Hasselblad Breaks Image Stabilization Limit

2025.08.26

The maker of ultra-premium Medium-Format Digital Cameras, Hasselblad just blasted beyond the current limit of image-stabilization performance with the launch the their latest Mirrorless. The new Hasselblad X2D II 100C is a 100 megapixels camera with a 5-axis IBIS system that delivers up to 10-stops of efficiency compared to shooting hand-held! Until now a dozen or so cameras reached 8-stops with gradual performance improvements.

The Hasselblad X2D II 100C is a second-generation Medium-Format Mirrorless Digital Cameras built around a 100 megapixels BSI-CMOS sensor with 0.8X crop-factor and 4:3 aspect-ratio. This sensor is very similar to the one used in the predecessor, now with a lower ISO 50 base-sensitivity, allowing it to increase its dynamic-range by 1/3 EV to 15.3-stops. This is near the theoretical limit of the 16-bit sensor used in the X2D II. The camera gets to keep the same ISO 25600 maximum sensitivity and electronic-shutter with a maximum 1/6000s speed. At the other extreme, this camera is cable of Bulb exposures up to 68 minutes.

The record-breaking 10-stop IBIS mechanism in the Hasselblad X2D II 100C is nothing short of amazing. It was previously thought that 6½-stops was the limit without accounting for the rotation of the Earth. The manufacturer maintains that it is possible to capture exposures of several seconds hand-held now. Considering that there is a large 100 MP sensor in this camera makes it even more impressive!

Another new addition to the X2D II is a LIDAR autofocus system on top of built-in Phase-Detect AF. This should make the new model much faster than its predecessor. The combined Phase-Detect and LIDAR autofocus of the X2D II offers 425-points to choose from and supports continuous AF with subject tracking. There is now an extra joystick on the back of the camera, in addition to dual control-dials. Most of the design remains just as minimalist as the original X2D. At the back, there is a huge 5.8 MP 0.66" EVF showing 100% coverage at 1X magnification and comes with an essential Eye-Start Sensor. An enormous 3.6" LCD with 2.4 MP at the back is mounted on a double-hinge tilting mechanism.

This mirrorless takes CF Express Type B cards and packs in a whopping 1 TB of internal memory. It captures in JPEG, RAW, HEIF and Ultra JPEG, the two latter format being able to handle HDR images. The camera itself is not officially weatherproof yet is freezeproof to -10C and can handle more heat than most. While the H2D II has a good amount of features, this is strictly a camera for photography. Along with the camera, Hasselblad introduced a new zoom lens, the XCD 35-100mm F/2.8-4E. It is equivalent to a 28-80mm Full-Frame lens. This lens sports triple rings, for aperture, focal-length and focus. Necessarily for a Medium-Format lens, this is a large and heavy one with a 9cm diameter and 13cm length. It weighs just under 900g and accepts 86mm filters. This is just a little heavier than the camera which weighs 840g.

Both are expected to be available in October. It is already possible to preorder the Hasselblad X2D II 100C for $7400 USD from Adorama or B&H Photo. Similarly, preorders for the XCD 35-100mm F/2.8-4E from Adorama or B∧H Photo are available for $4600 USD. Unusually, the launch price for the X2D II is lower than the original.

• Digital Camera
• Lens