Hasselblad stops large 50-megapixel sensor in X1D system camera

Camera manufacturer Hasselblad has announced the X1D. The compact system camera is equipped with a fifty-megapixel sensor with dimensions of 44x33mm. The same chip from Sony is used in digital medium format cameras.

The sensor of the Hasselblad X1D-50c is slightly larger than that of full-frame DSLRs. The cmos sensor is made by Sony and was previously used in medium format cameras, such as the Hasselblad H6D and the Pentax 645Z. The sensor has a light sensitivity of 100 to 25,600 ISO and offers a dynamic range of up to fourteen stops.

The device is equipped with an electronic viewfinder and has a large touchscreen on the back, with which the menus and settings can be operated. Photos are saved in 3fr raw format or jpeg. The Hasselblad X1D can also film in 1080p resolution at 25fps. There is a double card slot for SD memory cards on the camera. According to Hasselblad, the camera is assembled by hand in Sweden and the housing weighs 725 grams.

Hasselblad announced the new mirrorless camera via a live stream and announced that a line of new XCD lenses will be released along with the X1D. First there will be a 45mm f/3.5 wide-angle and a 90mm f/3.2 portrait lens. Both have autofocus and a built-in shutter, just like the Hasselblad H lenses. These can also be used on the system camera, with an adapter.

Hasselblad also announced that a new 30mm lens will be added to the line-up at the Photokina in September. More expansions will follow in the future, but nothing has been announced yet. The Hasselblad X1D should be available at the beginning of September. The suggested retail price is 9559 euros.