Wireless Tethering with the Hasselblad X2D & Phocus Mobile 2

March 7

In professional photography, every detail counts. The ability to assess an image in a large format while shooting and make immediate adjustments is a real game-changer. Previously, tethering – i.e., the direct transfer and control of images to an external screen – was a cumbersome affair: long cables, external monitors, a stationary setup. Today, it's much easier – wirelessly.

With the Hasselblad X2D and Phocus Mobile 2 on my iPad, I use wireless tethering for maximum control over my image composition, exposure, and details. But how exactly does it work? And is this method worthwhile for your workflow?

Why tether at all?

Tethering is far more than just a "nice to have." It allows me to check my shots immediately on a large screen and make fine adjustments on the spot. Instead of relying solely on the small camera display, I see the image live in large format and can intervene immediately if something is not right.

The advantages:

Greater image control – Composition, exposure, and focus are easier to optimize.
No more guesswork – Errors become directly visible and can be corrected.
Remote triggering – No camera shake and standing next to the camera. You can trigger your camera from up to 40m away

Especially with more complex scenes or long exposures, this is a huge advantage. I can directly recognize disturbing elements in the image, follow small shifts of the tripod live, and also precisely adjust exposure values.

My Tethering Setup: Camera, Tripod & Connection

For wireless tethering to work optimally in practice, the right combination of camera, software, and accessories is essential.

I work with:

Hasselblad X2D 100C – The 100 megapixels deliver incredible depth of detail, which I can monitor directly in the live preview.
iPad Pro 11” M1 – Perfect balance of display size, performance, and battery life.
Hasselblad Phocus Mobile 2 – The app connects to the camera in seconds and enables wireless control.
Gitzo Traveler Series 2 Tripod – Lightweight, stable, and perfect for mobile working.

The connection between the Hasselblad X2D and iPad is established directly via the camera's integrated Wi-Fi. The advantage: no additional accessories are required. Simply put the camera into Wi-Fi mode, select the network in Phocus Mobile 2 – and I can immediately see my image live on the iPad.

Once the connection is established, I see the image in real-time on my iPad, which allows me to precisely control the image composition. The ability to activate guidelines to perfectly balance the image structure is particularly helpful. This way, I can precisely check whether my main subject is in the right place in the image and whether individual elements may unintentionally overlap or interfere with each other. The horizon and perspective can also be aligned exactly in this way, so that all lines run straight and the depth effect is shown to its best advantage. Especially in architectural photography and fine art projects, where every composition is thought out down to the smallest detail, this type of live control is essential to achieve a harmonious and professional result.

One point that many underestimate: The iPad display is often brighter than the actual exposure. This can lead to problems, especially with night shots or high-contrast scenes. My trick: I don't just rely on my eye, but also check the camera's exposure correction display. This ensures that my exposure looks exactly the way I want it to in post-processing. The focus is also set via the iPad. A major advantage: I can zoom directly into the image at 100% in the Phocus Mobile 2 app to ensure that the focus is exactly where it should be. I also use the depth-of-field preview to see exactly how my focus area changes. This can make all the difference, especially with a wide-open aperture or long exposures.

For me, one of the biggest advantages of wireless tethering is the ability to trigger the camera directly via the iPad. This eliminates any direct contact with the camera, which prevents unwanted vibrations and maximizes image stability. This is an enormous advantage, especially with long exposures, as even the smallest vibrations that could occur when manually pressing the shutter release are avoided. This is particularly noticeable in fine art photography, night shots, or when working with exposure series. Absolute precision counts here, and it is precisely this additional control that makes wireless tethering so valuable to me.

Editing on location: Is it worth it?

Before I finish the shoot, I often download an image in full RAW resolution to the iPad. This allows me to make initial adjustments to exposure, contrast, and colors on location and assess whether the image meets the right requirements for final editing. If necessary, I also decide at this point to use an additional exposure series to have more leeway in post-processing. An interesting detail: If you activate the new Hasselblad Natural Noise Reduction function in Phocus Mobile 2, a shot from my Hasselblad Masters series ENLIGHTEN appears as an example image – a photo that I took with a prototype of the X2D at the time. A nice surprise that shows how closely my work is linked to Hasselblad.

Conclusion: Is wireless tethering with Hasselblad & iPad useful?

As practical as wireless tethering is, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

Connection is lost when the iPad is locked – But: Reconnecting is quick and reliable.
Range is limited – Connection interruptions can occur from a distance of approx. 40 meters, depending on whether there are obstacles between the camera and iPad or strong interference in the area.
Preview resolution is not perfect for focus assessment – I only see the full image sharpness when I download the RAW image.

Despite minor limitations, I use wireless tethering in almost every shoot – simply because the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. For me, the combination of the Hasselblad X2D and Phocus Mobile 2 is a real upgrade. I have much better control over my image composition, can optimize exposure, focus, and details more precisely, and can even control the camera remotely to work even more flexibly. If you photograph with Hasselblad or are generally looking for a larger live preview for your images, you should definitely try it out! Similar functions are also available from other manufacturers such as Canon, Leica, or Fujifilm – but the seamless integration with the X2D makes tethering particularly practical here.

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Happy shooting, and see you next time!