Quote from: JoeC on April 26, 2024, 04:45:54 AMQuote from: fcarucci on April 25, 2024, 03:05:45 AMQuote from: JoeC on April 24, 2024, 02:16:59 AMLike my friend Howard, I've been trying to predict Hasselblad's next steps since the announcement of the X1D. It's a slow and usually frustrating process. But here are my thoughts.
The main limitation of the X2D is speed. By any measure, the camera is slow. The AF is slow, the frame rate is slow, card writing is slow... In addition, there are several "features" that were unexplainably missing from the X2D even though they were present on the X1D II - remote cable release port, interface for the GPS accessory, basic video.
So my prediction is that there will be an X2D II, well before any X3D appears. Given the imminent introduction of the GFX 100S II, Hasselblad needs to make an announcement by the fall and have cameras in users hands by late 2024 - early 2025. The new camera will have:
1. A new faster processor
2. Faster AF and Eye AF (and none of the 35mm AF fluff like animal, insect, and vehicle AF)
3. Remote cable release port (allowing Hasselblad to sell the already developed and manufactured and expensive cable release)
4. Hot shoe interface for the GPS accessory (allowing Hasselblad to sell the already developed and manufactured and expensive GPS accessory)
5. AF-C that can keep up with subject movement when shooting portraits in the studio or in the field
6. Faster frame rate when shooting in continuous mode
7. Faster writing to internal memory or a card (or both)
8. Higher resolution EVF
9. Same form factor as the current X2D
10. Same price as the current X2D
The new camera won't have a joystick. As Howard said, that seems to be counter to Hasselblad's design philosophy for the X-series. Auto ISO in Manual mode also seems to be a no-no. The X2D II will use the same 100MP sensor that has become popular in crop-sensor medium format cameras. The volume of production for that sensor, chip yield, and quality control makes it the obvious choice for the new X camera. The professional customers who shoot with the X-series are likely not screaming for more megapixels. A pixel-shift solution might be in the offing for the art repro market. And the camera's new processor would struggle with more megapixels.
OK, that's enough prognostication for one day. Thanks for listening.
Joe
Joe, I tend to disagree with most of the list for this specific camera. If I were on the engineering team, I wouldn't spend limited engineering resources on most of the items. For example, there are variable alternatives that are pretty automatic to attach GPS metadata to images. Cable release can be very easily replaced by using the phone app in most situations. This is not a camera for rapid shooting and writing to the internal SSD is plenty fast.
On the other end, continuous focusing and Eye AF are essential and can not be replaced with something equivalent, so I agree on those points.
I don't think they have to spend a lot of engineering time on features that were already developed for the X1D and X1D II. I'm guessing that the main reason for omitting some features from the X2D is processing power. Processing 100MP files proved to be more difficult, and processor-intensive, than originally envisioned.
I disagree that the smartphone app is an easy and acceptable replacement for a wired cable release. Evidently Hasselblad did too since they added one to their X product line (but no port on the X2D). And while there are alternatives for geotagging, Hasselblad has already developed an X-series accessory and firmware for that purpose, so not much additional engineering is necessary. BTW, my engineering background is a blessing and a curse.
Where engineering is necessary is speeding the camera up. AF functions are behind the curve. Working pros, especially studio, event, and portrait photographers want Eye AF, AF-C, and faster AF in general. I'm guessing that the bottleneck for adding those features/functions is the processor.
The X-series is being attacked from two directions - Fuji 100MP medium format and 61MP 35mm full-frame. If Hasselblad doesn't act in the next 6-9 months, the only X shooters left will be us diehards on this forum.
Joe