Phase One IQ4 - Feature Update 1

[dougpeterson]

The first major update to the Phase One IQ4 is expected to be released to users next week. Called "Creative Control" It brings
- Automatic Frame Averaging
- Improved storage options
- The ability to load custom C1 Styles into the back

It also fixes the vertical bug we reported on (thanks to our savvy user) and is expected to add a B/T mode to ES when used on a tech camera. It does not include zero latency or Ad Hoc wireless.

We (DT) will have more information, sample files, and analysis up on our website later today.

 

[beano_z]

The first major update to the Phase One IQ4 is expected to be released to users next week. It brings
- Automatic Frame Averaging
- Improved storage options
- The ability to load custom C1 Styles into the back

It also fixes the vertical bug we reported on (thanks to our savvy user) and is expected to add a B/T mode to ES when used on a tech camera. It does not include zero latency or Ad Hoc wireless.

We (DT) will have more information, sample files, and analysis up on our website later today.

Thanks for the info, Doug.

The frame averaging looks very interesting indeed, very much look forward to the next update, hopefully they’ve fixed the portrait orientation bug as well. :thumbup:

 

[dougpeterson]

hopefully they’ve fixed the portrait orientation bug as well

Yes, the "portrait orientation bug" is the "vertical bug" that my post indicates is fixed. Your terminology is probably more clear than mine was; thanks!

 

[beano_z]

Yes, the "portrait orientation bug" is the "vertical bug" that my post indicates is fixed. Your terminology is probably more clear than mine was; thanks!

Oh, I’m sorry man, in my excitement I just flew over that second paragraph!! Well, that’s more good news than I expected.

Anyway, let’s sit back and relax while we wait for the new update to be available, the long exposure emulation combined with the HDR function will probably render most of me filters useless.....I like the idea of only having to travel with a polarizer! :grin:

 

[Paul2660]

Is frame averaging a XF only feature? Or will it work with a tech camera and the ES shutter.

Paul C

 

[dougpeterson]

Is frame averaging a XF only feature? Or will it work with a tech camera and the ES shutter.

Paul C

It works on any camera the IQ4 works on, including tech cameras and view cameras (e.g. Arca R)

Indeed, given how game-changing I expect this feature to be to landscape and architecture shooters, I'd expect a lot of use of this feature on tech cameras.

 

[algrove]

Can one assume these new features will be available on the 150 Achromatic too.

 

[dougpeterson]

Can one assume these new features will be available on the 150 Achromatic too.

Yes! Though obviously the styles will be limited in their ability to manipulate color .

 

[Craig Stocks]

Does this also bring the IQ4 to parity with the IQ3 with features like focus mask on image review and ad hoc networking to support Capture Pilot?

 

[gerald.d]

Is “automatic frame averaging” the median stacking stacking that I spoke about back at the time of the IQ4’s release?

Kind regards,


Gerald.

 

[Christopher]

wow... how can it be that we still don’t get useful IQ3 features and super important stuff like adhoc WiFi....

 

[Paul2660]

It works on any camera the IQ4 works on, including tech cameras and view cameras (e.g. Arca R)

Indeed, given how game-changing I expect this feature to be to landscape and architecture shooters, I'd expect a lot of use of this feature on tech cameras.

Thanks Doug.

Great news. I have been looking forward to seeing the results from this feature. It should be a first for any camera to be able to stack exposures and create a raw with the best average exposure.

Hopefully adhoc will come before end of 2019. Really need a Capture Pilot type solution for field work.

Paul C

 

[tcdeveau]

It should be a first for any camera to be able to stack exposures and create a raw with the best average exposure,

Paul C

Could one not do this on Sony alpha cameras with the smooth reflection app?

It’s a great feature for sure though and kudos to P1 for adding it to the IQ4 feature set

 

[Christopher]

What I would want to know is IF Adhoc WiFi is coming? I’m seriously worried that is isn’t here yet, there is no communication whatsoever....

 

[dougpeterson]

Does this also bring the IQ4 to parity with the IQ3 with... ad hoc networking to support Capture Pilot?

wow... how can it be that we still don’t super important stuff like adhoc WiFi....

Hopefully adhoc will come before end of 2019. Really need a Capture Pilot type solution for field work.

Frustratingly, no Ad Hoc yet.

Sounds like it's been more complicated to complete than they expected, since they had to start from scratch (new OS, new networking hardware, new version of Capture Pilot planned). We have a lot of users rightly very frustrated that it's still not done.

It does not replace Capture Pilot, or the need to implement Ad Hoc on the IQ4, but some of our users have been using a Surface tablet for wireless review. In a few cases it is a better solution (since you're working in the full version of C1 so can go deeper into the workflow than Capture Pilot) and in other cases it is not even close to a substitute (since you're essentially tethering, rather than using Capture Pilot which is more about remote control/review, and a Surface is small, but nowhere near as small as an iPhone). We have Surface tablets in our demo studios in case anyone wants to make an appointment to play with an IQ4+Surface combo to see whether it's pros and cons line up with their needs/wants.

 

[dougpeterson]

Is “automatic frame averaging” the median stacking stacking that I spoke about back at the time of the IQ4’s release?

"Median stacking stacking"?

We'll have an article about the Automatic Frame Averaging tool posted shortly, which should answer any questions you have.

 

[Paul2660]

Doug, I assume by Surface Tablet, you are referring to a Microsoft Surface Pro, 4 or 5 (whatever is current)?

Which is a true win10 solution as you know. No issues with this if it's possible to wifi connect in the field between a Surface Pro and IQ4? I have not figured out a way for that to occur, only connection I have found is the standard USB-3 cable to Surface. This works OK but still I don't like the fact I am attached to a cable, prefer freedom of just being on wifi.

With the new iPads out, mid 2019, I had hoped to see C1 work forward with a more robust Capture Pilot or C1 for iOS solution. LR is there and LumaFusion is there. The later allowing huge capability for video editing on a non Mac OS (iOS) solution. Based on what I have seen the latest iPads mid 2019 have quite a bit of power and processing ability as they are working with 4K video and able to output very good solutions. A iPad would still be a better solution than a Surface, both in weight and battery life. Just curious.

Also would still love to see a day when Phase allows HDMI for playback. Not sure why this can't be done as any other camera with Video and or electronic shutters with HDMI allow playback to an external monitor. They did a much better job on the Live View, but the current Live View is still broken at least for me. Exposure Simulation can't work in low light without a manual ISO push, and the auto still has the video pulsing problem, where it goes from too bright to too dark over and over not allowing a good visual. I sure hope this is fixed sooner than later also.

Paul C

 

[f8orbust]

We'll have an article about the Automatic Frame Averaging tool posted shortly, which should answer any questions you have.

Is this the same thing as Guillermo Luijk's 'Zero Noise' (i.e. the fusion of several captures of the same scene with different exposures to achieve a final image free of noise and with a large dynamic range) that first appeared 11 years ago ?

 

[dougpeterson]

Is this the same thing as Guillermo Luijk's 'Zero Noise' (i.e. the fusion of several captures of the same scene with different exposures to achieve a final image free of noise and with a large dynamic range) that first appeared 11 years ago ?

To quote our article on IQ4 Automatic Frame Averaging

"At its heart, this tool works by averaging two or more (often many more) sequential captures together, generating a single raw file. This has the effect of evening out noise in the shadows. With four samples the noise should be roughly half as much as a single capture (which is already extraordinarily low), with sixteen samples it should be roughly half as much again. In theory this technique can be used by anyone with any camera by capturing more than one image of the same scene and layering them with a low opacity in Photoshop or via specialized software. However, manual frame averaging requires capturing many gigs worth of raws, processing even more gigs worth of TIFFs, and minutes (or even hours) worth of computer time; just to generate a single output image. The IQ4 does exposure stacking internally, on the fly, and generates a single raw file ready for immediate use. Moreover, the IQ4 can do it entirely free of temporal gaps and entirely free of vibration."

 

[Craig Stocks]

I’m extremely disappointed to hear that Phase One is spending time working on shiny new features while they apparently can’t figure out some basic foundational features (ad hoc wifi, focus mask, etc.). I am more and more worried that they’ve lost their way and are unfortunately becoming a company we can’t rely on.

(I do prefer to think they can’t figure it out versus just don’t want to work on it. Incompetence can be fixed, corporate arrogance is a bigger issue.)