Hasselbald X2D vs Leica M11

[BWColor]

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20 minutes ago, kiwidad said:

This statement is true if and only if subject matter is stationary! I take pics of things that move so I have no interest  in IBIS. 
 

that rolling shutter is a big ouch too!

Funny, clearly we all shoot different things and have different needs because I find the IBIS in the Hasselblad as amazing as the low light capabilities of the M11M.  I’ve never encountered the rolling shutter.  I use electronic shutter in the X2D quite often.  Rolling shutter is never a problem because I never use it under conditions where it will be an issue. That’s not much of a constraint.

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[pgh]

8 hours ago, kiwidad said:

This statement is true if and only if subject matter is stationary! I take pics of things that move so I have no interest  in IBIS. 

That’s why I said that in my comment. Although ibis helps even at speeds of 1/60 and 1/125 which are useful for some moving subjects (like a lot of typical walking street scenes) where shake still shows up on the m11. Even there the x2d wins in use. 
rolling shutter has never once created an issue for me. 

Edited October 25 by pgh

[xiwrestledabear]

On 10/24/2025 at 9:15 PM, BWColor said:

Funny, clearly we all shoot different things and have different needs because I find the IBIS in the Hasselblad as amazing as the low light capabilities of the M11M.  I’ve never encountered the rolling shutter.  I use electronic shutter in the X2D quite often.  Rolling shutter is never a problem because I never use it under conditions where it will be an issue. That’s not much of a constraint.

As someone who is considering an m11m vs the x2d/x2d2 how would you say the Hasselblad handles low light b&w compared to the monochrome cameras? I’ve got a z8 as my workhorse camera and really just want a “fun” project camera. I’m currently borrowing an m10m from a buddy and have fallen in love with it but I’m planning to sell my gfx setup and think I may miss medium format. I think if low light is on par I can live with the added size/weight of the x2d. 

[jaapv]

Monochrome cameras always have a low light advantage. 

[SrMi]

Just now, jaapv said:

Monochrome cameras always have a low light advantage. 

Larger sensors, IBIS, and faster lenses can also help with low light, though larger sensors need more light to get their noise benefits.

[Ne314satel]

18 minutes ago, SrMi said:

Larger sensors, IBIS, and faster lenses can also help with low light, though larger sensors need more light to get their noise benefits.

If you're shooting a stationary subject, a shutter speed of 1/15th of a second with the IBIS might be comparable to the M11M, but in real-world street photography, 1/500th or even 1/1000th of a second with the M11M is unrivaled compared to the X2D2. Again, we're comparing the black-and-white and color of the X2D2. Why the X2D2 then? 

It's better to compare the M9M to the M11M—the rendering quality is completely different.

[jaapv]

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But high resolution sensors will have worse results.
In general, with modern sensors and present-day postprocessing the question of low light photography has lost much of its relevance. The low light kings in the Leica world are of course the SL2S and SL3S which can be used up to ISO 25.000 without any problem and will still produce usable results (with a bit of PP effort) up to 100.000.
One factor that must be mentioned is that some users tend to underexpose severely at night, mostly in an  attempt to compensate for extremely high-contrast highlights, forgetting that one stop in underexposure - exposure of the sensor is set by aperture and shutter speed ONLY, ISO is an in-camera amplification setting *-  equals one step up the ISO ladder. Low light photography means accepting blown specular highlights. 

Noise is not primarily caused by the ISO setting of the camera - which is nothing more than an amplification of the sensor output, both the noise and the working photons, but by too little light hitting the sensor, allowing the base noise to take over. 

*Dual base ISO sensors are a slightly more complicated story, but the same basic principles hold

[jaapv]

2 minutes ago, Ne314satel said:

It's better to compare the M9M to the M11M—the rendering quality is completely different.

Indeed. I much prefer the M9M for its rendering, despite it being an "obsolete" camera.

[SrMi]

3 minutes ago, jaapv said:

But high resolution sensors will have worse results.

When properly considered, resolution has no influence on noise.

[jaapv]

No, but pixel (sense) size has, as sensor noise is determined by the relationship between the number of photons coming from the subject and the number from the cosmic background plus impurities in the silicon. Sensel size and resolution  are obviously linked, but this is where sensor technology steps in. 

Another complicating factor is of course the in-camera noise reduction.

[SrMi]

3 minutes ago, jaapv said:

No, but pixel (sense) size has. The two are obviously linked, but this is where sensor technology steps in. 

That has been disproved with tests, measurements, and practical experience as long as you compare same output sizes, i.e, you do not compare by printing larger with higher resolution and printing smaller with low resolution sensors.

[Derbyshire Man]

4 hours ago, xiwrestledabear said:

As someone who is considering an m11m vs the x2d/x2d2 how would you say the Hasselblad handles low light b&w compared to the monochrome cameras? I’ve got a z8 as my workhorse camera and really just want a “fun” project camera. I’m currently borrowing an m10m from a buddy and have fallen in love with it but I’m planning to sell my gfx setup and think I may miss medium format. I think if low light is on par I can live with the added size/weight of the x2d. 

In researching around my summicron 35mm APO purchase I found a string of people who’d had an M11x with the 35mm APO and sold it for a X2D variant, only to miss the Leica combo and say it was as good image wise and a preferable package and then move back to Leica!

[jaapv]

7 minutes ago, SrMi said:

That has been disproved with tests, measurements, and practical experience as long as you compare same output sizes, i.e, you do not compare by printing larger with higher resolution and printing smaller with low resolution sensors.

That also comes in, but has no influence on the sensor input. It does raise questions about the interpolation methods used to create the lower resolution of the high MP sensor. Pixel binning will create virtual larger sensels. CCD sensors will have less noise than CMOS sensors but have no. on-sensor electronics to smooth the output by on-sensor processing so the photographic results are just the other way around. Copper on-sensor wiring will produce less variance (AKA noise) than the more common aluminium, as evidenced by the SL, and so on.
For instance backlit sensors will perform better as they will have no on-sensor circuitry to block part of the light. Our discussion proves that the subject is far more complicated than simple 1:1 relationships. 

[Kiwimac]

I have owned both although not at the same time. 
 

The X2D is neither significantly heavier nor larger than the M11 if you fit the small lenses. 
 

An M11 with a large M lens can be heavier than an X2D with a smaller one. 
 

The images from the X2D are fabulous. The colour of every single sensor is calibrated against the reference before the camera is packed for shipping and it shows. 
 

As a system it still required more futzing around. Sold it. Replaced it with the M11-P Safari.

 If I shot flash lit portraits using full lighting rigs, umbrellas etc in a studio or landscape images, I’d have kept it. I’ve never set foot in a studio and never shot a flash lit portrait of that kind in the almost 50 years I’ve had a camera in my hand. 
 

It is a great camera though. Just not for me. 

[IkarusJohn]

4 hours ago, xiwrestledabear said:

As someone who is considering an m11m vs the x2d/x2d2 how would you say the Hasselblad handles low light b&w compared to the monochrome cameras? I’ve got a z8 as my workhorse camera and really just want a “fun” project camera. I’m currently borrowing an m10m from a buddy and have fallen in love with it but I’m planning to sell my gfx setup and think I may miss medium format. I think if low light is on par I can live with the added size/weight of the x2d. 

I have the M9 version of the Monochrom and an X2D, which is a slightly different comparison as the Monochrom uses a CCD sensor, which is different again.

But it reinforces my perspective.

I don’t think it’s really a low light issue.  I won’t be so glib as to say it’s an apples to oranges comparison.  I never think one camera or the other. The Monochrom is fabulous, great in low light, at high ISO the noise looks more like grain than, well, digital noise.  The X2D has a high resolution 100MP sensor with IBIS and 16 stops of dynamic range (apparently); and more critically, a colour image output.  The idea of converting a binary output into colour using a filter array, then converting it back into black and white using software in processing has never appealed.

So, given the choice, I would think in two perspectives - (1) do I primarily take black and white or colour images, and (2) which camera do I prefer to use.  Low light choices, I can live with.

Speaking for myself, the X2D has the best feeling in the hand over any other camera, and the best user interface, bar none.  But, it is big and heavy.  Not unpleasantly so, but between the 2, with equivalent focal length lenses, the X2D has more presence.  That said, more discreet than an SL with an SL lens.

[SrMi]

Just held them in the hand again, and X2D II with a small prime (38V) is significantly larger and heavier than an M-EV1 with a Summicron 28mm/2.

The advantages and disadvantages of X2D when compared to M11, according to my experience:

Advantages of X2D

- higher resolution

- IBIS

- AF

- cost

Disadvantages of X2D:

- heavier and larger

- slow sensor readout

- slower camera

- flaky EVF activation (vertical shooting)

- no EVF extended mode, rear LCD is LV by default

- no Perspective Control

- no live-view highlight clipping

Of course, it is not the count of positive/negative items that matters, but how you weight them. Some of the mentioned items may bear absolutely no importance to others,

[BWColor]

12 hours ago, xiwrestledabear said:

As someone who is considering an m11m vs the x2d/x2d2 how would you say the Hasselblad handles low light b&w compared to the monochrome cameras? I’ve got a z8 as my workhorse camera and really just want a “fun” project camera. I’m currently borrowing an m10m from a buddy and have fallen in love with it but I’m planning to sell my gfx setup and think I may miss medium format. I think if low light is on par I can live with the added size/weight of the x2d. 

The X2D’s IBIS is phenomenal.  I’ve never converted a color image.  If high ISO is the measure then M11M.  When you want color, you’re out of luck.  Both are phenomenal cameras. 

[algrove]

I have owned every monochrome since the M9M and have liked each one.

 

Recently I was on a trip for about one month and used my new X2Dii in about total darkness on more than one occasion. where I had to use manual focus on a V lens and then cyan focus peaking.  It performed mircaulously. I had never used cyan before and found it changed my view of the X2Dii focus peaking. Perhaps it is better applied with the X2dII than with what I have experienced with Leica focus peaking which does not offer cyan.

One example below.

 

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[algrove]

Forgot to mention I shot a ghost town and converted all 200 images to B&W. I like them. Do keep in mind they are 11600x8700 images too.

[algrove]

On 10/23/2025 at 10:15 PM, brickftl said:

Image quality comparisons between X2D and M11 may be valid when using modern Leica glass. But if like me you much prefer the look that vintage Leica glass provides (such as the Summilux 50/1.4 pre asph shot wide open), then I’d be surprised if there are lenses for the X2D that are comparable. 

Understand your comment, but we should not forget the older Hasselblad lenses with character. The Planar 110.2.0 comes to mind (which is close to f1.4 in FF terms)and is superb as are the Superachromatic 250 and 350. Even the CF180 is extremely sharp with old lens character and was loved by fashion and portrait photographers for years.

Edited October 26 by algrove