The Hybrid Legend
Born from a Hasselblad-Fujifilm collaboration, the XPan (1998-2006) redefined 35mm photography by merging Scandinavian design with Japanese engineering. This titanium-clad marvel shoots both standard 24x36mm and sweeping 24x65mm panoramas—a dual-format chameleon that outlived its era.
Key Specs:
- Formats: 24x36mm (3:2) / 24x65mm (~2.7:1)
- Lenses: 30mm f/5.6, 45mm f/4, 90mm f/4 (designed by Hasselblad and made in Japan by Nittoh Kogaku)
- Battery: 2x CR2 (≈30 rolls per set)
Optical Alchemy
1. The 45mm f/4 Workhorse
- Focal Logic: Not quite 28mm’s width nor 50mm’s normalcy. Think of it as a 50mm with 30% extra peripheral vision.
- Street Mastery: Zone-focused at f/8 (hyperfocal ≈3m), it captures urban geometry without distortion drama.
2. The Forgotten 90mm f/4
- Stealth Advantage: Perfect for candid portraits across streets..
- Flare Control: Outperforms Leica Tele-Elmarit in backlight, thanks to Hasselblad’s ghosting-resistant coatings.
3. The 30mm f/5.6 White Whale
Too niche (16mm equivalent in panorama), too pricey ($4,500+). Leave it to architecture fetishists.
Continue reading Hasselblad XPan Review: The Unconventional Panoramic Poet——Where Film Meets Cinematic Vision