Medium format sensor fitted into a 1950s camera body! Hasselblad V retro classic taste

Mondo Digital Updated on 2024-03-02

**10,000 Fans Incentive Plan

The Hasselblad 907X + CFV 100C packs a huge 100MP medium format sensor into a 1950s camera body and is the latest addition to the Hasselblad 'V' retro body lineup.

It's a camera that appeals to a very niche audience, who value image quality and a traditional shooting experience above all else.

The CFV 100C contains sensors, image processors, screens, and controls. The 907x is a clip-on metal frame that houses the lens mount and shutter mechanism.

The 907X has been paired with the 50MP Hasselblad CFV II 50C**. Again, while the CFV 100C is**, it's not exclusive to the 907X, and it can be paired with older Hasselblad film bodies.

If you already own an older Hasselblad body and lenses, the CFV 100C will allow you to use them with a 100MP digital sensor, bringing them into the digital age. This is its main advantage over the equivalent 100MP x2D 100C, which offers the form factor and abundance of advantages of a standard mirrorless camera (IBIS, etc.).

The 907X+ CFV 100C is wrapped in eco-leather and chrome-plated with fingerprint magnets around the edges, exuding elegance and history. Not surprisingly, the build quality is amazing, although it's more than just well-built: this camera feels like a fine piece of craftsmanship.

With the control grip and 90mm lens attached, the camera weighs up to 3 pounds and 10 ounces (1.).635 kg). The body size is 4 x 36 x 3.3 inches (102 92 84 mm), but lenses and accessories make it bigger. However, medium format cameras are inherently bulky, so by this standard, the 907X + CFV 100C camera is quite compact, and this camera is designed to be mounted on a tripod.

On the back is a piece of 3A 2-inch 2.36 million dot screen with the same resolution as the one on the X2D 100C and GFX100 II. The viewfinder is not included, but the OVF can be purchased separately. There is no option for a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, though. With such a high-resolution sensor, it is practical to perform a focus check on these images on a properly clear display.

The CFV 100C has a built-in 1TB SSD for easy all-day shooting, and there's also a CFEx Type B port for extended storage and a USB-C port behind the box-loaded cover for data transfer and charging.

The rear display of the Hasselblad 907X + CFV 100C has most of the controls for the camera (no additional grips required). Thankfully, the display is bright and responsive to touch, and the menu system looks sleek and easy to operate.

I recommend buying an additional grip, which makes the camera easier to operate. It provides direct access to convenient controls, including a better-positioned shutter button, scroll wheel, and focus joystick.

The 907X+ CFV 100C has mixed contrast and phase-detection autofocus, which is very good, especially without a viewfinder for manual focusing. Still, if you're used to the autofocus system of modern mirrorless cameras, the CFV 100C's system will feel rudimentary. It's neither fast nor reliable in low-light conditions, and in terms of detection mode, it only has face detection.

The Hasselblad 907X + CFV 100C features a medium format sensor, which is much larger than the APS-C or full-frame sensors commonly found in other mirrorless cameras. It's the same as the 2MP sensor in the X100D 100C, and the resulting images are excellent.

The colors are also beautiful, captured in 14-bit (producing 4 trillion unique shades). Hasselblad's renowned color science is exemplified by the camera's single in-camera color profile, which is lovely, while clearly aimed at landscapes and portraits. The complexion is soft but looks natural and flattering.

The 907X + CFV 100C lives up to its classic spirit and is not equipped with an IBIS. This seems a bit of a problem until you realize that ISO 25,600 on a sensor of this size won't give you trouble with smaller sensors.

The Hasselblad 907X + CFV 100C has a CIPA rating of 420 shots, which I feel is a bit conservative. I started the test with a full battery charge and shot over 300 shots** (mostly in a single shot) with around 40% charge left at the end of the test.

It's easy to compare the 907x + CFV 100C to a status symbol that is too high, however, there are many** high status symbols in the world that are still reaping and worthy of praise – such as supercars. Their cost and lack of real-world availability doesn't mean they're bad cars.

If you already have a classic Hasselblad body and lenses, this camera makes even more sense, as it digitizes your existing film equipment without modernizing the experience of using it too much.

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