Phase one seems scared IQ1 100

[drevil]

https://www.dpreview.com/news/61344...no-frills-iq1-100mp-back-and-blue-ring-lenses

big disappointment as a contax 645 user, die IQ1 and IQ2 series still supported the C645 mount, now it doesnt.

 

[Pelorus]

Hello IQ1 100...goodbye Leaf Credo 100.

It's hard to see where the Credo 100 would now fit in the market. The features have been taken out to 'make' the IQ1 100 and there appears little left for the Credo now.

Or perhaps it's just me.

 

[GrahamWelland]

IQ1 100 is similar to the IQ150 in so far as the functional differences compared to the IQ2/3 series. No HDMI support, no wifi, no tight XF camera integration beyond control via the LCD, plus no exposure zone map / clip displays.

 

[voidshatter]

IQ1 100 is similar to the IQ150 in so far as the functional differences compared to the IQ2/3 series. No HDMI support, no wifi, no tight XF camera integration beyond control via the LCD, plus no exposure zone map / clip displays.

... and no red shadow issues with long exposure :grin:

 

[vjbelle]

Hello IQ1 100...goodbye Leaf Credo 100.

It's hard to see where the Credo 100 would now fit in the market. The features have been taken out to 'make' the IQ1 100 and there appears little left for the Credo now.

Or perhaps it's just me.

Sure seems that way.....

Victor

 

[Paul2660]

I know it's only 1 feature, and hard to justify the delta in price, but power share has actually impressed me a lot.

I did not realize just how much difference it makes until I used the tech camera, and saw the battery life drop out much faster. Took me a minute to realize why. I can shoot for quite a while with the XF and IQ100, using a lot of Live View and the back battery stays right at around 75% most of the time. The XF must have quite a low draw on battery, so basically this feature is letting you have 2 batteries on line for the back.

Paul C

 

[kdphotography]

Differences are not apparent until you dig into the technical specification pdf sheet. Very similar approach from Phase in the past with regard to Value Added Warranty. Limited integration with XF approach does seem very "Credo" like in "holding back certain features. I think overall the IQ1 is the better choice with its interface compared to the Credo. I'll bet Credo fades away...

ken

 

[aztwang]

Differences are not apparent until you dig into the technical specification pdf sheet. Very similar approach from Phase in the past with regard to Value Added Warranty. Limited integration with XF approach does seem very "Credo" like in "holding back certain features. I think overall the IQ1 is the better choice with its interface compared to the Credo. I'll bet Credo fades away...

ken

Off Subject..Ken I know you're a lover of the 150mm. How bout the new 150 2.8LS!

 

[Jamgolf]

I don't see anything wrong with Phase One's offering of a stripped down version of a product at a reduced price.
This is not different from Porsche offering a 911, 911S, 911 4, 911 4S, 911 GTS, 911 4 GTS, 911 Turbo, 911 GT4, 911 GT4 RS (yeah they all exist).
They are all 911s but with varying feature set at a progressively increasing price.
So everyone wants the 911 GT4 RS but offering the base 911 makes it more attainable to a lot of people.

IQ1-100 is a similar "base" offering from Phase One. Nothing wrong with that.
I don't think that means Phase One is scared - its just a business strategy.

 

[algrove]

Off Subject..Ken I know you're a lover of the 150mm. How bout the new 150 2.8LS!

I have enough of a problem carrying around the 35LS and 240LS in addition to my other lenses so a heavier 150 for landscape is not worth the change.

 

[Paul2660]

Not to mention the 7K price point on the 150LS F2.8, amazing!.

Paul C

 

[DB5]

I too, wish that the IQ1 100 came in a Contax 645 mount. This camera is still exceptionally popular and I'm sure they would sell backs.

 

[Don Libby]

I upgrade my 180 to the 1-100 within hours of it being released and have been using it since October. The price difference between the 1-100 and 3-100 was enough for me to make my decision. I've stopped shooting with a tech cam well over a year and simply have no real need for the extra features that would run up the cost. While I'm not a big fan of CMOS I knew I needed the upgrade in order to do my nightscape photography and frankly have been surprised just how well I do like CMOS.

 

[drevil]

I too, wish that the IQ1 100 came in a Contax 645 mount. This camera is still exceptionally popular and I'm sure they would sell backs.

of course it would, but now p1 has its own very attractive camera and the contax mount was probably the worst selling mount.
so why not lure the remaining contax users to the xf?

well not me, i stick to my C till it falls apart and then....i will buy another one on ebay :grin:

 

[DougDolde]

I too, wish that the IQ1 100 came in a Contax 645 mount. This camera is still exceptionally popular and I'm sure they would sell backs.

Yes I agree. The Contax 645 is not feature bloated like the XF and likely more reliable due to its simplicity. It's also available with a waist level viewfinder and has a prism viewfinder that isn't easily dislodged like the XF. And have you checked prices for used C645 lenses? You can buy a whole set for the price of one Phase One Blue Ring lens.

 

[Chipcarterdc]

I love the Contax 645 system: I still have one and use it. And I also wish phase had continued to offer Contax mount (although I understand the business reasons that they do not). And, as I keep harping on, I wish Phase (or someone) would make a Contax 645 lens adapter for the XF.

All that said: I cannot agree that the Contax 645 body is better or more reliable than the XF, nor that the XF is feature bloated. As to the latter, you can set it up to hide features you don't need. As to the former: the XF has the advantage of faster autofocus, many additional useful features, and higher build quality (putting aside the prism latch issue for the moment, which Phase will modify for free).

I do agree that the Blue Ring lens prices are astronomical, and will add that many of them are needlessly large and/or heavy. That said, the Contax lenses were pretty damn expensive when purchased new back in the day.

And the XF does have a waist level finder.

And the Contax is by no means simple: although it has a lovely analog look and operation interface, everything is actually electronically controlled, just like the XF. Meaning, equally likely to crap out under the conditions that electronic items do. (Excepting the fact that the Contax doesn't have a top lcd touch screen to worry about malfunctioning).

If given the opportunity, there's no way I'd swap my XF/IQ3-100 for an IQ3-100 on a Contax body if price were equal. Again, this is coming from someone who's had and loved a Contax for going on 15 years now.

Yes I agree. The Contax 645 is not feature bloated like the XF and likely more reliable due to its simplicity. It's also available with a waist level viewfinder and has a prism viewfinder that isn't easily dislodged like the XF. And have you checked prices for used C645 lenses? You can buy a whole set for the price of one Phase One Blue Ring lens.

 

[drevil]

i think what was meant with "not features bloated" is that you you like what? 4 options on the body, that's what i also love about the contax, you can simply concentrate on taking pictures.
you just set the iso on the back, thats it(for me)

yes its also electronic powered and i also had a contax which had the infamous EEEE error, which was fixed later. then i got another body in the meantime and it works flawlessly ever since 2012!

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

The first MF digital camera I ever used was a Contax with a Phase back (loaned to me few a few hours by Kevin Raber!) and it was a marvel of simplicity and built like a tank. It got me to go back to MF (I had been a Rollei 6008 guy but moved to Canon when the world went digital) and thus the Contax is indirectly responsible for the fortune I've since spent on Phase gear!

 

[DougDolde]

i think what was meant with "not features bloated" is that you you like what? 4 options on the body, that's what i also love about the contax, you can simply concentrate on taking pictures.
you just set the iso on the back, thats it(for me)

Yes I always used mirror up with 2 second delay. Aperture priority.
If I wanted to bracket just used the exposure compensation dial

 

[ErikKaffehr]

Feature bloat - the other side of it...

Hi,

Modern cameras are essentially electro optical devices. A modern camera consists of:

• Lens
• A sensor
• A dark box connecting the two
• A computer handling the sensor

For actually making an exposure we actually also need:

• A shutter (that can be all electronic)
• An aperture (that is realistically mechanical)

For seeing what we shoot we need a viewfinder, it can be a mechanics based, like flipping mirror or electronics based using live view.

So, modern cameras are essentially computers with optical, mechanical and electronic devices connected.

Once you have a touch screen and a computer built in the camera it has tremendous flexibility as new features can be easily added.

I am not into buying a Phase One FX, to a great part due to not being able to afford it, but it nevertheless has a lot of features I would appreciate:

• The built in seismograph. The country where I live is windy, a feature that measures camera vibration and releases when vibration is minimal would be really helpful. I would guess that all cameras with built in image stabilisation have the necessary sensors, but only Phase One implemented the feature.
• Having a subject motion sensor would be even better!
• Stacking is a very useful technique, but needs a lot of images shot at small intervals for a good job. The XF has that as a built in feature. Essentially a zero cost option for Phase One. Stripping it out probably just means disabling a menu option.
• Electronic Shutter eliminates shutter vibrations fully.
• I don't regard peaking useful for focusing, far to inaccurate, but it is a great tool for finding a decent tilt when using Scheimpflug. Done that I switch to actual pixels live view for focusing.
• Live raw histograms and clipping warnings must be a gift from heaven.
• The FX has a flash sync optimisation tool, probably great if you are using electronic flash.

All those things are great features, some features may need significant R&D and some are probably essentially free. But I would suggest that upgradability is a great feature of the FX.

All that said, I would say that a natural user interface is a good thing.

• Put aperture on the lens and a shutter time dial on the top of the camera. I would say Fuji got that right…
• Put a preset dial at a good place on the camera so we can easily switch between a small set of preprogrammed modes.
• A touch screen may not be that practical if you connect a viewing loupe to the back...

Best regards
Erik