Phase One Feature Update 8 - Improvements to the XT, XF, IQ4 + a NEW Blue Ring Lens
The exciting Phase One feature update 8 was announced yesterday and it introduces a variety of new improvements to the XT body, XF body, and the IQ4 Infinity platform. The update includes refinement of speed, features, integration, and workflow flexibility to enhance the capabilities and user-friendly attributes of these Phase One products. The update will be released in early December.
Along-side these added features we also see a new addition to the family of blue ring lenses, The Schnieder Kreuznach 80mm LS f/2.8 Mark II. It supplements the existing Blue Ring lenses to provide a brighter edge-to-edge capture, improving contrast and optical performance for every shooting scenario.
So there's a lot to look forward to for those of you there who are proud owners of your XT, XF or IQ4 Digital Back. And even if you're not yet in possession of one of these fantastic Phase One products yet, you can read on to hear all about what you're missing out on and see why you should consider Phase One today.
The IQ4 will see many new improvements in a variety of its aspects and components. With a focus on user accessibility and ease of control - including the much-requested option to connect the IQ4 directly to your computer via Wifi.
CFexpress Card Support- Faster transfer speed and larger capacity
Ad-hoc WiFi Access Point -Connect directly from computer to the IQ4 Digital Back for camera control, image transfer, and remote capture.
External Power Integration - run the IQ4 entirely from an external USB-C power bank.
4K JPEGs - lightweight JPEGs processed directly from RAW
Customizable Live view grids- Offering the ability to place and save guides to help align your photo composition
External Control- When the camera is out of reach, use an external shutter release to activate each of the Camera Capture tools (for both XF and IQ4)
The XF is the choice of camera body for many professional photographers out there, with this update it will be seeing overall general enhancements to improve its speed and power.
Performance Enhancement- This performance boost is thanks to multiple component improvements. The result is a faster, stronger, more agile XF Camera for any generation of IQ Digital Backs.
External Control- As mentioned before, use an external shutter release when the camera is out of reach to activate each of its Camera Capture tools.
Feature update #8 brings the XT simplified workflow and added auto exposure modes, capturing the perfect shot on the XT has never been easier.
Automatic Metering - The XT Camera takes a leap forward by being the first field camera to offer Auto Exposure Modes, Sv, Tv, and P, as well as Auto ISO. Each exposure parameter can be fully controlled for excellent precision.
Simplified workflow- Live view and intelligent metering allows for the capture of perfect exposure with less hassle.
The Phase One Lab offers a unique approach to 'Auto' exposure for all IQ4 customers. Expose to the Right (ETTR) focuses on capturing images with as much highlight data as possible just before highlights are clipped. This technique can help you capture photos with less noise and as many details as possible in the shadows. All without losing information in the highlights.
This feature is now out and fully functioning. Check out the video below to learn how to access the Lab on your IQ4 and how to use the previous 'Dual Exposure +' feature. No video is yet released specifically on the ETTR however this may still be helpful if you're confused on how to find the Lab!
The long-awaited new addition to the Blue Ring family is here. The 80mm f/2.8 Mark II Blue Ring lens is a new optical design of the much loved focal length offering the greatest versatility. The new design is an improved version of its lighter and smaller counterpart - the original 80mm f/2.8 Blue Ring Lens. It improves upon the contrast and clarity of photos while also utilising an aspherical element to reduce light and sharpness fall off.
The natural field of view and distortion-free aesthetic allows the photographer to focus on composition. Bright edge-to-edge sharpness, shallow depth of field, and sensational contrast that will always yield stunning results. This lens is already available to buy from us!
Phase One are building the foundation for future mobile app integration. The ability to control the older IQ backs, excluding the IQ4, was possible through the app 'Capture Pilot'. It was incredibly useful to be able to be hands-free from the camera while still able to remotely view, zoom, rate, and tag high-resolution images during a shoot.
Unfortunately, this app was not compatible with the IQ4. However, the good news is that Phase One are working on a brand new app that WILL be able to connect to your IQ4! There is no set release date for this app as of now however we hope it will be here January 2021.
Working in remote locations, and with the demands of todays mobile platform technology, complete remote integration will soon be available for the IQ4.
