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Hasselblad X2D II Build Quality

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Reza Maziat

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I currently have the X2D and have been thinking about upgrading to the Mark 2 for a couple of reasons (such the joystick and the extra articulation of the rear screen). However, I have come across several online post made by people who have upgraded from the Mark I to the Mark II and they have all noticed that the built quality of the new version seems to have dropped. They mention that the shutter button as well as the buttons on the rear screen are all made of plastic, that the two control wheels are very mushy and not as precise as those on the X2D and other niggles (such as the body cap now being made of plastic instead of metal).

For those that have upgraded from X2D to X2D II, can you please confirm whether there is any truth to these claims? Does the latest version of the camera feel it has lost some of its built quality? Any truth to the above claims?

Thanks
 
Sensei Rob said:
I’m awaiting a reply here, too. I think these days, people like you and I are pretty rare. If it was up to me, that rear LCD screen would be sapphire crystal.
Click to expand...
I know that this may sound silly, but to me, aesthetics and especially, superior built quality, are equally as important as the functionality of a camera.
 
I just called the DJI store in London and they confirmed that the shutter button is now plastic and that they have already had some negative comments from customers who have noticed it too. They however couldn’t confirm whether the buttons on the screen are metal or not.
 
If build quality has dropped this would be a disappointment. I have mine on order, so will just have to wait and see. The new price gave me pause on the quality issue. They claim that the new point on the camera is more durable. Plastic is not a terrible thing, if it is high quality. Fuji's lenses are made of a polycarbonate plastic, but it is actually really good.
 
I do not have the Mark 1 with me to check for differences, but I do not notice any decrease in build quality. The only difference is a tighter lens mount which I prefer over the Mark 1 mount.

The control wheela are not mushy.
 
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I am planning to visit the store tomorrow to see for myself. Will report back.

What worries me most is that, aside from the external changes, the significant price drop may have been achieved through lower quality internals. I guess we would never know, but I have already seen at least a couple of YouTube videos of the grip cover glue coming off and the viewfinder housing being misaligned to the rest of the body.
 
SrMi said:
I do not have the Mark 1 with me to check for differences, but I do not notice any decrease in build quality. The only difference is a tighter lens mount which I prefer over the Mark 1 mount.

The control wheela are not mushy.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response.
 
Curious, did the user happen to drop the camera? The viewfinder becoming misaligned to me would require a pretty hard hit by something. The only issue I have seen positive proof of is one user with a considerable light leak on the left side of the camera. Very easy to see in his test shots. The concern I had was that Hasselblad told him that was "standard" within specs. No way that is possible.


I believe you have to be a member to view the images.

Paul
 
Reza Maziat said:
SrMi said:
I do not have the Mark 1 with me to check for differences, but I do not notice any decrease in build quality. The only difference is a tighter lens mount which I prefer over the Mark 1 mount.

The control wheela are not mushy.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response.
Click to expand...
I do not have the Mark 1 either, but I do have the X2d II and do not find the wheels mushy, nor do I find that the buttons are of troublesome quality. Buttons and wheels work with precision, both in regard to function and tactile sensation.

What I do find odd, however, is that while the X2d was apparently given “multi-shot,” the X2d II does not appear to have it … unless I overlooked that setting.
 
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Interesting. When you tether the mkii to Phocus you do not get the option for the 4shot multishot? They never released the 6 shot at all.



Paul
 
cortex95x said:
Reza Maziat said:
SrMi said:
I do not have the Mark 1 with me to check for differences, but I do not notice any decrease in build quality. The only difference is a tighter lens mount which I prefer over the Mark 1 mount.

The control wheela are not mushy.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response.
Click to expand...
I do not have the Mark 1 either, but I do have the X2d II and do not find the wheels mushy, nor do I find that the buttons are of troublesome quality. Buttons and wheels work with precision, both in regard to function and tactile sensation.

What I do find odd, however, is that while the X2d was apparently given “multi-shot,” the X2d II does not appear to have it … unless I overlooked that setting.
Click to expand...
Multi-shot is a Phocus function and requires tethered camera. There is nothing in the camera.
 
SrMi said:
cortex95x said:
Reza Maziat said:
SrMi said:
I do not have the Mark 1 with me to check for differences, but I do not notice any decrease in build quality. The only difference is a tighter lens mount which I prefer over the Mark 1 mount.

The control wheela are not mushy.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response.
Click to expand...
I do not have the Mark 1 either, but I do have the X2d II and do not find the wheels mushy, nor do I find that the buttons are of troublesome quality. Buttons and wheels work with precision, both in regard to function and tactile sensation.

What I do find odd, however, is that while the X2d was apparently given “multi-shot,” the X2d II does not appear to have it … unless I overlooked that setting.
Click to expand...
Multi-shot is a Phocus function and requires tethered camera. There is nothing in the camera.
Click to expand...
Thank you, appreciate the information. It was more a question than a complaint, since I have no use for the function and do not tether.
 
I see no difference in build quality between the Mark 1 and Mark 2. The fact that the shutter button may be plastic is completely irrelevant to me. It works.

Both cameras were and are solidly built and are fantastic to hold and to use.

Whether the upgrade is worthwhile is a matter for your personal preference. As far as I can tell, having using the Mark 1 for a couple of years, there is no fall off in build quality.

The fully retractable screen so that one can use it in waist level mode, better quality screen, the addition of the joystick and 3 other customisable buttons (including the 2 dials) all appeal to me. AF is definitely improved although I haven't yet tried out the AFC option since my dog doesn't seem to like having cameras pointed at him and instead curls up and stares at me. But the subject recognition works well with him.

All in all a beautiful, solid and wonderfully built camera. But the image quality remains the same as the Mark 1.
 
  • Plastic shutter release in X2Dii—True
  • Plastic body cap—True
  • Plastic buttons near LCD—can’t tell what they are made of, but they do not convey an impression that is better or worse than in the X2D
  • New paint more durable—possibly true as the old black paint wore off quite quickly on high-wear edges, so not a very high bar
  • New grip material and texture is really ugly compared to the predecessor, but it is also more functional in that it has a bit more give and is less slippery; don’t like the look as much but love the feel
  • Lenses are a bit tighter on the mount than with my old camera, but no way for me to see for sure whether that’s because the camera is now or because there was an intentional change. I can still wiggle a mounted lens, but less than before.
  • Dial “click” function mushy—false
Overall, there are some cost cutting measures that likely have no effect at all on the durability or usability of the new camera. I don’t think I would go so far as to say build quality is lower. Is a plastic body cap indicative of lower build quality? Or is it just choosing a material that saves some money and weight, and works at least as well as its predecessor? I would leant towards the latter. In addition to the cost savings in the button and the body cap, there are areas where Hasselblad spent a few extra cents and arguably raised the build quality. In particular, I’m thinking of the doors over the ports which now snap in place with magnets rather than little plastic latches.

On balance, I see no drop off in build quality. The camera feels as dense and as well put together as before. Weight is similar. The new grip texture is ugly but more comfortable and secure. Two problem areas from the predecessor seem to have been addressed—the fragile doors over the ports and the paint quality. I would not avoid the upgrade over fears of build quality deteriorating.
 
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Jared Willson said:
  • Plastic shutter release in X2Dii—True
  • Plastic body cap—True
  • Plastic buttons near LCD—can’t tell what they are made of, but they do not convey an impression that is better or worse than in the X2D
  • New paint more durable—possibly true as the old black paint wore off quite quickly on high-wear edges, so not a very high bar
  • New grip material and texture is really ugly compared to the predecessor, but it is also more functional in that it has a bit more give and is less slippery; don’t like the look as much but love the feel
Click to expand...
A reddit user compared it to the look of a veiny ball sack😁 and after reading that I can't unsee it. 😂
Jared Willson said:
  • Lenses are a bit tighter on the mount than with my old camera, but no way for me to see for sure whether that’s because the camera is now or because there was an intentional change. I can still wiggle a mounted lens, but less than before.
  • Dial “click” function mushy—false
Overall, there are some cost cutting measures that likely have no effect at all on the durability or usability of the new camera. I don’t think I would go so far as to say build quality is lower. Is a plastic body cap indicative of lower build quality?
Click to expand...
I would rather have a plastic body cap than a metal body cap rubbing over a precision machined surface every time I take the cap on and off.
Jared Willson said:
Or is it just choosing a material that saves some money and weight, and works at least as well as its predecessor? I would leant towards the latter. In addition to the cost savings in the button and the body cap, there are areas where Hasselblad spent a few extra cents and arguably raised the build quality. In particular, I’m thinking of the doors over the ports which now snap in place with magnets rather than little plastic latches.
Click to expand...
That would inspire confidence. Even the doors on the X1DII seem solid. This is definitely more welcome.
Jared Willson said:
On balance, I see no drop off in build quality. The camera feels as dense and as well put together as before. Weight is similar. The new grip texture is ugly but more comfortable and secure. Two problem areas from the predecessor seem to have been addressed—the fragile doors over the ports and the paint quality. I would not avoid the upgrade over fears of build quality deteriorating.
Click to expand...
I think I would still lean towards the newer camera.
 
Last edited:
yogi4fitness said:
Jared Willson said:
  • Plastic shutter release in X2Dii—True
  • Plastic body cap—True
  • Plastic buttons near LCD—can’t tell what they are made of, but they do not convey an impression that is better or worse than in the X2D
  • New paint more durable—possibly true as the old black paint wore off quite quickly on high-wear edges, so not a very high bar
  • New grip material and texture is really ugly compared to the predecessor, but it is also more functional in that it has a bit more give and is less slippery; don’t like the look as much but love the feel
Click to expand...
A reddit user compared it to the look of a veiny ball sack😁 and after reading that I can't unsee it. 😂
yogi4fitness said:
  • Lenses are a bit tighter on the mount than with my old camera, but no way for me to see for sure whether that’s because the camera is now or because there was an intentional change. I can still wiggle a mounted lens, but less than before.
  • Dial “click” function mushy—false
Overall, there are some cost cutting measures that likely have no effect at all on the durability or usability of the new camera. I don’t think I would go so far as to say build quality is lower. Is a plastic body cap indicative of lower build quality?
Click to expand...
I would rather have a plastic body cap than a metal body cap rubbing over a precision machined surface every time I take the cap on and off.
yogi4fitness said:
Or is it just choosing a material that saves some money and weight, and works at least as well as its predecessor? I would leant towards the latter. In addition to the cost savings in the button and the body cap, there are areas where Hasselblad spent a few extra cents and arguably raised the build quality. In particular, I’m thinking of the doors over the ports which now snap in place with magnets rather than little plastic latches.
Click to expand...
That would inspire confidence. Even the doors on the X1DII seem solid. This is definitely more welcome.
yogi4fitness said:
On balance, I see no drop off in build quality. The camera feels as dense and as well put together as before. Weight is similar. The new grip texture is ugly but more comfortable and secure. Two problem areas from the predecessor seem to have been addressed—the fragile doors over the ports and the paint quality. I would not avoid the upgrade over fears of build quality deteriorating.
Click to expand...
I think I would still lean towards the newer camera.
Click to expand...
I did. I bought the new camera. I'm pleased with the decision to swap. It allows me to use the Hasselblad in many situations when I would previously have chosen one of my Fuji X-series bodies just because of the slow and unsure autofocus of the Hasselblad. It won't matter at all for landscape work, but suddenly I feel like portraiture and travel photography are a good fit for the Hasselblad when previously they just weren't.
 
It's entirely possible that some may have mushy buttons/dials, you having a camera where it's not the case does not necessarily make the statement invalid.

And if the company still cares about quality one can probably can get that fixed.
 
Jared Willson said:
  • Plastic shutter release in X2Dii—True
  • Plastic body cap—True
  • Plastic buttons near LCD—can’t tell what they are made of, but they do not convey an impression that is better or worse than in the X2D
  • New paint more durable—possibly true as the old black paint wore off quite quickly on high-wear edges, so not a very high bar
  • New grip material and texture is really ugly compared to the predecessor, but it is also more functional in that it has a bit more give and is less slippery; don’t like the look as much but love the feel
  • Lenses are a bit tighter on the mount than with my old camera, but no way for me to see for sure whether that’s because the camera is now or because there was an intentional change. I can still wiggle a mounted lens, but less than before.
  • Dial “click” function mushy—false
Overall, there are some cost cutting measures that likely have no effect at all on the durability or usability of the new camera. I don’t think I would go so far as to say build quality is lower. Is a plastic body cap indicative of lower build quality? Or is it just choosing a material that saves some money and weight, and works at least as well as its predecessor? I would leant towards the latter. In addition to the cost savings in the button and the body cap, there are areas where Hasselblad spent a few extra cents and arguably raised the build quality. In particular, I’m thinking of the doors over the ports which now snap in place with magnets rather than little plastic latches.

On balance, I see no drop off in build quality. The camera feels as dense and as well put together as before. Weight is similar. The new grip texture is ugly but more comfortable and secure. Two problem areas from the predecessor seem to have been addressed—the fragile doors over the ports and the paint quality. I would not avoid the upgrade over fears of build quality deteriorating.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your comprehensive response. I visited the DJI store and compared the new camera to the old one. From an asthetics point of view, the old one, in my view, is much better looking, both paint colour and the grip material are better. But, as you say, the shutter button aside, I also didn't feel a dip in build quality. I now need to decide whether to trade in my X2D for the new one or wait for the X3D. I do think that the joystick and extra articulation of screen will be useful to me. I didn't see any difference in rear screen quality.
 
nurf said:
It's entirely possible that some may have mushy buttons/dials, you having a camera where it's not the case does not necessarily make the statement invalid.

And if the company still cares about quality one can probably can get that fixed.
Click to expand...
I should have provided more detail in my statement rather than just saying "false" that the dials are more mushy.

When turning the dials, the feeling is different from the previous version. The detents are more muted/dampened. One might prefer the new feel, or one might prefer the old feel. I happen to prefer the new, but reasonable people might disagree.

What I think is "false" is to say that the new feel is less precise or to describe it as mushy. I do not find it any easier or harder to select ⅓ stop adjustments with the new camera.

Could there be sample variation as well? Sure. I have used two X2Dii's, the store demo unit and my own. That's not a large sample size. It's just that I don't see any evidence of decreased build quality. There are some changes one could argue are improvements in build quality/materials. There are some changes one could argue are steps back in build quality/materials. I think anyone making their purchasing decision based upon these very nuanced differences is making a mistake. The changes in build quality are, at most, subtle.
 
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