Hi, id appreciate very much any help on this. As I've already read enough spec sheets, reviews, forum discussions... and now im starting to feel as ive smell a dozen or so perfumes and lost the sense of smell.
I need to buy a camera + digital back. Will be printing this at max of 240 inches on the long side. High quality pop murals at street level that will be viewed as close as anyone would like to get to. Portraits.
Have shot this in the past with an H3DII 39 MP, and although most came out great, I felt the camera not as fast as I would of wanted. Not good in low light situations. Some with very bad noise at ISO 400, and others with less than optimum quality shooting portraits under silk frames on very bright dessert sun.
Im thinking on a combo of 645-AFD III Mamiya, and the Phase One P 45+. Dont know if I need to go as big as the 45+ for this, so any solid help would be great. And also if any solid experienced minds out there could help be figure if this would be the right combo for me, or something else any would like to suggest.
I will be shooting mostly people in interiors and exteriors, sometimes moving, or making quick movements while I shoot tethered during sunrise, sunset, but also midday dessert sun. under silk frames.
I have a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II D, but from what I read unless im wrong the 645 has autofocus, great in low light, etc.
Also wondering if I could use the back in both with proper mount adapters.
Many thanks! Id appreciate any help very much.
It depends on how low the light is, and what your image quality and speed requirements are. This is the sort of situation (large reproduction up close) where you will absolutely see the difference with medium format and medium format lenses. I think it's stupid to say "twenty feet long viewed up close? Sounds like you need a 5DII!". You really need to try the backs out for yourself on your own job and see what you think. That will cost you some rental money, but you should be able to get the dealer to apply the rentals to your purchase. If not, find another dealer. It's a big purchase, and a lot of people with strong opinions on the internet have never even worked with a medium format back. Here's my opinion, based on owning and using all of these backs, but again- try them yourself, don't make a purchase based on what people on the internet say:
I would not recommend the P45+ for what you're trying to do. The P45+ is essentially the same as the HD3 39 that you worked with- it is not particularly fast (about one frame every two seconds real-world) and the 400 ISO is pretty nasty- emergency use only.
If you need a good 400 ISO, the P30+ is the best Phase back, and the 800 is not bad at all either. It shoots much faster than the P45+, but is slightly less detailed. For people it works very well- it has a look that I compare to RZ lenses- not soft per se, but somehow sort of creamy, and generally kind of flattering.
If you need speed, the P40+ is pretty amazing- 1 frame per second and a file that is at least as crisp and detailed as the P45+, and possibly more so (subjectively, I haven't actually tested them side by side). The 400 ISO is slightly worse on the P40+ than the P30+, but way better than the P45+.
If you're going to be shooting mostly 200 or below, go for the P40+. If you're going to need 800, the P30+ is your only choice- the 800 on P40+ is nasty. If you're going to be mostly at 400, I'd say it's a close call, but personally I'd probably go for the P40+. The trade there is a tiny bit more noise for a good bit more speed. But also you can almost get two used P30+'s for the price of a new P40+.
If you get a Mamiya mount back, you can use it on the AFD III/Phase camera and also on your RZ with an adapter, if your RZ is a Pro IID. If it isn't, sell it and get one on eBay, they are about $1500 or less for a body when they come up, and they work really well with the Mamiya adapter and a Mamiya mount back. If you need speed, do not get the AFD II body- get the AFD III or Phase body- the AFD II is way slower with a digital back than the new ones. The AFD lenses are inconsistent quality-wise and vary from sample to sample. When they are good, and when you are shooting at 8-11, they are as good as anything from anybody. When you have a bad sample they are complete dogs, and a lot of them are not great shot wide open. Test to make sure that's going to work for you in the focal lengths and apertures you need also.