New Phase One IQ backs

Phase one has just launched it's new series of digital backs called the IQ


It comes in three different sizes 40,60 and a whopping 80 megapixels.

I have not seen one or touched one but the new IQ back by Phase One looks set to change the landscape of medium format photography.

Why? well for many reasons but mainly because it has addressed
some of the last remaining issues which existed.

1.The LCD on the P+ backs needed improving and quite urgently, while the screen was OK but I never felt totally at home with it, the new super high res 3.2 inch LCD screen with it's rather iPhone like navigation is ground breaking in the camera world. The clever thing is too that the old classic 4 button interface has been retained too and sits alongside the new LCD touch panel.

2.File transfer was always super reliable with the FireWire 400 connection, but nothing stands still and the world was moving on, with some of Phase One's competitors already moving to faster FireWire 800 connection. The new IQ backs have FireWire 800 AND they have the much vaunted USB3 which is allows file transfers twice as fast as FireWire 800. This opens up the possibility of shooting to light weight platforms like the MacBook air which surely in due course will offer USB3(and until it does the USB connection is backwards compatible so I hear.
A full frame 80 megapixel sensor with enough physical memory to ensure that you never hit the buffer.Ever.

3.As a result of the 80 megapixel sensor this allows Phase One's sensor plus technology to come into it's own. Giving the photographer the ability to shoot at 20 megapixel resolution at DSLR like high ISO. Truly two camera's in one.
The IQ back is, like the previous P series backs, built like no other. Machined from aluminium promising great durability.


But I have not seen held or touched one.

That is set to change in the next few hours, I will let you know what I think.