What's going on with DJI / Hasselblad x2d II 100c lack of video mode?

[Andrew Reid]

Still no video mode on the X2D II.

The DPReview preview doesn't even mention it.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/hasselblad-x2d-ii-100c-initial-review?utm_source=self-desktop&utm_medium=marquee&utm_campaign=traffic_source

Yet they added IBIS and an articulated screen, like the GFX 100 II... it has the same sensor as the Fuji... yet doesn't even do 1080p, let alone 8K!

This is odd behaviour from DJI!

Also still no curtain shutter, so no adaptable lenses (electronic shutter speed is too slow).

DJI are not handling the Hasselblad brand very well in my view.

And X2D II sounds more like a star wars robot than a camera. X Two D... Two... Why the two twos?

Why isn't it called the X1D Mark 3?

[MrSMW]

4 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

Why isn't it called the X1D Mark 3

I’d have gone with X1D3PO myself.

But otherwise I guess they are filling that niche of pure photo camera?

I’d have one as a my ‘one & done’ along with the new zoom lens, but I couldn’t justify the cost.

Instead, 2x S1RII’s + 4 faster primes than the Hassie lens, for a total of approx 1/2 the price (paid approx €2800 for each of my  S1RII’s and 3 of my lenses purchased used) and I can shoot 7.2k 30p open gate video.

I haven’t looked at a single Hassie review yet, but will in time, just for curiosity, but it still won’t ever be happening for me.

[ND64]

Serious landscape shooters don't need IBIS, but they improved it to 10 stop! Landscape shooters always shoot raw, but they added HDR Jpeg! Studio shooters shoot in controlled lighting environment, but they added LIDAR that helps in a random dark street! All the improvements, and even pricing, are in the direction of making MF mainstream, not serving the niche, yet it doesn't video, which is the key to become mainstream. 

[MrSMW]

For me, it would simply be a ‘one & done’ wedding photo unit, so all these new features are a bonus.

The only thing it really lacks is a fully adjustable screen for vertical shooting. A bit of a silly omission IMO.

Still wouldn’t be an obstacle for me buying one as that obstacle is purely price.

[Snowfun]

On 8/27/2025 at 12:04 AM, Andrew Reid said:

This is odd behaviour from DJI!

Unless the intention is to keep the brand exclusive and esoteric? 
DJI can, after all, release whatever they want under the DJI brand so I can see the attraction in maintaining a “not for everyone” product line.

(But why they then add Everyman features such as IBIS I have no idea)

[MrSMW]

IBIS is good for longer duration exposures without a tripod.

So for landscape photographers, use a tripod! Any serious one’s do.

It helps me with slightly longer handheld exposures on jobs in lowlight, but I could also be less of a lazyarse and use a tripod.

So required? Nope. So why include it? Dunno 🤷‍♂️

[BTM_Pix]

I can’t remember but did they get a lot of negativity when video was included in the X1D range so left it out of the X2D and haven’t bothered putting it back in?

It was a period of photographers whining about any sort of video sullying their purist fetish but most of that noise has died out these days.

Possibly literally in many cases.

I suspect it’s only a (paid perhaps) firmware update away from being included, particularly as the collection of bros they gave it to to “review” are hybrid shooters who would welcome the chance to generate some more “This changes everything” fluff a few months down the line.

I suspected the inclusion of IBIS was originally to facilitate a pixel shift mode for when 100mp isn’t enough (!) but that’s not in there either.

They just say it’s there for handheld shots of blurred streams and nighttime traffic streaks, which has it’s place I suppose.

 

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, BTM_Pix said:

I suspect it’s only a (paid perhaps) firmware update away from being included

Yes, I was thinking the same and in 3-6 months there may indeed be some kind of (probably paid as the camera is cheaper than the older model) unlock code. And then we can get videos of mountain streams and city traffic lights as well as the photos. Yay.

[Ilkka Nissila]

Given the central shutters in the X series lenses, it's more special as a portrait camera for location use than landscape or studio IMO. The fast sync speeds possible without power loss make it a good choice for outdoor portraits with flash lighting combined with natural light. In dim conditions and if the subject is more dynamic, the LIDAR should be a good technology to incorporate given DJI use it elsewhere (drones, movie camera). IBIS is obviously very useful for portraiture in low light. Yes, of course it is also great for landscape etc. but for me at least, having access to tilt/shift lenses and telezooms is important for landscape.

 

Video from a slow read time 100 MP sensor seems like an exercise in frustration: there would be rolling shutter and the processor would have to work very hard to downsample the 100 MP to sane video resolutions. DJI owns a majority stake in Hasselblad but probably these cameras are still designed and manufactured in Sweden with some technology collaboration (LIDAR) with DJI.

[eatstoomuchjam]

The GFX 100 series cameras support HSS with compatible flashes which, to some extent, reduces the usefulness of a leaf shutter for flash sync.  Plus I doubt that there's anything technically that would make it impossible for Fuji to release a leaf shutter lens for GFX and just disable the focal plane shutter when it's attached.
But sure, if right at this minute, you are religiously opposed to HSS flash and want to do high speed flash photography, the Hasselblad isn't the craziest choice.  Do prepare to break out the wallet, though, since many of the lenses cost 20-50% more than the equivalent Fujinon lens.

As far as video from the 100MP sensor being an exercise in frustration, Fuji have been able to do it since 2019 when the GFX 100 was released.  Strong rolling shutter?  Yes (though the GFX 100 II allows trading some quality in 4k mode for greatly reduced RS).  Powerful processor to downsample 100MP?  Nope, reading out 100MP from that sensor 24 times per second isn't a thing.  Fuji do some sort of line skipping or binning to get there.  The quality's still enough that in just a couple of months, they'll be releasing a cinema camera built around the same sensor.

But with a different sensor, there's already a camera on the market that can do nearly 100MP at 80fps from a full frame sensor with really acceptable RS - the Ursa Cine 12K LF.  And there's one that can do approximately 140MP at 60fps from a medium format sensor - the Ursa Cine 17K.  So even those data rates aren't insurmountable (though those are big bodies with fans).

Anyway, there's no reason that Hassy can't include video in the X2D series - they just choose not to.

[MrSMW]

6 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

in just a couple of months, they'll be releasing a cinema camera built around the same sensor

That could be something a bit special for the hybrid shooter like me with a GFX100something on the left hip for stills and the Eterna on the right.

But not next year for me...if ever, as I'm all in on what I have now...but maybe a couple of years down the road.

It would depend for me just what it might bring to the table I didn't already have and as Hassie is the dream (for stills anyway), I will never again shoot on cross-platform brands other than for stuff like drone.

6 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Anyway, there's no reason that Hassy can't include video in the X2D series - they just choose not to.

Pretty sure that is the case and probably won't hurt their sales as most likely 99.9% who criticise the lack of video features would not buy the camera even if it did (have video capability).