. This is an MF camera, certain expectations need to be managed
5. IQ is fabulous. My no 1 criteria is actually colour gradation and colour resolution. For both it is really good. Beats the Sigma SDQ-H, my previous benchmark
6. Dust on the sensor is an issue. Lens changing in the field is best avoided. (but changing them is no different to any other camera. Press button, twist, remove lens A, line up lens B - using clear markings or even by feel - twist and you're done). Weird comment above on that...
7. Optical quality of the lenses justifies their price.
8. File handling is not quite as seamless as I would like.

I pretty much pulled together all the funds I could justify to go with this camera, and it will have to be a long term thing for me. But I would not shy from admitting it if I was disappointed or thought I'd made a mistake (as I did with Sigma SDQ). So far I'm delighted with it, and I don't regret the spend. But you need to give it time - my hit rate in terms of technical quality, handheld especially, was initially very poor, now it's close to 100% - technically.

Note, I also tried all 3 Fuji competitors, and although they are nice, and doubtless the end result is pretty similar, to me they lacked a certain spark and cohesion. Much like older Fuji film MF cameras, they seemed - to me - to be more of a collection of features bolted together than a coherent design. For me, ease and comfort of use is a big deal, because if the camera is awkward I'l less likely to get the shot.
 
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Oldwino

New member
I have the X1D and 45P combo.
  1. Autofocus is slow, yes, but still faster than I can manually focus most of the time. So, how fast do you “need” it to be?
  2. I have my camera and lens updated to the latest firmware. No crashes or lockups at all. Camera turns on, albeit slowly, and then just works. UI is great - simple and logical.
  3. Future? Who knows? If you base decisions on what might be, instead of what is, you will never reach a decision on anything.
  4. IBIS? Yeah, it’s great to have, but I find after I use a camera with ibis, my technique gets sloppy. Photography is a craft, and one aspect of that is learning good shooting technique. Ibis can save your ass in some low light situations, or with long lenses, but for most shooting it is a crutch we shouldn’t need. Will I mess up some shots sometimes because of camera movement? Yup, and I should learn to do better.
  5. The files from this camera are incredible, and my post processing time has gone way down, as the files seem to be 95% finished straight out of the camera. Very little to do. Colors are fabulous too.
  6. Weight? Consider you are carrying a medium format camera that is smaller and lighter than most DSLRs from just a few years ago. What are you expecting? The files are so good, so lifelike, almost (dare I say it?) film-like in their rendering...and I can easily forget the “weight” issue.


One of my favorite cameras ever was the little Leica X2. Pretty slow to focus sometimes, and with an oldish, but very nice 16mp sensor, but the lens and the files made up for the slowish AF and lack of a viewfinder. It was a camera and lens I could always count on to delivery a nice looking photo when traveling (remember that?).
The X1D seems to be a grown up version of the X2.
 

PSS

Active member
AF speed is glacial compared to latest Sony and slow compared to all high end mirrorless....it is very slightly slower then GFX 50 but at this point I personally consider everything other then latest Sony just not quite there, we get spoiled so easily.....I for one am not interested in a slightly faster PDAF version which might impact IQ (like on gfx100) because it still won't be anywhere near top end AF speed....so its all personal and how you use it.....I have the X1DII and 907x and find AF very precise and great to have when I need it....if you are coming from film or manual cameras, its great to have solid AF.....trying to shoot randomly moving objects with AF is pointless....switch to MF, use distance focus,...or a different system....

I find the system very reliable, no issues with 2 bodies and 4 lenses so far....

the menu system and overall use is the best there is....I am faster then with my Sony and then I was with GFX....

it is NOT a perfect system but so far the best I have ever used and seen in terms of IQ and color.....so if you can live with the slow AF and 2.5fps you should be good....
body is the best size and fit of any camera ever....its perfect....

in reality the only other cameras to compare it to are GFX and phase systems, I went with GFX first, went back to Sony only to end up with Hasselblad anyway....definitely not a bad system at all, I just prefer the files from Hasselblad....phase is great but the cameras are HUGE and SLOW and crazy expensive....
 

sr500

New member
Very helpful! Thank you!

I think I'm ready to pull the trigger on the X1D-II. Has Hasselblad shown a lens roadmap? I'd like to know what new lenses we should expect in 2021.

Also, does anyone know why there aren't any wide angle zooms yet for any mf system? Some kind of a physical constraint maybe?
 

tcdeveau

Well-known member
AFAIK they have not announced any new lenses for 2021 or shown an updated roadmap. Another zoom or two would be nice. I’d like to see a tele zoom, something like a 75-150 or equivalent to the Fuji 100-200 GF, personally.

I thought I’ve read over on Fuji Rumors that Fuji is considering a wide zoom for the GFX, but AFAIK the only upcoming lens in 2021 for the GFX is the 80mm 1.7.
 

PSS

Active member
Very helpful! Thank you!

I think I'm ready to pull the trigger on the X1D-II. Has Hasselblad shown a lens roadmap? I'd like to know what new lenses we should expect in 2021.

Also, does anyone know why there aren't any wide angle zooms yet for any mf system? Some kind of a physical constraint maybe?
I would still try and at least play with the camera in person somewhere or rent one for a day or week, coming from Sony or any smaller mirrorless it can be startling.....
not sure about lenses, I think the line up is pretty strong now, adapters are pretty great (although I am not a big fan of H glass and don't see the point unless you already have some)
great wide angle zooms for larger sensors are hard to make, the image circle has to be so large, then add in a shutter and optical quality and bring it in under a certain size and weight....and price....not easy....longer zooms are much easier to make...
 

Paratom

Well-known member
I am a hobbiest user of SL2, d500 (for sports and longer Tele), x1dII and still own S system. I also had a lowner Fuiji 50MP for some weeks before I decided for the x1dII.
x1dII is my most used camera right now. The Fuji is faster, lower priced and a really good camera system. For my taste I enjoy the Hassy user interface better (build, size, simple UI) and I prefer the IQ out of the camera.
The AF of x1dII is not fast but I find it much better than some other peoples statement. I have kids and a dog and while it is not a sports cam I can get a good keeper rate. And its accurate.
IBIS would be nice, but higher ISO quality is very good and I have not run into problems caused by lack of ibis.
reliability...my x1d and x1dII have worked fine so far.
future proof....who knows. maybe all medium format camera systems are not future proof. maybe all cams other than smart phones are not future proof.
I would recommend to check a x1dII out. see how YOU like the user inerface, how you like the lenses and the IQ.
I own 21,45,80,90 and the zoom, but lately only use the 80 and the zoom.
 
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