Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: phoTOMgraphy on March 15, 2012, 10:33:58 am
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i'm trying to find out which resolution the leaf aptus II backs have.
i consider to sell my hasselblad gear to go for a technical camera and would love to know if the screen of the leaf back is good as it seems. especially compared to a p45+ or p65+ (IQ series are out of my reach) i know that it would be way better than my h3d.
just would like to check focus acurately on location.
just checking out if a switch would be worth it - otherways i would stay with my h3 back on the technical camera....
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The answer is no, it's not as good as it seems. The size is good, the interface is good but the resolution is only so so.
it's not good enough for checking "critical" focus on the screen, especially outdoors.
Leaf Capture does offer a good live view option when tethered to a computer – nothing close to what a current dslr offers, but it works for non moving objects under good light, indoors, tethered.
The best option for checking critical focus outdoors on an LCD screen is with the IQ series from Phaseone, the new H4D's, the Pentax 645D or the Leica S.
A workaround (if you're shooting from tripod) would be to take a laptop with you when outdoors, pop in the cf card, download the file and check the focus on your laptop.
Otherwise, the Leaf makes beautiful files. Imo, the nicest file of all MFD backs.
If your shooting on a tech camera you can also use a magnifier and the ground glass, just like the film guys always did ; )
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Not sure I agree - the 100% view on the screen is a pretty good check.
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Not sure I agree - the 100% view on the screen is a pretty good check.
The actual resolution of the Aptus-II LCD appears similar to the P+ LCD (not sure the exact resolution, probably around 230K), however as Geoff notes, the focus check for the Aptus-II has a boosted resolution compared to the P Plus and is more useful for that function as a result, imo.
Steve Hendrix
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The actual resolution of the Aptus-II LCD appears similar to the P+ LCD (not sure the exact resolution, probably around 230K), however as Geoff notes, the focus check for the Aptus-II has a boosted resolution compared to the P Plus and is more useful for that function as a result, imo.
Steve Hendrix
The reason for that is that the Aptus/ Aptus-II uses the actual RAW data to generate the 100% preview and takes the sharpening settings into account as well. AFAIK it's the only camera in the world that does this (most if not all DSLRs for example, use a fixed size jpeg for preview and histogram display
The resolution is 230,400 (or 320x240). The size of the preview you're looking at is quite similar to what you see on your average computer screen
But you should not take it from me...get in touch with Andreas Kunzl, our dealer in Vienna (Pro Digital contact details (http://www.mamiyaleaf.com/fale_austria.asp)) and ask to arrange a demo so that you can experience it 1st hand!
BR
Yair
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i already asked mr. kunzl if there would be any refurbished or used backs around.
next time i am in vienna, i will visit him and have a look.
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Leaf 1:1 preview is 100% reliable for checking the focus. Gives me perfect results indoors/outdoors. Highly recommended, if you need to check focus on the go.
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Leaf 1:1 preview is 100% reliable for checking the focus. Gives me perfect results indoors/outdoors. Highly recommended, if you need to check focus on the go.
I use an Aptus II 12 and the 100% view as you say is absolutely bang on. My only issue with it is the slow response.
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Yeah, I agree with above. The AFi-ii 7 is not as slow as the 12. I don't know how many seconds, but its always seems like forever when the light is changing fast or the model is waiting.
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I have Aptus 75 and the LCD is so bad that I never use it for focus check or other things, I always use the notebook.
I only use the LCD when I use CF card and to do initial setup.(rarely).
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I have Aptus 75 and the LCD is so bad that I never use it for focus check or other things, I always use the notebook.
I only use the LCD when I use CF card and to do initial setup.(rarely).
In which way do you find it to be bad? Is it the user interface, or is it too low resolution to check focus, or is it not bright enough, or something else?
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As jsiva has already mentioned at 1:1 it is bang on and you don't need more than that for verification of focus accuracy.
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In which way do you find it to be bad? Is it the user interface, or is it too low resolution to check focus, or is it not bright enough, or something else?
Low resolution and extremely bad in outdoor light situation.
Impossible to see anything.
You can see the focus with 1:1, but you need to rely on their knowledge.
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Low resolution and extremely bad in outdoor light situation.
Impossible to see anything.
You can see the focus with 1:1, but you need to rely on their knowledge.
Nonsense. I found my Aptus 65 screen an excellent tool. Not that it was made for viewing in bright sunlight, but I think no display is... I do shoot outdoors much and primarily use the display as a tool, not as a picture frame, although I sometimes do show subjects their picture taken. It is the largest display in the business and feature superb tools for verification of DETAILED histogram and even spot meter to pick a point in image. And yes, it is based on RAW data...
My current back is AFi-II 12 which is same as Aptus-II 12 but with rotating sensor and tilt display in a more modern case.
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Not sure I agree - the 100% view on the screen is a pretty good check.
I mean 100% on a Hasselblad is good too. Compare the Leaf to Hasselblad or Phase (P+ or IQ) for just general browsing and I think you'll find that they Phase or Hasselblad options are or at least empirically look better, older H3D hasselblad's weren't as great, but the H4D series and all of Phase's P+ and especially the IQ series screens rock it at all magnifications if you ask me.
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I mean 100% on a Hasselblad is good too. Compare the Leaf to Hasselblad or Phase (P+ or IQ) for just general browsing and I think you'll find that they Phase or Hasselblad options are or at least empirically look better, older H3D hasselblad's weren't as great, but the H4D series and all of Phase's P+ and especially the IQ series screens rock it at all magnifications if you ask me.
P+ screen better than Leaf??? Erhf, is it not tiny??? ;D
Best is for anyone to look and compare, it is not mere resolution that is important, but what features the display bring as a tool (details of histogram, spot meter etc), pricing and very important what support from ones agent.