Capturing the expanse of the American West is no easy task
especially with scenery that is at times colorful drab wet and dry these vistas
can be found throughout Colorado where photographer Bjorn Peterson is on a
mission to capture the varied landscapes on a format best suited to sheer scale
and impression though armed with his own keen sense as a landscape photographer
Bjorn has a particular weapon of choice here the Hasselblad X1D II 50C a
mirrorless medium format digital camera
Traditionally larger than their 35-millimeter brethren medium format
cameras have been considered unwieldy for the long arduous journey that Bjorn
has embarked upon but as a mirrorless camera can the x1d II with its smaller
form factor and lighter body give Bjorn the edge he needs
Mount Evans even by car it takes approximately 90 minutes to reach the
summit but every minute is breathtaking from the start the lighter weight of the
x1d II makes it easier for Bjorn to walk along the rocky terrain that of course
means more time to take in the view and atop Mount Evans mountain goats greet
the crew as nightfall approaches Bjorn sets up to photograph the plantlife
though life overall may seem sparse out here insects are not to be ignored
the skies darken though there is still plenty of light in the area the thick
clouds have rendered the grass a muted green the x1d II however with its 14
stops of dynamic range breathes life and light into the scene the next morning
the crew returns to a nearby spectacle the great sand dunes at first glance the
color here may appear uniform but the gentle gradients of the dunes are harder
to capture than one might expect color reproduction through Hasselblad's
natural color solution or HNCS creates stunningly natural images of course
16-bit color doesn't hurt you
the Sun reflecting off the surface creates one of the most classically
challenging environments to shoot in the x1d II handles it with ease
as a successor to the first generation the X1D II 50C builds on much of the
original versions design choices utilizing a 50 megapixel CMOS sensor
measuring 44 x 33 millimeters in dimension new electronics help the
camera process the data faster reducing blackout and startup times the
viewfinder now features three point 69 million dots with a magnification of
0.87 times while the LCD has expanded to three point six inches and while the
team didn't get the chance to test it here the X systems leaf shutter lenses
offer a serious advantage in the studio flash sync speeds of up to 1/2000th of a
second
after a week of adventure Colorado's own natural splendor delivers a captivating
end to Bjørn's time with the camera people from around the world have
gathered here to witness something extraordinary
a sunset with sunlight this harsh getting an idea of the image can be
exceedingly difficult but fortunately the new EVF helps Bjorn compose even
here
the Hasselblad X1D II 50C signifies a change in what medium format is what it
can do though it's not as fast as more mainstream full-frame cameras medium
format strength has always been its sheer image quality combined with
advances in mirrorless technology and color processing it is now possible to
realistically use medium format out in the wild
the x1d twos simplistic clutter-free design lighter weight and X system
lenses make it a marvel to use but you don't have to take my word for it