Hasselblad XCD 45mm f/3.5 in-depth review

[vieri]

Ladies and gentlemen, I just published my in-depth review of the Hasselblad XCD 45mm f/3.5. This is a truly amazing lens, and while I wasn't surprised by the results, after having used it for so long, I still found its performance hard to believe. Read on to find out what I thought about this amazing little lens:

https://www.vieribottazzini.com/2019/07/hasselblad-xcd-45mm-f-3-5-in-depth-review.html

Best regards,

Vieri

 

[Paratom]

Ladies and gentlemen, I just published my in-depth review of the Hasselblad XCD 45mm f/3.5. This is a truly amazing lens, and while I wasn't surprised by the results, after having used it for so long, I still found its performance hard to believe. Read on to find out what I thought about this amazing little lens:

https://www.vieribottazzini.com/2019/07/hasselblad-xcd-45mm-f-3-5-in-depth-review.html

Best regards,

Vieri

Hi there Vieri,
thanks again for another write up. I also like the lens but I find the vignette quite heavy without correction.

 

[MGrayson]

Thank you, Vieri!

While I pretend that I never use the 35mm FF FoV, the 45mm XCD came with the body, and I got one of my favorite shots with it. (Posted before. Sorry...)



As you say, it's small, light, and virtually perfect.

Best,

Matt

 

[tcdeveau]

I’m in the same boat Matt, some of my favorite shots have come from the 45mm even though the FOV is not one of my go-tos.

 

[vieri]

Hi there Vieri,
thanks again for another write up. I also like the lens but I find the vignette quite heavy without correction.

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed the read Well, while I see your point, vignette is perfectly corrected via profile, which - if you use CameraRaw - you can also modulate to taste. As well, I guess it depends on the aperture you use, for landscape work at f/8 - f/16 it's never been a serious problem for me.

Thank you, Vieri!

While I pretend that I never use the 35mm FF FoV, the 45mm XCD came with the body, and I got one of my favorite shots with it. (Posted before. Sorry...)



As you say, it's small, light, and virtually perfect.

Best,

Matt

You are very welcome Matt! Great shot, no matter if you posted it before or not!

I’m in the same boat Matt, some of my favorite shots have come from the 45mm even though the FOV is not one of my go-tos.

Matt & tc, I totally see your point re: pretending, you are definitely not alone there I stopped pretending a while ago, and moved to the camp of "I normally love XX focal length and don't like YY much, but if the scene needs YY, that's what I love now!" :ROTFL:

Best regards,

Vieri

 

[Ikarus]

I have the 21 & 80 XCD lenses, sitting in their little baggies in my office waiting for a camera to mount them on! It is my intention to use these thoroughly, with my new filter set (thanks Vieri) before I add to my lenses. Like Godfrey, I see the 21 being my main lens, with the 80 for fast, handheld photography. That feels like a great useable kit.

But, 21 is very wide, and those lenses are rather large, sitting on the shelf. A 30 or 45 would make for a very compact kit ... ARGH! I don’t even have a camera yet, and I’m planning lenses I don’t need!

Where’s my M10-D and 28 Summaron. Time for a walk ...

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks for another review, Vieri!

The FF 35mm FoV is my usual "go to, grab" for sure. I make no bones about it ... it's what I usually have on my camera—any camera—as a default unless I'm in the middle of a bout of something different this week, if you know what I mean. My 'Lux 35 v2 hasn't been off the M-D in six months. So of course the XCD45mm is of great interest to me.

I'm not primarily a landscape photographer. But when I do landscapes, I'm more often using 35mm and longer eqFoV lenses than ultrawides. It's just where my head is...

Leica M-D + Summilux 35mm f/1.4 v2

Olympus E-M1 + M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 (eqFOV in FF: 150mm)​

So the fact that the XCD 45mm is a superb lens for this native to the X1D and 907x mounts is important to me.

Your reviews are always insightful and interesting, much more useful than the usual specs and MTF curves. Thank you for making the effort and doing such a fine job! (And I always enjoy seeing your photographs too! )

G

 

[vieri]

I have the 21 & 80 XCD lenses, sitting in their little baggies in my office waiting for a camera to mount them on! It is my intention to use these thoroughly, with my new filter set (thanks Vieri) before I add to my lenses. Like Godfrey, I see the 21 being my main lens, with the 80 for fast, handheld photography. That feels like a great useable kit.

But, 21 is very wide, and those lenses are rather large, sitting on the shelf. A 30 or 45 would make for a very compact kit ... ARGH! I don’t even have a camera yet, and I’m planning lenses I don’t need!

Where’s my M10-D and 28 Summaron. Time for a walk ...

Well, it's always fun to plan - and it's free, too, whereas act on plans in the MF realm is most often not... Seriously speaking, you can't go wrong with either the 30mm or 45mm, it's just a matter of what your preferences in terms of focal length are.

Thanks for another review, Vieri!

The FF 35mm FoV is my usual "go to, grab" for sure. I make no bones about it ... it's what I usually have on my camera—any camera—as a default unless I'm in the middle of a bout of something different this week, if you know what I mean. My 'Lux 35 v2 hasn't been off the M-D in six months. So of course the XCD45mm is of great interest to me.

I'm not primarily a landscape photographer. But when I do landscapes, I'm more often using 35mm and longer eqFoV lenses than ultrawides. It's just where my head is...

So the fact that the XCD 45mm is a superb lens for this native to the X1D and 907x mounts is important to me.

Your reviews are always insightful and interesting, much more useful than the usual specs and MTF curves. Thank you for making the effort and doing such a fine job! (And I always enjoy seeing your photographs too! )

G

Hello Godfrey,

thank you for your kind words, I am glad you are enjoying the reviews and the photos that come with them! Yes indeed, I was extremely impressed with the 45mm, for 35mm FOV equivalent lovers is most definitely a no-brainer. Amazing lens.

Best regards,

Vieri