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New Phase One MF body?

PeterA

Well-known member
I cant remember where I heard/read this..but I seem to recall that Phase One will be releasing a new MF body in 6 months time?

Is this correct? If so - will it have Mamiya mount for lenses ..or....

Maybe I am mistaken - if so, perhaps someone can let me know.

Cheers
Pete
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Yes but i can't say when though. Details on it are still a work in progress but many improvements. Sorry I can't answer more on it. But some members have given Phase some great idea's on it.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
I hope Phase One don't make the mistake of trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...:ROTFL::ROTFL:

Oh for sure I am crossing my fingers that all the secret user advisors are giving them the right advice and I hope they all dont have lilliputian hands :bugeyes::bugeyes:

I mean the current Mamiya body is a set of band aids and rubber bands over a film tech body - with none of the benefits of the better film tech bodies.

A great pity to see lovely new lenses and great Phase backs - having to be attached to the current body and it awful viewfinder and ergonomics.

I am waiting for the vertical grip to be released because as it is I just cant hand hold this toy body and hate peeking through its crappy viewfinder.

Gosh I just broke rule #1 of a person who owns a system- dont bag it - you may want to sell it! :D - guess that makes me eccentric - hmm or maybe just plain honest.
 

carstenw

Active member
I guess some like it, some don't, but one thing that definitely needs to happen is to have a removable viewfinder, so that you can attach a waist-level finder, 45 degree finder, and the 90 degree finder.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I'd just like to point out that a WLF on a 645 body is almost useless since you cannot effectively use the camera in portrait orientation... Here is where the Rollei Hy6 takes the lead in an automated body. Obviously Hassy V and F bodies, Mamiya RZ and Fuji GX offer this ability in manual configurations too. The downside to teh concept is added size and weight to the system; the Hy6 is noticeably larger and heavier in the hand than the Mamiya AFD or even your Contax. My guess is since Mamiya already has the RZ ProII D body and RZD to AFD adapter plate, that it is unlikely we would see a WLF option in future Mamiya AFD bodies. We might however see a re-engineered RZ system that accomplished the interface more effectively.

While we can't say anything about what features a future body may have or even when we might see it, we can tell you that PhaseOne has taken an active interest in getting feedback from users of the current PhaseOne body, and is actually listening -- we know this because we have seen several of our suggestions already make it into the recent firmware updates for it. I think the main point to focus on for now, is that PhaseOne continues to work on improving the body in a meaningful way, and that can only be good for all of us.

Cheers,
 

smhoer

New member
Please, Please suggest the ability to set AEB to more than a 1 stop max range and more than 3 exposures. Sometimes for HDR or blending I do 3 shots at +-2stops and other times 5 shots +-1 stop/shot. I'd also like to see the ability for the mirror to be raised at the beginning of the self timer and, if in AEB mode, to not lower until all AEB shots are done. This is a feature I used on my canons and nikons extensively. Other than that I am quite pleased with the capability and feel of the AFDII I am using. I like the separate Mirror up button of teh AFDII versus the rotating selection as it allows mirror up in continuous shot mode.

Otherwise I very much like the feel of the Mamiya/Phase bodies.
 

carstenw

Active member
Taking advice only or mostly from existing users is a really weird tactic. Anyone who has dismissed the Mamiya/Phase One 645 for lack of more viewfinder options (or any other reason) will then be completely ignored, although they might otherwise provide an expanded market for the new camera. I agree that a waist-level viewfinder is not as useful as on a 6x6, but it is still nice for some uses, and a 45 degree viewfinder is something that some people prefer to the 90 degree viewfinder, perhaps especially in the studio, where the camera might sit lower on a tripod. If a body can already handle both 45 and 90s, then adding a waist-level viewfinder is a non-issue.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
Ok so we are talking tweaks - software improvements then..instead of a new Contax for example ..

expectations recalibrated! Thanks Jack:thumbup:
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Taking advice only or mostly from existing users is a really weird tactic. Anyone who has dismissed the Mamiya/Phase One 645 for lack of more viewfinder options (or any other reason) will then be completely ignored, although they might otherwise provide an expanded market for the new camera. I agree that a waist-level viewfinder is not as useful as on a 6x6, but it is still nice for some uses, and a 45 degree viewfinder is something that some people prefer to the 90 degree viewfinder, perhaps especially in the studio, where the camera might sit lower on a tripod. If a body can already handle both 45 and 90s, then adding a waist-level viewfinder is a non-issue.
Who said this stuff was not brought up in conversations with Phase, and the best way to get design features is too tap your user base. We are the ones shooting it. Please do NOT assume what is being said and what is being ignored in either direction. Phase actually listens to there customers as the newest firmware most of those features came from folks on this forum and in one instance revised there firmware in one day because of a added feature proposed. I call that listening, learning and reacting to there user base. Let's not chew off the head before some things are public. No one knows what final results will be except Phase. Input in and let's see what comes out the other end.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Ok so we are talking tweaks - software improvements then..instead of a new Contax for example ..

expectations recalibrated! Thanks Jack:thumbup:
No that is NOT the case at all. There are hardware changes involved also as i said many suggestions have been proposed and we will not know until it is public. It is not the same old same old stuff.
 

carstenw

Active member
I am not saying that no one asked them for waist-level viewfinder and so on. I am saying that by asking their customers, they don't get an unbiased response. People who have rejected Phase cameras for one reason or another get no chance for input, so either, things might be missed (or not), or the perception of importance might be skewed (or not). I think that they should ask both groups. Hopefully they have actually done that. Leaf shutters is another item. I am sure that there are owners who want them, but non-owners might (almost certainly would) find them a lot more important than owners, who can clearly live without them (or they would not have bought).
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Carsten there getting a earful on both sides of the fence. I like the present body but i see a ton of improvements that can be done. I am sure they heard it all.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
No that is NOT the case at all. There are hardware changes involved also as i said many suggestions have been proposed and we will not know until it is public. It is not the same old same old stuff.
Well Guy - any ideas of what suggestions have been made old chap?

My three ( I have MANY more suggestions) but my 3 thoughts are:

1. Organise rechargeable camera battery via handgrip this is a serious piece of kit and yet we are loading weenie batteries into handgrip - instead of bigger rechargeable Lithiums.
2. Please give me a viewfinder as good as Hasselblad with interchangeable screen options so I can get accurate manual focus
3. Get rid of weenie buttons - you have to have tiny fingers to use them there are many better alternatives.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Sorry guys, but we cannot comment on the specifics of those conversations...
 

PeterA

Well-known member
hahaha jack - you are COmpRomisEd :cool:

now I can put out any rumour I like to upset the Phamiya fanboyZ ( *evil chuckle)
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Fan boys is something we are not. I flip systems as often as I do pancakes. Brand names mean nothing to me. I do have my preferences though and some i would not buy for love or money.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
Guy - you are just a one system at a time kinda fella- me I am a total gear fillanderer - no monogamy for me baby.
 

dfarkas

Workshop Member
Not to nitpick here, but shouldn't these suggestions be directed to Mamiya? You know, the company who actually designs and manufactures the camera and lenses... ;)

The relationship seems pretty clear: Mamiya makes the camera system and Phase One makes the digital backs.

David
 

Paratom

Well-known member
They could just make it with all which is offered by the Hy6 (interchangable viewfinders, bright, metering in camera so you can use it also with WLF, rotating back/or sensor and I would buy one ;) ;)
 
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