Phase One IQ4 series. Much more than resolution.

[Doug Peterson]

The IQ4 series is here!

There are so many new features that we've launched a dedicated mini-site to parse it all: www.phaseoneIQ4.com

Here is a very abbreviated summary:

The three IQ4 backs:
- Phase One IQ4 150mp
- Phase One IQ4 150mp Achromatic
- Phase One IQ4 100mp Trichromatic
All three use full-frame 645 sensors. Phase One is 100% focused on Full-Frame 645 solutions.


The IQ4 Platform Features
This is much more than an [IQ3 + 1].
- Infinity Platform
- Capture One Inside
- Dual Next-Gen storage: XQD and SD with future support for CFexpress
- USB-C and Ethernet tethering
- Wireless Tethering (actual raw file transfer)
- Live View Focus Peaking
- Live View Histogram
- Live View Exposure Simulation
- Improved Live View image quality
- In camera JPGs
- Pinch to Zoom
- Multi-finger gesture ready
- Brighter, Sharper, Faster LCD Previews
- Improved Dark-Frame workflow


IQ4 150mp and IQ4 150mp Achromatic Features
- Full-frame 645 BSI CMOS Sensor
- 15 stops of DR*
- ISO 50 to ISO 25,600*
- Faster Electronic Shutter
- Up to 3fps in ES mode; TBD speed on XF
- Much better tech camera compatibility re movements and cast

*Phase One is still working to squeeze the most out of this sensor. These specs, as is, are conservative and may be improved via Feature Update.


Other news
Price Drops: As you’d expect with the release of new products, the price for previous products has been reduced and more products are now available as CPO (certified pre-owned). With the release of the IQ4 150mp the IQ3 100mp is no longer the “king of the hill” but it’s still a *really* great camera, so this price-drop is very welcome.
Trade-Ins: There are a wide swath of upgrade options from Phase One and competitive cameras/backs.

If you're looking for a jumping off point for the many articles we have written, I'd suggest 17 Surprises You'll Find in the Phase One IQ4.

I'll be right here in this thread all morning ready to answer your questions. Fire away! If I don't respond within a few minutes it's because I've fallen asleep at my keyboard.

[BernardLanguillier]

Exciting times!

A few questions:
- any word on pricing?
- why no Trichromatic version with the 150mp sensor?
- any change to the XF body?
- any idea about the actual improvement for tech camera usage?

Thank you!

Cheers,
Bernard

[Doug Peterson]

- any word on pricing?

Yes. All pricing will be public. We are putting the backs up on our eStore shortly.

- why no Trichromatic version with the 150mp sensor?

Phase One has stated pretty clearly that there will not be a "Trichromatic" version of the IQ4 150mp. They say the 150mp BSI sensor did not require the same CFA to achieve the same results.

I look forward to testing this claim via the same kind of direct comparison testing we did with the IQ3 Trichromatic vs IQ3. We will, of course, provide raw files from that testing as well as the ability to test the back yourself so you can make your own judgement.

- any change to the XF body?

Not at this time. With the launch of the IQ4 you can expect XF Feature Updates both for XF-specific features and for various IQ4/XF integration.

- any idea about the actual improvement for tech camera usage?

R+D says "greatly improved". More specific info than that will have to wait until we can do more extensive in-house testing here at DT. I'd expect that as soon as next week.

More information here: http://phaseoneiq4.com/11-reasons-tech-camera-users-will-love-the-iq4/

[narikin]

Got a good chuckle at the 'Capture One inside the back' and 'Infinity Platform' marketing BS, over my morning coffee. Thanks for that Doug. For such brilliant engineers, they really don't need such silly piffle.

Little interest in the 'new' XF, or having Capture One 'styles' in my back (I thought the whole thing about RAW was that, it's... RAW)

I am however interested in 150mp and BSI and faster ES, etc. So I'll be looking at trade in pricing from my dealer. Expecting a $25k/30k cost from IQ3-100, sadly.

[Doug Peterson]

Got a good chuckle[...] 'Infinity Platform' marketing BS, over my morning coffee. Thanks for that Doug. For such brilliant engineers, they really don't need such silly piffle.

Unquestionably market fluffery. You might enjoy our article Infinity Platform - Decoding Marketing Speak which speaks to the very real advantages the very fluffy term is meant to encapsulate.

Little interest in the 'new' XF, or having Capture One 'styles' in my back (I thought the whole thing about RAW was that, it's... RAW)

Fair enough. Though I suspect you'll find better and more accurate sharpening, noise reduction, and color of the on-screen image welcome, as is faster provision of the on-screen preview and rapid response when scrolling around the image. These are all benefits of using the math engine from Capture One.

DT also has some "hacks" of this system in mind that might help advanced users. We'll see how those work out in the coming months.

[Doug Peterson]

So I'll be looking at trade in pricing from my dealer. Expecting a $25k/30k cost from IQ3-100, sadly.

Definitely contact your dealer.

For anyone in the US we have our full sales team fully caffeinated and ready to answer questions regarding trade-ins, upgrades, CPO stock of IQ3 etc etc. Just shoot us an email at info@digitaltransitions.com.

[Doug Peterson]

Great 3 min video with Lau, the head of R+D: http://phaseoneiq4.com/phase-one-xf-iq4-camera-system-with-lau-norgaard-iq4-150mp/

[JoeKitchen]

I have to wonder if any improvements in lens cast from the BSI is canceled out by a much smaller pixel.  And why can't they get BSI in a 100 mp (which would probably work better). 

I would be interested in seeing how the back handles my SK 35mm. 

[Doug Peterson]

I have to wonder if any improvements in lens cast from the BSI is canceled out by a much smaller pixel.

R+D says the net effect of this sensor is that tech camera usage (lens cast, features, overall image quality) is "greatly improved".  More specific info than that will have to wait until we can do more extensive in-house testing here at DT. I'd expect that as soon as next week.

More here: http://phaseoneiq4.com/11-reasons-tech-camera-users-will-love-the-iq4/

[eronald]

Great 3 min video with Lau, the head of R+D: http://phaseoneiq4.com/phase-one-xf-iq4-camera-system-with-lau-norgaard-iq4-150mp/

Doug, apologies for asking rather than wading through the text: Is there a new phase-contrast focus system all over the field, using  built-in sensor features?
I need to write my nutshell summary for the IQ4
If you have any particular point you would like stressed ... please say so publicly, I will update my summary extensively for your products, of course, as they are a big part of the MF ecosystem . If there is something you wish to say off the record please PM

Edmund

[eronald]

I have to wonder if any improvements in lens cast from the BSI is canceled out by a much smaller pixel.  And why can't they get BSI in a 100 mp (which would probably work better). 

I would be interested in seeing how the back handles my SK 35mm.

The new 44x33 sensors from Sony are BSI.

[JoeKitchen]

R+D says the net effect of this sensor is that tech camera usage (lens cast, features, overall image quality) is "greatly improved".  More specific info than that will have to wait until we can do more extensive in-house testing here at DT. I'd expect that as soon as next week.

More here: http://phaseoneiq4.com/11-reasons-tech-camera-users-will-love-the-iq4/

Well if you could test out a SK 35 or SK 28 that would be great.  I would be very interested in seeing the results from those lenses. 

[Doug Peterson]

Doug, apologies for asking rather than wading through the text: Is there a new phase-contrast focus system all over the field, using  built-in sensor features?
I need to write my nutshell summary for the IQ4

No need for apologies, that's what I'm here for!

The 150mp sensor has the hardware required for phase-contrast focus, but no phase-contrast focus feature is in this announcement and it remains to be seen if the lens/body hardware would support it, and how well.

Do note the XF has a built-in focus-calibration system and a 1-million pixel AF sensor, so (with the mirror down) the autofocus speed and accuracy is quite good. Especially for XF bodies with the HAP 2 autofocus upgrade. We have an article about how Phase One prepared for 150mp that covers this and other salient points.

If you have any particular point you would like stressed ... please say so publicly

That's the challenging part of this launch. So many features that there isn't one particular point to stress! My personal favorite will be wireless tethering, since my own shooting often involves tethering with multiple models in the room and nobody likes cables.

[siddhaarta]

The IQ4 series is here!

All three use full-frame 645 sensors. Phase One is 100% focused on Full-Frame 645 solutions.

Does that mean that there will be no more 33x44 offerings from Phase One?

[Doug Peterson]

Does that mean that there will be no more 33x44 offerings from Phase One?

Based on conversations with management and R+D I do not expect any future less-than-full-frame-645 backs from P1. They are gung-ho on full-frame-645. That said "forever is a long time" so "never say never".

Of course the IQ3 50mp, IQ2 50mp, IQ1 50mp, and IQ1 40mp remain available as Certified Pre-Owned, with price drops as a result of the IQ4 launch.

[stevenfr]

Doug

I am sure its on your list for testing. I would like to see a ISO sweep.

Thank you for your in depth articles.

Thanks Steven

[Doug Peterson]

I am sure its on your list for testing. I would like to see a ISO sweep.

Thank you for your in depth articles.

Thanks Steven

You're very welcome. Bit tired, but very excited. This is the kind of thing I live for . #nerd

That will surely be part of the testing.

Right now Phase One is claiming max of ISO25,600 which is one stop more than the IQ3 100mp that preceded it. However, they note that they are still tweaking their sensor usage and image pipeline so it may go up from there.

Of course, the really tricky part is how to make a comparison to lower res cameras. For example, if an IQ4 raw is moderately noisy at a particular ISO then downsampling it to a "mere" 50 megapixel image for a "small"  27 inch wide 300ppi print would subsume a lot of that noise. As an existential question: if noise exists but is smaller than the dot of ink you print it with, is it really noise?

But anyway, we'll do raw file ISO sweeps and provide the raws and you can make up your own mind!

[stevenfr]

Thanks Doug

Currently ISO 400 is my max on the IQ3 100 that I have comfort in printing large prints. I suspect I might gain two stops with the new back for my conservative comfort level. We will see. This would be huge for someone that shoots in a forest with moving leaves and stitching in the forest would be way easier.

I will post my fav feature list as it interest me as a landscape only photographer latter in the day. Its still early on the west coast and I don’t drink coffee.

[Doug Peterson]

I suspect I might gain two stops with the new back for my conservative comfort level. We will see. This would be huge for someone that shoots in a forest with moving leaves and stitching in the forest would be way easier.

My best guess will be "one to two stops" rather than "two stops" so we're thinking more or less the same thing. Only hands on testing and printing will tell.

[stevenfr]

Even one stop would be huge for me. Years of shooting Velvia 50 in a forest with minutes of exposure with only 6 stops of DR are long gone. Thankfully.