Aperture 3 Release hints at 1Ds IV

February 9, 2010 | News

By Doug Peterson Head of Technical Services

Apple released Aperture 3 today. Under the Raw File Support List is the Canon 1Ds IV.

Granted this doesn’t really say anything about release dates, specifications, or usability. But it’s interesting to see a company obsessed with secrecy about unreleased products slip up on a partner’s unreleased product.

Also supported is most of the Leaf line of digital backs. With Leaf raw files now supported in Capture One, Aperture, Lightroom, Photoshop (ACR), Raw Developer, Silky Pix, as well as Leaf Capture the openness of Leaf’s platform under Phase One’s ownership is a clear benefit to it’s users.

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Oregon Panoramics

February 9, 2010 | CI Team

By Doug Peterson, Head of Technical Services

On the eve of GetDPI’s upcoming workshop in Salton Sea I thought I’d revisit the images that I took on GetDPI’s last workshop in Oregon.

One of the nicest parts of working with high resolution systems like the backs/bodies/lenses in the Phase One ecosystem is that it is so versatile if your intended output is panoramic. The shots below were taken with a range of bodies and techniques to accomplish a 2:1 or 3:1 aspect ratio with enough resolution to print many feet wide.

Panoramic images, by their nature, need a larger width when printed in order to maintain the visual impact of the image. While a 20″ x 24″ image may feel immersive a 8″x24″ does not (my opinion only of course). To get a 4 foot wide print of a panoramic evens the game again, providing an immersive and engaging viewing experience, but this requires a lot of resolution.

For a dSLR a single 22 megapixel frame may end up being 10-12 megapixels by the time you make a substantial crop. With the large starting resolution of a P45+, P40+, or P65+ however large crops still leave loads of pixels to print. Moreover on a technical camera you can stitch a higher resolution panoramic out of one continuous image circle (a much nicer process than panning-and-stitching as used with a dSLR).

I hope you enjoy these images. They are nothing too special, and the others on the GetDPI trip captured far finer imagery. But I hope they do give you a bit of inspiration to go out and capture the world in a panoramic format if it’s been a while since you’ve done so. There is something magic about the 3:1 aspect ratio.

A huge thank you to Dave Gallagher the owner of this highly specialized motley company to whom everything I do on the job is owed. These images were captured with equipment he bought, maintains, and pays for me learn. It’s a great job and I am lucky to have it.

Click images below for technical details and a larger view.

See the rest of the panoramics

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I never believed this would happen

February 8, 2010 | CI Team

By Steve Hendrix, Capture Integration Sales Manager Atlanta

I can’t believe I have to say this. But I like the Phase One  DF camera. I would use the Phase One DF camera. This is no small feat. For years, I have sold the Hasselblad H camera system as the best and most usable medium format digital camera system available. I tried – really hard – to like the Phase One AF camera, an updated version of the Mamiya AFD III, which was an update from the Mamiya AFD II, which was an update from the Mamiya AFD, which….well, you get the point.

The problem was that these upgrades put the their stamp on incremental. There was no “Ah, yes” moment. Instead, there was “Well, it’s a little better”. I am very happy and frankly quite surprised that when I first used the Phase One DF camera, I had an “Ah, yes” moment. I never thought this would happen.

That it took this long to happen is a bummer. But it is here and it’s an important product for those who prefer Phase One or Leaf digital backs (or even Hasselblad digital back users, as it remains an open digital platform, accepting of all). Most of the rental houses in the world stock Phase One or Leaf digital backs with Hasselblad H1 or H2 cameras and that combination is what gets rented the most. But sticking with Phase One or Leaf has its penalties on the Hasselblad H platform, as compatibility does not exist for non-Hasselblad digital product users with the HC28mm and HC35-90mm lenses.

No matter, now there is a camera that matches (or even exceeds) the responsiveness of the Hasselblad H series and it is the Phase One DF. The auto focus performance is accurate and quick, the shutter is responsive without noticeable delay. Further, for those who have experienced the first Phase One AF camera, the fit and finish on the DF feels much, much nicer. The material is similar to that of the Phase One AF (1st Gen P1), but while still retaining a firm grippiness, it has a smoother finish that has a nice quality look and feel to it. And the exterior grip material now doesn’t appear as if it was just glued on to the body.

For me, it’s a camera that I can now comfortably and confidently shoot with, and I have access to 28mm lenses, Schneider Leaf Shutter lenses, Hasselblad CF and FE lenses, and old Mamiya lenses, including 300/2.8, 80mm/1.9, 50mm T/S, and all kinds of good stuff. There is also an announced vertical grip, which will use either AA batteries or the same battery as the Phase One digital backs, though we have yet to see this product.

Many others have caught on to the good vibes from this camera. As a high volume Phase One dealer,  we have a large backlog of orders, and Phase One is slowly fulfilling them. Hang in there. It will be worth the wait….as long as it’s not too much longer….

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Leica S2 Rental

February 3, 2010 | News

As one of the few Professional Leica Dealers in the country we are proud to offer rentals of our Leica S2 body and lenses. We understand what professional rental means – it means you’re spending thousands or tens of thousands on models, assistants, production crew. Moreover, your client may be on set with you. When we rent to a professional we take the commitment very seriously. With that in mind we do everything we can to ensure a smooth rental. We test our equipment both when it goes out and when it comes in and maintain it with exacting standards. Our equipment’s firmware is kept up to date. Just in case something goes wrong we keep our cell phones on 24/7 and are happy to help at any point during your rental. We stay apprised of any known issues with the hardware or software. When you rent Leica S2 bodies and lenses from us you have peace of mind.

Leica Rental Pricing

$400/day – Leica S2 Body Rental with Sapphire LCD
$100/day – Leica S2 Lens Rental, Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH CS
$100/day – Leica S2 Lens Rental, Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 ASPH CS
$100/day – Leica S2 Lens Rental, APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5 CS
$100/day – Leica S2 Lens Rental, APO-Elmar-S 180mm f/3.5 CS

Learn More

Check out the Leica S2 Rental Guide for details on rates as well as other products we rent.

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Arca Cube Quick Release Fix

February 3, 2010 | Tech

The Arca Swiss Cube is the best tripod head in the world. We have sold many of these to landscape and architectural photographers for whom the quick and precise ability to level both axis regardless of whether the tripod is flat and then, on a flat surface, pan left and right.

At the top of the Arca Swiss Cube is a quick release for the nearly universal Arca Swiss quick release system. Quick Release plates from Arca Swiss itself are always the same width, but third parties may use the phrase “Arca Swiss compatible” even though their plates are slightly wider or narrower. To allow for this variation in size the cube has an adjustable screw which widens or narrows the quick release.

If you over-loosen the quick release the “jaw” will pop off and the springs/washer/net may go flying. So first: try not to do that!

However, if you do have this happen to you we have written this article to make it easier for you to reassemble the quick release.

The final working assembly

Read the step by step

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