xcd65mm vs xcd55v

[Photon42]

I have tried the 55V on my X1D II.

Significant improvements:
- Focus ring, with the DoF information : very convenient, faster than the rear button.

<snip>

What do you mean by "faster than the rear button"?

The focus ring is easier to manage (push to the front and focus in the same move with the same fingers) than the top AF/MF button (sorry, it is not "rear" but on top !!) and then the focus adjustment.

I see.
However, I think BBF (MF mode, using the AF-D button) is even more convenient.

For me as well. In addition, if the focus ring on the new V lenses is pushed out, you cannot use BBF. Error message: "AF blocked by focus ring".
It is nice to have the DOF scale for some applications, I guess. IIRC, some Leicas like the S007 where actually displaying the DOF on the the (shoulder) display.

[Jatero]

My 90V order has been pushed from late Sept, to Oct and now Late Nov.
In the meantime, I am enjoying the X2D with my 45p, HC 50-110 on the 0,8 as well as experimenting with the Mamiya 80 1.9 on an adapter.

[6X6Miles]

Along with the 38V, I got the 55V Thursday. Compared to my 65, my 55 is a dud in terms of overall image quality. In fact my 28P and 45P even beat it, particularly in the corners which are critical for me in landscape work.

I have a friend who has one locally that I will compare it to tomorrow. I am hoping mine is a sub par sample and a replacement will bring it up to snuff. Otherwise I am likely returning both and just sticking with my 28P, 45P and 65 2.8.

[Helwin]

45P still is best weight to quality ratio for anyone who has to carry equipment a long way. My rack 45P and 250SA+ XV-Adaptor, will replace with XCD 135 eventually when my sight gets worse with age....

Seems these new lenses are effectivly FF lenses as you have to crop about 2/3 in.....still, the colors....

[6X6Miles]

Just got done comparing my 55V to my friend's, they are basically the same so this is truly a bummer. This is not at all a good landscape lens for me and gets fully owned by the 65 2.8 optically speaking.

Regrettably I will be returning it with the 38 and sticking with my 45P and 65 2.8.

[Nicci]

The sharpness falloff of the 65mm is much smoother and therefore more pleasing if shoot wide open (The sharpness falloff, off both the 55V and the 38V are somehow rough, not ugly but noticeable different to the older XCD lenses). Other than that both lenses are great. I see no significant sharpness issues with both the 55V and the 38V, both can be used for landscape work and are, due to their light weight especially useful when hiking in the alps (or any other step mountains).
My whole workflow is aimed towards creating large format gallery prints and even then I can't observe any distracting or unpleasant sharpness issues in the corners. If you are a little bit like me you are probably deemphasis your corners anyway, using vignettes of some kind to direct your viewers eye towards the subject of the image.
Everybody's taste is different but I believe you wont be disappointed by the new lenses.

[6X6Miles]

The sharpness falloff of the 65mm is much smoother and therefore more pleasing if shoot wide open (The sharpness falloff, off both the 55V and the 38V are somehow rough, not ugly but noticeable different to the older XCD lenses). Other than that both lenses are great. I see no significant sharpness issues with both the 55V and the 38V, both can be used for landscape work and are, due to their light weight especially useful when hiking in the alps (or any other step mountains).
My whole workflow is aimed towards creating large format gallery prints and even then I can't observe any distracting or unpleasant sharpness issues in the corners. If you are a little bit like me you are probably deemphasis your corners anyway, using vignettes of some kind to direct your viewers eye towards the subject of the image.
Everybody's taste is different but I believe you wont be disappointed by the new lenses.

The corners are very important in my style of work, these lenses just don't hold up at all in landscape type images and after week of trying to "tame" them, I am done and sticking with my basically perfect 45P and 65/2.8. Maybe I got two bunk lenses, either way I am returning them and moving on.

See for your self:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/vmkc0ogs23yx3gi77b4l6/h?rlkey=tircesehja6iqiouu7p5t0zj5&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/kkufcbe2s5uryosg6jced/h?rlkey=eikarj2c4xi061lrvcwgzm3pf&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/lk1joy43ctbnux6hpzppt/h?rlkey=3iyidu82gj9jyuj8wapthznap&dl=0

[anGy]

I totally agree with Nicci. Testing my 55v lens I also find the IQ more than enough okay for landscape, certainly from F8 on.
Those V lenses are not as sharp as most of the older lenses.
F.i. I tend to use a radius of 0,8 pixel for pre sharpening with my Xcd lenses and raise it to 1 pixel for my 55V and 28V.
I would not hesitate to make a landscape picture with the 55 or 28.
More than better sharpness I would also have preferred a more pleasing OOF rendering. But carrying the 28 and 55 when I need to travel light is very nice.

[6X6Miles]

I totally agree with Nicci. Testing my 55v lens I also find the IQ more than enough okay for landscape, certainly from F8 on.
Those V lenses are not as sharp as most of the older lenses.
F.i. I tend to use a radius of 0,8 pixel for pre sharpening with my Xcd lenses and raise it to 1 pixel for my 55V and 28V.
I would not hesitate to make a landscape picture with the 55 or 28.
More than better sharpness I would also have preferred a more pleasing OOF rendering. But carrying the 28 and 55 when I need to travel light is very nice.

Not as sharp as older XCD lenses would be an understatement. In over a week and 100GB of shooting all my lenses compared to the new ones, I can not find a single instance in which the 38 or 55 does not get its proverbial ass handed to it by my 45 and 65. The last time I saw image quality this bad was when I used my new-at-the-time Nikon D800 with my old 17-35 2.8 film lens.

It's truly amazing what people settle for in lenses costing close to $4k.

[paratom]

Good to have choices. For my part I enjoy the new lenses, the compact design, the quiet shutter, and the option of f2.5. I haven't done scientific comparisons but I also didn't have images where I found images to be not sharp. (not a landscape shooter though).
Optically the 80/1.9 has been my favorite but I never brought because of its size.
I always saw the x1d/x2d system as a combination (compromise) of portability and IQ, but though for max IQ one would go phase one etc.
I prefer the S lenses over the xcd lenses, but I prefer the overall package of the xcd.

[6X6Miles]

I always saw the x1d/x2d system as a combination (compromise) of portability and IQ, but though for max IQ one would go phase one etc.

But it still has a max IQ 100mp sensor that will punish lenses if that lens gives them a reason to. The 65 2.8 gives that max IQ as I figure it could very well hold up to 200MP in the same physical sensor size. The 45P, well at least mine in particular, does extremely well at optimum apertures and still better than either of the XCD V lenses at any aperture.

So yesterday morning when I got the green light to return the 38V and 55V, I took one more really good look at all the images I made in the course of 10 days. In testing I had been looking for a way to squeeze out image quality to see if I could hit the mark from the two V lenses, trying every piece of software I had in every combination possible. But this time I just told my self to look for the best image quality in terms of everything, color, contrast, sharpness and for that "medium format" effect.

Once I looked through the color codes of my top picks, I checked what lenses they were. Not even in one single case was it an image made with either the 38V or 55P. The decision to return them for a refund was crystal clear, so I cleaned off and packed the two lenses and shipped them off.

Maybe in a year or two when the 55 can be had cheaply on the used market, I will get another one as a walk around and to leverage that F2.5 max aperture. Because trust me, once more people who bought these lenses for landscape work see how not optimized they are for that, prices will drop across the board.

[Georg Kovalcik]

"Good to have choices" - as long there are choices. If the "V" lenses really are meant to eventually replace the current XCD lineup (which is of outstanding quality), then there will be no choices anymore.

"... the compact design, the quiet shutter ..." - like they say in the X2D 100C Intro Video (at 0:57):
"... we made the new lenses, elegant, lightweight and compact without compromising on image quality ..."
Just that "without compromising on image quality" simply is not true when you look at the samples posted and the MTF charts published. "elegant" is debatable as well, the "H" logos sputtered all over the lens ring, screaming "look at me, I can afford a Hasselblad", I would not call elegant, but well, that´s probably just me.

I totally agree with 6X6Miles, that a $/€ 4k lens with all modern optical wonders thrown at it (3(!) aspherical elements, ED glass) does not perform accordingly is irritating. I use Hasselblad for more than 30 years now and have always been prepared to pay a premium, but then I could expect premium quality as well. "compromising" and "Hasselblad" should not occur in the same sentence.

[6X6Miles]

"Good to have choices" - as long there are choices. If the "V" lenses really are meant to eventually replace the current XCD lineup (which is of outstanding quality), then there will be no choices anymore.

"... the compact design, the quiet shutter ..." - like they say in the X2D 100C Intro Video (at 0:57):
"... we made the new lenses, elegant, lightweight and compact without compromising on image quality ..."
Just that "without compromising on image quality" simply is not true when you look at the samples posted and the MTF charts published. "elegant" is debatable as well, the "H" logos sputtered all over the lens ring, screaming "look at me, I can afford a Hasselblad", I would not call elegant, but well, that´s probably just me.

I totally agree with 6X6Miles, that a $/€ 4k lens with all modern optical wonders thrown at it (3(!) aspherical elements, ED glass) does not perform accordingly is irritating. I use Hasselblad for more than 30 years now and have always been prepared to pay a premium, but then I could expect premium quality as well. "compromising" and "Hasselblad" should not occur in the same sentence.

For what it is worth, I did love the handling, AF and quiet shutter aspect of the lenses, so I tried like hell to get what I needed out of them optically in the output. But in the end, the chef was really well dressed but could not cook...

[paratom]

"Good to have choices" - as long there are choices. If the "V" lenses really are meant to eventually replace the current XCD lineup (which is of outstanding quality), then there will be no choices anymore.

"... the compact design, the quiet shutter ..." - like they say in the X2D 100C Intro Video (at 0:57):
"... we made the new lenses, elegant, lightweight and compact without compromising on image quality ..."
Just that "without compromising on image quality" simply is not true when you look at the samples posted and the MTF charts published. "elegant" is debatable as well, the "H" logos sputtered all over the lens ring, screaming "look at me, I can afford a Hasselblad", I would not call elegant, but well, that´s probably just me.

I totally agree with 6X6Miles, that a $/€ 4k lens with all modern optical wonders thrown at it (3(!) aspherical elements, ED glass) does not perform accordingly is irritating. I use Hasselblad for more than 30 years now and have always been prepared to pay a premium, but then I could expect premium quality as well. "compromising" and "Hasselblad" should not occur in the same sentence.

Georg, have you made the same experience like 6x6?

[Georg Kovalcik]

No, after looking at the MTF charts published by Hasselblad (and now confirmed by the samples posted) I decided to stay with the "classic" XCD lenses. I have the XCD30, 45P and 90, all of them excellent performers, really state of the art. Once you are used to that quality level it´s not compelling to step back, especially not at this price point.