Introduction
The Hasselblad XCD 25mm f/2.5 V is a wide-angle, large aperture lens for Hasselblad’s latest medium format cameras. In full-frame phrases, this lens has an equal focal size of about 20mm. It’s a helpful focal size for issues like panorama and architectural pictures, however contemplating the large aperture of f/2.5, Milky Manner pictures seems to be to be certainly one of its largest strengths.
Hasselblad has been revamping their lenses not too long ago, with this 25mm f/2.5 being the fourth lens of their “XCD V” line. It joins the 38mm f/2.5 V, 55mm f/2.5 V, and 90mm f/2.5 V. They’re not low-cost lenses – the broader three every price $3700, whereas the 90mm f/2.5 V prices $4300. However in addition they comprise Hasselblad’s most superior line of optics but. All 4 lenses sport an upgraded leaf shutter that’s small and light-weight, whereas able to capturing at 1/4000 second with flash sync. They’re additionally Hasselblad’s fastest-focusing lenses and have optics designed particularly for 100-megapixel medium format sensors.
On this hands-on overview, I’ll take you thru the capabilities of the Hasselblad 25mm f/2.5 V and whether or not it lives as much as the lofty guarantees of the XCD V line. I examined an early pattern of this lens each within the lab and within the area, together with measuring its coma efficiency for Milky Manner pictures at varied apertures. The outcomes are encouraging, however is it price including this lens to your bag? Learn on to search out out!
Construct High quality
The Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V options an all-metal lens barrel, together with the focusing and management rings. It feels very reassuring to carry, and the engraved textual content is a pleasant contact each for legibility and longevity. Every part about it feels high-end. (Though it does get fairly chilly in case you’re utilizing it in sub-freezing temperatures.)
I like that this lens isn’t notably giant or heavy. It weighs 592 grams (1.31 kilos) and measures 105 mm (4.1 inches) lengthy. That’s rather less moveable than the opposite XCD V lenses thus far, however it’s nonetheless fairly cheap for a wide-angle, wide-aperture medium format lens.
I used the Hasselblad XCD 25mm f/2.5 V in windy, sandy, and wet circumstances. I didn’t encounter any points with it in any respect. Though Hasselblad doesn’t specify the diploma of this lens’s climate resistance, there’s a rubber seal on the lens mount for stopping the ingress of mud and water. Nothing concerning the lens gave me pause when utilizing it in harsh circumstances.
Dealing with
This lens handles like a allure. There are two rings – one for focusing, one customizable – in addition to a change to click on/de-click aperture. That could be somewhat stunning as a result of Hasselblad cameras don’t have video capabilities, however it’s most likely simply future-proofing.
I discover it fascinating how Hasselblad applied the handbook focus management on this lens. If you wish to change shortly to handbook focus, you simply slide the focusing ring ahead. This additionally reveals a spotlight distance scale, which you should use in tandem with the depth of area markings to estimate which aperture it’s best to use. These rings are extra about tough focusing distance reasonably than precision accuracy, although. For instance, I discovered that true infinity focus, the place stars at night time have been maximally sharp, occurred when the focusing ring was barely earlier than the infinity marker.
A significant function of the XCD 25mm f/2.5 V is the leaf shutter. Hasselblad has redesigned and improved the leaf shutter on their XCD V lenses, permitting a 1/4000 shutter pace (reasonably than 1/2000 on earlier technology XCD lenses) and taking over much less area within the lens. This makes the lens smaller and lighter, whereas additionally rising its capabilities for flash pictures in brilliant circumstances. Nonetheless, I did discover that the leaf shutter on this lens was a bit on the loud facet – clearly louder than the leaf shutter of the Hasselblad XCD 38mm f/2.5 V that I used to be additionally testing, for instance, and even louder than that of the Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V.
Talking of the 38mm f/2.5 V and 90mm f/2.5 V, I appreciated the truth that these lenses have the identical 72mm filter thread measurement because the 25mm f/2.5 V. It additionally matches the threads of the 55mm f/2.5 V – in different phrases, thus far, Hasselblad has standardized all their XCD V lenses to a 72mm thread. This makes it simpler to share filters and lens caps throughout the lenses, which will be helpful when working shortly within the area. (Granted, many of the non-V XCD lenses have totally different thread diameters.)
All informed, I’ve no severe complaints the place dealing with is worried. The Hasselblad XCD 25mm f/2.5 V is fast and easy to make use of within the area, with all of the handling-related options that I might ask for.
Alternate options
That is Hasselblad’s widest f/2.5 lens, to not point out the widest lens but made within the XCD V collection. In that sense, it doesn’t have any apparent opponents – in case you’re planning on doing Milky Manner pictures with a Hasselblad digicam, that is positively the obvious alternative.
Nonetheless, there are different wide-angle prime lenses accessible if that’s what pursuits you. The XCD 28mm f/4 P might be essentially the most fascinating alternative contemplating how small and light-weight it’s (plus, it’s the one non-XCD V lens to even have the upgraded leaf shutter able to 1/4000 second shutter speeds). It’s additionally considerably cheaper at $1680.
If you would like one thing even wider, possibly the Hasselblad XCD 21mm f/4 is extra your type. It has a full-frame equal focal size of 17mm and is at the moment the widest lens accessible from Hasselblad – although it’s costly at $3750 and really onerous to search out.
Amongst Hasselblad’s H System lenses, solely the 24mm f/4.8 and 28mm f/4 are equally large. When you’re utilizing the 0.8x XH converter, you might also think about the HC 35mm f/3.5, which turns into a 28mm f/2.8 because of the focal size discount of the adapter. All three of those lenses will be up to date to the most recent firmware to permit for autofocus on Hasselblad’s X-mount cameras utilizing the XH adapters.
Hasselblad 25mm f/2.5 V Specs
- Full Title: Hasselblad XCD 25mm f/2.5 V (Hasselblad additionally calls it the XCD 2.5/25V)
- Mount Sort: Hasselblad X
- Focal Size: 25mm prime (20mm full-frame equal)
- Angle of View: 95°30′
- Most Aperture: f/2.5
- Minimal Aperture: f/32
- Aperture Blades: 8
- Filter Dimension: 72mm
- Lens Parts: 13
- Lens Teams: 10
- Particular Parts: 4 aspherical, 3 ED glass
- Anti-Flare Coatings: Sure
- Inner Focusing: Sure
- Management Rings: Focus and customized
- Management Buttons: No
- Management Switches: Click on/de-click aperture
- Focus Motor: Linear stepping motor
- Minimal Focus Distance: 25 cm (9.8 inches)
- Most Magnification: 0.17× (1:5.8)
- Mount Materials: Metallic
- Climate/Mud Sealing: Sure
- Dimensions (Size × Diameter): 105 × 75 mm (4.1 × 3.0 inches)
- Weight: 592 g (1.31 kilos)
- MSRP: $3700 (verify present value)
The subsequent web page of this overview covers the optical traits of the Hasselblad XCD 25mm f/2.5 V, together with picture high quality assessments within the lab. So, click on the menu beneath to go to “Optical Efficiency”: