We just received EJJI’s 10K Battery and Charger kit for use with the Phase/Mamiya 645 bodies. The battery was just plugged into the wall and we’ll be doing some testing. Stay tuned.

Visatec Monolights have a great reputation among those who own them. For those unfamiliar with Visatec, you might be surprised to learn that they are manufactured by the same team that manufacturers Broncolor lighting. In form and function, not to mention quality, the Visatec Monolights are a very close relative to the Broncolor Minipuls Monolights.

However, the Visatec Monolights are quite a bit less expensive and take their own proprietary line of modifiers and shapers. The flashtubes and protective domes are smaller and less expensive than the Broncolor Minipuls units. The end result is that Broncolor quality lighting is delivered in a much less expensive package.

We’ve tested Visatec consistency performance and found that even when dialing power down from top to bottom and vice versa, the resulting color channel variance is limited to a maximum 1-3 units on a 255 RGB scale. Very impressive for such an affordable light.

The best part may be that the Visatec Monolights can be modified to accept Broncolor reflectors and light shapers. Essentially, when ordering, the Visatec mounting faceplate chassis can be replaced by a similar chassis, but with a Broncolor faceplate.

Right now we have a special on the Visatec Solo 3200B Monolight, which is a 1200ws Monolight. Individual 3200B units are $899 and a 2 head kit, with 2 standard reflectors, 2 umbrellas, and a carrying case, is $1,899.

That makes the Visatec light system a baby Broncolor light system at a bargain price.

Later that week, on 3 consecutive days, I received a phone call and resulting voice mail from someone at Pacific Pillow requesting that I call. Finally I did and it was explained that the size I ordered was currently out of stock and not available. However, the next step up from the model I wanted was available in the size I wanted and they would fulfill my order with that model, if I liked. Sure – no problem, thanks.

A couple days later, I had my pillows, but wait. Inside the box, next to my invoice was a hand-written (yes, hand-written) note on a plain piece of letter size paper. Wow. How unusual.

These pillows cost about $44 each, so for $88, we have an employee at a Pillow company calling me 3 days in a row trying to get hold of me, finally reaching me and offering to upgrade my order due to their stock situation, and then taking the time to hand-write me a note apologizing and offering a no-hassle, free shipping return if I was not happy with the replacements. This is rare. Almost unheard of these days. I know where I’ll be buying my next pillows from.

Media Pro 1.1 Has too Many Bugs for us to Recommend

Media Pro 1.1 was released about one month ago with many bug fixes and some performance enhancements. We’ve been testing this release for the previous month hoping we could make a recommendation for Media Pro. So far our position has been that it was a very good move for Phase One to acquire Media Pro from Microsoft, and that the future for Media Pro as a sister product to Capture One was a great strategy that should pay off big for the company and for its customers. However, as expected in any 1.0 release there were bugs that kept us from endorsing it when it launched and at the 1.01 release.

Unfortunately we’ve found this is still the case in Media Pro 1.1. We’re still very optimistic about the future of this product and think it’s the best long-term bet for photographers looking for a cataloging (DAM) system, but we cannot endorse version 1.1. There remain too many bugs and insufficient performance/speed.

We eagerly await being able to test the next release of Media Pro whenever Phase One makes it available.

The Section 179 deduction allows a small business to deduct up front rather than depreciate the cost of equipment like computers, vehicles, machines in manufacturing, office furniture and sheds. The deduction for 2011 is $500,000. In 2012, it will drop to $125,000. And in 2013, it’s expected to fall to $25,000 – the amount it was back in 2002.

We couldn’t agree more with the author that this alone should not be a reason to purchase equipment. However, if an equipment purchase is on the horizon for you then it may save you considerable tax dollars if you can complete the purchase before Dec 31 of this year.

Changes in the tax law shouldn’t be the biggest reason for buying new equipment. Deductions aren’t worth it if you’re wasting your money on something your business doesn’t really need. But if you’ve been debating whether to buy tablet computers for your employees or install new manufacturing equipment in 2011 or in 2012, it might make sense to move the purchase into this year. If you can get a better price now than you would next year, that’s another reason to buy now.

In addition, depending on the type of lease and the particulars of the relevant tax codes, you may be able to write off the entirety of a large purchase (e.g. that medium format digital back you’ve been dreaming of) in this tax year even if you use a lease to pay off the purchase over a few years.

Of course we are not tax experts, so you should consult with your tax advisor. We work with photographers every year to coordinate between accountants, tax advisors, manufacturers, and leasing companies to determine the best way to save them money.

Read More

Full AP Article on Boston.com
IRS Website

We managed to take a few fun shots at the cocktail hour. It was truly great seeing so many of the photographers I have worked with for decades. In my new capacity at Capture Integration I will continue to be able to work with them on Broncolor and other Bron Imaging products,PLUS! my portfolio of offerings has expanded to include Phase One, Leaf, Mamiya, Profoto, Cambo, Arca, and more. So if you’re looking to make a purchase before the end of the year for tax-savings purposes, want to test a medium format camera system, lighting, or other equipment, or you just want to catch up I’d be glad to hear from you.

My cell number (917.402.7550) hasn’t changed but my new email address is jim@captureintegration.com.

Here are a few snapshots from that happy hour. Jump on over to our Capture Integration Facebook Page to see the rest and share your own.

Dave Gallagher, myself, and four of our customers and friends.

From Capture Integration Rumor Headquarters:

It looks like Hasselblad is about to release a new body called the H4X. It is stated to be compatible with all third-party backs which the H1/H2 was compatible with. This means H1/H2 owners who are using their body/lenses with Phase One or Leaf digital backs will be able to upgrade their bodies without having to change backs, and can upgrade their backs without fear they are being locked out of the Hasselblad ecosystem. We found this at hasselblad.com/H4x which is apparently under construction and likely not meant to be active/public. We’ve made a screen grab and attached it below in case it is taken down.

Notably the link indicates the H4X will support the HC28mm, HC35-90mm, and will sport True Focus.

The H4X provides a fantastic successor or upgrade to your H1 or H2/H2F body and supports all H System lenses, most third party backs*, and even features a film back option. The H4X also provides a technological bridge to our faithful H1 and H2/H2F customers enabling them to take advantage of all the features that photographers have come to expect from a Hasselblad H4 series camera, including Hasselblad’s world-acclaimed True Focus technology, which allows you to concentrate completely on creativity without worrying about focus mechanics, and the ability to use the HVD 90x viewfinder optimized for the 36×48mm format.

We expect this to result in a deluge of orders for H-mount Phase One IQ backs. Since the IQ is already back-ordered our recommendation to any rental houses, photographers, or studios who want to upgrade to call us right away at 877-217-9870 and get their order in before the waiting-line grows.

Capture Integration Masters Series Workshop: New England Landscapes Debrief

After a wonderful and exhausting week in Bretton Woods, NH, the CI team is back in the office and missing our time in the White Mountain National Forrest with so many amazing friends. The weather was absolutely beautiful and we even had some record highs towards the end of the week. The final tally was 6 manufacturers reps, 5 days of stunning fall color, and 1 tech from Miami who couldn’t get his jacket open in the cold morning frost. We were up for 6 straight sunrises, taught hours of Capture One, went over the nuances of tech cameras, and even shot Infrared with a Leaf Aptus-II 33 specially designed for us to use and learn at this workshop.

Brand New Leaf Aptus-II 33 IR!

IR-pass filter on Left, IR-block filter on Right | Images by Charlie Brown

One of our goals for this workshop was to bring a true infrared digital back to the event that all could use and learn from. A big thanks to Ziv Argov and the crew at Leaf in Israel for turning this goal into reality with an Leaf Aptus-II 33 converted to IR. The results were stunning. The images above were taken by attendee Charlie Brown and are just a small sampling of what that back is capable of. If you are interested in a Leaf IR back, give us a call. We are currently the only dealer you can get them from and have the experience with them to help teach you how to use it.

Our own Doug Peterson spent hours with Ziv Argov, Robb Williamson, and multiple attendees learning how to get the most out of the Leaf Aptus-II 33 IR. They must have photographed every inch of the Mount Washington Resort with the 33IR on a Cambo Wide RS with a Schneider 43XL. The image to the left was taken by Robb Williamson and you can see a few more of his thoughts and images over at GetDPI. The biggest advantage of this IR back is that you can shoot full color or IR with just a switch of a lens filter and white balance. We’ll be posting more info on the Aptus-II 33 IR soon and if you have any questions or would like to rent or buy send us an email to info@captureintegration.com.

More Workshops to Come!

The wheels are already turing for our next installment of our Masters Series Workshop. Keep an eye on the blog for an announcement in the future. Where else can you get direct access to the manufacturers reps, hands on instruction with hard to find items, and the knowledge of Capture Integration all in one place?

One more thing!

How long does it take a tech to open his jacket?

…and it is compact!

We received our first demo version of the Schneider Kreuznach LS 150mm f/3.5 lens today! Check out the photo above of a size comparison between the Schneider 110LS f/2.8, the Schneider 150LS f/3.5, Phase One/Mamiya 150D f/2.8, and the Hasselblad 150mm f/3.2. The 150LS is barely bigger than the 110LS.

Not only is the Schneider 150LS compact, but it is also lightest of the group weighting in at 1.43 lbs (652g). The 110LS weights 1.50 lbs (700g), the 150D is 1.7 lbs (780g), while the Hasselblad 150mm is 2.14 lbs (970g).

Next week, we’ll be testing the optical qualities and reporting. But it is encouraging to see out of the box the compact size of this Schneider 150mm LS telephoto lens compared to the Phase One/Mamiya 150mm and even the Hasselblad HC Leaf Shutter 150mm.

Profoto Masters Series: Gary Land Light Diagram

Gary Land produced a great image for an Adidas campaign and Profoto got us the nitty gritty on how he did it… 4 images composited together, body doubles to land the right pose without wasting the athletes time, and a trip overseas to shoot a real match. Crazy. Check out the video above to see how he did it!