I’ve had a chance to work with the Hasselblad XCD 20mm-35mm f/3.2-4.5 E Lens, where perhaps the “E” stands for expensive, and it could stand for excellent, which it is. This lens reaches, IMO, a new level on the XCD of which I have ten XCD lenses at this point to compare.
This new lens is an amazing Zoom lens, the second Hasselblad has produced (Hasselblad XCD 35-75mm F3.5-4.5 Zoom) often known as the ‘Prime Zoom’ because each step of the zoom is as good as a prime lens. This new lens, also a zoom, is just as good or better. This is the Hasselblad 20-35mm f/3.2-4.5 E lens. I was fortunate to snag a copy and it’s on my X2D much of the time… at least of late.
I especially appreciate that it is a little closer in near-focus (12 inches) than the XCD 21mm. Both lenses are very sharp. The 21mm is still one of my favorite lenses, but I am getting to know the new 20-35mm Zoom to see if it is as good as it seems. It is.
To repeat, the just released XCD 20mm-35mm f/3.2-4.5 Zoom, like the XCD 21mm, is an astonishing lens, literally a Prime Zoom, while up to now in my photo world, the idea of a prime zoom was an oxymoron. Yet, here is one of two by Hasselblad.
Having all those primes in one Zoom is very, very helpful because the X2D is so prone to pick up dust and while I am skilled at removing it, It’s a pain in the butt.
I have shot a thousand or so images with this 20mm-35mm Zoom lens and have no complaints. It seems to have its own character, which I like, yet perhaps for hyper-detailed landscape work, it may be a little too ‘creative’. However, I love it for that.
I am shooting music festivals (five this years), some fashion work, and general city and walk-around photography. IMO, this Zoom for me
Snapshot focused on vegies in middle of the right frame.
