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Achromatic vs Color Digital Backs

P

photographer

New member
I wonder if there are any sample photos available for us to preview that were taken with both a color and achromatic digital backs all at the same place and time. If possible I would love to see these photos side by side so I could see the difference in their dynamic and tonal range, the sharpness, the details and etc .
The best case scenario if it would be the same brand/technology such as:

Phase One IQ4 150 Achromatic vs Phase One IQ4 150 Trichromatic
Phase One IQ3 100 Achromatic vs Phase One IQ3 Trichromatic
Phase One P45+ Achromatic+ vs Phase One P45+ Trichromatic
or
Leica M10 40MP Monochrome vs M10 40MP (if exists)

and etc

Any feedback is highly appreciated!
 
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A

algrove

Well-known member
FWIW, I offer a few comments.

Any Phase dealer can help with your question of course and possibly provide comparisons.

Are you interested in trying to judge how color images convert into B&W and what might be lost in that process as opposed to a sensor without a Bayer array?

Achro images to me are cleaner than the same shot taken in color plus they lend themselves to IR photography when wanted. It has been said that this is due to many factors a few of which I mention here:

-No CFA interpolation gives a pure black and white image
-The elimination of a filter array yields smoother tones/gradations
-Smoother edge definition

Some years ago my unscientific experiment with a IQ3100 color versus a Phase IQ260 Achromatic was that the Achro back perhaps gained about 50% more in resolution then when converting the color image of the same shot making the 60MP image very close to the 100MP image when converted from color to B&W. It was then when I purchased my first Phase Achromatic DB, the IQ3100 Achro.

Keep in mind Phase Achromatic DB's have a clear glass over the sensor whereas a Leica Monochrom's sensor has a slight IR filter glass over the sensor so it is not at all the same animal as the Phase Achromatic. I have owned Leica color and Mono M cameras and the B&W models had special qualities in the MM and M9 as well as the M240 and M246. I no longer own Leica M gear, but the same must hold true for the current M models.

My 2 cents.

PS-As far as I know there does not yet exist an IQ4150 Trichromatic unless one was just announced while I have been traveling. I once had a P45+ and it never came in a Trichromatic model that I remember.
 
Pemihan

Pemihan

Well-known member
algrove said:
Some years ago my unscientific experiment with a IQ3100 color versus a Phase IQ260 Achromatic was that the Achro back perhaps gained about 50% more in resolution then when converting the color image of the same shot making the 60MP image very close to the 100MP image when converted from color to B&W. It was then when I purchased my first Phase Achromatic DB, the IQ3100 Achro.
Click to expand...

I did exactly the same and came to the exact same conclusion. Subsequently I got he IQ260 Achro and later upgraded to the IQ3100 Achro. I absolutely love that back and the 100MP are more than enough for my need. And live view is a godsend when it comes to IR.


algrove said:
PS-As far as I know there does not yet exist an IQ4150 Trichromatic unless one was just announced while I have been traveling. I once had a P45+ and it never came in a Trichromatic model that I remember.
Click to expand...
There is a IQ4100 Trichromatic (which uses the exact same sensor as the IQ3 version), but not a 150. There's was P45+ Trichromatic.
 
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