Hasselblad’s new 100-megapixel medium-format digicam system is able to really gorgeous photos and completely incapable of taking pictures video. It is a photographer’s digicam, for these fortunate sufficient to nonetheless be photographers, with out the demanding video workload tacked on to each job. If that is you—and you’ve got loads of money to spare—that is the digicam you need.
The CFV 100C is a brand new 100-megapixel digital again that may pair with each Hasselblad’s 907X digital physique (the smallest medium format digicam available on the market) and older 501c Hasselblads. Throw in an optionally available grip and you’ve got a medium-format digital digicam system that can be utilized like an previous Hasselblad movie digicam (taking pictures waist degree), as a extra versatile digital model utilizing the flip display screen, or for extra conventional SLR-style taking pictures with the grip.
Second to None
Like most photographers, I shouldn’t have a Hasselblad 501c simply mendacity about, so I did all my testing utilizing the 907X with the CFV 100C. This combo is extremely compact, snug to shoot with at each waist degree and eye degree, plus simple to hold round. The 907X portion of the rig is skinny, little greater than one thing that connects an XCD sequence lens to the 100C sensor again. The brains and sensor of the package deal are within the new CFV 100C digital again.
The 100-megapixel medium-format sensor is similar one Hasselblad used within the X2D (7/10, WIRED Review), and it stays mind-blowing. Not solely is the decision extraordinarily detailed, however the RAW recordsdata seize 15 stops of dynamic vary and 16-bit coloration, providing a few of the finest coloration rendering I’ve ever seen in a digital sensor. It is troublesome to quantify precisely what it’s that makes these recordsdata particular, however I not often felt the necessity to edit them. They already look the best way I need. Naturally, this will probably be as much as photographic type and private style, however for me a minimum of, Hasselblad’s coloration and tone rendering—even in JPG recordsdata—is second to none.
They’re large recordsdata, although. Be forewarned that the RAW recordsdata are round 200 megabytes every, and even JPGs will be up within the excessive 80-MB vary. Just like the X2D, this digicam features a 1-terabyte drive and a CFexpress card slot to develop that storage capability much more.
The sensor and storage are the identical as the DSLR-style X2D, however the 907X 100C has nothing else in frequent. The X2D appears like utilizing a high-resolution Nikon. Mix that with the shortage of video options—which I would favor to have in a extra DSLR type issue—and the X2D fell flat for me. The 907X with the 100C is the polar reverse, regardless of sharing the identical sensor. That is the digicam Hasselblad followers have been dreaming of. It is every thing that made the movie Hasselblads particular, with a digital soul. It may not final so long as the movie cameras (electronics being finicky, in any case), however in each different manner, it carries that Hasselblad custom.
That is to not say there aren’t fashionable enhancements right here. Autofocus, a spot the place even current Hasselblads have struggled, is significantly better. There’s face detection (no, not eye, simply face), which works fairly effectively in all settings however very low gentle. I would favor eye detection, however this works in most conditions. I want handbook focusing more often than not.
