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Phaseone 645DF - got mine today

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Vieri I really like the P1 so far and I am pretty picky in regards to ball heads. I have gone through several the BH54 was nice but camera's would accidentally slip from not tightening the drag and topple over and hit the tripod. The Gitzo I just had although not it's fault the pano clamp I almost lost the camera 3 times due to not tightening down. My fault really but I want idiot proof on these . Sometimes I just go too fast and miss something and can't have that. So need a head that can save my bacon. This P1 you can't help get the release closed properly and it's a two stage to open so it tells you you need that extra step to get it off. If the drag is too lose it won't topple over into the tripod legs. Big one also on this you can set the tripod in any rotational direction down and the drag is always in your hand with no knob to rotate over to say your left hand. And it's a rock
 

vieri

Well-known member
Vieri I really like the P1 so far and I am pretty picky in regards to ball heads. I have gone through several the BH54 was nice but camera's would accidentally slip from not tightening the drag and topple over and hit the tripod. The Gitzo I just had although not it's fault the pano clamp I almost lost the camera 3 times due to not tightening down. My fault really but I want idiot proof on these . Sometimes I just go too fast and miss something and can't have that. So need a head that can save my bacon. This P1 you can't help get the release closed properly and it's a two stage to open so it tells you you need that extra step to get it off. If the drag is too lose it won't topple over into the tripod legs. Big one also on this you can set the tripod in any rotational direction down and the drag is always in your hand with no knob to rotate over to say your left hand. And it's a rock
Thank you very much Guy, much appreciated and helpful :D I definitely see what you mean in respect to being able to trust your ball head, the Markin I have and used bf the Cube was good enough for the D series (with a 70-200 max), but definitely not good enough for the Phase or for the view cameras - plus, the toppling problem always being a threat especially when working under pressure and on a fast pace. The Cube is definitely a great solution for it, but at times having the convenience of fast adjustments that a ball head can provide is a life saver so the P1 looks like a great add to one's kit. A quick search on the net produced this link to a brochure with very sparse information, so I was very curious to hear first hand from someone I trust :D thanks again!
 
J

Jef74400

Guest
Here just to show . Watch the cross bar at 1/60 no motion at 1/40th you see ghosting and this is the worst shutter speed is 1/40th the 1/30 and 1/20th shutter speeds extremely slightly there but not worth avoiding. Yes it's that slight we are in microscope land.We need to remember this is a 300mm lens and i do not see this in the 150D. Frankly i think damn good over the AFDIII by a country mile.

Full image at 1/60th, than crop and than 1/40th crop. I will add 1/20th than 1/8 it is just as clean as the 1/60th. Personally i will not avoid 1/20th or 1/15th. not worth thinking about
Thank's Guy, that's exactly what I am waiting for...
I have too much troubles with the 645 AFII, P45 and the 210 and 300mm at low speed even with a heavy tripod...
Best regard's
Jeff
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Anybody else noticed the substantial increase in battery life for the DF? Mine came with 6 Sony Alkalines and I'm now at 225 exposures with no sign of expiring. (My AFD III struggled to get 100 exposures from Eneloops.)

I wonder if it's the lack of any film advance mechanics that account for this?

Bill
 

RGoldman

Member
I would really like to know if it kills the batteries when not in use like the AFDII does!

Anyone noticed this yet?

I occasionally forget to pull out the battery holder when I put the AFDII in the bag and the next time I go to use it, dead as can be..... I am using NiMh so it's not a huge deal. Really just a minor annoyance but it would be nice if the DF does not have the same problem.
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
No, it does not kill batteries like the AFD II. Mine have been in for 18 days and 225 exposures and the "gauge" still shows "full".
I'll let you know when they die!
Bill
 

Henry Goh

Member
From my time with the Phaseone 645AF, I noticed that you need to set the battery type correctly in the Custom Function if you want to get better battery life. I believe this has to do with the fact that Alkaline cells are 1.5V whilst NiMh are 1.2V. Thus far, battery life on my 645DF using NiMh has been great. The battery chamber on my 645DF is also tighter than on my 645AF body.
 

Tim Ernst

New member
Can anyone tell me if the cable release locks/screws to the body? I've never found a way to keep the release from falling out on the 645II and the Mamiya release is not threaded. I assume there is a new release for this body. Thanks!
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
From my time with the Phaseone 645AF, I noticed that you need to set the battery type correctly in the Custom Function if you want to get better battery life. I believe this has to do with the fact that Alkaline cells are 1.5V whilst NiMh are 1.2V. Thus far, battery life on my 645DF using NiMh has been great. The battery chamber on my 645DF is also tighter than on my 645AF body.
Battery Life is not effected. Only the accuracy of the "low battery" indicator.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Can anyone tell me if the cable release locks/screws to the body? I've never found a way to keep the release from falling out on the 645II and the Mamiya release is not threaded. I assume there is a new release for this body. Thanks!
Tim,

I assume you mean for the Mamiya electro release? There should be a spring-clip on the newer one that kind of has it click in place -- mine seems to hold pretty well, but as you suggest, it's not great: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...211_754_Cable_Release_Electromagnetic_1m.html

If you use a release a lot, the better solution IMO is the wireless remote since there is no tension on the cable for the receiver end. Also great for product work when the cam is up on a ladder as the range is like 90 feet. Anyway, I happen to have one and I almost never use it, so would be willing to sell it if you're interested -- I'd let it go for say 60% of new or $300: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/182458-REG/Mamiya_211_752_Remote_Control_Set_RS402.html

Cheers,
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
I have the electro release and find it HARDER to detach from the DF! In fact I leave it on almost all the time. I bought the long version because it's harder to lose - I mislaid a couple of the shorter ones in the field and it was getting expensive!

Happy New Year, everybody,
Bill
 

Henry Goh

Member

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Has anyone been able to operate the "Interval Timer" on the DF? (I assume this is for time-lapse photography.)

Page 59 of the manual (the electronic one, I don't have a paper version) describes the process. It talks of the "interval button"; the illustration shows the self-timer button. It also talks of turning the front dial to the "repeat" position. I can find no such position - all I can get is the self-timer, which works just fine.

Could it be that the manual is describing something the camera cannot in fact do? (The manual I have is V 0.9 "pre release")

Anyone any wiser on this?

Bill
 
I wonder if this has to do with the fact that the current hardware/software leaves the camera unable to power up the back. Since most of the time the back's power saving setting is set to power off automatically, that would prohibit time lapse automation. I can only foresee this working in a tethered/always on scenario.

(btw I think that since we now have a body that is totally designed for this back that it's ridiculous for us to have to power on both independently!)

I haven't even tried time lapse work on my D3 yet, which is quite easy.... hmm, I think I need an excuse to try it out!

-CB
 

Tim Ernst

New member
Thanks for the info Jack - I assume the wireless remote still does not have a threaded attachment, or does it? If not then I'm back to square one anyway with the thing falling out and no good way to tape it. I attach my cable release once and never take it off since I use it for every shot, but the Mamiya electro one is not threaded, even though the socket on the camera is - I'm wondering if anyone makes a threaded cable release for this camera? If anyone knows I would love to hear about it. Doesn't sound like there is one available for the new camera either, is this correct? Thanks for any info!
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the info Jack - I assume the wireless remote still does not have a threaded attachment, or does it? If not then I'm back to square one anyway with the thing falling out and no good way to tape it.
Tim,

The electro cables are supposed snap into those threads -- perhaps you're not pushing it in hard enough, or perhaps the clip end of your cable is worn? At any rate, since the wireless receiver mounts to the flash shoe on the camera (has it's own hot shoe on top so you can still flash), the cable isn't subjected to any tensions since it moves as one unit with the camera body. Make sense?
 

Tim Ernst

New member
Thanks Jack. I think I've had the same issue with my release ever since it was new so probably is not a worn issue, although I also have another new one that I will try and see if it works any better. I am pushing it in all the way, and also have it taped up as best I can, but it doesn't hold all the time. I don't understand why the camera is threaded but the release is not. The only real way to keep one of these in place day in and day out is via a threaded match (like, for instance, the Nikon 10-pin). Since I use a release for every shot I've ever taken with this camera, there is never a reason to remove the release. I see folks doing that all the time with other cameras (plugging a release in every time they shoot, then removing it after every time they shoot) and wonder why! Guess I'm weird that way (not a guess, just fact) I was hoping that perhaps they had solved this problem with the new Phase body - threaded camera and threaded release - but I've still not heard from anyone if this is the case or not. I don't have a dealer anywhere near me to ask but was hoping one of the friendly dealers here would be able to chime in....
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Hmmm, well I guess that was my point: while it doesn't feel perfectly secure, I've never had my electro release fall out, and in fact have to tug it a bit to free it from the camera. But then I don't leave it in when I put my camera back in my bag either...
 
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