Phase One A-Series

[Steve Hendrix]

If you could capture directly while in Live View, I could see the benefit with the new Alpa adjustable iPhone Holder.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Paul2660]

If you could capture directly while in Live View, I could see the benefit with the new Alpa adjustable iPhone Holder.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

Steve, it is a considerable improvement over the LCD on the camera, as it's a fixed display.  The 1st year of my use with the 160, I was constantly impressed with the 160 LCD,  but I also realized I was starting to change a lot in my photography.  Net, I was adjusting my shooting style to the position of the LCD.  The LCD is most important to a tech shooter, with a CCD back.  I found that low to ground shots which I like I just was not taking, due to the issues with getting down to see the screen. 

Ken's information on tethering did change this for me, as when tethered, you can at least back off from being down low and cramped once the shot is setup, unlike before.  But the use of the iPhone for Live View is great IMO as the photographer now has a waist level finder or any level finder available.  You can position the iPhone to allow no direct sunlight, and you could remove it totally if you want to and just use the Live View feed.  Sadly this only applies to the CMOS back with wifi, the 250, but I guess it's a start. 

It's all a matter of individual shooting styles, and age.  If I was still in my mid 30's I would still be able to get down and arrange my body into a position that allowed me to see the screen, but not any more.  That's what age will do. 

There are some nice improvements here, the auto LCC calibration to me is great if the LCC is applied in the shot process, still not sure on how that all works.  To me the single biggest issue of the tech solution is the lagging LCC frame, and the additional processing time it takes and just remembering to shoot it in similar conditions. 

However if one is to take this plunge, I would want movements and you only get those with the STC and above as I understand Alpa's cameras.  So it may have a limited market, since there is no way to upgrade a TC to STC that I know of.  If Phase had offered the STC as the base camera then that might have been more impressive, but that would mean different lenses as the HR's all only have a 70mm image circle, and the LCC in camera would be non possible since everyone's movements would be different just a bit.

Paul

[Steve Hendrix]

Steve, it is a considerable improvement over the LCD on the camera, as it's a fixed display.  The 1st year of my use with the 160, I was constantly impressed with the 160 LCD,  but I also realized I was starting to change a lot in my photography.  Net, I was adjusting my shooting style to the position of the LCD.  The LCD is most important to a tech shooter, with a CCD back.  I found that low to ground shots which I like I just was not taking, due to the issues with getting down to see the screen. 

Ken's information on tethering did change this for me, as when tethered, you can at least back off from being down low and cramped once the shot is setup, unlike before.  But the use of the iPhone for Live View is great IMO as the photographer now has a waist level finder or any level finder available.  You can position the iPhone to allow no direct sunlight, and you could remove it totally if you want to and just use the Live View feed.  Sadly this only applies to the CMOS back with wifi, the 250, but I guess it's a start. 

It's all a matter of individual shooting styles, and age.  If I was still in my mid 30's I would still be able to get down and arrange my body into a position that allowed me to see the screen, but not any more.  That's what age will do. 

There are some nice improvements here, the auto LCC calibration to me is great if the LCC is applied in the shot process, still not sure on how that all works.  To me the single biggest issue of the tech solution is the lagging LCC frame, and the additional processing time it takes and just remembering to shoot it in similar conditions. 

However if one is to take this plunge, I would want movements and you only get those with the STC and above as I understand Alpa's cameras.  So it may have a limited market, since there is no way to upgrade a TC to STC that I know of.  If Phase had offered the STC as the base camera then that might have been more impressive, but that would mean different lenses as the HR's all only have a 70mm image circle, and the LCC in camera would be non possible since everyone's movements would be different just a bit.

Paul

It's certainly (I presume) only a starting point for the collaboration, and beginning with the TC makes sense since they can add some value via the embedded LCC's. Though I feel there will be fallout that will find it's way to other Phase and/or Alpa owners (from both Phase and Alpa, the new iPhone Holder being just one of them).

But using the TC with a 23mm and being able to use the iPhone as a WLF and being able to capture directly from live view would be excellent, since most everything would be in focus anyway, you would just compose and click. So...almost there.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Paul2660]

I assumed the iPhone holder would be offered to existing Alpa customers?  Only makes sense.  There are a lot of them out there.  I am hoping that Arca is seeing this and working on something similar to be in position when the next gen of CMOS sensors comes out. 

Paul

[ondebanks]

Maybe they will make an adapter that somehow couples and allows for current glass to work if they do come out with the body in a mirrorless design.

Can you imagine the outrage if they don't make such an adapter?

Nah, knowing Phase's capacity for milking margins from relatively simple accessories, this mirrorless body will be launched along with a bunch of (pricey) lens adapters. Third parties like Fotodiox will quickly fill the void if they don't.

I also expect them to steal the lunch of the Hartblei HCam and Alpa FPS, and go after the users of 35mm format lenses with large image circles, like some of the T/S lenses.

I'm looking forward to seeing what emerges anyway.

Ray

[Paul2660]

Remember only 1 camera can really use this feature, the IQ250 via wifi and Capture Pilot.  The A280 and A260 can't do it, and odd's are never will due to the CCD.  So the need is not that great now, but as you point out will grow in the future. 

Paul

[ondebanks]

During a free day on our Alpa trip, Anthony Festa and I stopped in to Sinar (about a 15 minute train ride from Alpa), and spent some time with Daniela and some of the fascinating products Sinar has produced over the years, including the Sam!, the Sinar Handy, Xcatch, and of course, our friend the AFi/Hy6.

Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

Hmmm. What are two Kodakified Nikons doing on the "Sinar Goodies Shelf", in between the venerable Sinarcam and the Sinar M?

Ray

[Paul2660]

One looks like the old Kodak 760 6MP camera, but not sure can't tell from size, but for sure in that series of cameras.  They had one that took the top end Nikon film body, and one that took the top in Canon film body, I briefly had both.  Those were the days!!

Paul

[ondebanks]

Yeah, it's one of the Kodak DCS 620/660/720/760 line. I picked up a Kodak DCS720x a few years back. Just to see. I loved the F5 handling and interchangeable viewfinder, but the 2MP CMY files sucked by modern standards...and it had the worst dark noise I have ever witnessed in a sensor!

Ray

[Paul2660]

I was able to pick up a 760, (right before Canon came out with the 1ds MKI which changed everything for a while).  I agree, the Nikon body was excellent.  The Kodak sensor was base iso to maybe 2 stops, just like modern CCD medium format.  The color was excellent and the files had a lot of detail for the 6mp as there was no AA filter on the 760.  You can add one as I remember.  Biggest issue was the batteries.  They were hard to find, and didn't last long being older Nicad or maybe even Nimh, but either way they did not have a long life or work well in cold weather.  I had been using the Nikon D2x (which had the really strange Sony chip that gave it a non standard native resolution).  This was where Qimage came along and created a 12MP file as I remember from the D2x chip (native 6MP) by working out a neat interpolation process.  The 760 had a much better starting file as it was standard 3:2 and had much more in the details. 

Paul

[Steve Hendrix]

Hmmm. What are two Kodakified Nikons doing on the "Sinar Goodies Shelf", in between the venerable Sinarcam and the Sinar M?

Ray

You know Ray, I can't really remember. We talked about it. There was a Nikon adapter for the SinarCam and also a Leica adapter. My Sinar time was at the tail end of the SinarCam period, but one of my demo kits had the Leica 35-80 zoom lens in it for the SinarCam.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[BJL]

I assumed the iPhone holder would be offered to existing Alpa customers?

It is described in the brochure http://www.phaseone.com/~/media/Phase%20One/0-Front-page/A-series-brochure.ashx as the "ALPA Smart Device Holder", with the claim that "it is also possible to mount both iPhones and iPads directly on the camera", and an iPhone is not included.  So it seems that:

- The holder is officially an ALPA product, not a Phase One one, so is likely available separately for owners of ALPA bodies ... if the software is usable.

- It can hold iPads as well as iPhones, increasing the potential advantage over the back's rear-sceen, and offering an an even more "digital view camera" experience. I wonder if it can it handle a full-sized iPad Air, or only an iPad mini?  (Imagine the complaints if the design lead time had meant that it only works with the iPhone 5 form factor and could not be used with the new larger iPhone models!  It would be as if Leica were to sell rebadged previous-generation Olympus accessory EVFs at inflated prices for use on its digital M cameras.)

- It probably works with an iPod Touch too; using iOS seems to be the constraint.

[Steve Hendrix]

It is described in the brochure http://www.phaseone.com/~/media/Phase%20One/0-Front-page/A-series-brochure.ashx as the "ALPA Smart Device Holder", with the claim that "it is also possible to mount both iPhones and iPads directly on the camera", and an iPhone is not included.  So it seems that:

- The holder is officially an ALPA product, not a Phase One one, so is likely available separately for owners of ALPA bodies ... if the software is usable.

- It can hold iPads as well as iPhones, increasing the potential advantage over the back's rear-sceen, and offering an an even more "digital view camera" experience. I wonder if it can it handle a full-sized iPad Air, or only an iPad mini?  (Imagine the complaints if the design lead time had meant that it only works with the iPhone 5 form factor and could not be used with the new larger iPhone models!  It would be as if Leica were to sell rebadged previous-generation Olympus accessory EVFs at inflated prices for use on its digital M cameras.)

- It probably works with an iPod Touch too; using iOS seems to be the constraint.

This is correct.

The new product will have the ability to mount a variety of devices in various sizes.

During my recent visit with Alpa, they brought out a prototype of the new iPhone Holder and showed us some of the various device adapters.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Steve Hendrix]

The A Series announcement was something that we have been internally considering for some time, as there was the perception of some smoke and mirror, and also facts were not being made readily available. This is why we have not jumped in with both feet until now, when we feel there now exists some clarity.

As a Phase One and Alpa dealer, we offer our perspective for the A series products below:

https://captureintegration.com/capture-integration-and-the-phase-one-a-series-camera-system/


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration

[Ken R]

Thx for the clarification on the A-Series.

It is obviously a really nice but very expensive piece of gear so most value oriented photographers (the grand majority of posters on this and other forums)  really shunned right away at the A-Series and pounded on the camera (rig) and the (initial) marketing effort. Discussions never really got to the point of discussing the merits of the Alpa/PhaseOne A series effort or if they did they got lost in between the dozens and dozens of negative posts. Obviously the A Series is not a high value item so the initial reaction of most forum posters was no surprise.

That said I find the A series a very cool solution.

If I had mucho dinero to invest more in gear (not the case unfortunately) I can see myself using the A series with the IQ260 and the 23mm lens as my main interior photography tool. On interior photo projects I basically use my 14mm lens glued to my DSLR. I tend to move about quickly from space to space getting all the angles the client wants / needs. The A series would provide a smaller and lighter setup of MUCH higher quality from capture to the finished file with minimal post production. Ideally would be much nicer to have a CMOS back with the sensor size of the 260 but that is not available (yet ).

For landscapes the 35mm or the 70mm would be preferable and one could get wider shots by stitching (I tend to shoot MUCH less when making landscape images than when on interior / arch photo jobs so stitching is not that inconvenient in that case). Again, the small size and light weight is really nice when hiking/backpacking. The IQ250 would be a great choice in those situations due to the much better battery life. 

Of course for those who like and don't mind to do a lot of tinkering with their gear and want a better value the A series is not for them. But for those who want a more integrated, compact and light MFD solution the A series is a very cool product and on the right track.

[JoeKitchen]

I just don't see the big deal.  

This is not a SLR, due to the lenses and copal shutters you can't shoot handheld using live view on the back, this is not even a true twin reflex camera where both lenses are so close the differences in perspective would not matter a whole lot.  

Basically we have a super watered downed tech camera with no movements and a view finder that's only advantage over the Arca viewfinder (or whatever) is that it is an iPhone.  You are still going to only get an approximate view of what you are shooting handheld.  To get an exact view, you would need to use a tripod and use live view on the back.  But if you are going this route, why not just get the whole package and buy a tech camera with movements?  

This looks like an afterthought idea of what can we put together that does not involve any real R&D.  The only why this makes sense is if Phase releases a back that allows you to shoot in live view mode and, at the same time, releases leaf shutters that allows for this as well.  

Not to mention it's not an Arca.   

[Paul2660]

I just don't see the big deal.  

This is not a SLR, due to the lenses and copal shutters you can't shoot handheld using live view on the back, this is not even a true twin reflex camera where both lenses are so close the differences in perspective would not matter a whole lot.  

Basically we have a super watered downed tech camera with no movements and a view finder that's only advantage over the Arca viewfinder (or whatever) is that it is an iPhone.  You are still going to only get an approximate view of what you are shooting handheld.  To get an exact view, you would need to use a tripod and use live view on the back.  But if you are going this route, why not just get the whole package and buy a tech camera with movements?  

This looks like an afterthought idea of what can we put together that does not involve any real R&D.  The only why this makes sense is if Phase releases a back that allows you to shoot in live view mode and, at the same time, releases leaf shutters that allows for this as well.  

Not to mention it's not an Arca.   

Joe good points, and you are right on the shutter, but I am willing to bet the real announcement will come next year with the FPS and a similar setup.  This gives you a focal shutter that can be controlled by the FPS/Phase One back.  I see the FPS as the real key for the future and Alpa.   

I love the LCC being taken care of in the process of the exposure as that's a lot less work in post, only working for non movement for now, but I bet Phase will progress with this also in 2015 and Alpa. 

I still feel the FPS is main reason for the entire alliance in the first place.

Paul

[Doug Peterson]

Of note, as we've pointed out on our Capture One 8.1 Release Blog Entry the Rodenstock 23HR, 35HR, 40HR, 50HR, and 70HR are now supported in Capture One 8.1.

This is not limited to users of an Alpa A Series but works just as well for Arca/Cambo/etc since they are all use identical optics. This includes distortion correction without leaving raw, with optional offset for rise/fall/shift (manually entered) which is useful for tech bodies with movement.

[Paul2660]

That's great news. Can't load 8.1 for a few days after what happened this morning. But glad to see the lens support for sure.

I wonder why the 28 was left out?



Paul

[eronald]

I just don't see the big deal.  

This looks like an afterthought idea of what can we put together that does not involve any real R&D.  The only why this makes sense is if Phase releases a back that allows you to shoot in live view mode and, at the same time, releases leaf shutters that allows for this as well.  

Not to mention it's not an Arca.  

Any *body* R&D. In fact if Phase One had a liveview mirrorless body in the pipeline they wouldn't invest R&D time in this kludge. This looks like a solution meant to give liveview P250C users good wideangle solutions for a stopgap year or two until a real Phase body arrives that can take short-throw symmetrical lenses.

Frankly, I like the idea - superb lenses, superb backs, factory calibration, well-integrated software, iPad screen for liveview, evey part here is best of breed. Maybe Phase don't need a new body if AF or cadenced shooting is not necessary and shooters just use wides. I guess Arca now need to do a deal to bundle the $10 Hassy Cmos back

Edmund