Digital Photographer - UK (2019-08)

you would expect, so it’s as if you are editing
a colour file. And if you untick ‘Enable Black &
White’, the colour image is revealed.
By the time you’ve added a lens to the XF
body and IQ4 back, you’re lifting some serious
weight. Thankfully, the XF has a chunky grip
that’s well-shaped. However, the camera
system is best-suited to use on a tripod, and
using features such as the seismograph,
which can be linked to the self-timer and the
Hyperfocal Point or Focus Stack tools, enables
you to milk every last drop of detail from the
sensor and lens.
It’s worth mentioning that you can expect
to wait around 15 seconds or so after pressing
the power button before the XF IQ4 150MP is
ready to let you start shooting.
Once you get over the size and weight of
the XF camera, the AF system is its only real

FeaTureS

Phase One has given it very clever

features, but more sophisticated

focussing would be nice

Build qualiTy

You can’t question the tank-like

robustness of the XF IQ4 camera

system – it’s made to last

qualiTy oF reSulTS

In the right hands, the XF IQ4

150MP delivers astonishingly

good images with heaps of detail

handling

While the AF system frustrates

and the camera is big and heavy,

the interface is very clear

Value For money

Staggeringly expensive, it’s more

likely to be rented than bought,

but the results may be priceless

megapixels

151

max resolution

14,204x10,652

Sensor

information

53.4 x 40mm

CMOS BSI

Shutter speed

1/4,000sec-60min

iSo sensitivity

50-25,600

exposure modes

Manual, Aperture

priority, Shutter

priority, Program

metering options

Matrix, Centre,

Spot

Flash modes

External only

Connectivity

Wi-Fi, USB-C, HDMI

Weight

1,890g (back plus

camera body and

prism finder)

dimensions

152 x 135 x 160mm

(with prism finder

but without lens)

Batteries

2x Rechargeable

Li-ion

Storage

XQD and SD

lCd

3.2-inch

Viewfinder:

Prism or waist-level

Phase One XF IQ4 150MP

Its size, weight and AF

system are limiting and the

cost is incredible, but the

quality of the results from the

Phase One XF IQ4 150MP is

absolutely stunning.

overall

dual TouCh-

SCreenS

Like the screen on the

camera back, the smaller

top screen on the body is

touch-sensitive for quick,

intuitive setting changes.

ConTrol dialS

There are three dials on

or near the grip to adjust

shutter speed, aperture

and sensitivity. It can

help to customise one for

exposure compensation.

TWin Card SloTS

The IQ4 back has twin

card slots, one that

accepts XQD media

and the other SD-type

cards. The SD card slot is

UHS-II compatible.

FlaSh ConTrol

The camera body has a

Profoto Air trigger built

in. This lets you adjust the

output and fire Profoto

lights remotely in manual

or TTL mode.

TWo BaTTerieS

Both the IQ4 back and

the XF camera body

require a battery, but

the camera can also be

powered via an ethernet or

a USB-C connection.

XF-mounT lenSeS

Phase One offers eight

focal plane lenses and

12 XF-mount Schneider

Kreuznach leaf shutter

optics, and over 60 legacy

lenses are supported.

FEATURES

dual TouCh-

SCreenS

weak point. For a start, it’s slow in comparison

to Fujifilm’s GFX cameras. And one AF point

seems a little old-school for a camera with

so many modern flourishes and such a

huge cost. However, the AFr mode, which

is designed to address the slight shift in

focussing that occurs when you focus and

recompose, at least ensures that your subject

remains sharp – although you need to check

lens compatibility.

Alternatively, you can also focus manually,

which is easiest in Live View mode or remotely

with the camera tethered to a computer. The

latter means you can use a large screen to

assess the focus. However, we found that

the feed doesn’t provide quite the level of

detail you want for precise focussing when

previewing the scene on a 5K iMac screen.

That said, focus peaking is on hand, and we

“ Features such as

the seismograph

enable you to

milk every last

drop of detail”

were able to get the results we wanted, but it

would be nice to have a crisper view.

We shot with the XF IQ4 150MP in its matrix

metering setting, and generally this worked

well, giving well-balanced exposures. However,

the Exposure Zone view and its coloured

warnings are useful when you want to ensure

you’re gathering the maximum amount of

data. The low-ISO images also have very good

latitude, so it’s possible to recover a lot of

detail from the shadows or the highlights.

If you’re a portrait photographer, models

are unlikely to thank you for opening an image

and checking the focus on a large screen, as

every pore and imperfection is laid bare for

all to see. But the results are nothing short of

stunning. Still life, landscape and commercial

photographers will really appreciate the

incredible level of detail that’s visible.