Hasselblad X2D II 100C 5-axis 10 Stop IBIS Tested
If you are like me, you am reminded by the fact that you are not “getting any younger” on a daily basis. Those old joints just don’t want to move as smoothly and pain free as they used to. My camera backpack has been getting smaller and lighter, not by choice, but due to need. Aspects of my travel gear that were never ever a concern are now very important. Size, weight, and feature sets are incredibly important as we age. And of course, I know that I am not alone in weighing these factors in my next camera choice.
This is why with today’s announcement of the Hasselblad X2DII 100c, It was important for me to explore a key upgrade from the original X2D body. The new X2DII 100c In-Body Image Stabilization system (IBIS) has been improved by 40% and is now up to 10 stops of compensation. This is a 3 stop improvement over the X2D’s 7 stop threshold. But with any new feature, we at Capture Integration seek to understand what data is just marketing hype and what we can actually trust in the field. Can I be so bold to now leave my tripod at home? For the purpose of this test I just wanted to confirm the following question:
- What does 10 stops mean and how long can we truly hand hold this new system and feel confident in my results?
Setting Expectations
Both bodies have 5-axis stabilization. They are as follows:
- X (Horizontal Shift): Side-to-side movement
- Y (Vertical Shift): Up-and-down movement
- Roll: Camera rotation (twisting left or right)
- Pitch: Tilting up and down (like nodding)
- Yaw: Tilting side to side (like shaking your head “no”)
For the purpose of this test, we will not dig deeper into these as they should be the same. Secondly, the only change in the menu system is the new Hasselblad X2D II 100c adds a new “Sport” mode. Typically “sport” mode in cameras assume you will be tracking a fast moving subject. It makes a priority of some axis and not others when you are panning. I did not test this as I only had a half day with the new camera and didn’t have any appropriate subject matter.
And most importantly out of all expectations, “what does Hasselblad truly say about their new feature in their own DataSheet?”
10-stop stabilisation at the image centre and 8-stop at the edges. Measured by Hasselblad with the XCD 3,5/120 Macro lens using CIPA standards
My Experience Applied to my Testing
I was actually very happy to see “small type” in Hasselblad’s addendum. I much prefer an honest manufacturer that shares all the information as compared to overblown stats that are not reachable. In our years of testing we seldom find that our results match the manufacturers tech sheets. Here, we know the parameters of their measurement and what we are actually shooting for.
When digital sensors broke the 40mp barrier many standard “rules of thumb” of photography in the film days changed forever. Our systems started to out-resolve lenses and coatings designed for film. The DOF scale on our lenses stopped being accurate. We began seeing shutter slap and vibrations that we never could see in film. And the standard “one over the focal length” rule of hand holding systems moved to “one over 2x focal lengths.” What does that mean? Historically, If I am using a 55mm lens I knew that I could hand hold that camera as low as 1/60th of a second shutter speed. However, with higher resolution digital sensors, we found that 1/125th (2x focal length) was as slow as I should go. So for our testing that is where we begin.
The following shutter speed chart will help to illustrate and set our expectations on what should be achievable.
| Shutter Speed | Stops | Shutter Speed | Stos\ps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/60 | 1 Stop | 1/2 | 6 Stops |
| 1/30 | 2 Stops | 1 Seconds | 7 Stops |
| 1/15 | 3 Stops | 2 Seconds | 8 Stops |
| 1/8 | 4 Stops | 4 Seconds | 9 Stops |
| 1/4 | 5 Stops | 8 Seconds | 10 Stops |
Camera: Hasselblad X2D II 100C with XCD 55mm f/2.5 V Lens
Subject: Backyard water feature for static and moving subjects
Settings: ISO 100, f/8, 1 second and longer
Files: 3FR Raw and processed in Adobe RAW
Resolution: 11656 x 8742 pixels
Handheld by an old dude
Next, I shot a series of 10 exposures starting at 1 second and then slowed my shutter speed and shot 10 more, and so on. I brought all of these images into bridge and Adobe raw. We have been working with 100mp files here at CI now for almost 10 years. We know what to expect for camera shake and sharpness. These images were then marked as either acceptable on not on a personal chart. Here are my results at 100% crops
1 second exposure – 90% success rate – 7 Stops of IBIS
1.4 Second Exposure – 50% Success Rate – 7.5 Stops of IBIS
2 Second Exposure – 30% Success Rate – 8 Stops of IBIS
Notes
Factors that affect success of stability are focal length, distance to subject, ability of the user, and rotation of the earth (not kidding). You can expect better results with wider angle lenses. You can expect worse results with zoom lenses at their longest zoom or for lenses in a macro mode. Phocus Mobile 2 can be used to help compensate for the earth rotation by connecting and obtaining the local geographic location.
Conclusions
The thought that I can capture a 10 second hand held exposure was, and still is ludicrous, to me. However, I was very interested in what exposures would make me feel comfortable capturing in a normal shooting environment. With light changing rapidly in lower light situations, it is extremely important to know your exposure limits while maintaining the desired quality output. I am very happy to know that I can expect to get a 90% capture rate at 1 second with a 55mm lens. Yes, this is just a 7 stop IBIS and not a 10 stop as Hasselblad is promoting. But our parameters and have always shown a much lower IBIS compensation with every system on the market as compared to their written specifications. While my testing shows I can expect a 30% success rate at 8 stops, this is not an acceptable success rate for me personally in the field.
If I had the camera for longer, I would have preferred to compared the version I to the version II side by side to see how they compare. Secondly, I look forward to pushing the 5-axis testing settings in the future for horizontal and vertical. It would be good to know how long I can hand hold while leaning on a tree or in typical situations on location. If you have any suggestions that you would like us to attack with the new camera please let us know. It is in rental and demo today!
“New knowledge is the most valuable commodity on earth. The more truth we have to work with, the richer we become.” – Kurt Vonnegut
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Check out Our Other X2D II 100C Articles!
Hasselblad X2D II 100C Camera
Hasselblad XCD 2.8-4 / 35-100 E
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