HASSELBLAD XCD 21mm F4

The widest angle lens among medium format digital prime lenses, equivalent to 17mm.

A review and Photo example of HASSELBLAD XCD 21mm F4.

Gallery

Review

Usage
Lens overview
Differences from other lenses

1.Usage

The XCD 21mm F4 is the widest-angle lens in the X-mount lenses used in the Hasselblad X series.

This is the second XCD lens I’ve introduced, and I bought it brand new at a reasonable price because I felt that a wide-angle lens was essential for the camera system. The brightness of F4 and high ISO sensitivity are sufficient for the practical X series, and when using Phocus, various corrections are well done and there is no dimming or distortion, allowing you to obtain wide-angle images with a natural blur and a three-dimensional feel. It is very pleasing to have a 17mm equivalent angle of view with this size. The backlight resistance is also decent, and there is no major breakdown in the image even without a hood.

The autofocus (AF) focusing speed feels the same as the XCD 45, and although the focus accuracy depends largely on the camera, I was not dissatisfied when using it with the X1D and X1DII. The AF drive sound and shutter sound are quieter than the XCD 45, and it is almost silent when used outdoors.

I sold the XCD 21mm because I got the HC24mm + XH-Converter0.8 (the focal length in 35mm equivalent is 240.80.8=16mm), but if you are only using the XCD, this is an essential lens that covers the wide-angle range.

2.Lens overview

When used with an X-series camera, the XCD 21mm F4 becomes a wide-angle lens of about 17mm.

The lens has a simple design with only a focus ring, and has a simple appearance without the V mark like the expensive XCD lenses.

The price was about 440,000 yen when released new in 2019, and it has the same 1/2000 lens shutter as other XCD lenses. It is compact as a wide-angle lens compatible with medium format sensors, weighing 600g, but it doesn’t feel heavy because it is light for its volume.

This lens is designed to be used with a 44x33mm digital sensor, and the lens itself has a distortion of about -3%, so the image is distorted to a certain extent. However, problems such as distortion and lack of peripheral light are corrected when developing with Phocus. The correction is well done because it uses original dedicated parameters.

3.Differences from other lenses

The Fujifilm GFX series, which is equipped with the same medium-format digital sensor, includes a 21mm focal length lens in the zoom lens lineup, and prime lenses start at 23mm.

The actual focal length of the XCD 21mm is also 22mm when rounded up, so it can be said that there is almost no difference with the Fujifilm.

I don’t own any Fujifilm lenses, so I can’t say anything, but if you compare the specs alone, the zoom 20-35mm is versatile. The 23mm was released in 2017, and the 20-35 zoom was released in 2021, so before 2021, the only option was 23mm, but those who choose 23mm after the release of the 20-35 zoom must be very particular about primes. In fact, the used price of 23mm is flying low, and the buyback price at major camera stores is miserable. If a lens with a focal length of 18mm (14mm focal length in 35mm format equivalent) is released with Fujifilm’s technology, interest in the GFX series will increase. When I saw a cheap used 23mm lens I was a little tempted, but I didn’t buy it because I didn’t have the body.

Specification

Items	XCD 21mm	GF23mmF4	GF20-35
Focal length(mm)	21.8	23	20-35
35mm equivalent focal length	17	18	16-28
Max aperture	4	4	4
Min aperture	32	32	22
Leaf blade	8	9	9
Lens Construction	13elements in 9groups （非球面レンズ2枚）	15elements in 12groups	14elements in 10groups
Min distance(m)	0.35	0.38	0.35（全域）
Lens length(mm)	101	103	112.5
Max diameter(mm)	83	89	89
Filter Size(mm)	77	82	82
Weight(g)	600	845	725
Release date	2018.05	2017.06.22	2021.9.29
Price(Yen/No-tax)	Open price (Reference price ¥433,000-)	¥339,500-	¥367,000-

XCD 4/21 lens specification manual PDF

Reference links

Update history

2024.9.1
2024.02.18:Update
2022.06.28:First draft

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