10 DIGITAL CAMERA^ MARCH 2020 http://www.digitalcameraworld.comWorking in UHD
Incredibly detailed images require some
pretty serious technical specificationsThe demands of ultra-high definition
Equivalent to the old 645 format (56 x
41.5mm), the Phase One IQ4 digital
back’s sensor size produces raw files of
14,204 x 10,652 pixels. These are around
150MB in size. Paul edits his captures
using Capture One image editing software
(see page 13), and the uncompressed TIFF
files he supplies to his clients can be up
to 730MB. Welcome to the world of ultra
high-end commercial photography...Why Paul shoots in medium-format
“For me, shooting in medium-format
all started because of resolution, but
now I love the huge dynamic range, too.
With my setup, the mistakes are bigger –
you need to cut down on them, and
get your exposures right. When you
see something that’s off, don’t
rely on the camera to fix it.”one
to
one
For me, shooting in
medium-format started
because of resolution,
but now I love the huge
dynamic range too
Paul shows off the
relative sizes of the
Phase One XT and its
older brother, the XF.day job is creating ultra-high-resolution
images of landscapes and cityscapes for
blue-chip global firms. He produces very
large and very detailed images, so he shoots
on medium-format cameras, which offer
better image quality and colour rendition
than 35mm sensors.
At this specialist end of the camera market,
it’s all about having dedicated tools to do the
job impeccably – every time. But while Phase
One’s modular cameras are often the choice
of high-end pros, the brand didn’t offer
a compact and lightweight solution for
photographers who worked on the roadrather than in the studio – until last summer,
when the XT was unveiled to great fanfare.
At the heart of the system is the modular
XT camera body, which interfaces with brand-
new X-Shutter-equipped Cambo-mount
lenses from Rodenstock, joining Phase One
XF mount lenses from Schneider Kreuznach.
Using a shift-knob on the camera body, these
lenses can be adjusted up, down, left or right
to correct perspective distortion. The final
piece of the jigsaw is the IQ4 digital back,
with a touchscreen interface for changing
exposure settings and for reviewing images.
In its menu system, you’ll also find an
option for Automated Frame Averaging,
a killer feature that has become a game-
changer for Paul’s photography, and which
he is very keen to demonstrate today.
Automated frame averaging takes a
sequence of images captured from the
sensor and combines them all in one raw file.
The process reduces noise, boosts dynamic
range and stops highlights from blowing out.
Because the final file is an averaged exposure,
physical filters aren’t required while taking the
shots, and the exposure sequence can also be
paused – ideal for removing random objects
that may have strayed into the frame.
Once Paul brings me up to speed with the
Phase One XT and what it can do, it’s time to
get out and see for myself. Pulpit Rock is less
well-known than the nearby tourist trap
of Durdle Door, and looks particularly
photogenic as the sun starts to set.
Placing the camera on a tripod, Paul
shows me another clever design feature –
an integrated tripod bracket that allows the
camera body to be switched between portrait
and landscape orientations without having
to remove it from the tripod head.
He calls up Live View on the IQ4 digital
back and, turning the physical focus