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Strange you may think to be reviewing a digital back which is getting a bit long in the tooth now, but I'm sure many of us with medium format cameras have cast an eye in the direction of these earlier backs and wondered what they still have to offer as prices come down and they get much more affordable. Hopefully this may help those still thinking about it.
This is a Phase One 11mp digital back with an actual sensor size equal to 35mm film which is obviously quite a crop on a 6X6 format camera. The back comes with a viewfinder mask to show the actual field of view and the back can easily be mounted in either portrait (upright) or landscape (horizontal) orientation.
It needs to be tethered to a desktop or laptop, but the connections couldn't be simpler.
(1) The back connects to the PC firewire port and has a firewire 400 connector on the back - you'll need a, 800 to 400 converter on the PC end if your firewire
socket is 800 which most are now.
(2) The back comes with a short cable which connects the digital back to the lens X sync flash socket and syncs the shutter with the digital back.
(3) If you still need to use flash, a second flashX sync socket is available on the back into which to plug your flash PC cord.
You need to be using Phase One Capture software which is a free trial download, but as long as you have any Phase One back connected you can just carry on using it indefinitely for free.
These backs are obviously intended for studio use and their strength is in non existent noise at ISO 50 or 100 and the fact that they are full 16 bit images which gives superb tonal range and gradation. (DSLRs still only manage 12 or 14 bit images)
Anyway, a couple of test shots both taken with the back mounted on my 501CM at 50 ISO and with the Planar 80mm f/2.8. The first shot was using a 21mm extension tube.
A12 small by tonky8203, on Flickr
Full size version here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonky8203/6123733952/
Music small by tonky8203, on Flickr
Full size version here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonky8203/6123190987/
I have to say I'm very impressed with it. It is obviously a studio tool and it's strengths lie in portrait, product and probably macro work where it's still a very capable tool. despite being outgunned now by much newer backs which you need a mortgage to buy! That's not to say it can't be used out in the field provided you don't mind carting the laptop - in fact I may just do that very shortly and if I do I'll update this post accordingly.
This is a Phase One 11mp digital back with an actual sensor size equal to 35mm film which is obviously quite a crop on a 6X6 format camera. The back comes with a viewfinder mask to show the actual field of view and the back can easily be mounted in either portrait (upright) or landscape (horizontal) orientation.
It needs to be tethered to a desktop or laptop, but the connections couldn't be simpler.
(1) The back connects to the PC firewire port and has a firewire 400 connector on the back - you'll need a, 800 to 400 converter on the PC end if your firewire
socket is 800 which most are now.
(2) The back comes with a short cable which connects the digital back to the lens X sync flash socket and syncs the shutter with the digital back.
(3) If you still need to use flash, a second flashX sync socket is available on the back into which to plug your flash PC cord.
You need to be using Phase One Capture software which is a free trial download, but as long as you have any Phase One back connected you can just carry on using it indefinitely for free.
These backs are obviously intended for studio use and their strength is in non existent noise at ISO 50 or 100 and the fact that they are full 16 bit images which gives superb tonal range and gradation. (DSLRs still only manage 12 or 14 bit images)
Anyway, a couple of test shots both taken with the back mounted on my 501CM at 50 ISO and with the Planar 80mm f/2.8. The first shot was using a 21mm extension tube.
A12 small by tonky8203, on Flickr
Full size version here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonky8203/6123733952/
Music small by tonky8203, on Flickr
Full size version here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonky8203/6123190987/
I have to say I'm very impressed with it. It is obviously a studio tool and it's strengths lie in portrait, product and probably macro work where it's still a very capable tool. despite being outgunned now by much newer backs which you need a mortgage to buy! That's not to say it can't be used out in the field provided you don't mind carting the laptop - in fact I may just do that very shortly and if I do I'll update this post accordingly.
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