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Posts Tagged ‘Phase’

Phase One announces $13K 90mm F5.6 lens for its XT Camera System

31 Aug

Phase One has announced the release of the Rodenstock 90mm F5.6 lens, the latest in its growing collection of glass for its XT Camera Systems.

One of the stand-out features of the XT-HR Digaron-W 90mm F5.6 is its 120mm image circle, which is large enough to account for the 24mm of shift the XT Camera System offers on both the X- and Y-axes for correcting perspective distortion.

The lens, which Phase One suggests is designed with landscape and architectural photography in mind, features an aperture range of F5.6-F22, uses an electro-magnetical shutter (1/1000th-60 min) rated for over 500,000 actuations, has a 72mm front filter thread and uses a five-blade aperture diaphragm. It measures in at 160mm (6.3”) long, 107mm (4.2”) wide and 90mm (3.5”) in diameter, with a weight of 1,200g (2.65lbs).

The MSRP of the Rodenstock XT-HR Digaron-W 90mm F5.6 is $ 12,990. It’s available now through authorized Phase One Partners.

Phase One is also teasing another Rodenstock lens, which it says will be over 100mm (<40-degree angle of view) and will be announced by the end of the year. Phase One says ‘several [optical designs] are under investigation, exploring the best balance of image circle, lens speed, size, weight, and complexity.’

Press release:

Phase One Adds 90mm Lens to XT 150MP Camera Offering

Brings Large Format Feel to Full Frame Medium Format Field Camera

COPENHAGEN, Aug. 31, 2020 – Phase One today announced a remarkable new lens for its breakthrough XT Camera System: the Rodenstock 90mm. Embodying characteristics and workflow elements familiar to those shooting large format, the focal length of this lens offers outstanding sharpness and unbeatable image quality: with minute depth of field, uniform bokeh, and precise focus.

In concert with the powerful and highly integrated Phase One IQ4 Infinity Platform – a camera platform flexible enough to support evolving technology – this newest of Phase One’s Rodenstock lenses puts the XT camera in a class by itself.

Designed for landscape photography, the XT Camera System’s ability to shift 24mm on both the X- and Y-axes allows photographers to correct all perspective distortion and also to create panoramic/stitched images at tremendous scale/resolution. Since the 90mm’s 120mm image circle far exceeds the XT’s movements, this lens uniquely delivers perfect uniformity throughout all camera movements or flawless uniformity throughout camera perspectives. The combination of f/5.6 and a 67° angle of view uniquely focuses the subject.

All five available Rodenstock lenses are fitted with the Phase One designed and digitally integrated X-Shutter — an intelligently controlled electromagnetic shutter born from Phase One’s experience with industrial applications. It ensures robust handling for the long term.

The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-S 23mm f/5.6 is the highest quality wide-angle lens available.

The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 32mm f/4 is an exceptional quality wide-angle lens with a large image circle and almost no distortion.

The XT – Rodenstock XT – HR Digaron-W 50mm f/4 is an ideal balance of a “normal” focal length perspective and wide-angle aesthetic, a close equivalent to human vision.

The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 70mm f/5.6 is a normal focal length lens with impeccable image quality and a large image circle.

XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron – W/SW 90mm f/5.6 is the longest focal length lens and largest image circle with exceptional image resolution for getting closer to your subject.

“The 90mm focal length defines the ‘feel’ of large format photography,” said Drew Altdoerffer, Product Manager at Phase One. “When it comes to Large Format aesthetic, this is the focal length artists have in mind and a longer focal length is a welcome addition to the XT.”

To hear more about this newest lens and how it fits into the existing family of lenses, please see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0mmKVd_LT8&feature=youtu.be

Availability and Pricing

The XT Camera System is available now through Phase One Partners worldwide: www.phaseone.com/partners.

The Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for the XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron – W/SW 90mm lens is $ 12,990.

The Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for the XT IQ4 150MP Camera System, including a lens is $ 58,990.

All camera systems are sold with a 5-year limited warranty, including an uptime guarantee of the IQ4 Digital Back and unlimited lens actuations for the warranty period.

For more information, please go to: www.phaseone.com/XT or book a demo on: www.phaseone.com/xt-demo

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Samsung’s new ISOCELL GN1 sensor features Tetracell tech, phase detection on all active pixels

20 May

Samsung Electronics has launched a new image sensor that is designed for use in the primary camera of high-end smartphones. Like other sensors from the the ISOCELL family, the ISOCELL GN1 comes with the company’s pixel isolation technology that creates a barrier around each pixel in order to reduce color cross-talk.

At 50MP the sensor´s native resolution is fairly moderate when compared to the 108MP juggernaut used in Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but has other tricks up its sleeve: it’s Samsung’s first image sensor to combine Dual-Pixel autofocus with the company’s Tetracell technology, allowing for increased light sensitivity in low light as well as precise and fast autofocus performance in all light conditions.

The GN1 comes with 100 million phase detection autofocus (PDAF) sites, meaning all of the sensor’s active pixels double as focus pixels, allowing for fast focusing in all light conditions and at all angles. Dual Pixel technology places two photodiodes side-by-side within a single pixel. When an image is captured the outputs from the two photodiodes are merged into a single pixel. Samsung also offers a software feature that can analyze light information from both photodiodes to compute image output that is comparable to a 100MP file.

Tetracell uses pixel-merging methods to increase light sensitivity in low light conditions. Four adjacent pixels are merged into one doubling the effective pixel size from 1.2?m to 2.4?m and quadrupling the light sensitivity at a 12.5MP output size. In bright light the sensor can operate as a standard Bayer sensor and capture full-sized 50MP images.

In addition the GN1 sensor offers a Smart-ISO function that ‘intelligently sets the optimal ISO value, and a real-time HDR mode. Electronic image stabilization uses data from the device’s built-in gyro to avoid shaky video and blurry images and video shooters can make use of an 8K video mode that can record at 30 frames per second.

Overall the GN1 looks like a very versatile image sensor that can adapt to a multitude of shooting situations. In bright light the 50MP resolution should allow for excellent detail. In dimmer conditions the Tetracell tech can deliver images with low noise and a wide dynamic range. At the same time the all-sensor Dual-Pixel autofocus system is making sure subjects are in focus, even in difficult scenes.

Samsung says mass production of the ISOCELL GN1 sensor has started this month. We’ll find out how it performs in real-life conditions once the first GN1-equipped devices make an appearance in the marketplace.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Phase One Industrial launches 280MP dual-lens aerial system with four-band capture

30 Mar
This isn’t your everyday camera setup

Phase One Industrial has announced the release of the iXM-RS 280F, a new 280-megapixel large-format aerial photogrammetric system.

The dual-lens metric camera system is mounted onto Phase One Industrial’s DSM400 gyro mount and uses a pair of 90mm lenses to capture incredibly detailed images for commercial purposes. In addition to capturing RGB images, Phase One is also offering an additional configuration that will simultaneously capture both RGB and near-infrared (NIR) images at the same time. This simultaneous capture requires yet another camera that will use a 50mm lens for capturing the four-band (R, G, B, NIR) imagery, which can be output distortion-free and color corrected in JPEG or TIFF formats.

Sales are currently live, but the ‘full solution’ pricing, which includes the iXM-RS 280F large format camera, Applanix GNSS/IMU receiver (POS AV series), Somag gyro-stabilized mount (DSM 400), Phase One iX Controller and iX Flight Management software, starts at $ 455,000.

Press release:

Phase One Industrial Redefines Large Format Aerial Imaging Launches 280MP Aerial Solution

Challenges Status Quo with Imaging Precision, Flexibility and Affordability

COPENHAGEN – Phase One Industrial, a pioneer in digital imaging excellence, today launched the 280MP Aerial Solution – a large format aerial photogrammetric system, with an image coverage width of more than 20,000 pixels – enabling unprecedented high quality aerial survey productivity. Compact and lightweight, this new aerial mapping solution can reduce operating costs and produce better returns on investment than today’s traditional large format systems.

The Phase One Industrial 280MP Aerial Solution is a large format camera system that easily integrates with DSM400 gyro-stabilized mount creating a compact and lightweight system for use in a wide range of aircraft. At its heart, the iXM-RS 280F is a dual lens metric camera, with 90mm lenses for capturing RGB information, providing precision imaging. Adding a near infrared (NIR) camera generates a 4-band configuration, most useful in agriculture & forestry and pipeline monitoring missions.

The iXM-RS280F camera generates a central projection image from two 150MP nadir images with equal ground resolution. The cameras’ backside illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor supports very high dynamic range at 83dB. Its high light sensitivity provides superb image quality in challenging low light conditions, enabling operators to take advantage of more flight hours per day and more flight days per year.

Dov Kalinski, General Manager of Phase One Industrial said, “Our 280MP Aerial Solution is a bold and innovative approach to solving customers’ demands for affordable and reliable aerial mapping performance. Previously, opportunities in the aerial mapping business were restricted due to high cost of equipment and limited aircraft options. While pioneering superior image quality, Phase One Industrial is creating more profitable possibilities in this exciting and important market.”

The Phase One Industrial 280MP Aerial Solution

The Phase One Industrial 280MP Aerial Solution consists of an iXM-RS 280F large format camera, Applanix GNSS/IMU receiver (POS AV series), Somag gyro-stabilized mount (DSM 400), Phase One iX Controller and iX Flight Management software. It is unprecedented in its image quality, operational flexibility, reliability and affordability.

Availability and Pricing

The iXM-RS 280F camera and 280MP Aerial Solution may be ordered from Phase One Industrial partners worldwide starting now.

Full Solution pricing (with Applanix POS AV 310 and Somag DSM 400) starts at USD 455,000.

For more information, please visit: https://industrial.phaseone.com/Aerial_System_280MP_System.aspx

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Phase One Capture One 20 software review

28 Jan

Phase One Capture One 20
$ 129-299 | captureone.com/en/store

For many years, Adobe’s Lightroom was seen as the gold standard for photographers seeking a way to manage and edit their Raw files on Windows or Mac OS. These days, though, there are an ever-increasing selection of third-party alternatives on both platforms, and one of the most popular of these is Phase One’s long-running Capture One series. I regularly hear from pros who’ve switched to Capture One, and its popularity with enthusiasts is also on the uptick.

Now in its 13th generation, Phase One’s flagship imaging application covers all the bases: Images can be tagged, rated or given easily searchable keywords, and a wide range of manual and automatic tools are available to correct common exposure issues and lens defects, or to grade color and bring your artistic vision to life.

And for many cameras and camera backs from Canon, Fujifilm, Mamiya Leaf, Nikon and Sony, Capture One can even take charge of the capture process, allowing you to shoot remotely by tethering your camera to your desktop or laptop.

Key takeaways:

  • Organize, rate, cull and edit your photos in one app
  • Improved ease of use and image quality
  • Redesigned Basic Color Editor is both intuitive and powerful
  • Fair performance, but image rendering is on the slow side
  • Easily import your catalogs from Lightroom
  • Good support for mainstream/pro cameras, but less popular brands and some consumer-oriented models are missing from the list
  • Higher pricing than rivals, but you can choose subscription or perpetual licensing

What’s New in Capture One 20

Capture One 20 follows on from Capture One 12, released in 2018 and will still look very familiar to anyone who’s used recent versions. Although it’s not the revolution that the new version number might suggest, it nevertheless includes a few new and updated features, as well as support for a variety of more recent camera models.

In addition to its new camera support, Capture One 20’s main focus is on improving ease of use, and on getting better results from your images. Its extremely customizable user interface has been updated to make it less intimidating to new users, and it’s also easier to keep the tools you most use close to hand. Updated tools and algorithms promise easier cropping plus better noise reduction and dynamic range adjustments, while improved support for layers-based editing makes it simpler to copy your changes between images. And there are a variety of more minor tweaks and bug fixes on offer, as well.

The tool stack in Capture One 20 is now split into pinned and scrollable areas. You can easily add or remove tools, or drag them between the two sections.

A friendlier UI that’s easier to learn

Phase One has put a fair bit of work into making Capture One 20’s user interface more approachable, and I think it’s succeeded pretty well. New users will definitely appreciate the addition of text labels beneath the icons in the main toolbar, whose function otherwise might not have been obvious. And I found myself quite a fan of the tooltips which pop up when you hover your mouse pointer or pen over individual UI elements. These not only tell you what the various unlabeled controls do, but also show which shortcut key you could’ve used to access them more quickly.

You can now pin your most-used tools atop the redesigned tool stack for quick access

Speaking of keyboard shortcuts, these are searchable through the edit menu too, making it very easy indeed to learn how to operate Capture One from the keyboard wherever possible. (You can also customize them all to your heart’s content.)

Another notable redesign is in the tool stack which, by default, lines the left-hand side of the screen. Your most-used tool panels can now be pinned to the top of the list for quick access, while the others remain accessible in a scrollable area beneath, and it’s very easy to drag individual panels between the two sections to arrange things to your liking.

The Basic Color Editor is surprisingly powerful

Phase One has tweaked several of the individual tools on offer in Capture One 20. The most significant change is in the Basic Color Editor, which now sports two additional color ranges for a total of eight. Tweaking a color range you want to modify is now as simple as clicking on the nearest color in the tool panel and then dragging the hue, saturation and lightness sliders to make your change without affecting any other color range in the image. As you do so, you see your change take effect in near-real time.

Capture One 20’s new Basic Color Editor makes adjustments to specific colors — whether subtle or, as here, quite radical — both quick and easy.

While this in itself is great, I found the Basic Color Editor’s eye-dropper to be even more powerful and intuitive. To use it, you click to select the color you want to edit from the image itself, and then while holding the mouse button down, drag either horizontally or vertically to adjust the hue or saturation directly. If you want to adjust the lightness, you do the same thing, but hold down the alt key (or, on Mac OS, the option key) as you click-and-drag.

Regardless of which method you’re using, the Basic Color Editor tool now also supports layers-based editing, helping you to avoid the more complex (but also, even more powerful) Advanced Color Editor.

Better noise reduction, cropping and HDR editing

The updated Basic Color Editor is more of an attention-grabber, but several other tools have also received some useful updates. The noise reduction tool can now hold onto detail and color better, taming unsightly noise patterns. I still don’t think it’s as powerful as the PRIME de-noising engine in DxO’s PhotoLab, but it’s also far, far faster. A fairer comparison would be to Lightroom Classic’s noise reduction tools, and here I think Phase One is the equal of its main rival.

Capture One 20’s noise reduction can now better hold onto detail and color. Here, I’m comparing before-and-after 100% crops from a Canon M6 II shot at ISO 25,600.

The crop tool, meanwhile, now has visible handles at its corners and the center of each side and, when used in concert with the shift and alt / option keys, allows you to either fix the aspect ratio or to lock the crop adjustment around its center point. And the HDR tool has gained new white and black sliders to adjust the darkest and brightest areas of the image, while its highlight and shadow sliders now default to a centered position when zeroed out. Layer-based editing support has also been improved; you can now copy layers between photos even if their dimensions differ, all without replacing their existing layers in the process.

Improved camera support

One of the key changes in Capture One 20 is its improved support for more recent camera models. With eight cameras added to the list, the app can now work with raw files from almost 560 different models from most of the main brands used by enthusiasts and pros alike, and it also sports profiles for a similar number of fixed-lens or interchangeable-lens optics.

Capture One 20’s updated HDR tool in use.

Newly-supported cameras include the Canon EOS 90D and M6 Mark II, Nikon Z 50, Leica V-Lux 5, Panasonic Lumix DC-S1H, Pentax K-1 II, Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Ricoh GR III. In addition, GoPro’s HERO line of action cameras have received generic Raw support, and you’ll get better results with native or converted DNG Raw files from cameras which aren’t explicitly supported. There’s only one new lens profile, though, for the Rodenstock RS-23mm/Aerial.

If your camera’s Raw format isn’t supported, you’ll still be able to edit JPEG images or Raws that have been converted to DNG format, but you’re not going to get the benefit of Phase One’s custom profiles which are tuned based on the company’s in-house hardware testing process. Phase One’s website has lists of cameras whose raw files are natively supported by Capture One 20, and lenses that Phase One has profiled for automatic correction.

Support for pen / touch and 4K, even on Windows

Although 4K displays are now quite common even in laptops, Microsoft’s Windows OS still doesn’t support them terribly well, and many apps are harder to use on really high-res screens. Thankfully, Capture One 20 has no such issues, even on Windows. All of its user interface elements are shown at a size that is not only readable, but also large enough to serve as touch-screen targets. (And they all function properly with my Wacom AES 2.0 stylus, as well.)

Modern hardware like 4K screens, touch screens and pens / styluses is all well-supported

Really, my only complaint on the resolution front is a relatively minor one. For the best performance, Phase One recommends making previews with at least the same resolution as your display, yet Capture One 20 defaults to previews that are just 2,560 pixels on the longer side even if installed on a machine whose display resolution is far higher.

It takes only a few clicks to change the preview image size in the preferences dialog, but new users with high DPI displays are likely to find themselves wondering why it takes a moment for their images to render when browsing them full-screen. I’d like to see Phase One detect the display resolution instead, and then either adjust the default appropriately, or prompt the user to do so on startup.

The updated crop tool in Capture One 20 is now easier to use.

Performance is fair, but could use improvement

Speaking of performance, I found it to be a bit of a weak point. Initial imports are pretty quick, letting you start browsing and editing images relatively swiftly. And browsing / editing of images is reasonably swift as well, although previews did lag behind my adjustments by perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 second, which is a bit slower than Lightroom Classic on the same hardware.

Creating preview images on my machine, however, took about twice as long as Lightroom, even if I allowed my computer to remain otherwise idle until the process was complete. And processing / exporting full-res images took about 20-30% longer in Capture One than in Lightroom, using similar settings.

Creating preview images and exporting full-res ones is a fair bit slower than Lightroom

Interestingly, this seems to be a conscious decision on Phase One’s part. If I open Windows 10’s resource monitor during these processes, I can see that Lightroom pegs all my CPU threads at 100% for the duration of the operation, whereas Capture One 20 would typically hover at around the 40-60% utilization mark on all threads, with only occasional spikes to 80%, and seldom reaching 100% utilization on any core.

I can only speculate that Phase One is attempting to keep the UI responsive during image processing, and indeed I did find it much more usable than Lightroom if I continued to browse and edit other images while these background tasks continued. But if so, I’d rather the full processor power be unleashed when the machine is otherwise idle, as it’s frustrating to be kept waiting longer than necessary.

On the plus side, though, Capture One does at least give you a surprisingly accurate estimate of how long each operation will take to complete. Adobe gives you no such estimate.

It’s likely Phase One are intentionally trading off pure rendering performance for a more responsive user interface

For reference, I am using a 2018-vintage Dell XPS 15 9570 laptop with 2.2GHz hexa-core processor, not a cutting-edge machine by any standard, but nevertheless reasonably recent and powerful. To ensure a fair comparison, I imported the same mixture of several thousand raw and JPEG images shot with several recent cameras to both Capture One and Lightroom. I first reset both applications to their defaults, and also used a fresh catalog. (The preview image size was set to 3840 pixels in both apps.)

Up next – let’s take a look at how Capture One 20 compares to an industry standard: Adobe Lightroom Classic.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Phase One IQ4 sample gallery

16 Sep

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It’s not every day that we get to shoot with a system like the Phase One IQ4. We took the 150MP medium-format camera into the studio for some portraiture, as well as shooting in some more casual environments because, well, why not? Take a look at the incredible detail that can be captured when you have 150 million pixels at your disposal.

See our Phase One IQ4 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Phase One announces new XT camera system

11 Sep

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Phase One has announced its XT medium format system, which the company is marketing as a ‘travel-friendly’ solution for landscape photographers. The system is made up of three parts:

  • The IQ4 digital back (150MP or 100MP versions); we assume that future IQ-series backs will also work.
  • The lightweight body that has a shutter release and Cambo WDS-compatible mount
  • Three lenses made by Rodenstock

The XT body is essentially the ‘bridge’ between the lens and digital back. It’s a lightweight body with a dual-action shutter release and removable Arca Swiss type tripod foot. It has two dials, which are used to shift the lens by 12mm in any direction. This allows for the correction of perspective distortion and can aid in the creation of super-high-res panoramic images.

Landscape photographer Reuben Wu with the XT

The available Rodenstock lenses are a HR Digaron-S 23mm F5.6, HR Digaron-W 32mm F4 and HR Digiron-W 70mm F5.6. All three lenses use an electromagnetic ‘X-Shutter’, which offers shutter speed ranging from 60 to 1/1000 sec and carbon fiber shutter blades. The shutter is capable of 500,000 actuations, according to Phase One.

If the XT system sounds like something you’re interested in, you can pick one up for $ 56,990, which includes the IQ4 150MP back and the lens of your choice.

Press Release

Phase One Announces A New Camera System: The ‘XT’ — The First Of Its Kind

A travel-ready, digitally integrated field camera that brings landscape photography to a whole new level

COPENHAGEN, Sept. 10, 2019 – Phase One has announced the XT Camera System, opening new frontiers of quality for landscape photography. Designed for convenience and engineered for precision, the XT packs a full-frame medium format camera of the highest quality into a travel-friendly design. By pairing the power and performance of Phase One’s IQ4 Infinity Platform with Rodenstock’s renowned optics, the XT is the most compact digitally integrated field camera to date.

The XT Camera System perfectly marries extraordinary image quality and extraordinary photographic technology. It’s versatile, flexible, and remarkably intuitive to use. With components that communicate digitally with each other and the system’s compact size, the XT is crafted for effortless capture, so the photographer can focus on capturing the moment, not on camera settings.

“The XT Camera System is designed to elevate both your creativity and image quality by providing the best possible components, in the smallest possible package with intuitive controls, all of which allows you to focus on the moment.”
– Drew Altdoerffer, Product Manager at Phase One

“I love the XT. The combination of the Phase One IQ4, a compact camera body, and an incredible lens is just what I need. I can easily fit the camera with two lenses in my small shoulder bag, and still barely feel like I am carrying anything.”
– Reuben Wu, fine art landscape photographer

Phase One’s ability to embrace heritage while not weighed down by it makes the blend of sensible Danish design, advanced technology integration, and precision mechanics the natural foundation for this next step in landscape photography. The system will evolve over time with the release of additional lenses, expanding Infinity Platform features, dedicated accessories, and discipline-focused workflows.

Components – Technology in a class of its own

The XT Camera System integrates components of the highest quality:

  • The Phase One IQ4 150MP, IQ4 150MP Achromatic, or IQ4 100MP Trichromatic, built on the Infinity Platform — designed to innovate and support evolving technology.
  • The XT Camera Body built exclusively for the Phase One IQ4. It features intuitive ergonomics and straightforward controls, including the dual action shutter button, which is designed to support future expansion and customization.
  • Three lenses manufactured by Phase One’s strategic partner Rodenstock. All lenses are fitted with Phase One’s new, digitally integrated, X-Shutter –an intelligently controlled electromagnetic shutter — born from Phase One’s industrial applications experience:
    • The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-S 23mm f/5.6 is the highest quality super wide lens available.
    • The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 32mm f/4 is an exceptional quality wide-angle lens with a large image circle and almost no distortion.
    • The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 70mm f/5.6 is a normal focal length lens with impeccable image quality and a large image circle.
  • The XT Camera System takes full advantage of Rodenstock lenses with 24mm of shift on both the X and Y axis. The shift movement allows the photographer to correct perspective distortion. It can also be used to create panoramic/stitched images at tremendous scale/resolution. The XT Camera Body intelligently integrates the shift position in the image file for later refer

Availability and Pricing

The XT Camera System is available now through Phase One Partners worldwide: www.phaseone.com/partners.

The Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for the XT IQ4 150MP Camera System, including a lens of your choice, is $ 56,990

All camera systems are sold with a 5-year limited warranty, including unlimited lens actuations for the warranty period.

For more information, please go to: www.phaseone.com/XT or book a demo on: www.phaseone.com/xt-demo

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Hands-on with the Phase One XT camera system

10 Sep

Introduction

Phase One has just unveiled their new XT Camera System, which uses the same IQ4 digital backs as their XF system, but in a much smaller and lighter overall package. Phase One is billing the XT system as a ‘field camera,’ explaining to us that, while the XF system is really about ultimate image quality in a studio environment, the XT is about making it easier to achieve that quality beyond the studio.

Let’s take a closer look at the components of the XT camera system and how it handles.

The XT camera

Although Phase One likes to use ‘back-to-basics’ as a phrase to describe the entire XT camera system, it’s the impressively slim XT camera itself that is perhaps most representative of this philosophy. The IQ4 digital backs mount to the rear of the camera, and a series of new Rodenstock lenses (which are attached to the company’s new ‘X-Shutter’ mechanism – more on that in a bit) mount to the front, using a standard Cambo mount. You can see the electrical contacts here that control that shutter, and also communicate shooting data between the lens and the camera.

The XT camera also allows users to quickly switch from landscape to portrait orientation, thanks to a tripod plate mounted on a grooved track (visible here on the right of the camera) that allows the whole system to rotate 90 degrees without leaving the tripod. If you like, you can remove the tripod foot altogether.

There are only three control points on the XT camera – one which you can easily see here, is that bright blue shutter button at the top left. The others are…

Lens shift knobs

…shift-knobs, seen here as the textured tumbler on the top of the camera. These will adjust the Rodenstock lenses by as much as 12mm up, down, left and right. There is another of these knobs on the rear of the camera (not visible, but just below the thumb in the photograph), and they principally allow for the correction of perspective distortion while shooting, but could also aid those shooting with high-megapixel stitched panoramas in mind, as well.

Lens shift knobs

Here, you can see one of this early prototype camera’s lens-shift display windows, as well as a peak of that second shift knob. These show you how far you’ve currently got the lens shifted. This value is saved into the EXIF data for the files, for later reference.

So, on the XT camera, you have the dual-action shutter button and two shift knobs – how do you go about controlling the rest of the camera?

The digital back

As is already an option for users of Phase One’s XF system, the touchscreen interface on the company’s IQ4 lineup of digital backs becomes absolutely key when using the XT system. They provide a robust live view display to aid in composition, and also include helpful exposure aids, such as Raw clipping indicators. You also have full access to the system’s menus, and from there, you can enable the new Automated Frame Averaging feature, which we’ll be looking at in greater depth in a separate article.

The rear touch-sensitive display also allows for adjustment of all exposure parameters, including aperture (there’s no aperture ring on the Rodenstock lenses). Speaking of rings on lenses…

Manual focus only

…the XT system is manual focus-only. Here, you can see the manual focus ring for the Rodenstock 32mm F4 lens – it’s very well-damped and very smooth, and we’d expect the same on the other lenses offered. Of course, manual focus generally precludes the use of the XT system as a fast, reactive photographic tool for moving subjects, but Phase One is…unfazed…by this reality. The company has stated that it’s really aiming the XT system at high-end landscape and architectural photographers that will likely use smaller apertures for greater depth-of-field, and for whom focusing using the rear screen and its in-built focus aids is an expected way of working.

Of course, there will probably be users who will take their XT system out as a ‘carry-around’ kit for shooting just about everything, just as there are users who currently do the same with the much-bigger XF system.

The X-Shutter and ebony grip

This brings us to the new X-Shutter mechanism, shown here protruding between the mount and the lens barrel. Phase One tells us that their experience in industrial applications informed this new unit’s construction.

The X-Shutter is electromagnetically controlled, and allows for shutter speeds from 1/1000 sec to 60 minutes, and is tested for a minimum of 500,000 actuations. There are 5 rounded aperture blades, all made of carbon fiber.

Oh, and last but not least, you can get a nice view of the XT’s grip in this image. It’s made of ebony, and is one of very few non-metal components on the camera.

The wrap

And that’s it for our quick hands-on tour of Phase One’s new XT camera system. The Phase One XT is the second example we’ve yet seen of modular medium format makers embracing the possibility of mirrorless cameras.

With the exception of the Pentax 645D and Z, most medium format systems have been based around modular backs that attach to camera bodies that contain an SLR mirror and viewfinder mechanism, along with the mechanism required to fire the shutter.

In the digital era, most of the camera functions and, increasingly, the ability to preview the image, have migrated from the camera body to the camera back. A move to a mirrorless design further reduces the role played by the camera body, to the point that it becomes almost a back-to-lens adapter with a shutter button.

Whether encouraged by the acceptance of the mirrorless approach by the rest of the market or as a by-product of a generation of large CMOS sensors with usably-fast live view, it’s interesting to see both Hasselblad (with its 907x) and Phase One recognize how minimalist a ‘camera body’ can be.

What do you make of the brand-new XT camera system? Let us know in the comments!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Phase One to introduce multi-frame Raw capture for its IQ4 camera system

25 Jun

Phase One has announced the impending arrival of its first Creative Control Enhancement update for its IQ4 Infinity Platform. The update offers new multi-frame Raw capture capabilities and other new features to improve photographer’s workflows.

At the core of the Creative Control Package update for the IQ4 Infinity Platform is Automated Frame Averaging, a new Raw capture mode that combines multiple frames together to create a final image with better image quality. Similar to Sigma’s Super Fine Detail mode, which shoots and averages seven images, Phase One’s new Automated Frame Averaging function ‘combines multiple sensor readouts during the capture process to reduce noise, strengthen dynamic range and protect highlights.’

Phase One has also updated Capture One Inside (version 12.1), adding new Clarity and HDR options, as well as the ability to create your own Capture One Styles and upload them directly to the IQ4 system. Direct Image Transfer is included in the update as well.

Capture One says the update will be available for download ‘next week’ on its Creative Control Enhancement webpage.

Press release:

Phase One Advances IQ4 Infinity Platform
– Enhances Photographers’ Creative Control

COPENHAGEN, June 25, 2019 – Phase One today announced its first IQ4 Infinity Platform enhancement – with powerfully redefined RAW capture functionality and new features that boost the photographer’s creative control.

With a focus on dynamically improving image quality, Phase One has innovated RAW image data creation with a new approach to reading, recording, and processing RAW captures. The new Automated Frame Averaging function of the IQ4 Camera System combines multiple sensor readouts during the capture process to reduce noise, strengthen dynamic range, and protect highlights. This process is expected to raise the bar by which image quality is measured, and open new creative opportunities.

“With Automated Frame Averaging, Phase One have adapted and further developed advances in technology, pushing the envelope of what’s possible to achieve in a camera system.” said Paul Reiffer, Professional Landscape Photographer. ”In doing so, yet again, they’ve pushed the industry forward while investing in our development as photographers along with the art of photography itself.”

Additionally, the Creative Control Enhancement for IQ4 Camera Systems offers many more features and functionality, to streamline and advance the photographers’ workflow. Capture One Inside now enables photographers to load their own custom styles into the IQ4, so captured images can reflect their own unique vision and style.

“My style is central to my art. With the XF IQ4 Camera System and Capture One Inside, I am able to advance my creativity in the capture process,” said Gemmy Woud Binnendijk, Fine Art Photographer. “For me, the Phase One Camera System becomes central to my entire photographic process and not just a singular step.”

More information about the IQ4 Infinity Platform Creative Control Enhancement is available here: www.phaseone.com/IQ4-Creative-Control

Creative Control Package for the IQ4 Infinity Platform includes:

  • Automated Frame Averaging
    • Capturing and processing numerous consecutive images into one
  • Capture One Inside (v.12.1)
    • Introducing Clarity & HDR
    • Custom IQ Styles
  • Workflow and Storage Flexibility
    • Direct Image Transfer

Update (June 25, 2019): The original version of this article compared the technology to pixel-shift technology. It has been corrected to more accurate compare the averaging technology to Sigma’s Super Fine Detail mode.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Phase One releases Capture One 12 with new interface, third-party plug-in support

30 Nov

Phase One has released Capture One 12, the latest edition of its image editing software. The updated product features a redesigned interface, revamped menu aligned between the Mac and Windows versions, linear and gradient masks via the new Parametric Masking Engine, luminosity masking and a new plug-in ecosystem.

Capture One 12’s new plug-in ecosystem supports third-party extensions and will soon have access to plug-ins for sharing and editing, as well as connecting the software to “specialized editing tools,” according to the company. Phase One’s Capture One Plugin SDK enables developers to create their own plug-ins for the software.

The updated product also adds new Fujifilm Film Simulation, lens, and camera support, expands AppleScript support for macOS users, and features a redesigned keyboard shortcut manager. Capture One 12 supports more than 500 camera models across all major brands.

Phase One is offering Capture One 12 with a perpetual license to new customers for $ 299 USD, but existing customers can purchase the update starting at $ 149 USD. Alternatively, the company offers Capture One Pro Sony 12 and Capture One Pro Fujifilm 12 for $ 219 USD. Buyers also have a subscription option starting at $ 15/month for Capture One Pro 12 and $ 14/month for the Fuji and Sony editions.

Redesigned and reimagined for the needs of today’s creatives, expanding for tomorrow’s solutions

COPENHAGEN, November 29, 2018: Phase One, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-end digital camera systems, today released Capture One 12, the next major milestone in the evolution of the industry’s premier RAW conversion, image editing, and asset management software. This release takes a top-down approach to streamline, modernizing, and improving the user interface to continue the program’s tradition of providing powerful features in a customizable, uniquely-configurable interface.

New masking tools and improved workflow features continue Capture One’s tradition of providing the most powerful image editing tools available, while a new plug-in ecosystem will allow third-party developers to connect their services and applications to Capture One.

Capture One 12 furthers Phase One’s commitment to providing unparalleled RAW editing, with unmatched tethering, color handling and precise editing on images captured with any of more than 500 different camera models.

Capture One 11.3 introduced support for all Fujifilm cameras and their unique sensors. Capture One 12 now enhances that support with the ability to correctly read and interpret Fujifilm’s legendary Film Simulations.

“Capture One has long been recognized as the industry standard for RAW image editing and image management,” says Jan Hyldebrandt-Larsen, VP Software Business at Phase One. “With this update, we focused on creative control — updating and improving the user interface, adding powerful new masking tools, and extending the Capture One ecosystem through plug-in support. These updates further our commitment to ensuring that Capture One continues to be the industry’s recognized leader in accuracy, performance, and customizability.”

Download Capture One 12, as well as find resources and tutorials at: www.captureone.com/12

New features and tools in Capture One 12

Powerful, refined interface

Capture One 12 introduces a newly re-designed, contemporary interface, designed to make Capture One easier to use during long editing sessions and to make discovery, experimentation, and customizability easier than ever. New iconography better conveys tool functionality, and the new slider design, the spacing of the tools, and font size increase improves both the look and the usability of the program.

The result is a new environment that feels more welcoming for new users while being more customizable for power-users.

Revamped menu system

Every menu item in Capture One 12 has been evaluated, categorized, and organized according to its logical function and grouped along with associated tasks, which makes it easier to find the desired controls and settings, and brings the Mac and Windows menu options into alignment.

Luminosity masking

One of a trio of new masking tools, Luma Range allows users to quickly create masks based on the brightness of pixels in an image and is the most powerful luminance masking tool of its kind.

This masking technique is particularly powerful in landscapes and high-key portraits, as it allows for nearly-instantaneous masks in complex scenes based on brightness—eliminating the need to tediously paint complex masks. Once a luminance range is created and adjusted using the precision mask-adjustment tools, nearly any editing tool can be applied to the mask.

The masks created with the Luma Range tool are dynamic and can easily be tweaked and modified at any point in the workflow. Unlike a hand-drawn mask, Luma Range adjustments can be applied from one image to another, and the effect will be based on the luminance of each image. This functionality is a huge time-saver as it eliminates the need to create precision masks for each frame in a shoot.

The new Luma Range selection masks open up an incredible range of editing possibilities, from selective noise reduction to precise color grading.

Linear Gradient Mask

Capture One 12 takes gradient masks to the next level, allowing for editable, moveable, rotatable—and best of all—asymmetric gradient masks. Using a brand-new Parametric Masking Engine, Capture One allows for adjustments in the size, shape, and symmetry of the masks with simple mouse clicks and key presses, truly redefining the possibilities of linear gradients in Capture One. Rotate, feather and adjust a mask with a precision never before possible.

Radial Gradient Mask

The new Radial Gradient mask tool enables quick, flexible radial masks, useful for vignette and other adjustments with a desired falloff effect. Using the same Parametric Masking Engine as the Linear Gradient mask tool, radial masks can be adjusted, rotated and moved after creation for extreme control over desired effects.

Redesigned Keyboard Shortcut manager

Capture One is known for its ability to custom-assign and custom-configure virtually every task to a keyboard shortcut. With more than 500 individually-assignable and customizable commands, it’s essential to be able to find the exact shortcut, without having to hunt through hundreds of choices.

Users can now search by the specific menu command, or by the assigned keyboard shortcut, making it easy to find and manage shortcuts. To unify the interface between the Mac and Windows versions the new menu system has been moved to the same location on both platforms, making it easier for workgroups to stay in sync.

New plug-in ecosystem

To address the needs of photographers and creatives looking to share, edit and collaborate on their images, the new Capture One plug-in ecosystem will allow for powerful third-party extensions. The new Capture One SDK will allow any developer to create custom solutions to expand Capture One, and to transform Capture One into an open ecosystem.

Users of Capture One will be able to extend the platform with the upcoming addition of plug-ins that allow for sharing, editing, and that can connect Capture One to a variety of specialized editing tools.

For developers, the Capture One Plugin SDK—available as a free download—will provide access to the broad base of passionate professional and enthusiast photographers that use Capture One. Developers are now able to create solutions that leverage the image-editing and organizational prowess of Capture One, and the added capabilities of third-party resources.

The initial Capture One Plugin SDK allows for plugin development, and can be leveraged for common tasks like sharing, sending files to external editors, and allowing images to be opened in other applications, and more.

Fujifilm Film Simulation support

Fujifilm X-Series and GFX-series cameras feature Film Simulations, which are in-camera tonal adjustments that faithfully reproduce the color and tonality of classic Fujifilm photographic films. Sixteen Film Simulations are available, ranging from color stocks like Provia and Velvia to black and white film like Acros. These simulations give Fujifilm users the ability to digitally capture images with the feel of beloved photographic films.

Thanks to the collaboration between Capture One and Fujifilm, photographer’s using Fujifilm’s renowned X-Series and GFX-series cameras will be able to edit photos complete with Fujifilm Film Simulations. These in-camera settings have been faithfully reproduced in Capture One, to provide an identical experience when working with files, resulting in images that appear the same as if the Film Simulation picture profiles were applied in-camera.

Extended AppleScript support

Users of Capture One on Mac OS can take advantage of extended AppleScript support for automation and workflow streamlining. More than a dozen of Capture One 12’s areas and properties can now be directly modified with AppleScript, adding to the existing, robust AppleScript support in previous versions of Capture One.

New camera and lens support

Capture One provides users with the most accurate and powerful image editing available, and the wide-ranging support of cameras and lenses is a hallmark of the software. For enthusiasts and professionals alike, Capture One continually evolves to handle the newest cameras and lenses.

Phase One carefully evaluates and interprets each camera’s RAW formats, allowing Capture One to present images with the utmost fidelity, often bringing out nuances that other programs can’t even perceive.

In addition to the RAW support for more than 500 cameras, Capture One also provides profiling and image correction support for more than 500 lenses. Like with the RAW file interpretation, Phase One carefully measures the optical characteristics of each supported lens and builds correction algorithms that compensate for the various optical imperfections of various designs. As a result, Capture One can correct for numerous common optical issues such as vignette, and chromatic aberration as needed for each of the supported lenses.

New camera support:

  • Nikon Z7
  • Nikon Z6
  • Fujifilm GFX 50R
  • Canon EOS R
  • Canon EOS M50

For a complete list of supported cameras, please go to: www.phaseone.com/supported-cameras

Availability and pricing

Capture One is available in several versions. Capture One Pro 12 supports more than 500 cameras from all major camera brands, while Capture One Pro Sony 12 and Capture One Pro Fujifilm 12 supports cameras from those brands, respectively.

Phase One is committed to providing customers a choice when it comes to how they acquire their software, so Capture One Pro 12 is available for purchase, or via subscription. The perpetual license for Capture One Pro 12 is available for $ 299, with upgrade pricing from previous versions starting at $ 149. Capture One Pro Sony and Capture One Pro Fujifilm are available for $ 219

For those that prefer subscription models, Capture One Pro 12 is available for plans as low as $ 15 per month, and Capture One Pro Sony and Capture One Pro Fujifilm subscription plans start at $ 14 a month.

For a complete list of all products and licensing options, please visit: www.phaseone.com/store to learn more.

A 30-day fully-featured free trial of Capture One 12 is available. Download the trial here: www.captureone.com/download

Via: PDN

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Fujifilm developing 100MP medium format with phase detection and IBIS

27 Sep

Fujifilm has said it is developing a 100MP GFX medium format camera that will include both phase detection autofocus and in-body image stabilization. The 4K-capable camera will sell for around $ 10,000.

The development was announced at the company’s press conference at the Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany, alongside the unveiling of the 50MP GFX 50R model.

A mockup on display at the event shows it to resemble a dual-grip variant of the existing GFX 50S model but without the protruding hump at the back of the body.

No details beyond these headline specs were made available but the company said the camera would be available in 2019.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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