The Hasselblad 907X with its CFV II digital back combines retro aesthetics with cutting-edge features, making it a dream for many photography enthusiasts. With a modular design and a 100-megapixel medium format sensor, it offers a unique shooting experience that stands apart from most modern cameras. But at a high price for the setup, it’s worth asking whether the investment matches the promise.
Coming to you from Tom Calton, this insightful video explores what makes the Hasselblad 907X both exciting and challenging. One of the standout features is its retro-inspired shooting style. The boxy design, front-mounted shutter button, and flip-up touchscreen combine the charm of film-era cameras with the convenience of modern tech. The touchscreen interface, though modern, is clean and straightforward, avoiding the cluttered menus found on other systems. This balance between simplicity and advanced features keeps the focus on the shooting experience rather than technology for its own sake.
Another highlight is its modularity. The camera is essentially two parts: the 907X body and the CFV II digital back. This design allows for future upgrades or compatibility with vintage Hasselblad 500 series bodies, offering the chance to merge medium format film aesthetics with modern digital performance. The built-in 1TB storage eliminates many of the inconveniences of juggling memory cards, and the ability to add CFexpress cards provides even more flexibility.
The camera’s 100-megapixel sensor delivers incredible image quality with stunning clarity and tonal depth. The files are highly flexible in post-processing, and the dynamic range is impressive. Shooting at such high resolutions allows for significant cropping without losing detail, a feature that’s particularly useful for creative compositions or printing large-scale images.
Despite its many advantages, the Hasselblad 907X isn’t without drawbacks. Its shooting pace is slower than most modern cameras, making it less suited for fast-moving subjects or rapid bursts of images. There’s no in-body image stabilization, requiring more attention to shutter speed to avoid motion blur. The reliance on Hasselblad’s proprietary lenses, due to the use of leaf shutters, adds to the cost, though recent releases have been relatively more affordable. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Calton.
