The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Phase One XF vs 645DF Auto Focus Performance

Mgreer316

Member
When I made my decision to go with Phase, I did it because Hassey seemed like a closed system. But over the past year I started thinking I made a mistake strictly because of focus issues.
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
I never told anyone but that Don Libby guy----but I almost jumped over to the H4X, only because of the focus performance. (definitely stay Phase MFDB). It's not that I couldn't get the older generation Mamiya/Phase bodies to work--indeed I have experience with them since the original AF and film. But it was my feeling that at the time (pre-XF release announcement) that venerable H was ahead in focus performance. And yes, it drove me crazy to the point it could probably drive someone to say, temporarily kidnap a Phase One VP and demand that Denmark release the new camera body. :D (I like to think that the ploy worked)

Had I jumped to the H4X, I would have taken a large financial loss swapping lenses. And I'm glad I didn't. The focus performance of the XF is all that I was asking for (and got). To me, everything else that the XF body provides is simply cream on top.

Ken:)
 
Last edited:

Mgreer316

Member
How easy/difficult is it to focus calibrate the XF? Also, when calibrating a zoom, do you do it for several points in the focal range? Lastly, when calibrating do you do it at the widest aperture?
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
Definitely calibrate at full aperture. I don't use zooms, but I'd calibrate at the most used focal length. (Though one could argue for doing it at the longest focal length as there is the least amount of DOF present.)
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
No comparison. It's like a DF/DF+ vs a Canon/Nikon DSLR. Dramatically better IMHO. Not anywhere near as sophisticated as a 35mm or even 4/3rds mirrorless DSLR but it's night and day vs the DF era of AF.

Obviously it also depends on the level of reliance you have on the gear vs eye. There are no doubt millions of images taken with the DF series that are just perfect. :thumbup:
 

aztwang

Member
Had an good opportunity to give the XF a good test in A/F performance. Brought 3 young ladies to the studio to create
some images with different backgrounds to promote the studio to local Seniors, get them out of the 100 Phoenix heat.
All together we shot 500 frames.I shot all day at F6.3-7.1 and several times wide open. The Primary lens was a
Schneider 110LS.The girls were instructed to change posing slightly every flash pop so we kept moving at a good pace.
After reviewing all images it safe to say that 90% + were tack sharp and I would say I would have to take responsibility ( Pilot error)of
1/2 of those 10% that were soft. Overall a very successful shoot, I'm very pleased with the XF!
 

Attachments

Last edited:

algrove

Well-known member
Have to ask:

Lovely shot and for this image--

Did you use Spot focus and Spot exposure?
Have you tried the AF Continuous?
Was your 110 AF Tuned?
Aboiut how far from subject was this taken?
Were you hand holding?
Tethered?
ETC
 
Top