Hasselblad XCD 20-35E review: the ultra-wide you've been waiting for

The Hasselblad XCD 20-35E is a crucial new lens in the X System lineup. First of all, it's the brand's first ultra-wide lens, offering an equivalent 16-27mm focal range – which also makes it the widest XCD lens, taking the crown from the XCD 21mm prime.

Secondly, this is the first 'Exclusive' lens in the range – hence the "E" in Hasselblad XCD 20-35E. This new flagship series promises to deliver the same optical excellence as the outstanding XCD primes. 

Designed with the new generation of 100MP cameras in mind, it marries ultra-wide shooting with the ultra resolving power of the Hasselblad X2D and Hasselblad 907X & CFV 100C – though it's also compatible with the 50MP era of X System bodies.

So just how good is Hasselblad's freshman flagship? Let's find out.

Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: Specifications

Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: Price & Availability

The Hasselblad XCD 20-35E is priced $5,929 in the US and £5,699 in the UK (Australian pricing to be confirmed) and is shipping now. This makes it the most expensive X System lens, coming in about a grand more than the other zoom in the lineup – the Hasselblad XCD 35-75. 

Given that its focal range encompasses (and surpasses) that of four current XCD optics – including the recent XCD 25V, which costs US$3,699 / £3,599 alone – the pricetag does feel warranted. 

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Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: Design & handling

While it's the first member of the new E (Exclusive) range, the design of the Hasselblad XCD 20-35E is very much in-keeping with the V (Versatile) line of lenses like the XCD 90V and XCD 25V.

The biggest difference is the lack of a manual focus clutch, and the accompanying focus scale, which lends the lens a cleaner appearance. And, of course, it's a larger and heavier lens than the primes – though I certainly wouldn't call it a "big" lens, and in the hand it balances exceptionally well with my X2D. 

While the lens has a variable f/3.2-4.5 maximum aperture, it remains at f/3.2 from 20-24mm – making it both wider and faster than the XCD 21mm f/4 lens. 

In terms of manual focus, since the lens doesn't have a clutch or switch to toggle in and out of autofocus, it's just a matter of a couple of taps on the frictionless Hasselblad menu system to jump into manual. 

The focus ring is as smooth and precise as you'll find on other XCD lenses, and the zoom ring is exceedingly well gauged. While it's easy to glide through the range, there's a pleasing amount of resistance to ensure that you're at the exact focal length you want to be. 

Crucially, since it features an internal zoom mechanism, the length and balance of the lens doesn't change as you push in and out. 

Elsewhere in its internals, the lens features an impressive optical formula, boasting 16 elements in 12 groups, including 3 aspherical elements and 4 extra-low dispersion elements. 

While I didn't shoot any images with supplemental light, the leaf shutter employed by the X System (with the mechanism present in the lens, rather than the camera body) enables flash sync at up to 1/2000 sec. 

Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: Performance

Hasselblad never ceases to impress me with its XCD glass, and I was absolutely delighted with the results I got from the 20-35E. 

One of the first things I shot was a meteor shower during the Northern Lights (above) – something I was a little bit wary of, since I spontaneously decided to run out and chase the aurora and forgot my tripod in the process.

Could I really shoot astro using a medium format camera, handheld, with an f/3.2 aperture? Yes, I really could, thanks in no small part to the incredible in-body image stabilization of my X2D. The XCD 20-35E passed what was probably the hardest test I could give it with flying colors – and it continued to deliver for me time and again.

If you're not a regular shooter of extreme focal lengths, it can be hard to visualize the difference between 16mm and 27mm, so I've included a few comparison images to illustrate just how drastic the change is – and to demonstrate how radically this lens opens up your compositional choices.

Above, for example, you can see how remarkably different the results are at the widest and longest focal lengths from the same position. 

Having used all the X System glass that this zoom now covers – the XCD 21, the recent XCD 25V, and the XCD 30 and XCD 28P – not only is it a huge a win to have this entire range available in a single optic, but for this one lens to offer a faster aperture than any of them bar the 25V is a cherry on the parfait.

Without having to switch out your lenses, you can go from a near-reportage field of view to an extreme wide-angle with creative distortion. Or, of course, just fit more of a magnificent scene in your frame. Just be aware of firing frames towards the sun with a lens this wide, as you're probably going to experience flare if you don't mount the hood.

Speaking of distortion, as you may expect from an ultra-wide, there is some barreling and pincushioning as you move through the range, though nothing too nasty – and nothing that a couple of clicks can't easily fix in post. 

Focusing on this lens is snappy and silent, thanks to the stepping motor and smaller focusing lens group, and I continue to be grateful for the phase detect autofocus in Hasselblad's 100MP cameras. You'll notice some focus breathing when focusing manually, more prominently at the 20mm end, but obviously this isn't an issue for shooting stills.

I have to say that I was blown away by the center sharpness of this lens, which is on par with the performance of the XCD primes – something that's borne out in our lab tests below – though things are certainly a little softer towards the edges until you start to stop down, hitting peak sharpness at around f/11. 

Still, this isn't a portrait lens designed to be used wide open for everything; it's an f/8 and f/11 kind of lens for taking crystal clear landscapes, cityscapes and architectural shots. So in practical terms I don't think anyone who uses this lens is going to be unhappy with the results.

Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: 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:

We've come to expect stellar center sharpness from Hasselblad's XCD prime lenses, but incredibly this zoom optic manages to match the primes – it's sensationally sharp in the center of frame. Sadly corner sharpness is much more average, especially at larger apertures, but stop down to f/8 and you shouldn't notice too much softness in the extreme corners.

Fringing:

Fringing is noticeable at short and mid focal lengths, but it's not severe.

Distortion:

There's noticeable barrel distortion at 20mm, transitioning to slight pincushion distortion by 28mm and beyond. The sweet spot is 24mm where the lens is distortion-free.

Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: Sample images

Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: Verdict

Hasselblad's first ever ultra-wide is another home run for the XCD lineup. Whether you're looking for the fastest and widest lens possible, you're trying to replace a few wide-angle primes, or you simply want a fantastic tool for all-purpose wide-angle shooting, the XCD 20-35E is what you're looking for. 

I truly can't get over the prime-level performance of this lens when it comes to center sharpness – and remember that the XCD 90V is literally the sharpest lens we've ever tested. 

This is a lens that the X System community has long been dreaming about, and it's always a pleasure when dreams come true. 

Hasselblad XCD 20-35E: Alternatives

No longer widely available, the first-generation Hasselblad XCD 21mm f/4 was previously the widest X System offering (a 16.6mm equivalent). It's obviously a fixed focal length, its aperture clocks in a little slower, and it also lacks the control ring of newer XCD lenses.

One of the newest lenses in the lineup, the Hasselblad XCD 25V sits somwhere in the middle of the 20-35E's focal range but offers a faster f/2.5 aperture, making it a little less versatile but a little more appropriate for low light work such as astrophotography.