X1D and the Joys of a Small Filter Kit

[Bill_Evans]

I don't how many folks follow Vieri's blog but he recently reviewed, https://www.vieribottazzini.com/2019/05/formatt-hitech-firecrest-85mm-filter-holder-review.html, the Formatt-Hitech Fircerest 85mm holder. And he briefly touched on a topic that I think is often overlook when folks review, compare, and often put down, the Hasselblad X1d. Its ability to utilize a smaller filter system. Granted this ability doesn't apply to everyone, but for the landscape photographer, and especially the long exposure photographer, this is an amazing option. In fact, for me, the X1D is just about "the" perfect landscape long exposure camera system.

I typically use my X1D in two basic kits, backpacking and short hikes nearer the car. For backpacking I use the X1D with the 3 Xpan lenses (30, 45 & 90mm) with a Lee Seven5 filter kit. For my "heavy" kit I replace the Xpan lenses with an assortment of Mamiya 645 lenses (some combination of 35, 50 PC, 55, 80, 120 macro, 150, 210 or 300mm). And all the Mamiya lenses work with the small Lee Seven5 filter system as well.

Add to this the X1D's seamless shutter speed options up to an hour and it's pretty perfect for my needs.

[Vieri]

Hello Bill,

thank you for sharing my article, I am glad you found it interesting - yes indeed, the Formatt-Hitech Firecrest 85mm holder works great with the X1D, even with the 21mm lens which is pretty amazing. I completely agree with you on the X1D being the best camera for long exposure work (and for landscape in general) available today. My landscape-oriented review of the X1D will be out very soon, I hope you'll find it interesting.

Best regards,

Vieri

[BillW]

Vieri, looking forward to your review. I bought my filter kit a while back using the "Vieri" discount.

[drunkenspyder]

I don't how many folks follow Vieri's blog but he recently reviewed, https://www.vieribottazzini.com/2019/05/formatt-hitech-firecrest-85mm-filter-holder-review.html, the Formatt-Hitech Fircerest 85mm holder. And he briefly touched on a topic that I think is often overlook when folks review, compare, and often put down, the Hasselblad X1d. Its ability to utilize a smaller filter system. Granted this ability doesn't apply to everyone, but for the landscape photographer, and especially the long exposure photographer, this is an amazing option. In fact, for me, the X1D is just about "the" perfect landscape long exposure camera system.

I typically use my X1D in two basic kits, backpacking and short hikes nearer the car. For backpacking I use the X1D with the 3 Xpan lenses (30, 45 & 90mm) with a Lee Seven5 filter kit. For my "heavy" kit I replace the Xpan lenses with an assortment of Mamiya 645 lenses (some combination of 35, 50 PC, 55, 80, 120 macro, 150, 210 or 300mm). And all the Mamiya lenses work with the small Lee Seven5 filter system as well.

Add to this the X1D's seamless shutter speed options up to an hour and it's pretty perfect for my needs.

I agree Bill. I know Vieri's article, and it is spot on. Truthfully, though, one can actually go a step or two smaller by using threaded filters. I am a huge fan of a filter kit system. I have the ProGrey, Lee, Wine Country 100 and 150 [which in windy conditions can be quite impressive  ]. I even have a Firecrest-Lucroit somewhere in the attic. But for me, the common thread sizes of several Hassy lenses are just begging for the ease of quality threaded filters. Yes, they can become duplicative and wasteful, and yes, threaded can get jammed or be a real PITA in the cold. And there is no real threaded alternative [that works] for an ND grad. But I use grads less than I once did, so a combo of polarizer and a quality vario ND [I have been having good results trying out the PolarPro], or even something like Breakthrough's 4-stop dark CPL, becomes quite the minimalist setup. When I carry my Phase lenses, I either have to toe 95/105 filters or the WCC 150 system. It is a backpack PITA.

To your point, it's the Hassy's often overlooked ability to use a smaller filter that is a huge advantage here. [FWIW, Nikon's new 14-30 zoom for its Z cameras has a slightly larger 82mm filter thread, but it speaks to the lightweight landscape photographer's needs in a similar way; it's not MF, but it's a 14mm FF lens that can take front threaded filters. That's pretty cool. My Z7 will never take the place of my X1D, but there are circumstances in which it is more flexible.]

Shout out to Vieri for sharing his experiences and expertise. It is much appreciated.

[hcubell]

Excellent points by all. I also use ND grads  infrequently these days, and stacking my Firecrest ND and ND grad filters in a challenging environment like Iceland is a serious PIA. So, when I went to Iceland last Fall, I purchased Breakthrough 6 and 10 stop threaded ND filters in 67mm and 77mm threads. Worked wonderfully for me. If I had a wider range of filter threads, I would not have gone down that path.

[Vieri]

About using round filters instead of square filters, that boils down to personal preferences and, which is pretty important as well, we should thank today's cameras dynamic range and - especially - shadow recovery capabilities for being able to do that in the first place.

However, I personally still prefer to use Grad ND and I think that this will never change for me. The reason for this is simple: while shadow recovery might me to have a usable file (and this is not always possible), I personally much prefer to start working on the "flattest" file possible in terms of contrast and shadow depth, so I can go whichever way I want with my post-processing and I am not "forced" to go in one direction by the file itself. To do this, there are basically two roads: using Grad NDs at the time of shooting, or merging different exposures. I much prefer to do the former rather than messing with merging after the fact, again this is a very personal preference thing of course.

Just my .02, as always Best regards,

Vieri