the top black frame issue was fixed with the Feature update 8. I agree it was a real problem as you never knew where the issue would occur and it make shifts or panorama shooting difficult. I have tested it with my Arca and after 300 or more frames, no problems.
As for the IQ4 and being solid. After two years, I figure it's as solid as it will be.
Most of the bugs seem to be worked out now it's more an issue of some features present in previous backs, (3100) not being carried over to the newest technology.
1. No ability still to use Capture Pilot on a iOS device to fire the back, and review Live View
2. Power share, only allows you to pull the battery in the IQ4 while attached to the XF and not share the power. (this issue is a big one for me as I only shoot in the field)
3. There appears to be an issue where after Feature Update 8, with the back tethered, it no longer allows you to charge the internal battery as you could before
4. Still takes about 12 seconds to fully become operational after a power up (always been an issue compared to other cameras)
5. I find the "exposure simulation" setting for live view pretty worthless. Very hard to get a real idea of the correct exposure
6. The Manual View View exposure mode still seems a bit whacky, as it will bloom between too bright and too dark, and is very hard to pin down, unlike the 3100
7. Low Light live view did have an issue with frame rate, thus causing you to have to push up the ISO to get a screen to view (not sure if this has been resolved)
The image quality is the best I have seen from a P1 back, (can't talk to the tricolor back never have used it), Color casts are pretty much non existent unless you use huge movements. You can actually use the SK35 (centered) without the CF and get away with it. Something that has never been possible before CCD or CMOS back. Tech camera operations are greatly improved as you can many times just shot a series of LCC frames at the start of a day, and not have to keep shooting them as really all you are trying to correct now is light fall off.
Dual exposure is the single greatest feature I have used, and the image quality it can produce is impressive. You can use it with moderate wind unlike frame averaging which can't tolerate any subject movement. Shadow details are greatly increase, with almost no noise. And I feel that the images appear just a bit sharper. I would love to see Fuji work out something similar since they have the same sensor tech, instead of wasting time on a 16 frame 400MP image. Something that such limited use in reality.
Phase One also claims to have improved the XF functionality with Feature Update 8, I have yet to really see much difference in my use with the XF, but I am not in a studio, using flash, or worried about shutter lag issues. They seem mainly focused on the XT currently and processing updates and new products towards that direction. XT for me is a not a player, way to expensive to switch and no tilt (yes tilt does matter even on wides) and the cost to move to the X shutter even though supposedly I can do it now from an Arca mount is around 5K? 6k? just for a shutter. And unless you have the XT camera you don't gain all the features the X shutter offers. An example of this is the EXIR feature (lab) that came out with Feature Update 8. Only works with the XT and will may never work with a non XT tech camera even with X shutter, since there is no communication of the aperture to the back, something the EXIR feature needs. Why it won't work with the XF is beyond me and something that Phase One should have fixed before the feature was released.
Paul C
