The best Hasselblad cameras can deliver peerless image quality with that impossible-to-replicate medium format "look". Their large sensors offer the depth and dynamic range of similarly sized film, outstripping the full frame in terms of sheer quality.
For years, these cameras had a niche popularity, with a reputation for being impressive on the inside, but horribly bulky and impossibly expensive. However, the best Hasselblad cameras no longer fit this description.
Hasselblad has been around since 1841, but it didn't become a brand name until the owner's son Victor Hasselblad started its camera division. Fast forward 181 years later, and Hasselblad is possible one of the best-known and recognized camera brands in existence. It is best known for sending its best film cameras into space, when man first landed on the moon – all of those images were taken with modified Hasselblad cameras.
Since then Hasselblad has been synonymous with delivering exceptional image quality, renowned Swedish design, and superior build quality, being hand-built in the company's factory in Gothenburg.
The best Hasselblad cameras aren't cheap now, and likely never will be, but they usually have a longer lifespan than consumer or even professional mirrorless systems. Therefore, this list might seem small, but this is the full Hasselblad line-up, and if you're looking for the best Hasselblad camera you can get in terms of digital image quality, they're all featured below…
The Hasselblad X2D stands out for its 100MP sensor and Natural Colour Solution technology, producing gallery-ready images. Featuring advanced autofocus, seven stops of stabilization, and a high-resolution viewfinder, it prioritizes exceptional image quality.
The 2021 model, akin to the X2D, is cost-effective with a 50-megapixel sensor. Despite lacking in autofocus, it supports video shooting. The X1D II 50C, boasting improved performance, maintains a deliberate autofocus, making it visually appealing and satisfying to handle.
The Hasselblad 907X 50C, with 50MP resolution and XCD lens compatibility, boasts a modular design. The CFV II 50C digital back connects to the slim 907X body, offering a bridge to older Hasselblad 500cm cameras. Despite a deliberate operation, it provides an entry into a cost-effective modular system.
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If you're looking for ultimate photographic quality, look no further – the Hasselblad X2D is the definitive still imaging machine. Thanks to the stunning 100MP image sensor and Hasselblad's exceptional Natural Colour Solution technology, simply put we have never seen images as stunning come straight out of any other camera – photos are gallery ready, directly out of the X2D.
Employing hybrid phase detect autofocus, Hasselblad's latest mirrorless marvel has the fast and robust AF system it deserves – and it also boasts a stunning seven stops of in-body image stabilization, which is unprecedented for a medium format camera, making this a truly hand-holdable device that can shoot whatever, wherever. In addition to a 5.76 million dot viewfinder, which enables you to see every ounce of detail in your 100MP shots, the camera supports CFexpress B cards but also boasts 1TB of internal storage. No more scrambling around for cards!
The asterisk is that the X2D does not shoot video in any way, shape or form. Honestly, though, nobody buys a medium-format camera to vlog with, so this should be the farthest thing from your mind. Take one look at the image files it produces and you will be in love.
Very similar to the X2D, this 2021 model offers the advantage that it is cheaper, as makes do with a 50-megapixel sensor. The autofocus is not as good, however - but at least you do get the ability to shoot video.
Most professionals will choose function over style every time, but the Hasselblad X1D feels like it's aiming at a very different, design-conscious market. It's a much more minimal 'statement' camera than the less-expensive Fujifilm GFX 50S, despite sharing the same dimensions and sensor specs. The Hasselblad lenses, however, are superb, as is the image quality – especially the dynamic range.
When we tested the Hasselblad X1D II 50C it came with with a host of performance and operational improvements, including faster startup, a larger, higher-resolution rear screen and an improved electronic viewfinder compared with the original Hasselblad X1D. The leisurely contrast-based autofocus remains, though, and while the image quality is quite superb – you can thank the sensor and Hasselblad's excellent lenses for that – this is not a camera that likes to be rushed. It is still, however, beautiful to handle and, frankly, to look at!
Hasselblad 907X 50C might share the same 50MP resolution and range of XCD lenses as the X1D, but it enjoys a clever modular design. Along with the CFV II 50C digital back which handles the image capture, there's a new 907X body that's so thin it looks like a lens adapter. This is the physical and electronic bridge between the digital back and the lens, but what's really impressive is that the CFV II 50C can breathe new life into your old Hasselblad 500cm (if you're lucky enough to have one) as it'll take the place of the film back.
There's a large 3.2-inch tilt-angle touchscreen at the rear, but no EVF, while the AF performance can be a touch sluggish. The quality of the finish though, including the lovely black leatherette trim and chrome edging, is classic Hasselblad, while the results are gorgeous. As we said in our review, the Hasselblad 907X 50C is a slow and awkward tool, but it's one designed for considered, careful use, and provides a gateway into a modular system for a fraction of the cost you might expect.
The reason that medium format cameras are considered some of the best cameras for professionals is that the size of their sensors and the image quality they offer is entirely unparalleled, surpassing even that of full frame cameras like the Sony A7R IV, Nikon Z9, and Canon EOS R5 that are squeezing more pixels than ever onto a 35mm sensor. Medium format is simply on another level.
It is worth noting that Hasselblad medium format sensors come in two main sizes. Hasselblad's H-series cameras correspond closely with the old 645 film format. A smaller size, midway between this and full-frame sensors, is used in the Hasselblad XD series of compact digital mirrorless medium format cameras.
When reviewing Hasselblad cameras, our reviewers assess both image quality and what the camera is like to use in practice. The final verdict and what is considered for this guide ultimately depend on the camera's price point relative to its performance.
We test image quality by capturing shots in various lighting conditions, gauging color accuracy, and examining dynamic range. Autofocus speed, shutter response, and low-light performance are scrutinized for practicality. Our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts, dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range.
We also scrutinize the camera's ergonomics and functionality, testing the camera's ease of use, button layout, and accessibility of features on the camera and in menus. Additionally, our reviewers delve into the build quality, assessing the durability over time and continued use.
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
