The Hasselblad Xpan remains one of the most coveted and controversial cameras in film photography, commanding prices between $4,000 and $7,000 for a body and lens. This panoramic 35mm camera promises a cinematic shooting experience that fundamentally changes how you approach composition, but the question remains whether it lives up to the massive investment.
Coming to you from Jonathan Paragas, this revealing video chronicles his eight-year obsession with the Xpan and what happened when he finally pulled the trigger on his dream camera. Paragas kept his purchase secret for over a month, taking the camera straight to Europe for its maiden voyage through some of the continent's most photogenic cities. The Xpan shoots a panoramic format that essentially combines two standard 35mm frames side by side, creating a cinematic aspect ratio that forces you to see scenes differently. However, the camera's complete reliance on battery power became a major issue when Paragas accidentally left it on during a train ride from Brussels to Paris, leaving him stranded with a dead camera in an unfamiliar city.
The video explores both the technical capabilities and practical limitations of this legendary camera. Paragas shot eight rolls of film through the Xpan, with each 36-exposure roll yielding only about 20 panoramic frames. The camera features a clever switch that allows you to toggle between panoramic and standard 35mm formats, giving you flexibility in how you compose your shots. The 45mm lens provides roughly a 25mm field of view in panoramic mode, delivering wide-angle coverage without distortion, though Paragas discovered that even slight tilts in framing create exaggerated Dutch angles that can ruin otherwise perfect compositions.
What makes this review particularly valuable is Paragas's honest assessment after years of anticipation. He admits the camera isn't fully worth the investment for most people, citing the odd format that few use today, the astronomical cost, and the ticking time bomb nature of its electronic components. Yet he also explains why certain aspects of the shooting experience justify keeping it in his collection, particularly how it makes every frame feel like a movie scene. His recommendation is clear: don't buy an Xpan as your first 35mm camera, but if you already have standard film cameras and want something that changes your creative approach, the legendary status might be worth considering.
Check out the video above for the full rundown from Paragas, including all the European street photography results and his detailed breakdown of whether this expensive dream camera lives up to eight years of hype.
I considered buying an XPan back in 2002 when you could still buy them new of course. I went to the main Hasselblad dealer in my city and took along a roll of film to put through their demo body. I asked if I could load up the film and of course it was no problem. But the photographic opportunities around the shop floor were pretty limited, so they told me to just take a walk outside and bring it back when I was finished. No ID check, no collateral, nothing. It makes me smile to think that I could just have wandered off with that camera and simply never bothered bringing it back :)
In the end I just didn't like it. It wasn't for me, and people should probably be realistic when they think it's some kind of holy grail camera. I opted for a Noblex rotating-lens panoramic camera instead - an even quirkier beast, with a wider "angle of capture" - which I used and loved for over 20 years. Sadly some b**tard in Italy stole it from me earlier this year (serial number 104790), but of course I still have all those wonderful photos I took with it during my travels over the years.
I would, in general, disagree with these assessments of the Xpan. I owned one for almost a decade and shot literally hundreds of rolls through it. I was a working photojournalist at the time and used it for many international assignments. Sharp, simple and compact, when shot using hyperfocal prefocusing it was and remains one of the greatest street cameras aver made. Selling mine is one of my lifes great regrets as I will likely never replace it.
Also, as for the video, never go into the field with equipement you don't know well or at all and cannot trust. Had the photgrapher actually taken the time to learn and understand how to shoot the camera, perhaps the experience would have been better.
Oh.... and always bring extra batteries and a few extra rolls of film, you never know whats going to happen out there.
It's too bad this unique camera continues to be credited to Hasselblad when it was designed and manufactured by Fujifilm.