Phase One IQ
The latest digital backs from Phase One offer up to 80 megapixels, pixel binning for ISO 3200 at half resolution, USB 3 connection which charges them when connected, and an ‘iPhone quality’ large touch screen.
I
t’s inevitable, really. The march of technology, the way things converge and improve; you cannot escape it and as every industry becomes increas- ingly reliant on incremental, feature-driven improvements rather than good old wear- and-tear to drive production and sales, something shinier and better is invariably going to appear sooner rather than later. And thus, it’s absolutely typical that when I equip the studio with a rented ex-demo Phase One P-series system a newer, better, shinier model is announced! The IQ range – currently costing between £15,000 and £33,000 – spans the 140 39Mp, 160 60Mp and 180 80Mp backs, all featuring Phase One’s “Sensor+” technology that uses combined pixels to increase ISO in exchange for lower resolution (half the linear resolution, quar- ter the file size; the 80Mp can deliver 20Mp at ISO 3200). They represent a significant upgrade from the P+ family.
Had I bought my Phase One system new I’d actually be pretty happy, as prior to the announcement of the IQ range a comprehensive six-month trade-in scheme was announced that offered price protec- tion and ensures anyone that purchased between photokina and the IQ’s announcement will get a very generous trade-in on their existing kit; now the IQ is launched Phase One is still look- ing after their existing userbase. They offer two schemes, either a trade-in with a percentage based on your P+ model (so a P65+ gets a 65% discount for example) or a “buy now, shoot now” style scheme whereby you can buy the IQ back of choice for delivery around May, and walk away with a P+ system to use in the meantime.
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Based around the flexible 645DF camera system, the new IQ models bring Phase One’s back technology bang up to date, with concepts lifted from those masters of miniature ro- bust technology… mobile phone manufacturers. There’s never been an issue with the image quality of recent digital backs, so improvements there are going to be small and again, mainly consist of the technology moving into a lower price bracket as a new high-end product is developed. In terms of user interface and con- venience there’s always room to grow. The IQ’s most obvious hardware changes are a new, “retina” display (a term coined by Apple to describe the high- resolution LCD on the iPhone, it is generally accepted to mean that at the right viewing dis- tance, with good eyesight, there will be no discernible pixels), a capacitive touch screen and a new power management system that for many users will do away with the need to “charge” the backs. Better power man- agement between the 645DF and the backs enhances the overall user experience as well; current users have to power the two separately still. The IQ range’s software and user interface is dramatically different to the older P+ series (although the UI retains familiar elements, such as the quick- glance status display for ISO). Whilst the four buttons remain, they’re less dominant physically and operationally – the 290dpi touch screen offers intuitive zoom, pan, rotate and informa- tion, and occupies as much as possible of the back. Capture One’s “Focus Mask” has made it to the hardware, allowing instant visual confirmation of focus and DoF (particularly use- ful for use on technical cameras,
The IQ back uses a large ‘retina’ touch screen display similar in quality and operation to the Apple iPhone – a step ahead of DSLRs.
where the IQ180 also offers capture guidance for horizontal and vertical tilt/swing opera- tion).
In a first for the digital back market, Phase One has incorporated USB3 as well as Firewire 800, allowing easier tethered operation for many users (Windows machines don’t on the whole ship with Firewire and Apple has dropped it from some of their lighter portable systems). In addition to the new interfaces the IQ backs charge when tethered, meaning many users will no longer need to carry a charger with them or will be able to charge using a laptop when on location. With the 645DF still at the heart of the Phase One system, photographically the IQ range does not revolutionise medium- format photography. What it does do is show where Phase One’s research and development team are going, where they’re looking, to take the increas-
ingly dominant firm into the next generation of products. This tertiary tech – displays, connectivity – has often been left at “good enough” whilst the DSLR market (and other tech markets) enjoy rapid develop- ment. Features like the retina display, focus mask and USB 3 suggest that good enough, well, isn’t – and the IQ family is lead- ing in more than pure resolution and dynamic range.
Phase One, combined with Mamiya and Leaf, essentially of- fer 18 backs now. The IQ range is only three. There’s a lot more to come from the combined efforts of these companies, with stunning optics already on the market and one of the most flexible systems available. If the progress made on the IQ range is any indication, medium format digital is going to be the format of the decade... – RTK
www.phaseone.com
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