Wetpixel

Phase One Announces 39, 31, and 18 Megapixel MF Backs

by Wetpixel Thursday, July 21st, 2005

Article Summary:

In an recent announcement, Danish company Phase One has provided a 12 month product roadmap for their medium format digital backs. There will be three digital backs introduced in 2005-2006, all with a 1.1x medium format crop factor, ranging from 18 to as high as 39 megapixels. The largest will yield 242 megabyte 16 bit files! Recent updates say that the imagers are made by Kodak.

While I was in Undersea II at Brooks Insitute of photography, Ernie Brooks taught me that 1/125 at f8 is what he has been shooting with his hasselblad with a ziess port for over 30 years. Lucky I got my hands on the same camera setup 12 years ago. I shoot mostly the same way and get tack sharpe results edge to edge. The ziess port with the diopter makes the difference (focused at 2 meters). I see the port on ebay every few years, even recently. Although, I don't think it had the matching diopter. I plan on renting a digital back for the SWC to test it before I buy. I would only use the digital back for my advertising clients who would need to see the shot on set. Any Oceanscapes I would still shoot film as long as it is around. Ric
Posted by Ric Frazier on 2007-11-30 09:50:19 I have been using the mamiya RZ67 Pro II system on land and underwater with the Aquatica RZ67 Housing. The prisms viewfinder is simply exquisite (large and bright) especially with a Beattie Screen on. The 220 back offers 20 frames and the ProWinderII allows for a 1 FPS shoot speed. 20 frames is a little more convenience than 10, yet less than the new digitlas. I am waiting for prices to come down in a self contained HR digital back for the housing camera package. The RzPRo II with an adequate digital back will fit the current housing with little modificationthe. The housing, which is no longer in production is occassionally found on e-bay. Depth of field is less, yes but at f22 for what I do it is very nice....it is a hoot to shoot this rig!! Mauricio Handler
Posted by handlerphoto on 2005-07-29 16:25:47 I don't believe most of us have $20,000+ for a digital back. I thought Carl Rosseler used medium format for his coffee table books and one of the guys I have talked with at Sub Aquatic Camera repair still uses a Rolleimarine housing. Eventually as the price comes down I believe there will be a niche market for underwater digital medium format where extreme detail is desired. Pentax used to make a housing for its 6X7. I wish that digital backs were made for the Pentax 6X7 or 67 but they are not. I have seen a four lens Pentax system go for $2000. Folks are dumping their medium format gear to buy high megapixel DSLRs. Pentax is making a 645 digital body that will use the old lenses. Their medium format systems were always extremely competitive from a price and feature stand point. Hopefully they will have afforadbly priced medium format digital cameras. For me the idea of having a large view finder on a housed medium format camera to compose through is appealing. My first camera was a Mamiya 120 rangefinder that I made contact prints from when I was nine years old. I still have it. All the best. Andy
Posted by 2Oceans on 2005-07-26 18:15:53 As someone who has a MF Hasselblad - that is still in use - I would say that MF is not well suited to UW shooting because of lack of DOF. Also these backs cost big bucks - and are not well suited to flooding! Alex
Posted by Dr. Alex Mustard on 2005-07-26 06:42:58 I think Aquatica may still make medium format housings. Who wants to try one? :-) Cheers James
Posted by James Wiseman on 2005-07-25 15:14:57 And you thought diving with digital 35 mm format cameras was expensive. There used to be a Hasselblad housing (why would you dive with 12 frames of 6x6) available, unless you have lots of dive sherpas and really lots of money, I am not sure the bigger negatives make enough sense. BVA
Posted by bvanant on 2005-07-22 20:14:55 Hi Dave, These digital backs are designed for use with medium format cameras. Cheers James
Posted by James Wiseman on 2005-07-22 12:46:40 What bodies do these support? I'm getting ready to put my Pentax 67 on ebay. Hopefully they will be cheaper than my D2x since all it is is a back :~) !!
Posted by onbelaydave on 2005-07-22 00:13:12