Introduction
The Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V is a high-end, short telephoto prime lens meant for Hasselblad’s newest medium format cameras. In full-frame terms, this lens has an equivalent focal length of 71mm. It’s a useful focal length for portraiture and landscape photography, and it has all of Hasselblad’s newest features, including their most advanced leaf shutter. However, at $4300, it’s certainly an expensive lens for the relatively pedestrian maximum aperture of f/2.5.
Does the performance of the 90mm f/2.5 V justify its high price? The market sure seems to think so. It’s very hard to find copies of this lens even long after its announcement, which was in September of 2022. Partly, this is because Hasselblad didn’t really begin shipping the 90mm f/2.5 V in earnest until late 2023. But another reason is simply the high demand. Right now, the small handful of copies for sale on the used market are going for upwards of $5500 (eBay affiliate). Clearly, at least some people think that the price is acceptable for what you get.
This review will dive into my thoughts on that question. I’ve tested the Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V both in the field and in the lab to bring you the full story on this short telephoto lens. Here’s how it performs.
Build Quality
The Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V features an all-metal lens barrel, including the focusing and control rings. It feels very reassuring to hold, and the engraved text is a nice touch both for legibility and longevity. Everything about it feels high-end. (Although it does get quite cold if you’re using it in sub-freezing temperatures.)
I like that this lens isn’t particularly large or heavy. It weighs 551 grams (1.21 pounds) and measures just 95 mm (3.7 inches) long. That’s much more portable than expected for a medium format lens made with maximum performance in mind, even considering that this isn’t a wide-aperture monster.
I used the Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V in fierce wind, sand, and rain – sometimes all three at once – and am happy to report that I encountered no operational issues at all. Hasselblad does not seem to specify the degree of this lens’s weather resistance, but there is at least a rubber seal at the lens mount for preventing the ingress of dust and water. Nothing about the lens gave me pause when using it in harsh conditions.
However, I want to note that my copy of the lens, which was a rental from Hasselblad, had clearly gone through a few hands before mine. In a small area near the filter threads, some of the black coat had worn away and left a hint of bare metal visible. I suspect that with many years of use, you would notice something similar on your copy of this lens, unless you baby your equipment. That’s not uncommon in coated metal lenses.
Handling
This lens handles like a charm. There are two rings – one for focusing, one customizable – as well as a switch to click/de-click aperture. That may be a little surprising because Hasselblad cameras don’t have video capabilities, but it’s probably just future-proofing. Also, the focus ring can slide forward or backward to switch between autofocus and manual focus.
A major feature of the XCD 90mm f/2.5 V is the leaf shutter. Hasselblad has redesigned and improved the leaf shutter of their XCD V lenses, allowing a 1/4000 shutter speed (rather than 1/2000 on previous generation XCD lenses) and taking up less space in the lens. This makes the lens smaller and lighter, while also increasing its capabilities for flash photography in bright conditions. However, I did find that the leaf shutter on this lens was a bit on the loud side – clearly louder than the leaf shutter of the Hasselblad XCD 38mm f/2.5 V that I was also testing, for example.
Speaking of the 38mm f/2.5 V, I appreciated the touch that the 72mm filter thread size matches between these two lenses. It also matches the threads of the 25mm f/2.5 V and 55mm f/2.5 V – in other words, it’s nice that Hasselblad has standardized all their XCD V lenses so far to a 72mm thread. This makes it easier to share filters and lens caps across the lenses, which can be useful when working quickly in the field. (That said, most of the non-V XCD lenses have different thread diameters.)
Regarding the focus ring, I find it interesting how Hasselblad implemented the manual focus control on this lens. If you want to switch quickly to manual focus, you just slide the focusing ring forward. This also reveals a focus distance scale, which you can use in tandem with the depth of field markings to estimate which aperture you should use. These rings are more about rough focusing distance rather than precision accuracy, but I found that it was well-calibrated on my copy of the lens.
Interestingly, the design of the manual focus ring mechanically “remembers” the last distance where you were focused manually. For example, if you manually focus on a near subject, then pull back the focusing ring and autofocus on something in the distance, the lens would return to your near subject immediately when you push the focusing ring forward again. It’s a little hard to describe, but it’s easy to understand as soon as you start using the lens.
All told, I have no serious complaints where handling is concerned. The Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V is quick and smooth to use in the field, with all the handling-related features that I could ask for.
Alternatives
This is Hasselblad’s only 90mm f/2.5 lens, but it’s hardly the only short telephoto option in their lineup. Other options include the previous-generation XCD 90mm f/3.2, the XCD 80mm f/1.9, and a wide variety of older Hasselblad glass (perhaps most of all, the HC 80mm f/2.8 and HC 100mm f/2.2, both of which can be used with autofocus via the XH adapters).
In terms of features, the biggest benefits of the XCD 90mm f/2.5 V are the upgraded leaf shutter and the faster autofocus module. It is the only one of these lenses whose leaf shutter can shoot up to 1/4000 second. The other XCD lenses are limited to 1/2000 second, and the HC lenses are limited to 1/800 second.
There’s also the lighter weight and brighter maximum aperture of the 90mm f/2.5, at least compared to its 90mm f/3.2 predecessor. However, you can certainly save money by going with any of the other lenses listed here, apart from the XCD 80mm f/1.9.
Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V Specifications
- Full Name: Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V (Hasselblad also calls it the XCD 2.5/90V)
- Mount Type: Hasselblad X
- Focal Length: 90mm prime (71mm full-frame equivalent focal length)
- Angle of View (Medium Format): 34°
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.5
- Minimum Aperture: f/32
- Aperture Blades: 8, rounded
- Leaf Shutter: Yes, to 1/4000 second
- Filter Size: 72mm
- Lens Elements: 9
- Lens Groups: 6
- Special Elements: 1 aspherical, 1 ED glass
- Anti-Flare Coatings: Yes
- Internal Focusing: Yes
- Control Rings: Focus and custom
- Control Buttons: No
- Control Switches: Click/de-click aperture
- Focus Motor: Linear stepping motor
- Minimum Focus Distance: 67 cm (26 inches)
- Maximum Magnification: 0.17× (1:5.9)
- Mount Material: Metal
- Weather/Dust Sealing: Yes
- Dimensions (Length × Diameter): 95 x 75 mm (3.7 × 3.0 inches)
- Weight: 551 g (1.21 lbs)
- MSRP: $4,299
- Lowest Sale Seen: $4,299 (check current price)
The next page of this review covers the optical characteristics of the Hasselblad XCD 90mm f/2.5 V, including focusing performance and sharpness tests in the lab. So, click the menu below to go to “Optical Performance”:
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