There's no question this has been one of the roughest Phase One product launches I can remember.
But there have been some confounding factors here, and mostly with numerous features and operational aspects that were standard in IQ3 that have disappeared with IQ4. There's a lot of promise, but Phase One is playing catch up.
Steve Hendrix/CI
Right! It's so weird when basic features actually
disappeared. Even the 'ready' audio beep has gone! So strange that they released it stripped of many simple things, which customers had used for years.
It does always confuse me though when someone wants to call out dealers, as you have done, when the only dealers who regularly contribute here are Doug and yours truly. It feels like the "defensive dealers" is some sort of internal playlist you have on repeat play. And considering there are only 2 common contributors who are very separate dealerships, it would be nice to be more specific and not paint with broad brushes. I would appreciate it.
Steve Hendrix/CI
I didn't feel I was 'calling out' dealers. Stop being such petals!
'Flack catcher' is quite a well known term, surprised anyone would query that. Steve and Doug (here) and others (Teamwork, etc) have clearly taken a lot of complaints and frustration from their customers, and had to act as a buffer /Complaints Dept between Phase One and the customer. (Let's face it Phase are pretty unresponsive to direct customer contact. A query on their forum is answered on the 12th of never, and it's mostly stock replies) So the dealers have taken some friendly flack (from customers, I mean) That's a phrase I don't find that odd. Apologies if it is to your ears.
'Defensive' well, we have been hinted that a new firmware update will come and fix things soon, and that has been dangled with a kind of 'Please Hold'. And we are still holding.
I've been messaged offline, suggesting
my dealer should do more - but in my case, without the hardware, pin out specifications, and new sync capable firmware, the ball is in Denmark's Court. I have my old IQ3 back, and am working the same was I did last year. It's ok, but not where I want to be. My dealer is as frustrated as I am, they have a good number of customers with Silex/FPS that can't sync with IQ4. Alpa are frustrated too, as Phase leave them hanging.
Does Phase One owe early adopters (paying customers who turned out to be Beta testers) some kind of recompense? A Rebate? 50% discount on a lens? Capture One Pro for life? I have a nice paperweight sitting here meanwhile.