B/W MF Digital back from Phase

[John R Smith]

I don't recall seeing any discussion of this new back from Phase here. The link -

http://www.phaseone.com/en/Digital-Backs/Achromatic/Achromatic-plus-Info.aspx

I like the idea of this - no Bayer array, no converting from colour RAWs. Any idea how much it might cost here in the UK?

John

[BJNY]

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/achromatic.shtml

[John R Smith]

Billy

Thanks for that, somehow I missed it.

Oh lord, though, the cost! I don't think it will be on my shopping list . . .

John

[ondebanks]

What I don't get is this part of the specs:
Light sensitivity (ISO)   50-800

With every pixel receiving the full visual spectrum, it should be 1.5 stops more sensitive (even the version with an IR blocking filter) than the standard P45+...1 stop better in Green, 2 stops better in both Blue and Red; so about 1.5 stops overall. But according to PhaseOne, it is exactly the same.  

[John R Smith]

After reading the review, I've gone off the idea a bit, and not just because of the cost. If you have to use a filter to block IR, that is a pain (because I have no interest in IR photography). And then, because you have to use conventional colour filters rather than get the same result in software (as in in yellow, orange, green etc), as with film I would lose at least a stop of speed, probably two a lot of the time. So the IQ loss from having to use a higher ISO with filters is going to nix any IQ gain from not having a Bayer array anyhow. Ho hum . . .

Still, I've just saved myself $40,000 (plus import taxes, plus VAT) 

John