I have been shooting Hasselblad for over 20 years, and I am in love with the 907X CFV 100C system
As a photographer with over two decades of experience shooting exclusively with Hasselblad cameras, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship and image quality that these cameras offer. I have been shooting with quite a few Hassies and my current camera is the X1D 50C. When I heard about the new Hasselblad 907X paired with the CFV 100C digital back, I was very curious to see how this combo would perform in real-world situations.
907X CFV 100C: General camera notes
It’s interesting to look at how Hasslblad approaches their digital cameras. Like the film days, the concept of a back is still very much alive. While the 907X is what Hasselblad calls a camera, it is more of a middleman between the sensor and the lens. It connects the back to the lens, but also provides a place for the grip, the how shoe, and so on. It’s kind of interesting because the 907X is not new; it was released along with a 50C sensor back in August 2020. Now, this “body” gets a completely new overhaul with a new 100C sensor.
This 100C back provides a whole new set of features to the systems, from better autofocus through internal storage and strobe compatibility, to connectivity. So, while technically, the “camera” is still the 907X, the combination with the 100C back makes it a whole new camera.
Design talk
Before I go into my experience with the camera, I have to say something about the design. This camera is a Beaut. The style is very reminiscent of the old 500c bodies, with a leather finish and silver highlight. The box shape is incredibly meticulous, and even the ports are hidden in a way that does not disturb the form. Ok, now, let’s talk camera.
Image quality and resolution
My current camera is a Hasselblad X1D 50C, so I am no stranger to high-resolution photos, and to be honest, while I like having more resolution, the 100MP back is not the top reason why I’m in love with the 907X. The CFV 100C boasts an impressive 100-megapixel resolution, but for my needs, it does not have a significant impact. My exhibition prints are typically one meter tall, and 50 megapixels are enough. I do feel that I get more leeway with post-shooting composition, but not enough to justify the jump from my current set.
As always, I am incredibly impressed with the dynamic range and Hasselblad color science. On paper, the camera boasts 15 stops of dynamic range, and indeed, it was incredibly hard to lose details in the shadows or blow away the highlights. For the session below, I shot at ISO 1600, and did not see any detail deterioration.
Autofocus and Performance
I dedicated my day with the 907x for shooting dancers. I am fascinated by human motion and am currently engaged in a dance project. I love working with dancers, but this is for another article.
There were a few things that made this camera a huge leap for me, but the main one was the improved autofocus over anything I had seen from Hasselblad before. One of the most significant improvements in the 907X compared to previous Hasselblad models is the autofocus system. If you are familiar with older Hassies, you know they were struggling to find focus in low light or low contrast conditions. The CFV 100C is a huge jump forward, and it utilizes Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)technology vs. contrast focus on previous models. I know, Hasselblad cameras are not for sports photography, but I was able to focus quite easily on any static object, and even gain some success with some moving objects. (The camera supports continuous focus, which is great for working with dancers).
I also love the new Face Detection module, and it made my life a hundred times easier when composing a shot. That said, faces are not flat, and face detection is not eye detection. I would sometimes focus on the ear or the nose instead of the eyes. It was also hard for the AF system to keep up with the dancers as their faces came in and out of the shot. That said, for the types of projects you would use a Hasellblad, you’d every satisfied with the AF improvement. A good testament to the AF is the photo on the left (with the sitting dancer) – the autofocus “caught” the eyes quite easily.
Design and Ergonomics
Another huge win for the 907X is how small and light it is. Definitely lighter than any film Hassy I used, but also lighter than the digital bodies I worked with. Between the low weight (about 620 grams), size, and high ISO performance, I was able to move away from my tripod and shoot handheld. Did not even get tired by the end of the day. (Don’t get me wrong; you can still attach a tripod to the camera. I just enjoyed using the camera so freely.)
I mostly shot at eye level, so I kept the LCD fully horizontal. But you can also tilt the screen full 90 degrees for the classic waist-level shoot mode. I will say this: the LCD is built like a tank. If you are a Sony shooter (sorry, folks) and you’re always tip-toeing with the LCD, this is not the case. It feels very solid.
The LCD is a touch screen, so you can pretty much control the camera setting from there. I know I said I am old school, but this is something that actually made my life easier. I was able to pinch to zoom, gauge focus, and adjust all from a super bright 3.2″ monitor.
The last thing I want to talk about is the grip. It’s a solid metal grip with the dials and buttons you’d expect to control the shutter speed, aperture, and the release button. But it also has a joystick that provides a lot of control options and a focus magnifier, which I used when I was shooting manually or wanted to gauge focus. I can not see myself getting this camera without a grip.
Lens Compatibility
The 907X is compatible with a wide range of Hasselblad lenses, both new and old. The entire XCD range is fully compatible and provides autofocus, and you can use older lenses as well if you are willing to shoot Manual. I shot with the XCD 55V and the XCD 28V that I got from Hasselblad. If you want to use older XCD lenses in your arsenal, like the XCD 90mm which I won, you would need to run a firmware upgrade on the lens to gain the autofocus features.
With great power…
One thing to keep in mind is that the high-resolution files from the CFV 100C are not small. Each raw file can easily take up 200MB or more of storage space. My day ended up with about 700 shots, which took about 180Gigs. I am not complaining here, all those details need to be stored somewhere, but this is something to take into consideration if you are planning on this camera.
The happy news is that the 907x comes with an internal storage of 1 Terabyte. If you look at the numbers above, you can see that it would get you over 3K photos. You can add additional storage with a CFexpress TypeB card if you wish. Either way, I was able to pull the files out of the camera relatively fast. The interface here is USB-C 3.1 Gen two, and read speeds are about 2.5 gigs a second.
I am using a pretty beefy Mac, but I still opted to shoot RAW+JPG. I then used the JPGs for culling and the RAW files for some heavenly, detail-packed editing.
On the power side, I did manage to use a single battery for those 700 shots.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Hasselblad 907X and CFV 100C combo is a dream come true for photographers who value image quality, performance, and design. (And have $8,200 to invest) It’s like having a Michelin-starred meal in camera form – every bite (or, in this case, every shot) is a joy to savor.
While it may not be the perfect camera for every situation, it excels at what it’s designed for: capturing stunningly detailed images with incredible dynamic range and color accuracy. If you’re a studio, landscape, or portrait photographer looking for the ultimate in image quality, the 907X and CFV 100C are definitely worth considering.
As someone who’s been shooting with Hasselblad cameras for over 20 years, I can confidently say that this is one of the most impressive models I’ve used to date. It’s a testament to Hasselblad’s commitment to innovation and craftsmanship, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
