GrahamWelland
Subscriber & Workshop Member
Sorry, but :ROTFL: :ROTFL: :thumbs:As I am mostly retired from photography, this may very well be my last MFDB upgrade.
Ken
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Sorry, but :ROTFL: :ROTFL: :thumbs:As I am mostly retired from photography, this may very well be my last MFDB upgrade.
Ken
Hello Jawad,When the IQ3-100 was announced, as a then Credo 60 owner I knew I would definitely upgrade. The question was "when" (not "if") I would upgrade. Features such as drammatically better live view , the ability to bump up the ISO from 50 to 200 (even 400) and better battery life were very meaningful and practical. This meant no need for a surface pro to judge focus and carrying fewer spare batteries on a hike. And later on when Phase One added the awesome Electronic Shutter (which happened after I upgraded) IQ3-100 simply became a far better tool compared to any prior Phase One digital backs opening options on the telephoto end of the lens spectrum and almost eliminating the need for carrying/using the one-shot sync cable.
Ever since the announcement of IQ4-150, as a card carrying member of Dante's club, naturally I have been very intrigued by some characteristics of this new tool but somehow I don't feel the unstoppable urge to upgrade. While my heart says "do it" my mind is not convinced and the question is "why?". Usually new things are decidedly better than prior models, but I am struggling to make the case here.
As a tech camera user, to me, IQ4-150 is better than IQ3-100 in the following meaningful ways:
- Much less need for LCC because of much reduced lens color cast
- Better dark frame management i.e. less need to capture dark frames
- Improved dynamic range
- Improved high ISO performance
- Higher resolution => meaning even bigger prints at comparable DPI/PPI
On the flip side, I feel IQ3-100 is better than IQ4-150 in the following ways:
- Diffraction: With a pixel pitch of 4.6 microns (versus 3.76 microns for IQ4-150) diffraction kicks in later e.g. f9 vs f8
- Adhoc Wifi: for triggering ES from Capture Pilot or using Capture Pilot for Composition (I am sure Phase One will rectify this via firmware at some point)
- Slightly better battery consumption.
So, the IQ4-150 is actually better for a technical camera use. When I think about IQ4-150 advantages individually, I feel they are "nice to have":
- While capturing LCC shots is not fun, but LCCs also help with dust spots. Will I stop capturing LCCs? Probably not.
- The need to capture a dark frame after small changes in shutter speeds is annoying. I'd certainly appreciate/prefer IQ4-150 behavior.
- I feel IQ3-100 has plenty of dynamic range. I am not sure I'd value the improved dynamic range IQ4-150 has to offer.
- I almost always shoot at base ISO 50, and rarely shoot higher than 200 - so I dont think I'd value the improvement.
- I value every pixel of resolution. So, I think I would value the improvements here.
This is my current mindset and thought process on this matter.
Would be nice to hear from those who have already upgraded or made the decision to upgrade share their thoughts.
Cheers!
Oh yes ... :ROTFL:The last camera I will ever need: I have had a few of those...
I think that skipping versions pays dividends long term. Let’s face it, none of the current or older MFD are anything less than excellent.
Hello Jawad,
On a tech cam the IQ4-150 is magical. My perspective is from upgrading from my 4-year old IQ180 and previously using the 45+ and 65+, all over the last 10 years on a Linhof, so it is different from your IQ3 considerations. But, if one considers that DB's are computers, ask yourself, When was the last time you decided to quit upgrading those?
:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL: Ken, who are you trying to fool? It's not gonna work and you know it but right now you are in denial mode.this may very well be my last MFDB upgrade.
I’ve bought 3 cameras since buying the last camera I’d ever need and will probably be looking for a digital back in the next couple years. Such is life. Such is Dante :ROTFL:Oh yes ... :ROTFL:
It's more lens friendly than the 40mp and 60mp backs.this is easily the most lens friendly DB since the 60MP and 40MP ones.
Oh no it isn't ... oh yes it is ... etc. etc.It's more lens friendly than the 40mp and 60mp backs.
Oh no it isn't ... oh yes it is ... etc. etc.
IMHO there's not been anything more lens friendly than the P45+ (and backs that used the same sensor - was it a Kodak one - can't remember). You could throw anything at it - even the S/K 24mm shifted to beyond the edge of the IC - and all was good. And it could do great (really) long exposures too. Anyone wanting to get into MFD on the 'cheap' couldn't go wrong with picking a used one of these up.
That said, I have to admit I've not seen a shifted S/K 24mm on the 150, but I will quite happily eat my left foot if it works as well.
Jim
So what are you, 99 years old:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
offcourse this will be the last camera we'll ever need/buy
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and feedback.
As usual excellent contributions and some friendly banter
Its a mix of objective and subjective but I'll try to summarize some of the salient points that have been brought up so far:
- there’s no question that the IQ4 offers higher *potential* image quality
- it’s also faster at doing just about everything
- More pixels = more color information therefore resulting in higher color accuracy and nuances
- potentially gain movements and 0 color casts ... eliminating the need for lcc
- long exposures in the daylight without the use of ND filters in camera and capture as a raw file
- diffraction is never a disadvantage of a higher resolution sensor, only a limiter of when a higher resolution sensor will have an advantage
- focus peaking in live view works well and is helpful to judge focus cone when using tilt/swing
- possibility of free firmware feature update that had not been thought of yet
- can finally use a phase camera like a regular camera. Focus peaking, live view, ES, speed of the double tap zoom, no dark frame(!)
- shoot tethered, the USB C connection is a huge improvement
- user interface is much better
- possibility of a Global shutter (we can hope)
- On a tech cam the IQ4-150 is magical ... a game changer for tech cam users
- LiveView for focusing is outstanding
- IQ4-150 produces a WYSIWYG outcome
and last but not least:
offcourse this will be the last camera we'll ever need/buy
The IQ4 150 is so effective on tech cameras including quite large movements, not needing LCC that if funds allow, I do not think there is much if anything to gain by waiting for more improve to arrive. Life is short, little additional value to gain by delay , I thinkThanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and feedback.
As usual excellent contributions and some friendly banter
Its a mix of objective and subjective but I'll try to summarize some of the salient points that have been brought up so far:
- there’s no question that the IQ4 offers higher *potential* image quality
- it’s also faster at doing just about everything
- More pixels = more color information therefore resulting in higher color accuracy and nuances
- potentially gain movements and 0 color casts ... eliminating the need for lcc
- long exposures in the daylight without the use of ND filters in camera and capture as a raw file
- diffraction is never a disadvantage of a higher resolution sensor, only a limiter of when a higher resolution sensor will have an advantage
- focus peaking in live view works well and is helpful to judge focus cone when using tilt/swing
- possibility of free firmware feature update that had not been thought of yet
- can finally use a phase camera like a regular camera. Focus peaking, live view, ES, speed of the double tap zoom, no dark frame(!)
- shoot tethered, the USB C connection is a huge improvement
- user interface is much better
- possibility of a Global shutter (we can hope)
- On a tech cam the IQ4-150 is magical ... a game changer for tech cam users
- LiveView for focusing is outstanding
- IQ4-150 produces a WYSIWYG outcome
and last but not least:
offcourse this will be the last camera we'll ever need/buy
We have a bit of cross talk going here (pun intended), no doubt in part due to the confusing naming scheme of Phase One backs in the ~2008 era and earlier.Oh no it isn't ... oh yes it is ... etc. etc.
IMHO there's not been anything more lens friendly than the P45+
... It's funny how quickly we become accustomed to new tools and the workflows they provide. I was training Jarob Ortiz, the Head Photographer of the National Park Service this week (the "New Ansel Adams") on an IQ3 100mp on an Arca Swiss tech camera. It was funny how annoying the dark frame and LCC were, when, just last year, they barely bothered me at all. .... But once you get used to the IQ4 anything else feels downright sluggish in workflow ....