New Firmware – New Camera
While I may be somewhat biased with my views of Phase One, I don’t think there is anyone that would disagree that the Phase One XF sets the bar for all other cameras as far as interface and features. The engineers at Phase One are truly focused on making the finest digital cameras and backs in the world.
The Phase One XF camera was a major improvement from the older Phase One/Mamiya bodies. Phase One took their time and designed a camera system worthy of their digital backs. For a long time, I’ve always said that Phase One had the best backs as well as some incredible lenses. What was missing was what was in-between these, and that was a great camera. The XF is the perfect match for the Schneider-Kreuznach lenses as well as the IQ backs.
The camera is a great testimonial to the Scandinavian form and function design. It’s an easy camera to use with an interface that doesn’t get in the way. Upon introduction, it had an incredible feature set that defined for many what a camera should be.
Now, Phase One has raised the bar even more with the NEW Feature Update 4. Phase One designed the XF camera to last a long time. It has always been their intention to add enhanced and improved features to the XF through firmware updates. Well, they have been true to their word, and the newest firmware update adds new features as well as improving on others. All of this makes the Phase One XF worth looking at again.
To see and learn about these features as well as meeting with the TriChromatic team, I flew to Copenhagen and visited the Phase One offices. It’s been a number of years since my last visit there. I met with Drew Altdoerffer, Niels Knudsen, and Lau Norgaard.
The Feature Set 4 Update Videos
I thought the best way to really understand what the Phase One XF Feature Update 4 was all about was to visit with the Phase One team and have them explain the details. For this first video, I sit down with Drew Altdoerffer, Phase One Product Manager, and we go over the new features.
Now you could ask why would I be interested in seeing this when I can’t even afford the camera? Well, I think it is important to keep up with what is being done in the camera field and possibly what we may see in other camera systems over time. You’ll find out that there is a lot a work that goes into a camera system like the XF, and Drew does a great job explaining all the features that this camera offers and how they are used.
Please enjoy this set of videos to get an insight into what Phase One is presently offering.
Focus and Recompose
Focus Trim Feature
Focus Stacking Update
Lau Norgaard Explains The Features
Drew has done a great job showing us how the features work in the new update. Now we visit with Lau Norgaard – Vice President R&D for a whiteboard explanation of these new features. Lau exemplifies the whole Phase One Philosophy of pushing the envelope. Lau also explains the new HAP-2 Auto-Focusing system and how it works.
Publishers Note: In full disclosure for those that don’t know I was a team member of Phase One for 13 years. I served as Vice President and worked on numerous projects during my 13 years. I left Phase One 4 years ago to pursue my dream and longtime ambition of helping others enjoy photography and thus became the CEO and Publisher of Luminous-Landscape. I know it’s easy to say he is biased but in all honesty, if Phase One made a product that had issues in design and functions I would tell you about it. Phase One and I know other content providers would agree is premier camera system on the market today. Like cars, yachts fine wines and other fine things in life that many of us will never afford Phase One. But there is something about seeing and understanding this camera just like there is when you visit a car dealer like Tesla. I may never own a Tesla but I can lust for it.
Thank You Lau and Drew for such a great explanation of the features this camera offers and how to use them.
Kevin Raber
January 2018
Author
Elevate Your Vision
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