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Phase One XF and IQ180

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
After a few hundred (well, many hundred actually!) frames on the XF/380, here what I like and don't like about the camera. Let me start by saying the "likes" far outweigh the "not so goods".

As many have already said, the UI and camera controls are just about perfect. After an hour or so shooting everything becomes totally intuitive and automatic. I like the grip and I like the way all the dials and buttons (except one - see below) fall to hand without having to eyeball them. I particularly like being able to change ISO without going into a menu.

The ability to operate the camera from the 380 screen is a godsend when shooting on a tripod at eye level. However, what I don't like is that, having shot a frame, you have to go back to the screen's Menu, select XF functions and the Camera Controls all over again. It's only three taps on the screen but I hope this can be delegated to one of the buttons on the body in due course. (Maybe there is a shortcut but I haven't found it!)

A minor gripe is the shutter release. It is so smoothly integrated into the body it can be hard to find by feel - especially, I suspect, with gloves on. On several occasions I've found my finger pressing the front of the grip instead of the release. I can see I'll apply a sticky "bump" of some sort for winter shooting. Another minor gripe is that the User Guide simply ignores a number of functions and how to achieve them - Hyperlocal Distance for example.

I'm pleased my old DF RRS bracket fits - but wish my old electronic release would too. I've been using the Vibration Release delay instead and I do like it.

My only other (even more minor) gripe is that you cannot use the viewfinder until the camera is turned on. I miss being able to check a scene and decide which lens is needed before turning on. For some reason the mirror is kept in the up position when the camera is off - unlike the DF when the mirror only went up when detaching the back. But as I've grown used to having to turn on my Sonys before I can see anything, I'm sure I'll get used to this pretty soon.

I love Focus Trim - a big reason I upgraded from the DF. I've tuned up all my lenses and most of them needed some offset to focus exactly at infinity wide open. Now I can rely on total accuracy at full aperture, though in truth I most often shoot a stop or two down. (With my DF I had to consult a chart I'd made showing where on the distance scale the lens really hit infinity.)

Finally, I'm pleased - and relieved - that the catches securing the back and the VF to the body are so much stiffer, spring loaded and rugged. My IQ180 fell off my DF into a river because the catch was too easily dislodged. That will be very hard to accomplish now!

There are some fascinating aspects to the camera that I suspect are for some future upgrades. For example, what are the four purplish LEDs over the screen (two on each side) on the 380?

Anyway, the bottom line is that the long wait for the XF was worth it. Now I'm going out to play with it in the dark to see how the 380 can handle very long exposures!
 

trond

Member
Dear DAn,

I have the XF camera, and can confirm that the hyper focal setting does not work correctly yet.

I have tried it together with the new SK35LS.

On setting of the hyper focal distance, the XF immediately indicate a failure of the leaf shutter in the SK35.

I contacted PhaseOne support about the problem and they advised me to not use the hyper focal setting for now.

I asked them about a more detailed manual for the XF, but they said that they may not issue a detailed manual, because most user dos not RTFM.

Below is the answer I got from PhaseOne support through my dealer:

"I have now reported thos to R&D for their closer inspection and comment.
This can with the new camera be solved easily with firmware - for now leave it and don't user Hyperfocal.

For a manual - this is beeing considered and i cannot say yes or
no if a manual will be made. Some love it and read it and others never read or use it."

And let me remind you this is a 60k$ camera/back/lens.

Even my Panasonic LX100 came with a manual.

Go figure!

Best regards

Trond
 

Dan Santoso

New member
Hmm another failure at launching. It took me 4 DF+s to find a decent one, the first one was defective out of the box, 2nd and 3rd was focusing issue if I remember. The 4rd was fine so I bought it.

Amazing QC for the best and most expensive camera!!:ROTFL:

Another reason I never buy from the 1st batch!
 

trond

Member
Dear Dan,

The XF Camera is just fantastic, so is the IQ380 and SK35LS lens.

Just a few minor firmware quirks that I am sur will be fixed in due time.

But not having a proper user manual for a product of this complexity wast configurability is just plain unbelievable!

Best regards

Trond
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
I'm in agreement with the sentiments regarding a lack of a good user manual. That aside and after using the XF now for close to a month with my IQ180 I can say that overall I'm very pleased.

So far I've been using this with 4-seperate lens and have encountered no problems. While it sucks that I can't plug in the wired remote to activate the shutter I'm surprised after a couple days I really don't miss it that much since the time release (or what ever its called) work great.

The viewfinder is sharp and bright, the controls on the LCD are bright and once you get used to them and develop your own workflow are equally good.

Its also nice to only have to pack one type of battery. And speaking of batteries; I've found just about a 2 to 1 ratio on power consumption with 2 batteries for the back to 1 on the XF. Your mileage may vary depending on your settings but for me and my 180 that's what I'm experiencing.

While it would have been nice to have all the things released at the same time it's by no means a deal breaker however I assume there will always be some who will complain. The focus mask and waist level viewer should be here soon; time will tell about the remote and manual. Actually for me I'm now uncertain if I'd spend the money on a remote when my current workflows works. As for the manual? That's a nice to have just to see what if anything I've missed.

My only pet peeve is what I consider firmware related between the 1, 2 and 3 series but that might get fixed as well; at least I hope.

Don
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Something I really like but did not mention in my earlier post is that when using MLU and 4 second Vibration delay with a leaf shutter lens, the mirror goes up along with the FP shutter opening - so the actual exposure is simply with the leaf shutter - no vibration, at least compared to the DF where the FP shutter only opened immediately before the LS thus leaving no time for vibration to die down.

A discernible difference when using the SK 240 LS.
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Something I really like but did not mention in my earlier post is that when using MLU and 4 second Vibration delay with a leaf shutter lens, the mirror goes up along with the FP shutter opening - so the actual exposure is simply with the leaf shutter - no vibration, at least compared to the DF where the FP shutter only opened immediately before the LS thus leaving no time for vibration to die down.

A discernible difference when using the SK 240 LS.
Bill describes it so much better myself. I've used the same feature (although I still use 3-seconds) on the 40-80 and 75-150 LS lens as well as a 28D with great results. Haven't tried it yet on the 240 but need to soon and will use the 2x just to see how it works.

In the end the XF is a body that was well worth the wait.

Don
 

aztwang

Member
:OT:
Dear Dan,

The XF Camera is just fantastic, so is the IQ380 and SK35LS lens.

Just a few minor firmware quirks that I am sur will be fixed in due time.

But not having a proper user manual for a product of this complexity wast configurability is just plain unbelievable!

Best regards

Trond
I hear you on product manuals. I rented the 35 LS and 120 LS this week and was in a panic because autofocus did not work with my DF+. Luckily Steve Hendrix from Capture Integration is always a text away and saved the day by explaining autofocus is push pull feature on these lenses. No where can I find any documentation on phases website . Did not mean to be off topic just reinforcing a lack of documentation from P1...Ciao

Don
 
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Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Another observation, this time for the IQ380. It seems to me that ISO 200 is cleaner, more noise-free than it was on the IQ180. Unfortunately I don't have the 180 any more (traded for the 380) so I can't do a direct comparison.

I rarely used anything higher than ISO 100 on the IQ180 because of the noise, but I'm happily using ISO 200 on the IQ380 when I have to hand-hold the camera.

Or is it C1 8 doing a better job of the raw files now?

Anybody else noticed this or is it just a subjective impression without any merit?

Bill
 

aztwang

Member
No new firmware has been released since the launch of the XF.

However, good things are coming pretty soon :).
Doug,
Could you clear up something please. previous regarding the sale Hasselblad several people chimed in and saying that P1 could benefit from purchasing them as they could have the true focus technology. I believe I saw in a previous post where a dealer chimed in saying that the true focus was not a patented Technology and you had commented early on if a similar feature to that of a true focus was wanted buy new XF buyers that they should pass there wants on to dealers so that P1 would be aware of the demand. It came across as P1 could actually develop the same technology through the Gyro scope and accelerometer on the XF without challenging patent laws. Is this actual factual?
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
This might be a reference to the waist level viewer and focus screen both of which are a little overdue...

- - - Updated - - -

And maybe a wired shutter release since the older one no longer fits/works on the XF.
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Sadly, the XF camera itself is a little overdue for many folks!!.

Makes me wonder what is going on.

Paul
 
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