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Why Upgrade to the X2D II?

L

larkis

Member
I have been wondering why landscape shooters, who I know comprise a good number of the members here would switch to the X2D II if they already own the previous model. I actually made a little video asking the same question for anyone who is interested.

Very curious to hear peoples thoughts on this.
 
Good question. I asked myself the same thing. The x2dii wont be a r3 or sony a1 or z9 anyways.
personally a shorter blackout would make it more usable for portrait and people photography.
 
A friend contemplating getting the X2DII asked me the weight versus the SL3 and SL3S plus the M11+Viso where all cameras had battery and all the memory cards it would take.

X2DII=30.72 oz--100MP
SL3=30.90 oz--60MP
SL3S=30.86 oz--24MP
M11+Viso=25.61 oz--60MP
He also has a Nikon Z9=47.27 oz--45.7MP

Sure there are many other considerations other than weight, but we were both surprised at its weight versus the others he wanted to learn about.
 
I sold mine so cannot do it on my scale here. Let me check the B&H site. BTW you do mean the 100SII?
GFX100SII=30.4 oz-the lightest, but with more plastic than the rest.
 
In the past, when I do a landscape project for a month or two in a foreign country like I did in Iceland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands and the Himalaya, I always want to be able to document life around me as well and that means no tripod low light, low key, as fast an interface as possible and other aspects that may make it happen as efficiently as possible.

So in the past in addition to the dedicated landscape system, that meant bringing a small camera such as my Leica M10-P and a 35mm 1.4. That is extra weight in the camera, the batteries and the charging.
So my list of improvements as a landscape photographer thus far is as follows:

1. The X2D-II works better all around which brings it back to Hasselblad's roots as a system based approach to having as many aspects of the tools you care to use that can be dynamic in assisting you to be as efficient as possible in making your images.
2. The return of the corded remote plug.
3. A better tilting rear screen.
4. More custom function options in the buttons.
5. Better IBIS for stabilizing images of all kinds.
6. Better AF across the board that assists the photographer from a systems based approach.
7. The most up to date hardware that in all likelihood has far more headroom for firmware updates.
8. 15.3 stops of DR vs 15 which could make or break a shot in terms of fully realized creative vision, every little bit helps.

Overall, the camera gives up nothing in the genre of landscapes or lifescapes and in fact as a total package can really show a big difference in outcomes depending on how serious you take image making and how innovative your approach is.

I think in actual use, the camera is much better than any one or all specs on paper would suggest. I can now leave the Leica at home...
 
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Last time I was in the Himalayas I was still lugging around my Pentax 645z and a Sony kit with 2 lenses for "fast" moments that involved people. I wonder how the X2DII will narrow that gap where I no longer have to take the Sony kit. I also take the Sony (now the A7rV) if I need a longer reach, the X system is lacking anything on the long end.
 
It does not and will not ever replace the Sony A1ii or have the speed to capture those specialized fast action images.
The Heif/HDr pipeline for electronic posting is the main reason to buy the X2Dii 100c bringing screaming color files to the viewers.
The only other Major hardware improvement crucial to capturing images is the 5 axis JOY STICK
All the other upgrades in hardware and firmware are marginal...AF-C should have been in the past cameras along with better AF, Better LCD and tillable screen.
No B&W preset, Lut or whatever you want to call it is a huge MISS for the H marketing team...there is a big audience for those M like files especially with the XCD glass.
 
larkis said:
Last time I was in the Himalayas I was still lugging around my Pentax 645z and a Sony kit with 2 lenses for "fast" moments that involved people. I wonder how the X2DII will narrow that gap where I no longer have to take the Sony kit. I also take the Sony (now the A7rV) if I need a longer reach, the X system is lacking anything on the long end.
Click to expand...
The Himalaya I did last Fall, 180 mile trek with 10 days above 15,000' feet and one 20,000' foot summit in that period. I took a Nikon Z7II, 24-70 2.8 and 70-180 2.8, a truly perfect kit for that level of exertion, no Leica. I took the X2D and Leica to Iceland and Scotland, longer than my then 65mm were my 100mm CFi, 180mm CFi and a 1.4XE converter on a tilt-shift adapter, essential to have movements like that in MF landscapes.

The Faroe Islands in 2021 was all with Hasselblad film equipment plus the Leica M10-P.
 
Agree on the B&W viewing option. Should be an easy FW change, but they are so focused on their HNCS that no one even thinks about us B&W shooters who want to view the luminance on the EVF/etc.
 
Unless a camera offers a new sensor, which provides some palpable improvements, "upgrading" to a camera with the same sensor is a fool's errand since it equates to paying for the same camera twice.
 
Abstraction said:
Unless a camera offers a new sensor, which provides some palpable improvements, "upgrading" to a camera with the same sensor is a fool's errand since it equates to paying for the same camera twice.
Click to expand...
There are other things than just the sensor that are relevant to a camera. I expect the IQ to be the same between Mark 1 and Mark 2, but Mark 2 has improved in several ergonomic points.
 
larkis said:
I have been wondering why landscape shooters, who I know comprise a good number of the members here would switch to the X2D II if they already own the previous model. I actually made a little video asking the same question for anyone who is interested.

Very curious to hear peoples thoughts on this.
Click to expand...
Hi,

I agree that for most landscape photographers, the difference is not night and day, there's a reason it's called the X2D II and not the X3D.

A new sensor with faster readout and higher resolution would be better for landscape photography (if it doesn't compromise the dynamic range), but such a sensor doesn't exist yet.

On the other hand, the camera appears to be better in all the key factors that people ask for that don't require a new sensor. (including the influencers who, you say, always said the same things but initially criticized the X2D's autofocus at launch but liked the face detection feature added later)

Based on eBay and KEH listings, it seems people are paying good money for used X2Ds (KEH has them at $6K), so one might be able to upgrade for $2K to $3K.

I'm sure Hasselblad will add firmware updates as the platform matures, and some of these will be exclusive to the X2D II.

However, if you don't get a good deal, there's no need to rush—especially for the landscape photography crowd.

Best regards,
 
Ai_Print said:
In the past, when I do a landscape project for a month or two in a foreign country like I did in Iceland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands and the Himalaya, I always want to be able to document life around me as well and that means no tripod low light, low key, as fast an interface as possible and other aspects that may make it happen as efficiently as possible.

So in the past in addition to the dedicated landscape system, that meant bringing a small camera such as my Leica M10-P and a 35mm 1.4. That is extra weight in the camera, the batteries and the charging.
So my list of improvements as a landscape photographer thus far is as follows:

1. The X2D-II works better all around which brings it back to Hasselblad's roots as a system based approach to having as many aspects of the tools you care to use that can be dynamic in assisting you to be as efficient as possible in making your images.
2. The return of the corded remote plug.
3. A better tilting rear screen.
4. More custom function options in the buttons.
5. Better IBIS for stabilizing images of all kinds.
6. Better AF across the board that assists the photographer from a systems based approach.
7. The most up to date hardware that in all likelihood has far more headroom for firmware updates.
8. 15.3 stops of DR vs 15 which could make or break a shot in terms of fully realized creative vision, every little bit helps.

Overall, the camera gives up nothing in the genre of landscapes or lifescapes and in fact as a total package can really show a big difference in outcomes depending on how serious you take image making and how innovative your approach is.

I think in actual use, the camera is much better than any one or all specs on paper would suggest. I can now leave the Leica at home...
Click to expand...
Hi,
Just to say excellent breakdown, and I was one of the people fuming about #2 (I said before the introduction of the face detect : a camera that does not AF properly, high resolution ideal for landscape that does not has a cable release or something innovative like smart watch integration)
Best regards,
 
larkis said:
Last time I was in the Himalayas I was still lugging around my Pentax 645z and a Sony kit with 2 lenses for "fast" moments that involved people. I wonder how the X2DII will narrow that gap where I no longer have to take the Sony kit. I also take the Sony (now the A7rV) if I need a longer reach, the X system is lacking anything on the long end.
Click to expand...
Hi,
It's clear Hasselblad is listening to people, so we should do a bunch of noise to see if we get a 300mm. It's complicated because we don't know how many people
will use it, and as good as the new a AF is is not going to focus on the eye of a bird 100 meters away like a Sony can easily do, so maybe there is no market.
Even so the H and the V had a 300mm so there is hope.

Best regards,
 
Hard to know what's in the cards or general timeline, but I certainly would like longer V-Series primes. Refreshed 135mm sort is an obvious direction. But weirdly something around 180mm wouldn't be a bad idea.

But yes, a 300 would be very nice, though large and likely costly. Perhaps a 500. Perhaps a refreshed teleconverter, 1.6-1.7X.

And macro would also be lovely.

X2D II thus far has been good. Still working on a couple of my specific use case solutions, but it's getting there. But general shooting, the improvements are there to make it more functional. AF-C does work, but you sort of need to "work with it" to get the most out of it.
 
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