The New Hasselblad X2D II 100C Camera

credits: Hasselblad

Hasselblad has officially unveiled the X2D II 100C, its newest medium format flagship, and it finally delivers some of the features photographers have been waiting years for. The big headline is continuous autofocus, something missing from every X camera since the first X1D back in 2017. The new system combines on-sensor phase detection with a built-in LiDAR module on the front of the body, plus an AF assist lamp to help in low light. Not every XCD lens will take advantage of it, but many will, including the brand-new 35-100mm f/2.8-4 E zoom. On top of that, Hasselblad has added subject detection powered by machine learning, so the camera can track people, animals, and vehicles more reliably.

Hasselblad has also given the body some much-needed refinements. For the first time, there’s a proper joystick for moving AF points or navigating menus, joined by a new custom button that brings the total up to eight. The rear OLED screen has been upgraded too, it’s now brighter at 1,400 nits, supports HDR, and covers the P3 colour gamut. The EVF remains large and sharp but can now show HDR previews as well. Physically, the X2D II comes in a new matte grey finish with a redesigned grip texture and is about 7.5% lighter than the original.

Inside, the camera still uses a 100-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, but Hasselblad says it’s been improved with better colour depth (16-bit) and a bump in dynamic range to 15.3 stops. Base ISO now starts at 50. The big new trick, though, is a full end-to-end HDR workflow: the camera can shoot HDR JPEG and HEIF files straight out of camera, while RAW HDR processing works in Hasselblad’s Phocus software and even Lightroom. To make handheld shooting more practical, stabilisation has been beefed up, the five-axis IBIS now claims 10 stops of corrections. The X2D II 100C is available for $7,399 (€7,200).

You can see full details on Hasselblad’s website here