Capture Integration Brings the P65+ to Carmel

Excellence is not cheap.  And neither is medium format digital photography.  But for those that seek the ultimate in image quality, Phase One offers many different medium format digital back solutions.  The latest iteration from Phase is the recently released P65+ featuring the world’s first full-frame 645 digital sensor and an incredible 60.5 megapixels.  What sets this digital back apart from previous generations is the proprietary Phase technology behind the Dalsa sensor.  Phase One calls it Sensor+ technology.  By default, the P65+ captures images at its full 60.5 megapixel resolution. Sensor+ technology, however, gives the photographer the option to shoot at 15 megapixels, and with pixel binning, use higher iso speeds with lower noise by utilizing larger 12 micron pixels during image capture.  In essence, the P65+ is like having two medium format digital backs in one.  For the ultimate in image quality, the P65+ is currently the pinnacle of excellence.  Did I mention that excellence is not cheap?

Deciding to Buy the P65+ or How One Loyal American Stimulated the US Economy

My decision to purchase the Phase P65+ digital back for my studio, Ken Doo Photography in Carmel, CA was not without reservation.  I am not new to shooting with medium format digital, beginning with a Kodak Pro Back 645M years ago, and since then, shooting extensively with both the Phase P30 and more recently the P45+. I still believe that the P30+ is in a sweet-spot as a digital back, providing a good balance of both speed and excellent resolution.  But the advent of Sensor+ technology on a full-frame 645 medium format sensor and the claimed ability of the P65+ to provide both higher quality images and speed had me intrigued.  Yes, cost was a factor, but I also firmly believe that to be successful in business you need to invest in yourself.  It also helps to be single.

After extensive discussions with my good friend, Don Libby of Iron Creek Photography, Tucson, AZ (okay, maybe I should have talked with an adult…) I knew the P65+ digital back was calling to me.  Was there anything inherently wrong with either the P30 or P45+?  Absolutely not!  In fact, I have created numerous beautiful images with both backs, including stunning panoramic landscapes eight-feet long.  I used the P30 exclusively in the Antelope Slot Canyons and in Canada and used the P45+ recently on my trip to Death Valley. Those galleries can be seen on my landscape website, www.houseoflandscapes.com.  All of the current Phase digital backs are capable of producing stunning images, well beyond the quality of a DSLR.  But for me, the P65+ was personally a good fit.  After talking with Don, I called Chris Lawery at Capture Integration in Atlanta to place my order for a P65+ digital back.

Capture Integration Comes to Carmel

Chris Lawery has always been a good resource for my studio and I knew that I could rest-assured on continuing customer support from Capture Integration well after the sale. Although I have always had good luck with both UPS and Fed Ex, it is always disconcerting to ship an expensive item such as a digital back. I had never met with Chris Lawery before and chided him that he should hand-deliver the P65+ to my studio in Carmel, California.  What started as a half-joke quickly turned serious, resulting in an informal workshop and gathering of medium format digital photographers at the Capture Integration in Carmel 2009.  Don Libby and I co-hosted the three-day event with activities starting in San Francisco and proceeding south through Carmel and Big Sur.  It was nice to finally meet Chris Lawery in person.  He had obviously done quite a bit of planning for Capture Integration and brought a lot of equipment with him.  At our disposal were the Phase P65+, several Phase P45+ backs, several Phase 645AF cameras, a Horseman SWD, several Cambo RS cameras, and a wide selection of lenses for all the systems.  Over the course of three days, we met with several other photographers and even enjoyed a quick Capture One Pro class given by Jack Flesher of GetDPI.

Shooting with the Phase P65+

First stop, San Francisco.  We started with the several views of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.  Don and I never really let Chris rest, and we literally were off and running as soon as his plane touched down.  The consummate gentlemen, Chris was always helpful and ready to answer any questions.  Phase One digital backs have always been known for their long-exposure capability, producing clean digital files with exposures often measured in minutes and even hours.  If there is an achilles’ heel to the P65+, I knew it would be longer exposures probably limited to no more than sixty-seconds.  Sensor+ technology may help here, but my P65+ was not enabled with Sensor+ technology.

I wanted to see what the P65+ could do given a difficult lighting situation. I waited until nightfall to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge from a different vantage point.  I set the P65+ for 400 iso, and set the aperture at f/16 and thirty seconds. The full JPEG/RAW file can be accessed here. ***   I am of the mind that manufacturers regularly over claim the ability of their products for marketing purposes.  And Phase One is not immune from my scrutiny here.  The ability to shoot at 800 or even 1600 is rather pointless if the digital file produced is not commercially viable or salvageable with minimal post-processing.  In dark lighting conditions and with a set aperture of f/16, I believe the P65+ performed admirably here.  Although I rarely photograph anything above 100 iso, I am confident the P65+ is capable of producing commercially viable images at 400 iso with minimal post-processing or noise reduction software.

If there was any disappointment in this P65+, it was because it had not yet been enabled with the Sensor+ technology.  Although not at all the fault of Capture Integration, I chose to have Chris take this P65+ back to Phase (rather than the trouble of me sending it back) and instead use my P45+ pending Phase One’s delivery of a Sensor+ enabled P65+.  If the Sensor+ technology works as well as promised, the P65+ could possibly produce commercially viable images at 800 iso!  I recognize that some digital backs have the ability to shoot at 1600 iso (to include the P65+), but again, my subjective standard is the ability to produce clean digital files with minimal effort in post processing.  Again, because I rarely shoot above 100 iso, I would rather have a Sensor+ enabled P65+ digital back with thirty megapixels, instead of the slated pixel binning of fifteen megapixels.  Are you listening Phase?

Mamiya Lenses and the Phase P65+

One of the biggest concerns I had about upgrading to the P65+ was the ability of my Mamiya lenses to be able to keep up with the incredible resolution of this digital back.  I had absolutely no concerns that the new and excellent Mamiya “D” series lenses would be outstanding performers (Did I mention that excellence is not cheap?).  But what about Mamiya’s older glass?  Or how about the Hartblei 45mm tilt-shift super rotator lens?  One of my favorite lenses is the Mamiya 35mm wide angle, and although I believe it performs admirably with the P65+, if Mamiya updated this lens to a “D” series lens, I would buy it in a heartbeat!

The surprise performer is the original Hartblei 45mm tilt-shift super rotator.  This uber funky retro lens hailing originally from Eastern Europe did quite well with the P65+ as we traveled from the Carmel Mission Basilica and worked our way down the coast towards Big Sur.  The 45mm Hartblei is what it is, and I think at least my copy of the lens does it well.  Those who need more should look towards a technical camera.  I left feeling confident that all of my Mamiya lenses would work well with the P65+.

Kudos

Although medium format digital produces the ultimate in quality, I do not know a single medium format digital photographer that does not also use a top-level DSLR.  We are just simply not at the level of technology where one camera system can do it all.  And on that note, I am thankful to the folks at Capture Integration for providing my boutique studio with the latest technology from both Canon and Phase One.  Overall, I am quite pleased with the quality of images produced by the P65+ and I am confident in the investment I have made.  I very much enjoyed meeting Chris and working with other photographers on what I hope will become the first of many informal workshops with Capture Integration.  As my “brother” Don Libby says, this past week with Capture Integration in Carmel was the most fun I’ve had legally in a long time!  Thank you, Chris, Doug, and Dave!  I hope to see you again in Carmel soon!

I will be photographing landscapes in Monument Valley next month and hope to have a Sensor+ enabled P65+ digital back and will be providing updates on my impressions soon.

Ken Doo
Ken Doo Photography
Carmel, California
831-626-1844
www.kendoophotography.com
www.houseoflandscapes.com