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GOTHENBURG MANUFACTURER Hasselblad is famed for making the film cameras that made it to the moon between 1969 and 1972 (all but one of which remain there to this day). Now, it has proved its mastery of digital technology with the X1D. A mirrorless medium-format camera with a mighty 51-megapixel sensor, the X1D combines all the perks of digital single-lens reflex equivalents but without their hefty bulk. It weighs in at only 725g (sans lens), an achievement that should ensure its appeal to photography professionals.

Alongside a Scandinavian approach to design and build quality, the X1D comes replete with GPS, wi-fi, dual card

Hasselblad X1D

Vishanka Gandhi takes a look at the best of recent camera releases, starting with the highly anticipated launch of the

medium-format digital X1D from Hasselblad

LIFESTYLE / CAMERAS

slots and USB 3.0, and a pretty decent battery life to boot – the last has long been top of the list of photographic first-world problems. The aesthetic neatly balances retro and revisionist, with Hasselblad’s trademark yellow shutter button in place within the contoured but pleasingly solid single-piece aluminium chassis.

And there’s another upside – the price tag is high (although pricier rivals exist) but, when technology moves on, the Hasselblad X1D will surely end up as a collector’s item. So you can reassure your partner that it’s an investment as you cancel all your holiday plans. ◆hasselblad.com

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IN A MARKET flooded with promises of infinite resolution, the 13-megapixel Polaroid Snap+ positions itself as a playful ‘Click, Print and Share’ device. Designed by Brooklyn and San Francisco-based studio Ammunition, it upgrades Polaroid’s instant legacy by adding video capability, wireless connectivity and MicroSD storage, as well as an inbuilt zero-ink printer that holds up to ten images in a queue and produces 2 x 3in prints (with or without the classic Polaroid border of old).

A NEW ARRIVAL in the growing field of action cameras, Nikon’s KeyMission 360 is a 20-megapixel video camera that not only shoots what is directly in front of you, but also captures a full 360° view of your surroundings in 4K ultra-high definition. While some of its competitors use four and even eight lenses to achieve a similar field of vision, KeyMission 360 manages this with only two lenses and two sensors. These are placed on opposite sides of the body, creating two interestingly domelike protrusions, and the resulting images are

Nikon KeyMission

360Action camera for fully

immersive videos

stitched together to create an immersive 360° video that is best experienced when watched on a VR headset.

KeyMission 360’s cuboid appearance is on the robust side, with a no-fuss aesthetic reminiscent of the much-mourned Instagram icon of old, and is touted by Nikon as freeze-proof, shockproof and waterproof (up to a depth of 30m). All of this ensures that you can follow the Japanese firm’s exhortation to ‘mount the camera on your body as you explore what makes your life meaningful’ (if icy impacts in ocean depths are your bag). KeyMission 360 suffered from a six-month production delay courtesy of the Kumamoto earthquakes in Kyushu, but anticipation remains high among those keen to mount it on mountain bikes, clip it to canoes or fasten it to foreheads. ◆ europe-nikon.com

The minimal design language nods to the original Polaroid OneStep, but also incorporates a 3.5in LCD touchscreen for framing shots and navigating the menu within the clean body. And, to entice a new generation, a self-timer option and pop-up selfie mirror have been added, as well as four colour options, ensuring a strong balance between retro and revolution.

Finally, a free Polaroid Snap+ app allows you to add creative filters, digital stickers, effects and controls to your images with your smartphone, and then print these instantly from the Snap+ via Bluetooth, transforming an individual activity into one of collective celebration. ◆polaroid.com

Polaroid Snap+

Click and print, with added video and connectivity

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