Live View | Phase One IQ series digital camera backs
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How's this for a live view?
There's not much that beats Hamilton Island as a travel destination
and not much that beats Phase One's Live View for medium format photography.
The new IQ backs can record such fine detail that
every aspect of their technique is critical.
In fact, it's so critical we often choose to use different cameras
for different applications.
That's why Phase One has designed its backs to be used for the range of
different cameras such as technical cameras and special purpose bodies such as
this ALPA.
Using a digital back on a technical camera used to be quite challenging.
We'd remove the back and focus on the ground glass or
we'd use a laser to determine the distance for zone focusing.
It used to be a bit hit and miss.
Let me show you how Live View works on an Arca-Swiss technical camera.
The back is already turned on and the camera is mounted on a stand.
The first step is to open the shutter on the camera.
If I was using the Phase One 645DF I'd set the speed to Time
and open the shutter.
On the IQ back press the menu button
on the bottom of the screen and then press the Live View mode button.
People used to believe that Live View on a medium format CCD sensor simply wasn't
possible but the Phase One engineers have created an incredibly useful system.
The screen refreshes from one to four times a second and
with the new high resolution LCD screen the image is bright and clear.
If the color isn't perfect click on the White Balance tool and then click on the
screen to set a custom white balance.
You can use a gray card or in the studio a white or gray background
will work just fine.
The next menu icon makes you choose between a high quality preview image
at one frame a second or a faster refresh rate at four frames a second.
You can also control the Live View exposure or you can use the
lens aperture or a neutral density filter as well.
So now that your Live View image is looking great you can accurately assess
the lighting and composition.
You can even add grid lines to help with framing but most importantly you
can set the focus.
Doubleclick anywhere on the preview and the image will zoom into 100 %.
Drag the image to the point you want to focus on.
Now it's simply a matter of focusing the lens and you know the result will be
perfect. How good is that?
Working on the stand you now have complete control over every aspect
of your image.
Exit Live View mode, close the shutter, and take your photograph.
Live View on the IQ series backs from Phase One. It's a game changer!
