Hasselblad XCD 35-100E review: The fastest (and best) zoom lens for medium format cameras

I'm a prime man through and through, but the Hasselblad XCD 35-100E is the lens I've been waiting for. Because even though I prefer primes, I don't think a camera system is complete without a standard trinity – and with this 27-78mm f/2.8-4 equivalent now in my arsenal, my Hasselblad setup is now exactly how I want it.

The Hasselblad XCD 35-100E is the company's second "trinity" lens, following the Hasselblad XCD 20-35E. I use the air quotes because the lens doesn't have a constant f/2.8 aperture – but that doesn't exist in the medium format world.

However, having f/2.8 at the wide end makes this the fastest medium format zoom on the market. In fact, it is faster, smaller, lighter and has a greater zoom range than both the Hasselblad XCD 35-75 f/3.5-4.5 (which it replaces) and the rival Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4.

Like the 20-35E, the "E" in the Hasselblad XCD 35-100E stands for "Exclusive". Not only does this signify the trinity equivalent lenses, it also "represents the top optical performance of XCD lenses and delivers the same image quality from edge to edge as the XCD prime lenses."

So, after a month of using the lens with the new Hasselblad X2D II 100C, does it really replace the 7 XCD primes that fall within its zoom range?

Hasselblad XCD 35-100E: Specifications

Hasselblad XCD 35-100E: Price and availability

The Hasselblad XCD 35-100E is on sale now, carrying a price of $4,599 / £4,100 / AU$7,199.

That's considerably cheaper than the price of the older, first-generation Hasselblad XCD 35-75 that sells for $5,175 / £4,860 / AU$8,900. It's also worth noting that this lens is larger, heavier, has a slower aperture and a more restricted zoom range – and it features the older, "eclectic" design that doesn't match other XCD lenses.

For context, the closest equivalent GFX lens, the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4, costs $2,499, £2,049, AU$3,499 – though again, it's bigger, heavier, slower and has a more restricted range.

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Hasselblad XCD 35-100E: Build and handling

As is the norm for the second generation of X System lenses, the Hasselblad XCD 35-100E carries the same design and aesthetic as the rest of the current XCD lineup. Much as I enjoyed the mismatched nature of the OG lenses, this lens looks so much more beautiful on the shelf next to a row of uniform optics.

Like the XCD 20-35E, there's no manual focus clutch or distance scale – differentiating it (and the Exclusive line) from the primes. I didn't mess with the manual focus ring too much, thanks to the phenomenal autofocus on the X2D II, but it's pleasingly smooth and tactile.

Unlike the 20-35E, though, the Hasselblad XCD 35-100E does not have an internal zoom mechanism – so the lens extends as you push beyond the 35mm (28mm) wide end, going from 138mm in length and reaching 178mm at the telephoto end. The zoom ring is smooth enough for easy operation, but firm enough to prevent lens creep – even when the lens is angled for things like flat lays.

While the 35-100E is certainly a physically long lens in XCD terms, it's not oversized by any means – and it balances very nicely with the X2D II. The tandem fits perfectly in my Peak Design Everyday Sling 6L, making it a very convenient everyday shooting setup. It's obviously a professional workhorse tool, first and foremost, but I think this is a great lens for travel photography as well.

It boasts a faster 1/4,000 sec leaf shutter than the wider Exclusive lens, and it also possesses the fastest and most powerful STM motor in the current XCD range – which again makes it a perfect match for the X2D II, with the new camera's continuous autofocus implementation.

Hasselblad XCD 35-100E: Performance

Here's where the rubber meets the road. With Hassy's claim that its Exclusive zoom lenses offer the same performance as its primes, can the Hasselblad XCD 35-100E really replace the 7 lenses that sit in the same focal range – the XCD 25V, 28P, 38V, 45P, 55V, 75P and 90V?

Actually, it just about can – with a couple of caveats. And given the price of XCD glass, the fact that one lens can do the job of several is pretty dang impressive; you're looking at well over $20,000 for those 7 primes in the US, compared to the $4,599 for the 35-100E.

For that money, you get incredible performance across the frame and throughout the zoom and aperture range. In particular, I was blown away by how sharp this lens is – even wide open and all the way through to 100mm. You could almost cut glass with the Hasselblad XCD 35-100E!

Of course, prime lenses do have advantages – for the simple reason that they only have to be good at a single focal length, whereas a zoom lens has to be good across an entire range. This lens also has an inherent disadvantage, because its widest aperture is only f/2.8 – and only that's at its widest focal range – compared to the f/2.5 aperture of most of the primes (including all 4 V-series lenses).

So for me, the ultimate test was to see if I could use the Hasselblad XCD 35-100E to replace the Hasselblad XCD 90V to shoot portraits. Because not only is the 90V the sharpest lens we've ever tested, it's also an equivalent 71mm f/2.5 whereas the 35-100E is effectively a 78mm f/4 at the long end – which obviously renders a shallower depth of field, minimizing one of the key creative tools for portraiture.

Well, after using the 35-100E for a client shoot, I can definitively say yes: I would absolutely use this lens for portraits, despite the slower aperture. Just take a look at the subject separation, focus falloff and quality of the bokeh in the sample image above – even at f/4, thanks to the properties of medium format shooting, you're getting a shallower depth of field than you would on a full frame camera.

Does the slower aperture at the telephoto end cause any issues beyond the effect on depth of field? Honestly, not in most situations. With the X2D II, the 10 stops of image stabilization mean that you can comfortably shoot at slower shutter speeds to give you the equivalent exposure of an f/2.5 prime. Ditto the 7 stops of the original X2D. But the sensor is so good in X System cameras that you can also just bump the ISO without worrying about image quality.

I don't want to get too hung up on the "can it replace all your primes" argument because, obviously, there's more to pro zooms than just that. But the takeaway is that you're getting the kind of performance you'd expect from a prime lens at every single focal length. There's no compromise here, only convenience – and that makes this an incredible weapon whether you're a studio shooter or you're paring down the kit you take on location.

Hasselblad XCD 35-100E: Sample images

Hasselblad XCD 35-100E: Lab results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

Sharpness is superb in the center of frame at all focal lengths. Corner sharpness is similarly impressive, apart from at 100mm where it's relatively mediocre.

Fringing:

Fringing is visible throughout most of the focal range, though it's not severe. Only at 75mm are aberrations almost unnoticeable.

Distortion:

There's mild barrel distortion at 35mm, but by 75mm it has transitioned to a hint of pincushion. At no point is distortion ever particularly noticeable.

Hasselblad XCD 35-100E: Verdict

The Hasselblad XCD 35-100E is the lens that the X System has been waiting for – and it's the lens that medium format shooters deserve. It's the fastest zoom lens you can buy for the sensor size, and it's also the fastest focusing XCD lens on the market.

I'm not an "if you only buy one lens" kind of person, but honestly – if you can only buy a single lens for your Hasselblad camera, pick up the 35-100E and you have a complete system that can shoot 80% of subjects and genres. The equivalent 27-78mm focal range makes this an essential workhorse lens for professionals, as well as an exceptional daily driver for everyday and travel photography.

I wouldn't dream of using an f/4 standard zoom for portraiture on a full frame camera, but the fact that I can take gorgeous portraits with beautiful subject separation on the 35-100E makes this a meaningful, powerful part of my kit bag.

Going back to the speed, the fact that you have f/2.8 at the wide end is an absolute gift for this kind of lens – and the quick-as-a-hiccup focusing pairs perfectly with the continuous AF system of the new X2D II.

This is the best zoom lens I've ever used on a medium format camera – and it's undoubtedly the most useful, essential lens that Hasselblad has made for the X System.