Member-only story
For the Biggest Job of My Life, I Went With Hasselblad
I recently landed a dream assignment: creating a massive high-res composite for a giant mural in a very public location. I can’t talk about the client just yet, but I can talk about the camera — because this job let me do something rare: get a new one.
The project demanded large-scale detail and wide, corner-to-corner accuracy, so the pack narrowed quickly to medium format. And while Fuji’s tracking and burst rate were tempting, especially for someone who shoots a lot of movement, this project didn’t need burst shooting. Every shot is very intentional. In the end, it came down to one lens: the Hasselblad 25mm f/2.5. Fast, wide, and an optical masterpiece — it fit so perfectly with the assignment that it, even more than the body, made the decision.
That said, the Hasselblad X2D isn’t the obvious choice of camera for this assignment. While the images are planned, there is also a run-and-gun element to the production; in and out of 8 different environments, quick adjustments, and a certain ruggedness to what we’re doing. I’m used to cameras that are tried and tested in the most rigorous environments — it just offers some peace of mind to hold a camera built to handle whatever. The Hasselblad doesn’t completely fit that bill. While the camera is certainly having its moment on YouTube and Instagram, very few if any reviewers have…
