The Hasselblad 907X 50C is a heavy camera: on the one hand there is the physical weight of a medium-sized, full-bodied, built with all the metal needed to make it mechanically flawless, not a gram less; on the other hand there is the weight of a brand with a timeless charm that has marked the history of photography.
Introduced in 2019, but on the market only from the end of 2020, the 907X 50C is actually a hybrid that combines two distinct products, namely the Cvf II 50C digital back coupled to the 907X interface, which serves to adapt it to the lenses.
Hasselblad Cvf II 50C and 907X, for short
- The CVF II 50C digital back is meant for “Digitize” all the old Hasselblads del sistema V.
- Coupled with the body 907XMeasuring just 28mm thick, it transforms into a complete medium-format machine.
- As the name suggests, 907X is compatible with Xcd series lenses.
- The sensor is a gigantic one medium-format from 50 Mp, the same as the “compact” mirrorless X1d.
- The result is a modular medium-format, heavy but small in size, with a “anomalous” form factor reminiscent of that of the Hasselblads of the past.
- The digital back is controlled entirely by the rear screen, while autofocus and shooting are controlled with a dedicated button mounted on the front, next to the lens.
- They can be inserted into the digital back 2 SD memory cards (they need very fast) and there is a USB port, which is used to connect the machine to the computer or iPad, or even to recharge the battery.
The Hasselblad experience
Unusual shape and size of this modular medium format greatly influence its use, especially for the way in which the subjects are approached. Despite the temptation to playing with Vivian Maier shots be strong, this Hasselblad does not have a vocation for street photography: it is much more suitable for still-life or architecture photos, mostly due to the general slowness of focus.
It’s an understandable limitation for a camera with a sensor of this size, capable of generating one huge amount of information, difficult to process. And all in all that’s okay, because no one would ever buy this Hasselblad (or any of the others) for wildlife or sports photography.
However, the photos that are produced with this Cvf II 50C & 907X after becoming familiar they are remarkable: the level of detail and definition are unparalleled (thanks also to the crystal clear quality of the optics) and we really liked the recognizability of the Hasselblad calibration on the colors and on the depth rendering in the shot, which immediately give a cinematic touch with every shot. We have it tested with the standard 45mm f / 3.5, an excellent bright lens (35mm equivalent for full-frames) that proved versatile and fun; it is also one of the more compact Xcd lenses, which is not bad given the small size of the back.
The rendering of the photos in the car can be deceiving: sometimes the images seem dark, and the screen does not return a good dynamic range. When import Raw images into Lightroom and we work on development, however, here is where the magic happens. The quality of the files produced by this Hasselblad is very high, and the amount of information that can be recovered from shots that we thought dark, or too exposed, is surprising. We already knew this feature from our tests of the X1d, and it is a pleasure to see that Hasselblad has been able to effectively channel its know-how in this project as well.
As the Hasselblad Cvf II 50C and 907X take the photos
We tried the medium format camera of the historic Swedish brand for 2 weeks: it is difficult to tame, but the image quality is very high
Because we liked it
Like all medium formats of this type, even this Cvf II 50C and 907X is not always easy to tame, but when you become familiar with the format and features, using it is a pleasure. In particular we have appreciated 3 aspects during our test.
- Attention to detail and materials. Even before taking very high quality photos, this Hasselblad is a object of the highest design. When not in use, the camera deserves a display case of its own.
- The product is original and well thought out: Cvf II 50C and 907X together are a machine that in stand-alone version makes access to the Hasselblad universe more affordable; at the same time, long-time fans of the brand can buy the back to teleport their old medium-format film into the digital age.
- The design of the software interface, which we already knew from previous models: simple, minimal, intuitive. Compared to the dense and overly populated menus of many professional cameras, the Hasselblad interface is a small Ui / Ux masterpiece. Sure, there are fewer features than professional full-frames, but the fact remains that the entire system appears much more refined, elegant and easily navigable.
What can be improved
In the experience of general use, however, we have found some elements that can be improved.
- The sensor gets dusty easily, and you should always have a brush or antistatic cloth at hand to remove dust particles (which otherwise appear as spots clearly visible in the photos). Not a big deal, which perhaps depends on how the digital back and the camera body are connected.
- The screen does not do justice to the quality of the photo and it is difficult to judge the shots. Not bad, because the machine is not made for quick photo sharing, but a more performing screen it would have done justice to the product better. On the other hand, the tactile response of the touchscreen is very good.
- The iPhone and iPad Pro version of Phocus 2, the software for image transfer and initial processing it has many bugs. We have repeatedly encountered problems with massive image transfer, which we often had to perform in separate tranches. We expect something more from Hasselblad.
A car for a few
Answering the question “would you recommend it?” for a camera like this Cvf II 50C / 907X it is almost impossible: we are not talking about a device that can be compared to the more versatile mirrorless systems of Canon, Nikon, Sony or Fujifilm, but about an object that occupies a product category in itself. With this product, Hasselblad is aimed at enthusiasts who already have at home one or more V system cameras, and at the same time offers a modular “entry level” product for those wishing to approach the world of digital medium format.
It is therefore obvious that here we are talking about the professional, or the advanced amateur who can afford to spend (and spend a lot) for his photographic hobby: the price is in fact relatively low for a Hasselblad branded camera, but however, it starts from 6500 euros for camera body and digital back, to which must be added the cost of the lenses (or an adapter for V, H or XPan lenses).
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