IQ3 100 Latency Modes

[vjbelle]

I became so frustrated using the cumbersome two shot shooting mode of the Phase backs that I decided to just work with the lack of power management and additional power drain and switch to 'Zero Latency'. I was very surprised to find that power management (automatic timed power shutoff) actually works with my back in that mode - even though Phase states that power management is disabled in 'Zero Latency' mode. That may have applied to the older CCD backs..... I don't own one anymore so I can't test it. I then decided to check the power drain between the two latency modes. I left the back on for one hour with Zero Latency and Normal Latency without touching the screen and measured the voltage drop. Again I was very surprised to find the difference very slight. Normal latency resulted in a voltage drop of 3.18% and Zero latency resulted in 4.15%. That's not much of a difference. During all of this time the back temperature rose 14 degrees (85 degrees with ambient temperature of 71 degrees). Using just a simple cable release for the lens is very liberating and there are lots of inexpensive cables that can connect the PC sync to a sub mini connection.

Victor

 

[Wayne Fox]

During all of this time the back temperature rose 14 degrees (85 degrees with ambient temperature of 71 degrees).
Victor

Did you test to see how the temperature increase affected noise? I've never tested it, but I recall that's an issue with zero latency.

I know the Kapture Group cable is a little pricey and a little bit of a bother to attach, but for me well worth it, making a single cable release press all that is needed to take the shot.

 

[vjbelle]

Wayne...... I did take one image after two hours of testing at 100 iso which is what I normally shot at. I didn't see any noise difference from the same scene taken earlier. This CMOS chip is much more forgiving than the CCD I had. 85 degrees should be something easily handled by this back without any noise increase..... That temperature would be easy to reach just using live view which I am always using.... and yes, you are sure right in that the Kapture cable is pricey. I wanted a simple solution and have it. I have three of the short sub mini to din cables that attach to the back - and those are pricey at about $110.00. I also have one of the straight Phase cables that goes directly from the back to the lens (without any wake up ability). That cable is around $60.00 on the CI site. Once the short Sub mini to din is utilized there are very inexpensive cables available for connection from the Sub mini to the PC on the lens. No matter what its necessary to have cable backups - the back becomes useless without a signal from the lens.

Victor

Edit: I should add that the first hour of testing was with the back in 'Normal Latency' mode. That was when I took the first temperature measurement with a Fluke infrared meter. That temperature of 85 degrees was maintained during the second hour of testing with the back in 'Zero Latency mode'. From my perspective the temperature rise is normal and not influenced in any way by operating in 'Zero Latency' mode.

 

[Wayne Fox]

Sounds interesting, I’ll have to try it when my IQ3 100 shows up. You’re right, CMOS changes the game as far as this is concerned.

 

[Chipcarterdc]

Could you perhaps explain exactly what "the cumbersome two shot shooting mode of the Phase backs" means? That is, what precisely is the problem that "zero latency" mode solves?

 

[Paul2660]

With a tech camera, you have 2 options, (there are others with e shutters etc but these two are the most common)

Normal latency, and zero.

Normal, you have to wake up the back first, then shoot. So, you have several options for this a couple of them:

1. Kapture group cable, setup. Has the ability to wake up the back on the beginning of the shutter push. Works well on older Phase backs, not so good on newer ones, CMOS, at least to me experiences.

2. Phase cable, with the wake button, so you hit the wake up button (step 1) then push the shutter release (step 2). Can be cumbersome at times as it takes two hands, one to wake up, (left hand for me) and one hand to fire the shutter (right hand). You can't hit the wake up then jump down to the shutter fast enough.


Zero latency, the back is awake all the time, thus, all you need is one step, in this case the shutter release for the copal.

In the past, with CCD backs, this tended to burn up battery life faster and the back (at least mine) heated up faster especially in the summer.

So far with CMOS backs, I am seeing less battery drain, but the back still gets hot.

Paul C

 

[Christopher]

I have been using the zero mode since it arrived. I always had the problem that with a two step exposure it is nearly impossible to time exposures at 1-3 seconds exactly the same.

 

[Chipcarterdc]

Thanks for the explanation.

With a tech camera, you have 2 options, (there are others with e shutters etc but these two are the most common)

Normal latency, and zero.

Normal, you have to wake up the back first, then shoot. So, you have several options for this a couple of them:

1. Kapture group cable, setup. Has the ability to wake up the back on the beginning of the shutter push. Works well on older Phase backs, not so good on newer ones, CMOS, at least to me experiences.

2. Phase cable, with the wake button, so you hit the wake up button (step 1) then push the shutter release (step 2). Can be cumbersome at times as it takes two hands, one to wake up, (left hand for me) and one hand to fire the shutter (right hand). You can't hit the wake up then jump down to the shutter fast enough.


Zero latency, the back is awake all the time, thus, all you need is one step, in this case the shutter release for the copal.

In the past, with CCD backs, this tended to burn up battery life faster and the back (at least mine) heated up faster especially in the summer.

So far with CMOS backs, I am seeing less battery drain, but the back still gets hot.

Paul C

 

[vjbelle]

So far with CMOS backs, I am seeing less battery drain, but the back still gets hot.

Paul C

Paul..... I have not experienced this at all with my IQ3 100. Regardless of whether the back is in normal or zero latency the temperature rise is minimal and the same. Both of my tests for 1 hour periods had the same temperature rise. 'Hot' to me means difficult to touch - a temperature certainly above 110 degrees. My back barely got warm and could reach that temperature (85 degrees) outside in direct sun without even being on.

Victor

 

[fotohouse]

Paul..... I have not experienced this at all with my IQ3 100. Regardless of whether the back is in normal or zero latency the temperature rise is minimal and the same. Both of my tests for 1 hour periods had the same temperature rise. 'Hot' to me means difficult to touch - a temperature certainly above 110 degrees. My back barely got warm and could reach that temperature (85 degrees) outside in direct sun without even being on.

Victor

My back tends to rise a bit higher in temps, but nothing extreme--I feel the same way that "hot" is interpreted as too much to the touch.