Hasselblad XCD 25V review: swift, sharp and sexy

The Hasselblad XCD 25V is both the latest lens for the X System, as well as the brand's latest V-series lens – a harmoniously designed range that feels like it's gradually replacing the first generation of optics.

The X System is already well served for wide-angle lenses, as the Hasselblad XCD 25V (with an equivalent 19.75mm focal length, in full frame terms) joins the older XCD 21mm and more recent XCD 28P – both slower f/4 optics, compared to the new lens' fast f/2.5 aperture.

So what does the 25V offer? With the latest leaf shutter design, improved handling and functionality and impressive optical performance, I think it's the best wide-angle lens that Hasselblad makes.

Hasselblad XCD 25V: Specifications

Hasselblad XCD 25V: Price & Availability

The Hasselblad XCD 25V is priced $3,699 in the US and £3,599 in the UK (Australian costs to be confirmed). In terms of X System lenses this is on the lower end of the pricing spectrum, though it's about a grand more than the XCD 28P – a similar focal length, but with a supremely compact form factor and a slower f/4 aperture. 

Unlike the 90V (Hasselblad's previous lens, which was largely unavailable a year after its announcement), the 25V is available now with immediate shipping from all major retailers and directly from the manufacturer. 

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Hasselblad XCD 25V: Design & Handling

The 25V joins the spectacular Hasselblad XCD 90V, 55V and 35V as the fourth V-series lens in the XCD range. Previously the manufacturer's lenses for the X System were an eclectic mix of individually ornate designs, but the V-series offers cohesive aesthetics as well as unified practical design.

Visually they share the same sleek matte-black metallic look, with pops of orange color to complement the white lettering and distance scale. Both the manual focus clutch and control ring are embellished with the signature Hasselblad "H" logo, which both looks good and provides added grip when I use the lens. 

A lens shade (Hasselblad speak for lens hood) in matching brushed black metal is also included, as you would expect of a premium lens at this price point. 

Beyond the beauty, these V lenses enjoy the same design and handling ethos – namely the shared 72mm filter thread, making it much more convenient if you already shoot or want to experiment with filters. As someone who owns the same filter in multiple sizes for other camera systems, I really appreciate this! 

As noted they also possess a manual focus clutch, enabling you to quickly take control of focusing, along with a customizable control ring that can be programmed to your preferred camera function – and can also be de-clicked, if you prefer, at the flick of a switch. While I don't often use control rings, I like that the option is there to have hard stops if I want them.

The other benefit of being a V-series lens is that the 25V features the upgraded "close-only" leaf shutter, which is optimized for rapid closure speeds with a newly designed motor and smaller exposure unit, offering flash sync at up to 1/4000 sec.

Hasselblad XCD 25V: Performance

To test this exceptional lens, I explored the beautiful Erlestoke Park Woods in the British countryside as well as the village Lacock – resting place of Henry Fox Talbot, the father of modern photography. 

The woodland was a great test for, and testament to, the 25V, as the towering trees often blotted out the sun – which would have made shooting with the older XCD 21mm or 28P f/4 lenses much more challenging. 

However, the fast f/2.5 aperture here made it possible to shoot at my ISO64 base sensitivity even while handheld – and without the in-body image stabilization of my Hasselblad X2D, as the supporting firmware was not ready at the time of testing, so please forgive any wobble in my sample images! 

The intricate treescapes also gave a good counterpoint to my colleague Ben's findings in his lab tests (below). While the charts indicate some softness in the corners (though with an asterisk, due to testing methodology), I found the corner sharpness was good enough for me. 

The above shot is an example of what you can expect in real-world shooting – and again, if shot with the benefit of image stabilization or a tripod, it's only going to get sharper than this. 

While I'm sure nobody is buying a 19.75mm equivalent to shoot blurry backgrounds, I did find that the bokeh could occasionally be a bit nervous. By shooting close to my subject I could still obliterate the background into glorious blur (as you can see in the sample image within the design portion of the review), but within a wider scene there is definitely a bit of chatter. Check out the image below to see what I mean. 

Again, though, most photographers will be using a wide-angle lens like this to stop down and render as much depth of field as possible – and only portrait snobs care about bokeh anyway! 

I was pleased with the results I got from the 25V at all apertures, but Hasseblad glass is so expertly engineered that you can rely on sharpness even when shooting wide open. The detail in every image is just sublime. 

Working with this lens really made me feel able to capture the "epicness" of a scene. I'm notoriously lazy, but it's the kind of optic that would inspire me to get up at ungodly hours to make the most of misty moors and spectacular sunrises, knowing that I'd get the most incredible results. 

Hasselblad XCD 25V: Sample Images

Hasselblad XCD 25V: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

Center and mid-frame sharpness is superb, even wide open at f/2.5, and stays so right through to f/16. Corner sharpness seems relatively mediocre, but this is in part due to the lens needing to be positioned close to our sharpness test chart to maintain correct framing. Consequently the corners of the chart are significantly further away from the lens than the center, causing them to be slightly out of focus due to the limited depth of field at larger apertures.

Fringing:

Lateral aberrations are consistently minimal throughout the aperture range, just staying below noticeable levels.

Distortion: -1.08

There's a touch of barrel distortion, but it'll usually go unnoticed in day to day shooting.

Hasselblad XCD 25V: Verdict

With plenty of fast glass at the longer end of the range, the Hasselblad XCD 25V is the wide-angle lens I've been waiting for – and the wait has been worth it. The f/2.5 aperture keeps you shooting when light is at a premium, and central sharpness is superb even wide open. 

Corner sharpness may have fallen victim to physics in our lab tests, thanks to the lens' extreme field of view, but I found them to be very, very acceptable in my real-world shooting tests.

While I appreciate the wider focal length of the XCD 21mm, the 25V is a better lens thanks to the V-series features such as the manual clutch and control ring – not to mention the uniform filter thread. 

In all this is a great lens that more than earns its place in your bag if you shoot landscapes or architecture. Hasselblad is onto a great thing with its V lenses! 

Alternatives

The first-generation Hasselblad XCD 21mm f/4 is a wider lens, with a full frame equivalent 16.6mm focal length, but is a full stop slower and lacks the control ring of the 25V. An older lens, it is no longer widely available.

Hasselblad's smallest and lightest X System lens, the XCD 28P (which I jokingly say stands for "Pancake") is also one of the most affordable. Its 22mm equivalent focal length is a touch longer than the 25V, and at f/4 it's a stop slower.

Take a look at the best Hasselblad cameras, which are among the best medium format cameras available.