Hasselblad 907X 50C May Revolutionalize the way Photographers Use Cameras

Hasselblad just announced its new Medium Format Modular Camera ‘Hasselblad 907X 50C’ to be sold from the end of  August.  After painstakingly waiting for a year after its first announcement in June last year, Modular Camera enthusiasts are flooded with Waves’ of emotions – Mostly very Good. Last year Hasselblad sold 907X 50C Moon Landing( Limited Edition) at a price of $7500.

However, as a pleasant surprise, this year Hasselblad 907X 50C is coming with slightly less burden on the pocket with $6300. The price of course includes CVF II 50C Digital Back however you will have to get the lens separately.

Specification      

Importance of Modular Cameras

Just like Mirrorless Cameras are replacing the older DSLRs, the Modular system is also becoming famous in the photography community. The simple reason being, convenience, usability, and future-proofing. Even though the camera costs pretty high, the usability of Modular cameras in comparison to DSLRs and even Mirrorless is simply higher.

A modular camera is built up of many components that you can attach and detach. The components also vary letting you varying degrees of flexibility. To give an example, Hasselblad 907X 50C is composed of three parts, first Slimline 907x Body, second CFV II Digital back, and the third Lens of your choosing. Additionally, you can add more components like a Control Grip and Optical Finder for better usability.

The camera performance is anticipated to be pretty solid with seemingly hundreds if not thousands of Lens choices. Would you believe if someone said you can attach Decades-Old Cameras to your new system? Use seemingly old lenses like V system lenses to your camera?

Well, with Hasselblad 907X 50C  you will be pleasantly surprised. However, this is not the only camera to have those features though, but Hasselblad has left no room unchecked to create a completely vintage camera with modern Insides.

Let’s take a look at promised features on the camera,

Camera Sensor

The camera sensor used on Hasselblad 907X 50C is similar to the one used in its predecessor X1D Mirrorless camera. You get a 50 Mega Pixel medium Format CMOS Sensor. Even though it’s not a size that can catch up to large format sensors with 102x127mm size, this sensor is capable of capturing pictures with a 67% larger field of view than the full-frame sensors.

The larger sensor directly reflects the dynamic range this camera provides, according to Hasselblad it provides 14 stops of Dynamic Range. For a landscape photographer, that amount of dynamic range can be a huge deal. Moreover, the sensor is capable of providing 16bit RAW Images compared to the 14bit on the Full-frame cameras.

LCD Display

This camera will have a 3.2inch 2.4millon dot touch screen display. The display can be tilted to adjust the viewing angle. Moreover, this HD display should be quite good on the outdoors with relatively okay brightness. Additionally, The display will have 60Fps live preview capability.

Video/Picture

The Camera shoots 16 Bit Raw images and Standard JPEG images. For the video, the camera has multiple options. This camera is capable of shooting 2.7k ( 2720×1530) at 30fps videos and full HD videos( 1920×1080).

Lens Compatibility

This camera is pretty flexible with the choice of lenses it is compatible with. The camera is compatible with all XCD Lenses, HC/HCD Lenses,  V System Lenses, and XPan Lenses.

Card Slots

This camera supports a Very fast UHS-II card with its dual slots. This arrangement can greatly enhance the safety of the photographs as well as help in buffer time.

I/0 Ports/ Connectivity

The I/O ports are pretty simple on the camera. This camera has audio in/out connectors, Flash in/out connectors, and USB-C port for data, tethered, and power connection to charge the battery on the Camera. Additionally, this camera also has integrated WI-Fi connectivity.

As for the application of Wi-Fi, we can assume that we will be able to send or upload photos wirelessly directly from the camera.

Camera Components

This camera has three components and additional few accessories that you can get. You get a 907x  camera body, CGV II 50C Digital Back, Lens of your choosing, Furthermore, if you wish to get the Control grip you will have to spend an additional $730 and if you get an Optical finder than you will have to pay $499.

Including all the components, the price of the camera does soar up to more than $7500. But considering the jam-packed features and the immense flexibility you get with the camera; the price should be negligible.

Pros:

• Modular Camera
• Large no. of compatible Lens
• Integrated Wifi
• Vintage Looks
• 50 Megapixels
• Medium Format Sensor (67% larger than Full Frame)
• Has Dual UHS-II Card Slots
• Additional Accessories
• 14 stops of Dynamic Range
• 16-Bit RAW

Cons:

• Pretty expensive
• No 4k video

Verdict

Even though many camera enthusiasts have waited for over one year, this camera is meant to serve a tiny number of photographers. For, Pro-photographers who want more flexibility this modular camera may turn out to be very handy. However, for regular users, this camera is just like an exotic vintage relic, very satisfying to look at but with very little Uses on hand.

Nevertheless, with this release from Hasselblad the competition for the modular cameras with medium format large sensors has risen quite a bit. Furthermore, the price these years have come down quite a bit as well. How stimulate, the photography community will be after the release of this beast is yet to be seen.

However, just like mirrorless revolutionized the way people use digital cameras, The camera like Hasselblad 907X 50C is also paving the way for a new revolution with modular design and larger sensors.