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Phase One, P30 question

s.agar

Member
Would this fit a Mamiya 645 AFD or AFDII? There's so little in their websites.

Thanks in advance.

Seyhun

Also, what is the opinion regarding the Mamiya ZD back? Since Mamiya entered this venture with back manufacturers, I assumed that ZD back was not the choice. I would appreciate to know personal experince. It has a very appealing price tag. My use will only be a dedicated Prosumer's use. With a few possible exhibitions, and mostly for landscape, documentary historical pieces and places, and some portraits. So a 22MP may be enough, provided I end up with better colors, contrast, and the film touch than using any of the existing 35mm DSLR's.
 

Graham Mitchell

New member
Phase One backs come in fixed mounts designed to fit just one camera platform. You will need to ask which mount the P30 comes in.

If you use the search feature of this forum you will find LOTS of information on the ZD.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
The ZD back is really nice and does a great job and is dedicated to the Mamiya bodies. The files are very nice the only drawback on the ZD backs is it is a little slow like 4 seconds for a review image on LCD which for landscapes and such no big deal. The ISO is to 400 with 200 being good. Iso 50 and 100 are very good. The ZD back is also the only back that the IR blocking filter can be removed which makes this a ideal IR camera. Some folks here use it all the time for this purpose alone. This back certainly gets you over the 35mm quality line. The Phase backs are built better and are faster and functionally nicer to work with. Plus the ISO are higher on it
 

s.agar

Member
I think I'll go with the P30. Having almost all of the (pre-historical) manual focus Mamiya lenses, I think I will have buy a digital back for Mamiya. I don't have the AF Mamiya bodies either (I'm still with a series of Mamiya 645 Pro S etc), but I think I can get one (AFDII maybe) cheap from ebay, if the P30 fits that. Otherwise it may end up being a very high investment with new lenses/bodies, which I may afford, but the work I'll do with the setup will not justify that expenditure. It's a hobby and a few exhibitions after all.

At least this is what I'm thinking at the moment, unless someone in this forum may spoil me by recommending other solutions.

Can anyone think about a *better* or cheaper alternative? BTW, my eyes are still good enough for manual focusing.

Since I've found you all in this forum, can you please advise me on the widest angle that can be used in this setup. I have been informed that 55 mm is the widest to use for acceptable results. Why is this? Is it vignetting or what that limits the WA?

Thanks again,

Seyhun
 

Graham Mitchell

New member
One small issue with the P30 is the sensor is not as large as most of the other MFDBs. This means a higher crop factor, lenses are effectively longer, and the active area of the viewfinder is also smaller. Just something to consider. The 22, 33 and 39 megapixel backs have larger sensors (around 48x36mm).

The other issue with Phase backs in general is the fixed mount, which may not be an issue for you. Some other backs can be fitted onto multiple platforms, which can be very useful and give you more return on your investment.
 

lance_schad

Workshop Member
Would this fit a Mamiya 645 AFD or AFDII? There's so little in their websites.

Thanks in advance.

Seyhun

Also, what is the opinion regarding the Mamiya ZD back? Since Mamiya entered this venture with back manufacturers, I assumed that ZD back was not the choice. I would appreciate to know personal experince. It has a very appealing price tag. My use will only be a dedicated Prosumer's use. With a few possible exhibitions, and mostly for landscape, documentary historical pieces and places, and some portraits. So a 22MP may be enough, provided I end up with better colors, contrast, and the film touch than using any of the existing 35mm DSLR's.

Yes the P30 works with either one of those two camera bodies very well.
Check out Don Libby's work at http://ironcreekphotography.com/ . He is using the P30+ on the AFDII.
The P30/+ is a great all around solution with high iso performance. The only thing we do not recommend its use for is any type of movements via a technical camera because of the micro lenses. If you plan just to use it on MF body you will be just fine.
L
Lance Schad
Capture Integration - Miami/Atlanta
305-394-3196 cell | 305-534-5702 office
Capture Integration
My Blog
[email protected]
 

s.agar

Member
One small issue with the P30 is the sensor is not as large as most of the other MFDBs. This means a higher crop factor, lenses are effectively longer, and the active area of the viewfinder is also smaller. Just something to consider. The 22, 33 and 39 megapixel backs have larger sensors (around 48x36mm).

The other issue with Phase backs in general is the fixed mount, which may not be an issue for you. Some other backs can be fitted onto multiple platforms, which can be very useful and give you more return on your investment.
Thanks for your help. Indeed I have seen that the crop factors are 1.3 vs. 1.1
This is important for me because I usually take WA shots.

Technically, one also may assume that the 1.3 sensors may have more noise, because it will be denser (provided they are from the same manufacturer, same type, and similar technological period). This was usually the case in 35mm DSLR's. Would you or someone who had the possibility of using both CCD sizes be able to comment about this too? Or is it less pronounced in such bigger sized sensors? BYW, I will be shooting at the base ISO 90%of the time. But occasional interior shots of Churches, mosques, and similar areas are also important for me.

The only firm decision I can make is that I will stick to the Mamiya AFDII alternative with a Phase One back..

Best regards

Seyhun
 

s.agar

Member
I forgot to ask about the (almost) full frame 39MP back. It costs so much more than the P30+, that I wonder if the Mamiya optics can catch up with that resolution on a FF sensor, to make it a feasable buy.

Seyhun
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Actually the P30 Plus has the highest ISO level of 1600 because it is CMOS and it also has micro lenses . This back usually or was made for the wedding and fashion shooters that need the higher ISO's and also for moire control. So even though they are designed for this purpose does not mean you can't use it in other area's . The limitation to them is what lance mentioned with a technical camera or shift camera than you run a very high risk of color shift. There are several threads here on the P30 plus the San Juan ones look for which i used the P30 plus a lot when we were down there doing our workshop. i ultimately bought the P25 plus because of shift cameras and technical camera's . Although rated 1 stop less at ISO 800 . But both backs are outstanding with detail.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
My .02 on most of your questions.

First, if you are on a budget and want to do mostly pro-sumer or landscape work, the easiest entry point going to be a ZD back for a Mamiya AFD body. All of your existing lenses will work, albeit in stop-down metering mode. What you get for the added cost with the P25+ or P30+ over the ZD is capture speed, high ISO performance and ability to trigger the back on a different body via a pc cord.

Next, yes the current Mamiya glass is up to the pixel pitch of the P30+ or P45+.

Additionally: 1) the P30+ uses micro-lenses which act in a small way like an AA filter of sorts, and 2) it is of course a bigger crop out of the frame, so your lenses are effectively longer focals than with the P25+ or ZD.

Cheers,
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Hello Guy,

Are you sure on the CMOS on the P30+? They show CCD for all the backs, but show the microlens for the P30+ as you mentioned.

Just curious as I though Kodak made all the Phase chips and their strength has always been CCD design.

Thanks
Paul C
 

s.agar

Member
Sincere thanks to all of you. I know a lot more than I did yesterday. Excellent first hand information.
I think I'll have to arrange before my next trip to the U.S.A. with Lance Schad for a Phase One P30+
BTW, I hope that this new forum area with wide subject coverage than most will be the leading site in the near future.

Seyhun
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Hi all

Here I am currently in Fairbanks Alaska and just got internet access so I decided to check what was going on.

First to the question regarding a P30/AFD combo – it is truly a match made in heaven. A very good friend of mine has a P30 and AFD and has no problems; I shot with a P30+ and AFD II without any problems.

I just returned to Fairbanks from a day trip up the Dalton Highway – great trip and exhausting trip as well. Got a couple interesting landscape images with the P30 and a couple moose with my 1Ds II and 400DO. We’ll be here till Monday then head to Denali for 8 days.

We’re keeping the blog updated whenever we have decent connections. I found a McDonalds that had WIFI!

I strongly recommend Capture Integration as a great source for Phase equipment; they are truly a company you can put you full faith and trust in.

Later friends

don
 
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