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Phase One announces a short zoom

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Phase One introduces 40-80 mm leaf shutter lens from Schneider Kreuznach

New short zoom lens designed to deliver outstanding image quality

Copenhagen, June 2, 2014 — Phase One today announced the immediate availability of the Schneider Kreuznach 40-80 mm f/4.0-5.6 leaf shutter zoom lens. This is the second zoom lens designed for the Phase One 645 camera platform, and it offers workflow versatility without compromising image quality.

The new Schneider Kreuznach 40-80 mm f/4.0-5.6 leaf shutter zoom lens is the latest result of close optical collaboration between Schneider Kreuznach, Phase One and Mamiya Digital Imaging. It complements the existing Schneider Kreuznach 75-150 mm f/4.0-5.6 leaf shutter zoom lens.

“Designing a zoom lens with excellent optical qualities throughout the zoom range is always a challenge,” said Senior Product Manager Espen Beck, Phase One. “When the zoom range goes from a fairly wide angle perspective to a normal perspective, as our new lens does, this only adds to the design complexity. This lens has 15 optical elements, two of which are aspherical, arranged in 11 groups. We have invested greater design and engineering resources into this lens than any of those before it, and we are very proud of the results. I think that this lens will be a perfect companion for on-location photographers.”

“At first, I was skeptical when I heard about this lens that was supposedly on par with prime lenses in terms of image quality,” said Los Angeles based photographer Richard Thompson III. “But I have just used it for an on location high-end car shoot, and I was blown away by its performance. The images are flawless. I would never have relied on a zoom lens for my most high-end jobs. Now, with this new short zoom lens from Schneider Kreuznach, I can.”

Pricing and Availability
The Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mm LS f/4.0-5.6 lens is priced at 6.990 EUR / 8,990 USD. The lens system is available now through Phase One photography partners worldwide: Phase One partner locator

For more information on the new lens, please see: Leaf shutter lenses from Phase One

About Phase One
Phase One is the world’s leader in open-platform, high-end camera systems and solutions. Phase One cameras, digital backs and lenses are designed to deliver superior quality image capture and investment value. Phase One’s Capture One and Media Pro software help streamline capture and post-production processes for both medium format and DSLR cameras. Phase One products are known for their quality, flexibility and speed enabling pro photographers shooting in a wide range of formats to achieve their creative visions without compromise.

Phase One is based in Copenhagen with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Cologne, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, and Tel Aviv. Phase One and Capture One are registered trademarks of Phase One A/S. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Learn more here:
Phase One at Medium format camera systems - Raw converter | Phase One
Mamiya Leaf: Mamiya Leaf Medium Format Digital Backs and Cameras
Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/PhaseOneWW
Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phase-One/184811514906561
Google+ at https://plus.google.com/+phaseone/posts
Linked In at http://www.linkedin.com/company/16665
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
We should have one of the first in the world. If you'd like to rent/demo/purchase give me a shout.

Here is the current line of Leaf Shutter Lenses:
- 28LS
- 40-80LS
- 55LS
- 80LS
- 75-150LS
- 110LS
- 150LS
- 240LS
- de facto 300LS (150LS + 2x TC)
- de facto 480LS (240LS + 2x TC)

This is in addition to the current-and-high-performing-but-no-leaf-shutter Phase One D lenses and the legacy Mamiya AF and N lenses which are compatible with the AF/DF/DF+ including these lenses not currently covered in the LS line:
- 24 Fish
- 35D
- 45D
- 55-110 AF
- 80/1.9 N
- 120 TS
- 120 AF D
- 120 MF D
- 145/4 soft focus
- 200/2 APO
- 210/4 AF
- 300/2.8 APO
- 500/4.5 APO
- 300/5.6

Schneider and Phase One have a long term strategic alliance. Now that the 40-80 project is coming to a close, which lenses would you like to see next and why? Personally I'd like to see a prime in the wide-but-not-ultra-wide area. Maybe 35mm or 40mm or 45mm.
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
Nice, but *ouch* at ~9K.

I can't wait to see some performance results....
I was a bit surprised by the price as well. We were hoping for something 1-2k less expensive.

It really comes down to the performance. If it's amazing then the price is fully justified. Only time will tell on that; I haven't shot one yet.

Horrid timing for me, as I just finished the third of my three spring weddings, and don't have any coming up this month.
Guess I can't complain - I shot one wedding on a Contax IQ250, one on a Phase One IQ250, and one a Hassy H4X IQ250! :)
 

Pemihan

Well-known member
I don't care about fast aperture but light-weight would of course be nice.
Tilt would be nice too, I don't use swing much so really no need for that.

But a simple f5.6 and up, maybe optimized for f11 would be awesome.
Ohh and it doesn't need to cost $9000 :angel:

Would it need to be fast in aperture?

Would you rather have lower cost, faster aperture, lighter-weight, or tilt-swing?
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
I don't care about fast aperture but light-weight would of course be nice.
Tilt would be nice too, I don't use swing much so really no need for that.

But a simple f5.6 and up, maybe optimized for f11 would be awesome.
Ohh and it doesn't need to cost $9000 :angel:
There's the point of contention, because the SLR lens lineup almost has to have some consideration for portrait/event/fashion/general photographers where f/5.6 would be laughed out of town. What you're describing is basically a Schneider 43XL digitar or Rodenstock 40HR - on a tech camera.

Don't get me wrong. I'd like to have a no-real-consideration-given-to-aperture lightweight SLR wide. It's simply a matter of priorities.
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Nice, but *ouch* at ~9K.

I can't wait to see some performance results....
+1, just a bit overboard, as if that's what it takes, my chips are off the table, can't play in that game, for a F5.6 lens at 90mm.

Remember the 45-90 Mamiya was considered expensive at 4.5K.

Hope they do well with it.

Paul
 

Pemihan

Well-known member
I know I know :angel:
That's why I have the Rodie 40HR for my Cambo but it would be nice to have a great wide angle for the SLR for more casual shooting..

There's the point of contention, because the SLR lens lineup almost has to have some consideration for portrait/event/fashion/general photographers where f/5.6 would be laughed out of town. What you're describing is basically a Schneider 43XL digitar or Rodenstock 40HR - on a tech camera.

Don't get me wrong. I'd like to have a no-real-consideration-given-to-aperture lightweight SLR wide. It's simply a matter of priorities.
 

stephengilbert

Active member
For a tech cam user, the thing that jumps out is the weight: the lens weighs a half pound more than my ALPA STC with tilt/shift adapter and SK 60mm lens combined.
 

tcdeveau

Well-known member
Want...samples....

For my style, something like this could swing me over to Phase. What I saw as one of the main weaknesses for travel photography with the Phase/Mamiya 645 was a lack of a short zoom. For the price Phase is quoting, I wish it were wider and longer like the Hassy (35-90mm) or Leica (30-90mm).

For their next lenses, I'd like to see a 35mm and/or a 100mm
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
That lens is heavy, but Steve....you do get to save money by cancelling your gym membership. ;)

I like the focal length range, but wow---I don't think I'd like to handhold that lens for long. But if the image quality is stellar, it could replace a few lenses. I think I'd prefer a stellar prime Phase/SK LS lens in the 35mm range.

ken
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
To Doug's ask, a high quality medium wide at 40mm with shift/tilt would be a great addition for those who shoot landscape vs environmental / fashion shooting. Obviously at a price point that would be less than the cost of an entire tech camera & Schneider / Rodie prime.
 

miska

Member
I don't have a P1 DSLR, but a 40-80mm doesn't really convince me to get one for my IQ160. The zoom range is a bit short, I'd much rather have something like a 35-90mm. Constant f/5.6 would do to save weight.
For me an SLR makes a lot of sense with a zoom: basically, take the body and one lens, and with that combo, cover 90% of my shooting situations, with a lot of flexibility at a moderate cost in image quality compared to primes. But only x2 in focal length ? Not really wide, and not really long. Doesn't really do it for me. Now a 35-90, even for that price - would probably have gotten me into thinking about getting an SLR to go with the tech cam. I just love the versatility of a 24-70 on my Canon...
 

Zerimar

Member
It's also got a 105mm front filter thread making most of the LEE system useless for landscape guys... I still think the hassy 35-90 or 50-110 is a better route.
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
I'd hate to haul (hike) that lens around for landscapes---combined with the DF body, it's a heavy package. The 75-150 isn't bad in terms of weight and is a very versatile lens. I'd stick with the lighter primes instead for landscapes. Tech cam better yet.

I'll wait for some hands-on reports before going into enabling mode :D

ken
 

archivue

Active member
my dream : 40 or 45mm PC lense !

( still can't understand why there's no pc 35 in current dslr lens lines… )
 

torger

Active member
You can't make a retrofocus wide angle zoom lens with large aperture and high image quality without making lots of glass elements, so it will be large and heavy. It will be interesting to see the performance.

Looking at the current lens line it does seem like a 35mm prime would be next.

Originally I thought MF cameras would not really need zooms at all, but now with the IQ250 it's natural that the system evolves into something more all-around and DSLR-like, so shooters maybe don't need two systems any longer (just MF rather than MF+135). I'm also really impressed with what lens corrections can do, after recently looking at 28LS pre correction and post correction, which means I would expect excellent quality from this zoom in Capture One.

For us hiking photographers it would be interesting to compare the weight between various systems. I just came back from a few days in the forest, my backpack weighed 28kg / 62 lbs, of which the shooting gear was about 12 kg / 26 lbs (I don't have the exact weight... shall check sometime). Shooting medium format is not lightweight :). But then I had lenses 35, 47, 60, 72, 90, 120, 180 and tilt-shift on them all through the Linhof Techno body. I challenge anyone to get all that flexibility in a lighter weight package ;)
 
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