Fuji 680 with P45 back - banding and moire

[Chugradphoto]

Hello all - I've been benefitting from the collective wisdom here at Luminous Landscape when researching different things over the years, but have just signe up myself so I can also post questions and respond to others as well.

I have been in search of the best current solution to achieving maximum image quality on a camera with movements that will take a high-end digital back such as the Phase One P45. I have read a lot about 4x5 conversions (or 6x9 smaller view cameras) and using the new HR lenses from Rodenstock, but the working speed of this system is pretty slow for my commercial working pace. Upon recommendation from another photographer, last week I used the Fuji 680, which I always loved back in the film days but never tried with digital. I wish the camera had geared movements but otherwise, a very usable option... however, when I inspected my files closely, it looked like I was getting a lot of banding and moire in the more out-of-focus areas of the image but the areas in focus look fine, albeit a little unsaturated and uncontrasty... I'm left to believe that either these lenses just aren't up to the task when matched with the P45, or I'm not doing enough of something, or too much of something else in my post-pro workflow. I am shooting tethered and procesing in Capture One, then working on my TIFFs in Photoshop CS3. I have yet to go through more rigorous processing options to see if that stuff will disappear, but I thought I'd check here to see if anyone has experienced the same and has any good suggestions - both on how to get rid of the banding and moire once it's in the files, and how to shoot with a usable system that will not create this problem in the first place. If the problem really is the lenses, any ideas of how to use different lenses such as the Rodenstock HR series on the Fuji 680 - are there adapters?

Thanks in advance for your time and any insights.

[Rick_Allen]

Without seeing the files its very hard to say. I have used this camera a few times with Sinar 22 backs and loved every moment. You can use large format copal shutter lenses but have to be longer than 180mm or 210mm I cant remember.

[Prakash Patel]

Chugradphoto

It would be interesting to see your file, particularly the out of focus anamolies.........moire is a peculiar physics issue that is not always solvable by throwing money at the problem. "Digital or digitar" lenses don't always reduce or make the problem go away and a 39mpx back will reduce but not eliminate moire.

Some times diligence and patience helps when testing or trying to solve problems
have a look: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....topic=13563&hl=

I think C1 has a photoshop plugin for moire reduction that can be used in post.

Since the Fuji system has many closely space focal lengths, the other option is to use a slightly different focal length............sometimes changing the subject relation to the pixel receptors alleviates the moire at the capture level.  

I agree with Rick Allen, the 680 is a wonderful  SLR solution that incorporates shift,tilt and swing with a wide array of Fuji lenses as well as being able to mount  copal shutter lenses........an SLR view camera minus the geared movements.  If you use a V mount back with the stitching adapter from Kapture Group you can gain 10 to 15mm of  rise/fall in addition to the movement of the lens standard. I think these Fuji lenses are the genetic predecessors of the current autofocus Hasselblad H  lenses but with larger image circles for medium format movement capability.

regards

[Rick_Allen]

H1 lenses are certainly made by fuji but the lens design is very different. In my opinion the 680 lenses are much better just wish there was a 35mm. Though with the stitching back adapter the 50mm might end up pretty wide anyway. thats not always an option though.

When using Phase backs you can very effectively remove moire with the moire utility in C1 make multiple selections based on the fine and course areas of the pattern. I've had very little luck with the moire plugin for photoshop. Be sure that you are looking at the detail pane when judging moire not the larger screen sized preview.

[clawery]

In C1 go to Window/ Moire Utility and open it up.  I would use the partial mask to get the best results.

Let me know if that helps with your issue.  If not, give us a call and we can possibly give you a few more ideas.

Chris Lawery
Capture Integration
(404)234-5195
www.captureintegration.com