Hasselblad Goes Ultra-Wide with XCD 25mm f/2.5 V Lens

Hasselblad is adding an ultra-wide-angle prime to its mirrorless X System with the XCD 25mm f/2.5 V lens—the widest V-Series lens for the system yet, offering a field of view close to that of a 20mm on full-frame, along with a speedy f/2.5 design that excels in low-light conditions. The broad angle of view and bright maximum aperture pair with a portable design that’s perfect for walkaround urban photography, architectural and interior subjects, and low-light, nighttime applications. Size-wise it’s the perfect complement to Hasselblad’s compact X2D and 907X mirrorless platforms.

According to the specs, the new lens is 4.1” long, 3” in diameter (with a 72mm filter size), and weighs 1.3 lb, which is about twice the size and weight of the recent XCD 28mm f/4 P lens. However, it’s also more than twice as fast. The XCD can focus as close as 9.8” away, which translates to a 1:5.8 maximum magnification—not a close-up macro champ, but still useful for exaggerating foreground subjects with the ultra-wide field of view. Optically, the XCD has four aspherical elements and three ED elements. In other words, it’s sharp and well-controlled in terms of distortion and color. And just like all XCD V-series lenses, the XCD has a leaf shutter that supports shooting at up to 1/4000 sec with flash sync available at all speeds.

In terms of design, the XCD is like other V-series lenses with dedicated focus and control rings. The focus ring has a push-pull mechanism for shifting between AF and MF modes; when the focus ring is pushed into the MF position, a depth of field scale is revealed and there are hard focus stops at the minimum and infinity focus positions. The assignable control ring is set to adjust the aperture by default and there is a side switch that enables changing between click stops and smooth, click-less operation.

In use, the lens has a very balanced and versatile feel. It’s not as compact and portable as the P-series XCD lenses, but the added speed and refined design are well worth the slight increase in bulk, especially for working in a wider variety of lighting conditions. Hasselblad also stated the optical design has been arranged to include a small focus group and a responsive linear stepper motor for quick, precise focusing, especially with the PDAF systems of the X2D or CFV 100C.

What is most striking about this lens, though, is its optical quality, high sharpness, and ability to suppress flare and maintain color fidelity in a variety of lighting conditions. Because it has such a wide focal length, this lens is more prone to catching stray lighting or having bright spots within the image frame. However, these types of harsh lighting scenarios prove no problem for the XCD thanks to an efficient coating and thoughtful optical layout. It’s also a lens that’s up to the challenge of having a 100MP sensor behind it; the XCD provides plenty of resolution to match such a sensor and results in natural, stunning images with uniquely appealing tonal separation.

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The XCD 25mm f/2.5 V is a solid companion to Hasselblad’s X System cameras. It’s the ideal ultra-wide option for photographers favoring a huge field of view for their urban and nighttime shooting, as well as interior photographers looking for more visual room to shoot in tight interiors. All of these qualities pair with a fast design and portable build for a well-rounded optic. What are your thoughts on Hasselblad’s latest?