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How good is live view on an IQ back?

John Black

Active member
Is the IQ140/160/180 live view performance via the IQ's rear LCD the same as using Live View in C1 with a P+ back tethered? "Performance" as it relates to screen refresh times, light sensitivity and putting the camera into bulb mode?
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
The image quality (screen refresh, artifacts, color, ability to handle blown out sections of the image) of live view in the IQ is significantly better than the P65+ or P40+. P65+ and P40+ were significantly better than the other P+ units.

The workflow still requires you put the camera in bulb mode, which is annoying. That is likely to change in the reasonably near future as new firmware is released. The range of acceptable illumination (what you called "light sensitivity") is not much different between any of them - though with the IQ if only a small part of the image has a blown out highlight it will do a much better job of ignoring that part of the area.

And of course it's on the rear LCD of the camera (or on the computer if you want) which means your interaction of it is significantly more direct (e.g. you don't have to look back and forth).

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
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John Black

Active member
Thank you Doug. I've used Live View in the studio a couple times (P65), mostly just to try it out. It was fine under the modeling lights from the moonlights. Today I took the laptop into the field and the "Live View" window in C1 was totally blown out. Today isn't bright - metering was F2.8, 1/640 and ISO50. The purpose of this was to compare the bokeh of two lenses, outdoors. I needed to have the same focus with both lenses at F2.8.

Playing around with the DF & Live View, by aiming the camera in some dark shadows, it looked like it needed 8 or 9 stops of ND reduction for Live View to be viable outdoors. I feel like I must be missing something really basic here...
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Thank you Doug. I've used Live View in the studio a couple times (P65), mostly just to try it out. It was fine under the modeling lights from the moonlights. Today I took the laptop into the field and the "Live View" window in C1 was totally blown out. Today isn't bright - metering was F2.8, 1/640 and ISO50. The purpose of this was to compare the bokeh of two lenses, outdoors. I needed to have the same focus with both lenses at F2.8.

Playing around with the DF & Live View, by aiming the camera in some dark shadows, it looked like it needed 8 or 9 stops of ND reduction for Live View to be viable outdoors. I feel like I must be missing something really basic here...
You're not missing anything. Live View in medium format is pretty good in a studio still-life, product, macro (borderline great if you're using Leaf and an electronic shutter).

However the major limitation of Live View in medium format is the acceptable range of illumination. In broad daylite you will need significant ND filtration (especially if you're using f/2.8).

In Death Valley this week we were able to use Live View with the IQs in maybe half the shots without using any ND. It works very well to quickly establish total view (with shifting) and ok to help assist with focusing/tilting. But that's in dawn and sunset lighting, not broad daylite.

The basic jist of it, if you've missed the threads/topic in the past is that the CCD sensors that are currently best choice for overall image quality (and used by all medium format manufacturers) are not well suited for the kind of live view you see with CMOS sensors.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One Partner of the Year
Mamiya Leaf, Leica, Arca Swiss, Cambo, Profoto, LaCie, Canon, TTI, Broncolor & More

National: 877.217.9870 | Cell: 740.707.2183
Newsletter | RSS Feed
Buy Capture One 6 at 10% off
 

wwc

New member
I've found the live view works fine in bright light--you just need to stop down some. I can't see why an ND filter is necessary unless you need to confirm focus wide open.

It can be useful for refining composition while on the tripod and with some practice can be reliable for confirming focus.
 
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