Hasselblad has announced its new flagship, the Hasselblad X2D II 100C – a supercharged medium format camera packing a 100MP sensor, 1TB of internal storage, 10 stops of in-body image stabilization (IBIS), 15.3 stops of dynamic range, an end-to-end HDR workflow and a new LiDAR-powered autofocus system.
Many of these specs are industry firsts or industry bests, reasserting not just Hasselblad’s heritage but also its position as the pioneer of mirrorless medium format cameras.
The IBIS, for example, is truly groundbreaking. Previously, the highest level of stabilization was 8.5 stops – and even then it was for much smaller full frame (Canon EOS R5 Mark II) and Micro Four Thirds (OM System OM-1 Mark II) sensors. So to achieve 10 stops on a huge medium format sensor is a remarkable feat.
The sensor at the heart of the X2D II is an enhanced version of the back-side illuminated 100MP affair from the previous Hasselblad X2D, with a lower native sensitivity of ISO50 and an industry-best 15.3 stops of dynamic resolution.
As I discuss in my review, the level of color accuracy and dimensionality extracted from this sensor by Hasselblad’s Natural Color Solution is breathtaking, making the most of the 16-bit files and 281 trillion colors.
Hasselblad is also keen to stress that the X2D II is the world’s first medium format camera with end-to-end HDR. Thanks to the new 3.6-inch OLED touchscreen, capable of 1,400-nit brightness and color calibrated to the D65 industry standard, true HDR HEIFs or Ultra HDR JPEGs can be viewed on the rear screen – and can also be edited on the new Phocus Mobile 2 app on Apple devices running iOS 18.
The autofocus has received a huge overhaul, featuring a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) system, a 45% increase in focus points (425, up from 294), and the addition of continuous autofocus and deep learning subject detection – with algorithms for humans, dogs and cats, and vehicles.
It’s not just the tech that’s new, either; X System users will be pleased to know that the rear screen now has an extending hinge, so that it is no longer obscured by the electronic viewfinder when shooting top-down, and the body now possesses a joystick and a new customizable button beneath it.
In addition, the camera features a new graphite grey finish with a new textured grip (which reminds me of Batfleck’s costume from the DC Snyderverse movies).
“I have never used a better stills camera,” I said in my Hasselblad X2D II 100C review. “The colors and dimensionality, straight out of camera, are absolutely unrivalled.
"This is the company’s finest camera in its 84 years of making them. For the ultimate image quality in a nimble and responsive body, with a shooting experience that makes you fall in love with photography all over again, this camera is simply a dream come true.”
The Hasselblad X2D II 100C is available now, priced $7,399 / £6,400 (Australian pricing to be confirmed) – which is cheaper than both the existing X2D and the rival Fujfilm GFX 100 II.
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See how the X2D II compares to the best Hasselblad cameras, and check out the best Hasselblad lenses to pair it with.
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