Raw brilliance from Phase One

hoods collection." title="A raw PhaseOne IQ180 | Image @ 25% | Loupe @ 100% | Test shot for the hoods collection."/>

First to note, the above image is raw, apart from the various sharpening filters that you can't avoid when uploading files to social media, it's about as raw as you're going to get.

So why do I love digital medium format? About 6 years ago I picked up a 2nd hand Hasselblad H1 & PhaseOne P25+ from one of Australia's press outlets... To date, I had shot all my work on negative with a 645 Mamiya and slavishly scanned each frame. Obviously with digital, there was the time saved not having to worry about dust and scratches to the negative, but the real boon was the colour depth and oh so beautiful tonal range.

While I still own the PhaseOne P25+, I try to shoot all my new work on the IQ180/280. The colour depth of this camera is second to none. It's tonal range for capturing all the subtleties of skin is absolutely phenomenal. Simply put, there is nothing quite like working in post-production than with an IQ file.

Simply put there is nothing quite like working in post-production than with an IQ file.

If you think medium format digital is out of your budget then take a look around for some second hand systems. I've seen them popping up time to time from about $7K, there are even brand new systems from Phase One starting around $15K (if you live in the states).

While it seems like a lot compared to a 35mm DSLR. Consider it this way, you will probably replace your 35mm DSLR two to three times in a 10 year period. Compare that to my P25+ which is now 10 years old and still used as my primary mode of digital capture.

Oh and the little guy in the pupil, that's my technical producer James, whose 20/20 vision I can always rely on when we're working with depths of field in the millimetre range.

For those in Australia, you may want to checkout L&P's second hand selection.