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Tether directly to an iPad Pro from the new mirrorless Hasselblad X1D II 50C

Performance and ergonomics on this mirrorless camera improve, while the price gets competitive.

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories
Lori Grunin
2 min read
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The X1D II 50C looks very similar to its predecessor, but the silver has darkened to gray.

Lori Grunin/CNET

Three years ago, high-end camera manufacturer Hasselblad launched the first mirrorless medium-format camera, the 50-megapixel X1D-50c. Since then, Fujifilm's GFX series has come along with aggressive prices that have gotten as low as $4,000 compared to the X1D's launch price of twice as much. For its follow-up model, the X1D II 50C, Hasselblad fine-tunes the X1D and brings it forth at a more appealing price that competes more directly with the $5,500 or so Fujifilm GFX 50S. The company also introduced its first medium-format zoom lens, a 35-75mm f3.5-4.5 model (equivalent to roughly 27-58mm) with internal focus.

The X1D II 50C is in preorder now and will ship  in July for $5,750 (£4,500; directly converted, about AU$8,375); the XCD 35-75mm 3.5-4.5 lens will cost almost as much when it becomes available in October: $5,175 (£4,050, about $7,525). 

Based primarily on feature requests from current owners, the X1D II offers incremental updates over the X1D; it has the same sensor and design with some minor interface changes. However, it's generally faster and more responsive thanks to a new processor, with a slightly higher continuous shooting rate of 2.7fps and more accurate, movable and resizable autofocus areas. 

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You can now tether the camera to an iPad Pro physically via USB-C 

Lori Grunin/CNET

It also sports a larger, higher magnification OLED viewfinder and a bigger back display with better color reproduction. You can charge via the USB-C connection, as well as to physically tether the camera to an iPad Pro for shooting, transferring and editing photos with the updated Phocus app; traditionally, you could only perform remote shooting and image transfer via Wi-Fi on iPads.  

Hasselblad expanded the JPEG options -- the camera can now shoot only JPEGs as well as raw+JPEG -- and the company says it's improved the JPEG quality. Plus, the GPS now comes integrated into the camera rather than as an add-on module.