Hasselblad XPan

This review originally appeared in the July / August 2000 issue ofPHOTO Techniques USAmagazine. The version below though is theoriginalmanuscript along with several updates, enhancements and with a number of more recent photographs taken with this wonderful camera system.
Note that in April, 2003 theXPan IIwas announced, with minor though useful updates.
Top Secret: Internal Eyes-Only
Date: December, 1996
Memo To: Product Development
From: International Marketing
We need to create a new market segment in the high-end and shake things up a bit. The camera equipment marketplace is saturated with SLRs and  Point-and-Shoots. Leica has had the rangefinder market to themselves for decades. The Contax's G1 and G2 have the automation features that consumers want but autofocus doesn't appeal to a lot of  high-end buyers.
Try and come up with a new interchangeable lens rangefinder system that has TTL metering, optional auto-exposure, motorized advance and rewind.  The body should...