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IMACON 528C VS. HASSELBLAD CFV-16

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Darrell

Guest
I'm on a very tight budget and bought an Imacon 22MG 528c used about four months ago for use with my 555ELD's. It provides a better image than my Canon 5D MkII, but does require color adjustment in Photoshop that the Canon gear doesn't need. I got a very good deal on the 528c, and have since added a second Image Bank in case of a disk drive failure at some point. I'm now considering selling it and going with a CFV-16 which I think I can buy used for about the same price that I'd sell the 528c for used. Issues I'm hoping to resolve with the CFV-16 are:

1. When shooting at anything other than ISO 50 the 528c produces a very poor image. I don't need to take it terribly high, but limiting it to ISO 50 with CF lenses means that I need daylight for most photos. Does the CFV-16 do better at higher ISO's?

2. Eliminating tethering to an Image Bank.

The CFV-16 is 6MG less image than I'm getting with the 528c, but I usually shoot square. Anyone have experience using both these backs that can tell me if this is worth my time? Also, is there a big difference between a CFV-16 vs. a CFV-16 II? I'd love to get a CFV-39, but it's WAY out of my budget.
 

H3dtogo

New member
Hi Darrel, define "very poor quality". I shoot weekly with a 528c and a 384c and never had the impression that 100 iso was of "very poor quality". I suppose you use Phocus to open and adjust the images made with your back. I often use my 528c at 200 iso and still get better results as with my 5dMk2 (but with way better color rendering and detail).
I think it is all about processing and then you will see what a great back that is your 528c.
The CFV uses a similar sensor, only a bit smaller and 16 Mp.
 
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Darrell

Guest
Thanks for the response on the 528c. I'll retry at higher ISO, but when I used it previously at ISO 400 it looked in a league with photos from my cell phone. I was told that the 528c didn't perform well unless it was at ISO 50, so I've stuck with that. I use my Canon gear over 800 ISO often and get pretty good results, but I'd love to do better with the 528c.
 

H3dtogo

New member
A 528c indeed is a real studio beast made for taking hundreds of thousends of shots at 50/100 iso. IQ of all kodak 16/22 Mp sensors is about the same. In phocus with a bit of NR 200 is usuable but as known, a 22 Mp sensor is rated 50ISO.
 
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Darrell

Guest
I'm generally using the 528c outside the studio. Have the sensors improved on the newer CFV backs like the 39 or 50? I may just have to wait until some of the used ones come down in price.
 

dick

New member
I'm on a very tight budget and bought an Imacon 22MG 528c used about four months ago for use with my 555ELD's. I'm now considering selling it and going with a CFV-16
I could do with a 22Mpx back for my 555ELD how much? ...anyone?
 
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tetsrfun

Guest
It provides a better image than my Canon 5D MkII, but does require color adjustment in Photoshop that the Canon gear doesn't need.
*******
If you aren't using Phocus as your RC then you should try it. With 2.x Phocus there is now a significant difference compared to ACR/LR3, especially with "difficult" files.

I don't know if this is helpful but same image just taken with office ambient, florescent lighting, ISO 400, CFV16. Phocus 2.5.4 and LR3.3..No adjustments other than WB. Frame is cropped to the upper corner and no additional NR has been applied. The Phocus colors are accurate.

Steve
 

fotografz

Well-known member
HUH? Are you freaking kidding me?:bugeyes:

Are you SURE that the digital back you have is an Imacon Ixpress 528C? Unless I am completely mistaken, that may be lot a more powerful back than you think it is.

I believe that your Ixpress 528C may be a MultiShot ... A 22 meg, 9 micron pixel-pitch digital back capable of shooting single shot, four shot and sixteen shot images! It was introduced in 2004.

Can you post a photo of it so I can see if it has the 4 res module?

The reason it is named 528 ... is because it will shoot a 16 bit, 528 meg. MultiShot file ... which not even a $45,000. 80 meg back can equal for crying out loud! Comparing the 528C MS image quality to a CFV/16/39/and probably even 50 meg single shot is laughable.

That MS back is still a mainstay capture unit in a lot of professional product studios. My buddy has one he still uses for super critical studio work.

BTW, it uses the system of iAdapters and can be mounted on virtually every modular medium format camera made.

Unlike any 22 meg single shot unit, the 528C MS produces moiré free images, and when shot Multi-Shot produces far more accurate colors than single shot backs could ever hope to do. BUT, it is a studio back designed to be used primarily with studio strobes while tethered to a computer. The Image Bank-I holds up to 850 shots and was added so the back could be used on location without the need to be tethered to a computer.

I think to use the back in Multi-Shot mode, you have to use Flexcolor NOT Phocus software. I think the latest version of Flexcolor is v4.8.11 and is available on the Hasselblad website. Many Pros still use Flexcolor for their studio work with older Imacon digital backs

Now, all this may not suit your shooting needs, but you should be aware that you MAY have an astounding digital back capable of barking with the big dogs when used MS in the studio.

You are welcome ... :ROTFL:

-Marc

BTW, I use a Hasselblad CF/39 Multi-Shot in my studio ... which is what the Imacon MS backs evolved to ... but it is only 4 shot. Even so, it produces image quality equal to or slightly better than the latest 60 meg back from Hasselblad.
 

Nick-T

New member
What Marc said :)
Just to add you can shoot 4-shot with the 528 and Phocus but not micro-step 9you'll need flexcolour for that).
Nick-T
 
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