Hasselblad X2D II is one of the greatest cameras that I have ever used. Despite it already being one of my favorite cameras, I might be selling it. Let me explain why.

The Original Hasselblad X2D

Before obtaining the Hasselblad X2D II, my main photography camera was the original Hasselblad X2D. I only have very small nitpicks with the original version, and it seems they fixed almost all of those things. However, they introduced some changes that I didn’t enjoy which I will explain below.

Obtaining the Hasselblad X2D II

Hasselblad gave me this camera in exchange for creating a set of short videos. However, I most likely would have sold the original Hasselblad X2D in order to fund this purchase like many owners did or are debating. If you are someone with an original Hasselblad X2D, this article may offer you some clarity in your purchase decisions. If you don’t like that I received this camera in exchange for videos, I understand. These are my honest opinions on the camera despite the way that I received it.

Why I Love the Hasselblad System

There are many things that I like about Hasselblad’s design choices and philosophy.

This is a photography camera. There are no video recording options at all.
Simple menus. No bloat from video menu options.
16-bit RAW files. More colors then other flagship cameras that offer 14-bit RAW only.
Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS) is actually that good. No color profiles to mess around with in the camera.
15.3 stops dynamic range gives me tons of flexibility in post to push/pull shadows and highlights
Lens options are extremely good. The 38mm f/2.5 is a special lens. It’s equivalent to around a 30mm f/2 on full frame but it has a special look.
1TB internal storage has spoiled me. I haven’t spent extra money on cards for this camera. I offload after every shoot and have enough space to last for a long time.
100MP sensor. This seems pretty obvious and is a huge reason for many to pick up the system. With just the 38mm, it sometimes still feels like I have a zoom lens.
Build quality is superb. Unfortunately, after holding this camera, every other camera (except Leica cameras) feels cheap. The texture of the grip and feel of metal is unbeatable.
USB-C for everything. Transporting the files and charging the camera happen with USB-C. This keeps the travel profile of the camera down and make it so you don’t forget anything you need.

Why I Hate the Hasselblad System

Like all things in life there are drawbacks. Most of the things I dislike about the system are more opinion based, so do with that as you will.

Proprietary strap system. In theory, its a great quick release system that dates back to film Hasselblad cameras. In reality, it’s annoying that it’s the only camera that has this system.
Full IBIS stops locked behind app. Yeah. If you didn’t read the fine print then you probably didn’t realize that you need to connect the camera to your phone to get all your stops of IBIS. I wish this was a standalone device but I understand the technology behind it.
Best noise reduction features locked behind app. Yeah. I clearly don’t like connecting my camera to my phone, and don’t like proprietary things. Having proprietary software needed to get the best results from the camera is a little bit of an annoyance to my workflow.
Focus on HDR photography. At this moment, I’m not interested in investing my time and effort into HDR. Also, you have to have a jpg workflow in order to take advantage of this. I don’t think it is a great selling point for the camera at this point in time.
Battery life isn’t great. If you really slow your photography down then this camera can last for a decent portion of the day. But if you happen to find yourself in a faster paced environment then be prepared to have spent extra money for more batteries.

The Good Changes: The Screen

Hasselblad significantly improved the screen on the new version. It’s brighter than the original screen and that screen was already brighter and sharper then most other camera systems. Not only that, but the screen now extends out further and is not blocked by the viewfinder in waist level mode. The screen can now tilt downwards to allow for overhead shooting if necessary. Overall, this screen has spoiled me and made me not use the viewfinder that much. The only change they could implement to make it perfect is to allow it to tilt up and down when in portrait mode. I don’t think that is a priority change that needs to be made and it’s definitely not a dealbreaker.

The Good Changes: The Joystick
If you used the original X2D, it was a pain to move around the focusing single point. This was probably the biggest complaint of original X2D users. Because of that Hasselblad added in this joystick along with a customizable button beneath it. Both of these buttons make the experience of using this camera way better. The joystick implemented on this camera is durable and has a nice shape for navigating. It’s very good.

The Good Changes: Door Hinges

My door hinges on my original X2D were impossible to open. I know a lot of people were complaining about their doors having other issues as well. These new designed doors open very smoothly and have magnets that guide them into place.

The Good Changes: Front Dial Press Custom Button
The back dial on the original X2D had a press in which allowed for a custom action. The front dial did not have a press in for a custom action. The new version now has this press in front dial which can be used for a custom action.

The Good Changes: Autofocus

With the implementation of LiDAR, I really haven’t missed focus on the couple thousands of shots I have taken with this camera. It definitely feels faster than the original and the implementation of continuous autofocus when needed is very nice. The camera doesn’t really feel like using a medium format system anymore. It’s not Sony or Canon level autofocus but it’s definitely not slow or clunky anymore.

The Bad Changes: Color (My Opinion)

I absolutely loved the color and look of the original Hasselblad X2D. The deep black with white letters matched the lenses very well. This new body is a lighter gray (which admittedly looks way better in person) with black letters. I’m not a fan of how the lenses look paired to this body color. I think if the new camera was the original black with blacked out letters (like the Leica SL3-S vs SL3) then this would have been a great change. I think they should have saved this gray color for a limited edition and matched a couple lenses with it. It’s not my favorite look for an iteration that will probably last 4-5 years.

The Bad Changes: Shutter Button (My Opinion)
Another change from the original that I think didn’t need to happen. The original shutter button had a recessed Hasselblad logo with texture and a slightly different color. This new shutter button is more smooth and shiny. I’m not a fan of this change and don’t think it should have happened.

Why I Might Sell the Hasselblad X2D II

The only reason I am considering selling this camera is because I still have the original Hasselblad X2D. That original camera has 95% of the features of what this new camera has. However, the price on the original version is very cheap when buying used. I would have been part of the crowd that sold my original for this new iteration but now I’m stuck with the choice of keeping one. The biggest improvement for me over the original is the extra 0.3 stops of dynamic range, most of the other changes are quality of life and not performance based. I will keep both cameras for the next half year and depending on the market and how I feel about all the changes, I will decide which one to sell.

Final Thoughts

If you are someone who wants the latest and greatest then the Hasselblad X2D II is the perfect camera for you. However, if you have been trying to save money in hopes of getting something like this, then strongly consider the original X2D. With the sellers tanking the market, it’s a perfect time to buy that camera. With all this being said, I think the Hasselblad X2D II is actually a perfect daily camera. The size with the 38mm is smaller (length not height) then my Sony a7V with a 35mm f/1.4 GM. The joy I get from using this camera is unlike any other, it is pure photography.

Example Photos

Here are a set of example photos from the Hasselblad X2D II. Please note that I significantly downscale the files on this website for speed. If you would like to see higher quality files, send me a message.