jkspepper photography - Hasselblad, flawed but alluring

Hasselblad X1Dii 50c + XCD 28P

Beautiful...

I've been a hobbyist photographer since I was 15. With access to a school's darkroom and a penchant for naive creativity before real life knocked sense out of me, I shot back & white film with a used Contax. It was great. I was a rubbish.

Who would've known whether I could grow into a good photographer, nay even a great one but studies, university, corporate ladders and the need to plant roots got in the way which has dictated my relationship not only with photography but camera choices.

Today, photography is enjoying the process just as much as the output, and that does include enjoying the gear. Gear can both be tools that get out of the way and as beautiful objects that entice one to shoot.

The Hasselblad X1Dii 50c is one such beautiful object that entices me to shoot, but as a tool it's awful and gets in the way. The images are great though. Towards of the end of this, I'll figure out whether I'll keep it or sell it.

I have a full time job that keeps me away from home from 8am to 7pm daily. These are my thoughts as a hobbyist photographer over the last 6 months of owning and shooting with the Hasselblad X1Dii.

Hasselblad X1Dii 50c + XCD 55v

XCD 28P

The good bits

Hasselblad X1D II 50C Review: The Gorgeous, Frustrating, Occasionally Brilliant Medium Format Experience That Will Make You Question All Your Life Choices

Let me start with the good bits first and a confession: I shouldn't want this camera. At nearly $6,000 (new) for just the body (before you even look at lenses that cost as much as a used car), the Hasselblad X1Dii 50c should be an easy pass for any sane photographer. And yet... here I am, months later, still shooting with it despite all its flaws. Why? Because this camera is the photographic equivalent of a toxic relationship - equal parts infuriating and intoxicating.

The moment you open the box, you know you're dealing with something special. The packaging feels like it was designed by the same people who do Apple products - all clean lines and premium materials. The camera itself is shockingly compact for medium format, with that signature Hasselblad minimalist aesthetic that makes other cameras look like they were designed by Fisher-Price.

Love the look, love the feel, makes me happy and encourages me to take it out to shoot. The all metal construction is very well put together and is just beautiful. I don't get the same feeling with the GFX camera. I did want the 907x initially, but quite happy I got the X1Dii

- Form factor, the shape is really comfortable to hold for long periods. Weight distribution is perfect with smaller lenses. I prefer to shoot with smaller and lighter gear.

- Image quality and detail is insane (as expected) and although I'm not sure I can qualify it just yet, but I get a sense the tones are better than my other cameras. This thing *sings* in great light!

- Touchscreen interface is actually intuitive (when it works)

- Customisable buttons (all three of them!) can be set up nicely

Hong Kong - Hasselblad X1Dii 50c

Hasselblad X1Dii 50c

Beautifully flawed

After 6 months, my view of the X1Dii remains the same as my initial impressions:

This thing only sings when the light is perfect. On some dreary Tuesday when the sky looks like a dirty dishrag? My $800 X-Pro2 runs circles around it. Maybe I'm just not "Hasselblad enough" to unlock its magic, but the RAW files look about as exciting as my corporate PowerPoint slides.

Let's talk battery life - or should I say battery death? I dropped serious cash on an extra, and it still feels like I'm feeding AA's to a hungry toddler.

The autofocus? Jesus. I thought my ancient Sony RX1 was bad, but this makes that 12-year-old Sony feel like a NASA telescope. Trying to select focus points is like playing Operation with oven mitts on - no joystick, no D-pad, just frustration and regret.

And why does it get so damn hot? I'm not shooting 8K video here - just some casual snaps and suddenly my palms are sweating like I'm back in high school holding hands for the first time.

The pricing? Don't get me started. You know that scratch on the bottom from my tripod? That hurt more emotionally than financially, which says something because this thing costs more than my first car.

The 28P lens has this weird purple cast that makes shadows look like they're from a cheap horror movie.

Want a telephoto? Congrats, you get exactly one option that costs more than my rent.

Phocus might as well be written in hieroglyphics - 3RF? FFF? Why can't it just work like normal software? And why do the in-camera JPEGs look different than what comes out of Phocus? It's like Hasselblad enjoys messing with us.

But (and this kills me to admit) there are moments of brilliance.

- The files are surprisingly manageable despite their size.

- And that Phocus Mobile app? Lightning fast compared to Fuji and Sony's clunky attempts. The border options actually make me feel artsy instead of just pretentious.

- It plays well and sits with my other toys in my camera bag.

- It's these little glimmers of hope that keep me from listing it on eBay... for now.

Bellroy Venture Camera Sling 10l

Phocus software

Hasselblad's Phocus software produces amazing results but has:

- A learning curve steeper than my last breakup

- Compatibility issues that will test your sanity

- Workflow quirks that'll have you missing Lightroom

but the limited mobile app maybe actually be good compared to the competition.

Hong Kong - Hasselblad X1Dii 50c

Me

Do I keep it thoughts

The X1Dii is the camera equivalent of a bespoke suit - beautiful, expensive, and not particularly practical. It will frustrate you as often as it delights you. There are objectively better cameras for the money. More capable systems. More sensible choices.

And yet...

When the light is perfect and everything comes together, when you're reviewing those files on a big screen, when clients gasp at the image quality... none of the frustrations matter. That's the Hasselblad magic. It's not logical. It's emotional.

Would I buy it again? Maybe. But I'd definitely wait for a sale, buy used, and stock up on batteries. Lots and lots of batteries.

Do I swap it for a 907x instead? I most likely will. Because you get the same image quality and feeling but in a body that is equally frustrating but with more drama and emotion.

TLDR...

Honestly, don't buy one. Get the Fujifilm GFX series instead. Save your soul. Unless you know you can't be saved. Don't say I didn't warn you.