Tag Archives: Hasselblad

Photographing the Canadian Rockies with the Hasselblad X1D 50C

May 31, 2020 by Joe Colson | 0 Comments

Photos framed using the FrameShop script.

Equipment
Hasselblad X1D Digital Camera
Hasselblad XCD 30mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 45mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 90mm Lens
Hasselblad HC 210mm Lens
Novoflex Tripod (TrioBalance with 3-section Legs)
Arca-Swiss L60 Leveler Head
SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro SD Cards
Accessories (the usual suspects; more details here)

Where and When
The province of Alberta, Canada, centered near Calgary in Okotoks, exploring south to Crowsnest Pass and west to Lake Louise in June 2018.

This “first for me” trip to Alberta was a success, thanks to our gracious host, good friend, and fellow photographer David Duffin, who acted as our guide and expert source of information on everything about Alberta. David is a true gentleman and his photographs of the Canadian landscape, particularly of Canadian railroads, are truly stunning. Thanks also to my long time friend and frequent photo trip companion, Ron Basinger, for joining me on this trip and for helping me point the lens in the right direction.

The Canadian Rockies are in a word, breathtaking. I found myself in awe at every bend in the road. Photos don’t do the scenery justice. The photos in this post and in my Gallery are just a sample of what one can see through the viewfinder. When you step from behind the camera, your jaw drops. Stunning!

Processing
Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop
FrameShop script

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Photographing the Colorado San Juan Mountains with the Hasselblad X1D II 50C

October 31, 2019 by Joe Colson | 0 Comments

Photos framed using the FrameShop script.

Equipment
Hasselblad X1D II Digital Camera
Hasselblad XCD 21mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 30mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 45mm Lens
Hasselblad XCD 90mm Lens
Novoflex Tripod (TrioBalance with 4-section Legs)
Arca-Swiss L60 Leveler Head
SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro SD Cards
Accessories (the usual suspects; more details here)

Where and When
The San Juan Mountains of Colorado, centered on Ridgway, in late September through early October 2019. The photos in this post are annotated with the specific GPS coordinates for each image, thanks to the in-camera GPS of the X1D II.

This was my second trip to this part of Colorado during the fall. We chose to use Ridgway as our base on this occasion, rather than Ouray, to be closer to the points of interest that we wanted to photograph. The climate was perfect and the fall color did not disappoint.

For trip planning, Robert Hitchman’s Photograph America Newsletter – Colorful Colorado is a good starting point.

Processing
Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop
FrameShop script

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First Impressions of the Hasselblad X1D II 50C Medium Format Camera

September 7, 2019 by Joe Colson | 0 Comments

On June 19, 2019, Hasselblad announced the X1D II 50C, an evolutionary second edition of the mirrorless medium format X1D 50C. When the original X1D was announced in June 2016, it was the world’s first mirrorless medium format camera. Since that time, Fuji has introduced its GFX line of mirrorless medium format cameras, including the 100-megapixel GFX 100. See my post on the original X1D 50C here and my comparison of the GFX 50S and the X1D 50C here.

Now that I’ve had the X1D II for a few days and have used it in the field, I’ll offer my first impressions. Just first impressions. Not a comprehensive review. And not a scientific A-B comparison of RAW files from the original and new edition. For the most part, my impressions are based on my primary use of the camera – landscape photography. I don’t use flash, shoot JPEG, shoot video, or photograph stuff that moves rapidly (for example, birds in flight, soccer games, or unruly kids). Since I’ve been using the X1D for over two years, my findings and opinions are strongly biased by my experience with the original camera. New entrants to the Hasselblad X community may experience discoveries or have observations that I omit or gloss over.
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Fuji GFX-50S and Hasselblad X1D 50C Comparison

January 27, 2019 by Joe Colson | 0 Comments

I’ve been using the Hasselblad X1D for two years, and in a fit of boredom and frustration during December 2018 decided to buy a FujiFilm GFX-50S and a few lenses to see what all the excitement was about. Plus, the Fuji cameras and lenses were being offered at considerable discounts to their regular retail prices and I’m a sucker for good deals.

Having been asked by several photographers for my opinion of the two camera systems (bear in mind that there are only a few idiots like me who will admit to owning both), I thought I’d summarize in this post what I’ve been telling them. This is not a review of either camera, just my comparison of the two, in categories that matter to me as a landscape photographer. The last statement is important because I don’t photograph sports or action, birds in flight, street or in a studio. I typically use a tripod and available light. My photographs of people are limited to candid portraits of my family.

Both the X1D and 50S were introduced about two years ago, have achieved some level of operational stability, have active online user communities, and share the same long-in-the-tooth 44x33mm [cropped medium format] Sony sensor (also shared by the Pentax 645Z and H6D-50c). So I’m late to the party with this comparison. Both Fuji and Hasselblad will undoubtedly introduce new cameras this year and make this comparison moot. Or not.

This is written from the perspective of a Hasselblad X1D-50c owner or aspirant who is considering the Fuji GFX-50S as an alternative.

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Custom Foam Insert for Hasselblad X1D 50C Kit Using MyCaseBuilder

October 23, 2018 by Joe Colson | 0 Comments

I’ve just completed a 3D project. No, not 3D printing. It’s a custom foam insert for a Pelican rolling case. I intend to use the case for both equipment storage and travel. Why not the Hasselblad Field Kit Pelican Case? It’s not wheeled, isn’t a newer Pelican Air case, doesn’t accommodate the XCD 21mm lens, is more expensive, and isn’t sized for the maximum airline carry-on dimensions. Plus, this looked like a fun project to take on during the hot and humid days of summer.

I used MyCaseBuilder.com to design and fabricate the foam insert. The insert fits a Pelican Air 1535 rolling case that meets the carry-on restrictions of most airlines and is convenient for automobile travel. The case is similar to the standard Pelican 1510, a case that I use for equipment storage. The new Pelican Air cases are lighter and more mobile than their standard counterparts. Having used “pick and pluck” foam inserts in Pelican cases in the past, I wanted to give custom foam inserts a try.

Completed custom foam insert showing gear placement

Completed custom foam insert showing gear placement

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