Woof:
You're entitled to your opinion.
But I object to the term "lying", and the implication of a lack of honesty and integrity.
There is a limit to what can be accomplished by tweaking the same sensor via readout adjustments and circuit board upgrades. A completely new sensor with new technology certainly does offer more potential for advancement. I don't see what does not ring true about that statement.
The screen from the plus is certainly better than the non plus. It has more resolution and more brightness. The fact it is less viewable in direct sunlight is yes, one aspect that was a minus. However, I have not met anyone who has told me they would prefer to have the older screen. And wireless file transfer was not part of the plus upgrade package. It is a feature that we felt confident enough to publicize our plans for and obviously we have so far failed to accomplish this. Guilty as charged.
I do understand that until rubber meets the road, skepticism exists (and rightfully so). Nonetheless, the potential of the P65+ product is exciting and that is directly what I was stating.
Steve Hendrix
Phase One
Steve,
I'm fine with digital equipment reps, dealers and all their new found associates putting their product in a favorable light. that's your and their job and it should be expected.
what i'm not fine with using the word potential when it comes to what you product may, or may not eventually do.
if your selling to professional photographers and I assume you are, none of us would ever even think of selling ourselves into a project based on our "future" potential.
we have to prove we can do it before we even get a chance to produce an estimate and even then jump through more hoops, prove references, deliver exactly, actually deliver more than we promised for the prices we negotiated.
period.
so before you talk about potential like gw says deliver first, talk about upgrades paths later.
as far as the plus backs they're ok, actually they are an upgrade just for the ability to tether through apple's flaky firewire ports, but as far as higher iso, there may be a 20% difference at best and I know because I've tested higher iso until my eyes bleed. then again why should we be expected to pay thousands more for a back that will power itself if the firewire ports are flaky?
and before someone shows me an image of an overlit patio at 800 iso and says see how good it is be aware we don't use 800 iso when we have the ability to overlight. we use it because we need that "film/digital" speed because the light levels have dropped, we're blending with continuous sources, or we just are mixing a lot of different lights for effect.
you haven't met a person that prefers the regular series phase lcd compared to the plus? we'll i guess you haven't shot on a rooftop or a beach because then you'd pay double for that old cell phone looking lcd because at least you could see something.
i just came off a rooftop with 18 clients and forget about tethering at 14 stores up and forget about showing them the lcd on the plus series because I can't see anything so I'm sure as hell positive they can't.
in fact in the last few weeks i've shot over 3,000 images and only 800 of those are with my plus backs and I've dragged those things have way around the world to use them.
honestly have you picked up a Nikon N90? if you have you'd find that if medium format had the features of that little $800 camera there would be headlines on the front of every photography magazine that read "finally a medium format camera that works as easily as a film camera".
I don't get the medium format world, don't understand a single thing you sell or say. I can give you reasons why I will shoot medium format when I can but those reasons are getting harder to justify everytime you guys introduce new product. more megapixels, higher costs, software still in the very early stages of development and for the "future" potential of what a camera may or may not do.
this is the same old song, for the same number of years and there is always an excuse. it's ccds, it's the inability to source better lcds, it's the lenses are on the way, it's always something. we keep asking for more stability, higher iso, lower prices and complete ready to buy cameras, including lenses and we keep getting more megpixels.
in fact, regarding software phase surprises me more than any company because their #1 benefit was the fact their software was stable and though I've just browsed through 4.5 I kind of wonder if they ever looked at lightroom. phase 4.5 may produce better color than lightroom out of the can but it's got about 1/2 of the functionality of lightroom and less than that when it comes to stability.
no thanks man, I'm full. if your company could/would give us what we keep asking for I might be inclined to write that $40,000 check, but not on the promise of buy today and see what might be delivered tomorrow.
I don't care about brands, format size, lighting seminars or demonstrations. I care about producing the most beautiful photograph my skills and budget allow and when there is a lot on the line, after 15 minutes on set no client cares about it either. they only care about getting their shot and seeing a a beautiful preview and be very clear about this, clients consider it "their" shot.
try turning to one of those clients that just spent 5, 6 or even 7 figures on a shoot and say, sorry, but my camera just won't work in that light, or hey hold on, we're trying to get the software started but it's a new release and well, you know this digital stuff takes time.
I know about 15 photographers that have bought digital backs and I know that about 1/2 of them have sold them off. they may have kept their cameras hoping for that nirvana back that doesn't cost 40 grand and will work as well as a Canon or Nikon, but even of the ones that kept their digital backs, all of them have a 5d, 1ds3, or Nikon D3 in the bag and all of them go to it more and more of the time.
no customer asked phase to mention wi-fi, phase published that piece of information and gave the impression it was coming. no photographer asked phase for software to hit the streets not ready for prime time, or to miss their own self imposed deadline and no photographer or client on this planet understands why most medium format lcd's look 1/4 as good as a little $800 camera.
now, since I'm not in the camera selling business maybe I'm wrong. maybe the p65+ will sell off the shelves in record numbers but I'd love to see a show of hands of who is gong to buy this today.
I'd also like their e-mail address because I'd love to sell them a condo I bought last year.
