Hasselblad X1D II 50Cvs D850
Hasselblad
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
Starting from £3999 new
Best for Fine art, portrait & entry-level medium format
View Hasselblad X1D II 50C
Nikon
D850 (2017)
Starting from £2199 new
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
View D850
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Fine Art, Portrait & Entry-Level Medium Format — Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019): The most accessible Hasselblad XCD body — 50MP medium-format quality for those who cannot stretch to the X2D 100C.
Landscape, Wildlife & Professional Studio Photography — D850 (2017): The finest DSLR ever made — 45MP, 9fps, and nearly 2000 shots per charge in a body that still outperforms most mirrorless cameras for battery life.
Who should buy what
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
- Photographers entering medium format for the first time without full Hasselblad pricing
- Portrait and landscape photographers who want 50MP medium-format files
- X2D 100C buyers on a budget who can live with 50MP over 100MP
- Professionals who want Hasselblad colour and build at a more accessible price
D850 (2017)
- Nikon F-mount lens owners who want the highest resolution DSLR before switching to mirrorless
- Landscape and wildlife photographers who value the optical viewfinder and outstanding battery life
- Professional photographers who need 45MP resolution without the price of a medium format system
- Photojournalists and event photographers with a large F-mount lens investment
Quick take: The hasselblad x1d ii 50c has the highest resolution at 50mp; the d850 is the most affordable; only the d850 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019) | D850 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,999 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 50MP medium-format CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.0MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | None | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K |
| Stabilisation | None | None (relies on VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 2.7fps | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) |
| Battery Life | 370 shots (CIPA) | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding |
| Weight | 766g body only | 915g body only |
| Dimensions | 148.0 × 97.0 × 73.8mm | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.87" OLED EVF, 3.69M dots | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.6" touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Hasselblad XCD | Nikon F mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hasselblad X1D II 50C | D850 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
More comparisons with Hasselblad X1D II 50C
Camera family history