IQ180 delivery

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Although I don't see this advertised by Phase, I have found that the IQ backs send the yaw & pitch data from the artificial horizon to C1 so that you can click on "A" in the leveling module and you get automatic correction of both the horizon and keystoning.

Really neat! Is this widely known and I'm just late to the party, or is it second nature to my fellow IQ users?

Bill

 

[GrahamWelland]

My IQ160 arrived on Saturday too. Whoo hoo! Well, kind of.

Fabulous UI. Very fast review of images and I love the focus check and 100% zoom features. I like the touch screen UI plus also the buttons too which I found that I was using more than expected. It does a great job with reviewing my P40+ images that I have on CF cards. The only problem is that it doesn't capture pictures! I hate it when my predictions about early release hardware and software come true, especially when I'm the one experiencing the problem. It doesn't help that I know of several dead or failed IQ's delivered so far to individuals and dealers so all is still not 100% here. I'd hoped by now that they'd sorted these things out but I'm obviously mistaken.

Yes, I'm more than a little pissed ... more to follow ... let's see how that VA warranty works out because I've been stewing since Saturday so Monday should be an interesting set of phone calls.

(Btw, kudos to Doug for helping out on his Saturday evening but alas it doesn't make it ok yet. I consider this a Phase One issue, not CI at this point.)

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Have to say yesterday when I was setting up the tech cam I was really going by the ball to set up the camera to level. I admit I did not look at any of my camera levels . First thing I did was hit play than click on the ball level everything up than if I needed to frame better just use the pan on my Z1 ballhead than lock down and take my first quick shot than fine tune from there but I had my cam leveled right out of the gate within seconds. Very very handy to have, I also have the beep on so I can hear when it lines up. Very cool feature. No need to try the A button

 

[rupho]

Thanks for sharing Bill
I found that my artificial horizon does not exactly level
I compared it to 2 bubble level devices I got and found them both more accurate thatn the artificial horizon tool in the IQ.
Not sure if that's just my back but worth checking.
Otherwise this would be very welcomed feature
Grischa

Although I don't see this advertised by Phase, I have found that the IQ backs send the yaw & pitch data from the artificial horizon to C1 so that you can click on "A" in the leveling module and you get automatic correction of both the horizon and keystoning.

Really neat! Is this widely known and I'm just late to the party, or is it second nature to my fellow IQ users?

Bill

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Have to say yesterday when I was setting up the tech cam I was really going by the ball to set up the camera to level. I admit I did not look at any of my camera levels . First thing I did was hit play than click on the ball level everything up than if I needed to frame better just use the pan on my Z1 ballhead than lock down and take my first quick shot than fine tune from there but I had my cam leveled right out of the gate within seconds. Very very handy to have, I also have the beep on so I can hear when it lines up. Very cool feature. No need to try the A button

I agree, Guy - simply for composition reasons I level "in the field" so no need for the A button.

BUT - today I was shooting from a wallowing boat, no tripod of course. The A button came in mighty useful in processing!

 

[schuster]

Re: IQ160 delivery - Got it! But I have questions...

I received my IQ-160 back (for Hasselblad V) yesterday afternoon. The instructions are only for operation with the 645DF, so it's been many trial-and-error hours to get to where I've established a basic work routine.

The good news: I am astonished at how well this "steel brick" feels and appears to be constructed, and the touch-screen's super sensitivity and quick response even through the protective sheet, is a delightful surprise. I charged a battery to 100%, attached the back to the 503CW and made a few exposures, indoors, daylight. Auto WB was perfect and image quality very nice with just my old 150mm CF. After opening the shadows, pulling some detail into the highlights and removing all sharpening with CaptureOne, I tweaked and sharpened the TIF with Photoshop (I'm more comfortable with it at this point), and the image quality is outstanding.

Now the bad news: It won't fit my Hasselblad ArcBody (technical camera)! I've never had a problem with anything "V" system not fitting the ArcBody. That's a major bummer because I use the ArcBody much more than the 503. The primary reason I got the IQ was for the screen's solution to cumbersome tech camera viewing. Has anyone here solved this ArcBody problem?

 

[fotophil]

There is a thin metal insert surrounding the film gate must be removed in order for the digital back to fit.

 

[schuster]

There is a thin metal insert surrounding the film gate must be removed in order for the digital back to fit.

Thanks Phil. I saw that the back was hitting the wider inner strip (2), but couldn't close it enough to see if it would hit the thinner outer strip (1). Which one, or both, should be filed down?

 

[fotophil]

No need to file anything. The entire insert can be taken out of the film gate frame and can be reinserted later if you want to shoot film.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

So that lifts out than

 

[fotophil]

Yes it just pops out of the frame. I was figuring how to grind it and then discovered that it came out. Much neater job!!!

 

[schuster]

Yes it just pops out of the frame. I was figuring how to grind it and then discovered that it came out. Much neater job!!!

Those inscrutable Swedes sure did a good job of hiding any hint of a line where it pops out. Does it come out at the outer thin line or the inner thicker line? Did you just tap around the frame from inside the camera?

 

[fotophil]

You are so right, they certainly did not indicate that the little frame could be removed. I just took the outer edge of the film gate and firmly lifted up and to my surprise the little metal edge insert cme out in one piece. It is a very thin four sided insert piece which is held in place with a press fit It didn't distort in the removal and probably could be put back in place.

Let's hope ther weren't two versions of the AercBody - mine is 452ER1xxx

Good luck

Phil

 

[schuster]

Mine's 452SS1062. Maybe they found it easier to cast in one unit by the time they got to mine. Could you upload an image of yours?

 

[fotophil]

Sounds like there were two versions of the Arcbody. The Flexbody also used insert masks which prevented digital back mounting. Maybe Dave Odess knows the details?

 

[Wayne Fox]

Thanks for sharing Bill
I found that my artificial horizon does not exactly level

Grischa

Mine is off as well. I tested mine by shooting several shots while in Kauai of the ocean, making sure the level readout itself was exactly 0. I have to make a very minor correction in C1 to get a perfectly level horizon. It's very consistent, so my next plan is to decide what point of the readout is level. Unfortunately the bubbles on my Cube are not spot on, and neither is my iPhone.

Would be nice if the back had some way to dial in a calibration offset so it could be more accurate.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Interesting my Cambo and my Z1 dont match either on vertical plane in comparison to the ball. Horizontal seems okay but I should test it. Honestly all I have been using is the ball to get level and not used anything else. Things look good but is it precisely accurate is a question.

 

[GrahamWelland]

I had a chance to use my IQ160 in anger this weekend and I'm happy to say that the level in my back is spot on. I think that my viewfinder is actually not set straight because if I'd used the lines of my crop viewfinder (Leaf replacement for 44x33mm sensor) then my shots would have been off.

One thing that has been a slight struggle initially is getting used to NOT composing for my crop marks. After years of using cropped viewfinders with my Kodak DCS645M and now Aptus 65 & P40+ I have to start thinking of using the full frame again. Kind of ironic when I think that most people have the opposite problem when using a crop back!! Time to fit that full Mamiya grid mask again.

One challenge I have at the moment is working out what to set the focus mask values to for my various lenses. Time to just shoot a bunch of tests I think. Ditto with live view.

Btw, if anyone is on the fence wondering about the IQ series - just do it, the technology and workflow is simply awesome. Once you've used it it'll be hard to go back to anything else.

So, Phase One, if you want total world dominance in digital backs just link my iPad to my IQ back for instant control and feedback without a tethering laptop. I can dream can't I?

Shooting with the IQ even made me forget about the loathing I have about the DF. Everything just works so I'm happy. Now I just need to get out and use it with my Alpa and try the live view....

 

[GrahamWelland]

Mine is off as well. I tested mine by shooting several shots while in Kauai of the ocean, making sure the level readout itself was exactly 0. I have to make a very minor correction in C1 to get a perfectly level horizon. It's very consistent, so my next plan is to decide what point of the readout is level. Unfortunately the bubbles on my Cube are not spot on, and neither is my iPhone.

Would be nice if the back had some way to dial in a calibration offset so it could be more accurate.

That would be a super useful feature. How much is your level off? Are we talking 0.x degrees or more?

 

[schuster]

IQ160 on ArcBody

Sounds like there were two versions of the Arcbody.

Yesterday I returned from machinist Jim Bednarcyk's workroom where he very carefully removed extra millimeters from the ArcBody that were keeping the IQ160 from coupling with it. Perfect! :thumbs:

Did my first test with the 45mm Rodenstock today and I was happy to see the added image area that I hadn't seen since my film days. I "processed" the first image to a 16-bit TIF and opened it in Photoshop. Of course the first thing I did was zoom-in to pixel-peep, but I was disappointed... until I saw that the image size at 360ppi was already a fraction under 25 inches wide "right out of the box"!!! I rezzed-up to 50 inches and almost got a tear of joy.

The Rodenstocks are designed for movements on the ArcBody, but I had everything zeroed, and was delighted to not see vignetting in the sky or elsewhere in the scene. I suspect there will be some when I do the LCC, and certainly with movements. Absolutely gorgeous lenses! So happy that I kept the ArcBody kit, and delighted with this self-contained, beautifully constructed little gem... the IQ160.

Thank you Fotophil and other members of this forum who have assisted me with this.