tried out an H3D-39 the other day, and have to say that the 'kit' (camera/ 80mm/ 39Mp back/ prism finder) is a tight package at a relatively good price point.
* The 'full frame' finder (ha) actually did seem slightly better and easier to look through than my Contax one, bright, clear, good field of view.
* The single integrated power source is nice, on camera at least, with camera and back working from one Li-Ion cell in the camera hand grip. (though what happens if you want to use the back on an LF camera with no power I am unclear - tethered only?)
However, a couple of criticisms for their claim to totally redesign the camera for MF digital
** standard lens should now be a 70-72mm or thereabouts. 80mm is now too long on 1.1crop 645 sensors.
** lenses depth of field scale is wrong and misleading - its much shallower with digital backs (familiar to everyone who uses MF digital, and see recent article on this site).
** I prefer the simpler buttons on P45 back - much easier to use. less fiddly, and fewer steps.
also in general: they need more prime wide angles. Their range only does 80mm/50mm/35mm, where Zeiss/Contax went 80mm/55mm/45mm/35mm. much better for those like me, who don't use zooms.
(I'm ignoring the new 28mm here as its of limited interest)
>>>>
I compared its output files briefly to my P45/ Contax outfit, and the results were very similar. I hesitate from saying more because there were too many variables to state if an image looked better on one or the other. Is it the back resolving more, or the lens? The 'blad demo guy claims that Capture One/P45 still has some sharpening even when its 'disabled', etc. (?) There seemed to be more mirror slap in the H3 than the Contax, etc.
what is needed is a P45 on H2 vs H3D-39 using the same identical lens swapped one to the other. I cant do that (contax fit P45 for one reason). Hopefully someone else can though. maybe even with a P45+ ? then we will be comparing the latest 2007 product lines.
Got to say the H3D-39 is a sweet package, and Phase had better get jiggy with Mamiya pretty soon.
