It’s been years since Hasseblad sold a new V system camera—the company stopped making 500 series bodies back nearly a decade ago. But what is dead may never die, and system devotees have a new digital solution in the form of the 907X 50C ($6,399, body only). Its retro aesthetics match a V series film camera, and the design is flexible enough so you can use vintage lenses with the 907X body or put its removable digital back on a film camera. It’s certainly not the most practical medium format solution, but V cameras are a beloved bunch, and you can’t discount the sentimental chords the 907X strikes.
V System Heritage
The 907X tows a fine line. On one hand, it’s a clear lifestyle product—the type of camera that turns heads as a prop for a model or Hollywood action star. On the other hand, it’s also a capable photographic tool. Its form factor isn’t as traditional as the X1D 50C II, but its imaging engine is just as proficient.
They diverge sharply in terms of design. The X1D 50C II marries sensor and lens mount together—you can change lenses to your heart’s content, but its sensor can’t be swapped out, a hallmark of high-end medium format equipment. With the 907X, the back, body, and lens are all different pieces.
This approach opens up some options. If you own a V camera, whether it be the 1970s-era EL/M that occupies a special place in my collection, the fixed-lens SWC, or a late-model 503CW, you can simply attach the back to your camera, connect the appropriate sync cable (for most models), and you’re ready to go.
You’ll be able to use your V film camera as a digital model, complete with support for in-lens shutters and flash sync. There is one big change: The image sensor is smaller and shaped differently than the 60-by-60cm film format. A viewfinder mask is included to match the 33-by-44mm sensor.
Live view is available, but you’ll need to lock your camera’s mirror up to get to it. It allows for more precise focus, especially for wide aperture work, so you may want to take advantage of it. An electronic shutter mode is an option here too, though it’s best suited for tripod or very careful handheld work.
The shutter readout speed is the issue here. It takes the sensor some time to scan across its entire surface. It’s not a big deal for still-life subjects, staged candids, or the like, but it won’t freeze action, and if you get jostled during a handheld exposure, you can expect to see some wavy, skewed distortion.
If your work doesn’t suffer from this limitation, you have the option of attaching V lenses using the XV Lens Adapter ($249). Hasselblad didn’t include a viewfinder mask for my 500 EL/M with the reviewer’s kit, which made framing through the viewfinder a little tricky, so I used the lens adapter and 907X body for the most part.
The mask is included with kits sold at retail, so you won’t be left in the same boat if you decide to buy one.
907X and XCD Lenses
The 907X body is made for the Hasselblad’s XCD lens series. These made-for-mirrorless optics range in size, angle of view, and price, but are built with small cameras in mind. The 907X 50C comes in at 3.7 by 4.0 by 3.3 inches (HWD) and 1.6 pounds without a lens attached, putting it squarely in the small camera category.
For autofocus work, I paired it with the smallest native lens, the XCD 45P ($1,099). It protrudes about two inches from the body and weighs just 11.3 ounces. If you’re looking at the 907X as a lifestyle camera—one that matches haute couture as well as a Leica M10-R, but without the pesky need to focus manually, the 45P is the lens to get.
It’s an interesting kit to use in the field—the digital back’s tilting touch display is the de facto viewfinder, a configuration that lends itself to waist-level photography.
There’s only a single control button on the body, though, for shutter release and focus. It’s collared by a control wheel, used for shutter or aperture control. It’s not a bad way to go if you’re using the camera for automatic or semi-automatic exposure. The 907X supports automatic ISO control, a plus for on-the-go and candid work, and can be set in program, aperture, or shutter priority.
Full manual exposure is available, though I’d say the 907X’s single control wheel is less than ideal. The touch-screen interface is a good alternative, especially for studio, landscape, and other disciplines where you’re able to take your time to tweak settings.
For reportage, documentary, fashion, and other types of work where you want more control at your fingertips, the Control Grip ($729) is a definitely a worthwhile add-on. I found the 907X to be much more comfortable to handhold using the grip, and enjoyed its dual control wheels, focus joystick, and shutter release.
I’m less enthusiastic about the $499 optical viewfinder. Its design is clever enough—the Hasselblad nameplate slides out and it takes its place atop the 907X body. The finder includes bright frame lines to match the view of the XCD 21mm, XCD 30mm, and XCD 45mm lenses.
The optical finder does its job turning the 907X into an eye-level camera, at least with those lenses. You’ll need to put some trust in the camera’s focus system, and your ability to put the focus point on your subject.
The 907X is still a waist-level camera at heart, and its tilting LCD hammers that point home. The 3.2-inch screen offers 2.4 million dots of clarity, and frame magnification is available so you can really nail focus when working with manual lenses. A digital spirit level and a framing grid are available as composition aids if you want them.
Hasselblad does a good job using the large display—exposure controls and menus use big tap areas, so it’s hard to hit the wrong one. The main menu is customizable, just like a smartphone’s home screen. It’s easy to remove seldom-used options from the quick-access screen and to add ones that you find useful.
Power and Connectivity
The CFV II 50C digital back includes USB-C for in-camera charging and tethered capture. It also has dual UHS-II SDXC memory card slots for work away from the studio. A trio of 2.5mm connections work with flash sync cables, and despite a very basic video toolset, 3.5mm microphone and headphone connections are included.
Battery life is a weak point. Hasselblad tells customers to expect between 250 and 350 exposures per charge, but I found that figure to be a bit ambitious. It’s easy to watch the battery gauge dwindle, even when snapping a few dozen photos over the course of a couple of hours. If you’re thinking about this as a chic travel camera, budget for some spare batteries, which cost $99 each.
Wi-Fi is included. The camera works with the Phocus Mobile 2 app for remote control and image transfer with your iPhone; Android isn’t supported. Hasselblad also has an iPad version with USB-C transfer support and Raw processing. You can see its Raw processing in action in the video above.
Autofocus, Imaging, and Video
The 907X 50C’s autofocus system is as simple and straightforward as they come. It’s a contrast system, with three sizes of interest available—small, medium, and large. You can move them across the frame by tapping the rear display or using the joystick on the optional Control Grip.
It’s accurate enough, and the small setting provides a decent level of precision. Don’t expect advanced assists like face detection and subject tracking—this isn’t that type of camera. You can expect to work slow, and that goes for start-up times too. You’ll have to wait a few second between pressing the power button and making an image.
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The image sensor is the same as in the X1D 50C II, and image quality is identical. The 50MP CMOS chip can be set from ISO 100 through 25600 and can capture photos in 16-bit Raw or 8-bit JPG format.
Photos show excellent detail and little visible grain through ISO 3200 when working in Raw format. There’s some visible noise at ISO 6400 and 12800, but it’s not until you push the camera all the way to 25600 where I’d call the images rough. JPGs hold up throughout the range too, showing a little less rough grain, but also a little less detail.
It’s not the latest medium format sensor. Newer chips, like the 100MP imager in the $6,000 Fujifilm GFX100S, deliver more resolution and read out more quickly. The readout speed is a downside here if you’re looking to use V lenses (or others) via an adapter. You’ll have to take care to hold the camera very still for handheld work, or use a tripod. A quicker electronic shutter would remedy that.
Video is included as well, but the toolkit is limited. The frame rate is locked at 30fps and resolution is limited to 1080p and 2.7K. Autofocus isn’t available at all in video mode, and the lack of optical stabilization coupled with the slow shutter readout leads to ugly handheld footage. This is not a video camera.
Style and Substance
It’s tough to compare the Hasselblad 907X with other cameras, even other medium format cameras. For some it’s a high-end lifestyle product, a luxury camera with industrial design and material quality that matches legendary V system cameras that dominated the industry for decades. It’s a camera you can take as an accessory to the Met Gala.
For others it’s a professional tool. The digital back can attach to late-generation V camera and lenses, many of which are used in the studio today. The CFV 50C II is a worthwhile update, especially for tethered workflows. The USB-C connection makes it easy to connect to the newest computer systems and tablets.
I fall into a different category. My Hasselblad 500EL/M is a family heirloom, and my chrome 80mm Zeiss lens is, well, an antique. Enthusiasts with vintage, beloved equipment can now think about medium format equipment as an option. You don’t have to spend $50,000 to get there, as cameras like the Pentax 645Z and the Fujifilm GFX 50S blazed the trail for today’s sub-$10,000 market.
That said, there are better options out there if you simply want to capture medium format on a budget. The Fujifilm GFX100S costs $6,000 and sports a stabilized 100MP sensor. We haven’t tested it, but it shares most of its tech with the GFX100 ($9,999), a model that earned our Editors’ Choice award.
Regardless of where you’re coming from, the 907X is a special camera. You’ll pay a bit more than you will for the X1D II 50C, but you’ll enjoy the same imaging engine and access to the same lens system. It also shares some of the same problems, including unimpressive battery life and a primitive autofocus system. Think about a spare battery or two, and I recommend adding the grip, which really improves the handling. It adds up, but that’s the price you pay with high-end design.
