What’s the current state of Phase One?

[tcdeveau]

I would say that this is the biggest advantage of the IQ4 Achromatic, to be able to selectively choose the wavelength of exposure from infrared to ultraviolet by using appropriate filters.

This is definitely one of the things I enjoy most about mine, although it does mean a lot of filters haha. When the light is right the tonal transitions are awesome too.

 

[Doppler9000]

My understanding from people at P1 is that precisely management decided not to cater to the crowd which cannot afford the “traditional” 50k entry without back, 25k upgrade with latest back etc scheme; thinking is by keeping per product margins high you can run a lean, profitable business for those who can and keep your profitability for the business unit.

Where are you getting your insights that Phase One’s camera business is lean and profitable?

 

[etrump]

I’m going to have to call BS on most of the OP comments about service and stagnation.

IQ4150 is at the peak of the market in terms of image quality. What could they update to? Where is the double exposure, ettr, sensor frame averaging in other platforms? I think we’re up to like 8 feature updates I didn’t pay a penny for.

After an tripod head malfunction, I needed significant repairs to XF, IQ4150, and 40-80LS. I said “make it like new” and they did in a couple of weeks.

Any support requests Brad at CI cannot handle (not many) get answered in a day or two.

For a slim market product, they do a pretty damn good job.

 

[Paul Spinnler]

Where are you getting your insights that Phase One’s camera business is lean and profitable?

I said that this is their strategy and I was told this by people in the know after the new PE firm bought them and re adjusted pricing for all items. There was a price list update which included a price hike through the whole range of XF lenses and XT stuff to enforce a certain margin level (ie secure profitability); I asked what happened and was also told the warehouse for certain items usually in stock had been eliminated. Now CPO lenses come directly from Japan and you cannot check their condition beforehand (in the old days the rep could maybe make sure you got a good specimen which looked like new, etc.). Whether it is profitable is not what I said, but it is clear that this is the goal and it makes sense to milk this business and invest in B2B in the current environment.

I have also been asking them now for years to think about a lower base price of 25k and remove upgrades for example (which would mean used backs are like 15k), but clearly management decided to run a premium pricing strategy based on the fact that there is no real alternative if you are looking at 150 megapixels, sensor size and X shutter. During the pandemic they even raised the price and they seem unfazed pricing wise although Fuji, etc. lowered the entry price point for MFD. If anything, what happened IMHO, is that the lower price point of Fuji, Hassy, etc. rekindled interest in MFD and P1 still has this aspirational allure for some and in the end people will upgrade from Fuji to P1 if the opportunity presents itself ...

I also heard from sales reps that they now focus more on B2B projects rather than running after single digital back upgrade sales … which on top go through a dealer as phase doesn’t do B2C. It makes sense: in sales part of your comp is commission; would you rather pitch 6 repro stands worth 350k to the Smithsonian or go to a camera shop and show the new 40 HR XT to generate 3 sales worth 30k? I would for sure not spend a single second more showing off the XT and go on the hunt for some institutional budgets (ie smaller local museums, archives, etc.).

 

[ThdeDude]

IQ4150 is at the peak of the market in terms of image quality. What could they update to?

Yes, I agree. The IQ4, in spite of its age, is currently still the most capable and modern DB.

At the time of IQ4's announcement on August 28, 2018, the current iPhone was the iPhone X (however, new iPhones were introduced in September). As revolutionary the iPhone X was, as modern it still looks, but performance-wise it's now completely outclassed by the just introduced iPhone 14PRO. In particular, the jump in photographic capabilities is most remarkable. In many ways I actually prefer the iPhone X, smaller, lighter, more elegant - but as an "always carry" camera, the iPhone 14PRO is just much better in every regard. (And have satellite text in case I break a leg in nowhere.)

In electronics, four years can be a new epoch.

 

[Ray Harrison]

Yes, I agree. The IQ4, in spite of its age, is currently still the most capable and modern DB.
....

In electronics, four years can be a new epoch.

For me, the key word is "capable" and not "age". Things get old (I say, staring in the mirror ). There's nothing that for me is as capable or as flexible as the IQ4 for what I want. Lots of caveats there, obviously, and it's totally individual. There's lighter, there's cheaper, there are cameras with excellent image quality, excellent lenses and better AF if you need that, but for me it has the feature set that makes the most sense for how I want to compose and create images.

 

[ThdeDude]

For me, the key word is "capable" and not "age". Things get old (I say, staring in the mirror ). There's nothing that for me is as capable or as flexible as the IQ4 for what I want. Lots of caveats there, obviously, and it's totally individual. There's lighter, there's cheaper, there are cameras with excellent image quality, excellent lenses and better AF if you need that, but for me it has the feature set that makes the most sense for how I want to compose and create images.

And you don't have to deal with the cumbersomeness of LCC like with older DB, this brings another level of fluidness to the photographing process.

For X-shutter users, there is another simplification in not having to deal with Copal shutters.