Hasselblad X1D Sample Images

DPReview, the 800lb gorilla of photo review sites, has managed to convince Hasselblad to let them publish images taken with the pre-production X1D’s currently on World Tour.

Hasselblad X1D initial sample gallery (pre-production)

The unit I used didn’t have touch AF activated, so focusing had to be done with the central AF point or manually, and the Nikon-based flash system was not installed. Hasselblad also made it very clear that the AF speed experienced with this camera did not represent what the production models would manage, and that the image quality is still far from finished. The company has however agreed to let us publish some sample shots to allow readers to get an idea of the sort of resolution and colors the camera can achieve.

I shot Raw and JPEG files and processed them through both Adobe Camera Raw and Hasselblad’s own Phocus software. The difference in color, brightness and general quality is quite different between the two applications, and the JPEGs shown here are from Raw files processed in Phocus. The images have been approved by Hasselblad for publication, but they stress that the minor faults found will not be present in images from the production models. Of the twelve images I sent for approval only one was rejected.

• via dpreview

The images presented in the gallery manage to present some of the more interesting aspects of the camera including its amazing dynamic range and ability to capture details.
I will stick to my prediction that Medium Format Mirrorless is going to make medium format sexy again.