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Hasselblad Reveals Beautiful But Pricey Stellar II Compact

 & Jim Fisher Principal Writer, Cameras

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Hasselblad has announced another special edition camera, this time based on the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II. It follows the Lunar (a premium NEX-7) and the original Stellar (based on the first RX100 in the company's line of premium versions of Sony cameras.

The Sony RX100 II was a winner from an image quality perspective, and the Stellar II uses all of the same internals. They include a 1-inch, 20-megapixel image sensor with a BSI-CMOS design, 1080p video recording, integrated Wi-Fi with NFC, and support for an add-on EVF. The lens is a 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9 zoom by Carl Zeiss. The RX100 II earned Editors' Choice marks when reviewed it, but has since been supplanted by the newest member of the RX family, the RX100 III.

The Hasselblad version of the camera features a titanium finish rather than a black one, a big "H" logo on the front, and a deep, contoured handgrip that's missing from Sony's version of the camera. The grip is available in your choice of carbon fiber or wood. If you opt for the natural, wood look, you have your choice of olive, walnut, or padouk. Each wood features its own grain pattern and finish. The olive is very light, the walnut is a dark brown, and the padouk is a deep red.

The Stellar II isn't for the budget-minded consumer. It's priced at $2,395, a big increase over the $649.99 for which the RX100 II sells. But if you put a big value in aesthetics, and don't mind paying for it, the Stellar II's pedigree reassures you that it won't disappoint in terms of image quality.

If you're in the market for a digital camera, take some time to peruse our product guide, or our list of the 10 Best Digital Cameras.

About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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