Shooting 100 megapixels medium format

f/10 1/4000 ISO 400 "parent file"(handheld)

 

Crop from parent file

 

 

My first digital medium format back was 16-megapixel Kodak DCS connected to a Mamiya 645 AF body.   Little did I know that within a little over a decade I would be shooting a 100-megapixel medium format digital back!

Shooting the ceiling

f/12 1/30 ISO 1600

 

Phase One introduced their first 100-megapixel full frame CMOS sensor late 2015 with delivery shortly afterwards.  The IQ3-100 is so packed full of options one should expect it to weigh much more than a normal digital back; WIFI, HDMI and full integration with the new Phase One XF to mention just a few.  And of course the price is just as hefty even with a generous trade-in/upgrade program.  As much as I liked the back I saw too many things that I wouldn’t use thus didn’t want to pay full price; opting instead to wait until they came on the used market (which they have).

f/8 1/25 ISO 400

 

Early September this year I decided I had waited long enough.  I’ve been shooting nightscape landscape images being forced to use a Sony A7rII and wanted to use medium format.  I remember calling my camera dealer and very close friend Dave Gallagher and caught him literally as he was headed out the door to fly to Photokina 2016.  I told him what I wanted and his rely was no, I’m not selling you anything – yet.  Dave wouldn’t tell me why as he was on an embargo against disclosing details of upcoming Phase One releases that would be announced within the next couple days.  Since I trust Dave with my family I also trust him not to steer me wrong. So I waited.  Image my surprise when Phase One released the new I00-megapixel IQ1-100. 

f/8 1/1000 ISO 200 (handheld)

 

The IQ1-100 is everything I wanted without spending extra money for things that I no longer need/require.  Since I’m no longer shooting with a tech camera I don’t need HDMI and since I can tether using my Surface Pro I don’t need WIFI.  There are other differences which fit into what I consider “nice to have” however I’d much rather save several thousand dollars to use for say trips.  A trip to Japan to shoot the snow monkeys or Alaska for northern lights or .. you get the idea.

f/8 1/2500 ISO 400 (handheld)

 

f/8 1/320 ISO 50 (handheld)

 

I believe Phase One released the details on the 100-megapixel IQ1-100 on September 20^th.  The following week we were in Moab speaking to Dave Gallagher on the phone and ended up ordering it on September 28^th taking delivery on October 8^th.   Not bad at all.  The only thing that didn’t work in our favor was coming down with a cold which was bad enough to stop any work until just yesterday.  In the meantime the 80-megapixel IQ180 has been returned as part of the deal and my credit card company is smiling. 

So, what do you do to test a CMOS sensor that has beautiful live view, high ISO capabilities? Go someplace where you are in a dark place lit only with natural lights from very tall windows.  We traveled south past Tubac to Tumacacori and visited a Spanish Mission founded by Jesuit Eusebio Francisco Kino in 1691 and is currently a National Historical Park.

f/11 0.5 seconds ISO 800

 

f/9 1/8 ISO 800

 

Equipment used: 100-megapixel Phase One IQ1-100 digital back attached to a Phase One XF body using a Schneider LS 35mm lens.  Since I wanted to shoot low and not use a tripod I opted instead to use a Platypod Pro Max with KPS geared ballhead.  Since I knew I might be taking longer than normal exposures I also used a Hahnel remote shutter release for the XF.

 

So, was the upgrade worth it?  Yes.  Will I miss shooting with a CCD sensor now that I have a CMOS? Too early to say but I’m willing to bet no.  How was the live view?  Worked even better than I had hoped.

f/12 1/4 ISO 400

 

I’ll have more to share later from this trip as well as an upcoming trip to New Mexico where we hope to capture nightscape images so stay tuned.

 

Don

 

 

This IQ1-100 makes the 3^rd IQ1 series digital backs I’ve owned and a total of 6-Phase One backs; all purchased from one source Capture Integration.  I wouldn’t keep returning if I didn’t like how they do business.  They won’t sell something you don’t need (yes, I’ve tried).  The stand behind everything they sell; new or used.  Their customer service model of what others should study and strive for.  Dave and his crew started out as vendors and over the years surpassed that into dear friends.  If you want a camera dealer that stands behind you look no more. Click the link found on the right column of this page or give them a call; you’ll be glad you did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southwest Trading Posts

When we write about trading posts we don’t mean the gaudy tourist traps one might find off an interstate.  What we’re describing is what used to be the life blood on an Indian reservation.  Place where folks who were forced to live went to buy and often time trade for essentials such as food stuffs like flour, salt etc.

Rear wall of the trading post in Oljato UT

Another rear wall Oljato UT

 

While there are still some operational trading posts to be found the majority are now closed.  The advent of better transportation help close this way of life on many reservations.  We don’t look for the trading posts that remain open; instead we prefer the older closed defunct abandoned ones.

Front wall Oljato UT

 

We recently spent several days on the Navajo Nation in the Monument Valley area of Arizona and Utah and found two old trading posts.

Front wall Oljato UT

 

Looking down the front wall, Oljato UT

The first in Oljato Utah is located 10-miles from Goulding’s in Monument Valley and is easily accessible by paved road.  Take the road running between the airfield and new housing for 10-miles and Oljato is on the left side.  Watch for herds of sheep along the way; in other words slow down and enjoy the scenery. Oljato trading post is an easy side trip to take after visiting Monument Valley.

Red door, Oljato Utah

Old Hogan in front of the Oljato trading Post

We found our second trading post approximately 130-miles south in the Ganado Arizona area off BIA15; named Sunrise Trading Post.  Sunrise is located on the north side of BIA15 and very rundown. 

Sunrise Trading Post Ganado UT fro BIA 15

 

Close up of the front wall

 

Green door leading into a front room

 

Where Oljato trading post is in fair condition with standing walls, most windows intact and doors and roof sadly that can’t be said for Sunrise with no windows, little doors left and no roof.  Sunrise is truly abandoned and had graffiti and left to natures elements.  They both offer a unique photographic experience.

 

What's left of a wall

Looking down and out from the windows through the roof

 

Please remember you are visitors and be respectful of the area and leave things where you might find them. We’d also caution to not enter buildings as the floors may be weak. Also you might want to think about proper footgear as you are in the southwest where critters like to hide.

All images were captured with a pair of Sony A7rII and either a 24-70GM (Sandys lens of choice) and a Mitakon Speedmaster 85mm (Dons lens).  All images were processed using a combination of Capture One-9 and Topaz Labs filters.

 

Sandy & Don

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographing Nightscapes

 

Valley of the Gods Utah

Sony A7r II Voigtlander 12mm f/ 5.6 25-seconds ISO 400

 

Near Tucson AZ

Sony A7rII Mitakon 50mm f/0.95 15-seconds ISO 1000

 

“Nightscape Photography” is the combination of landscape photography and the capturing of dark skies, sometimes with or without the Milky Way.
 

Near Tucson AZ

Sony A7rII Mitakon 50mm f/0.95 5-seconds ISO 1250

  

The past couple of months have been spent attempting to photograph nightscape images incorporating the Milky Way using various cameras at our disposal as well as different mounting and lenses.  Here’s what we’ve found so far…

Milky Way over Mexican Hat Rock NM

Sony A7rII Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 10-seconds ISO 4000

 

Light painting near Tucson AZ

Sony A7rII Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 10-seconds ISO 1250

 

First, your sleep pattern is blown to hell.  You need to be out at dusk in order to setup and then you wait.  If there are too many clouds in the sky you may as well pack in; likewise the moon.  If the moon is too bright you won’t be able to capture the dark skies as there aren’t any. You also need to be aware of the time the sun and moon set.  Recently we were in Shiprock NM and the moon was at 17% brightness which can be very bright if you’re trying to see a dark sky.  The good news was that it set 8 PM which allowed for several hours of darkness. 

Navajo Nation

Sony A7rII FE16-35 f/4 30-seconds ISO 2000

 

Milky Way over Shiprock NM

Sony A7rII FE24-70GM f/2.8 10-seconds ISO 2000

 

Milky Way over Mexican Hat Rock NM

Same file B&W or color

 

Another issue is light pollution. Light pollution from neighboring towns can become a real problem.  Mexican Hat Utah is a very small community yet has a lot of lights.  The good news is that just about all the lights go out shortly after 11PM.  Unlike Shiprock NM which is much larger and much brighter.  We waited well past 1AM and it was just as bright as earlier.

 

Milky Way over Shiprock NM with light pollution

Sony A7rII Voigtlander 21mm 30-seconds ISO 4000

shot using the iOptron SkyTracker

 

Milky Way over Shiprock NM with light pollution

Sony A7rII Voigtlander 21mm 20-seconds ISO 3200

shot using the iOptron SkyTracker

 

So what do you need equipment wise?  This is what we’ve learned so far.

A sturdy tripod along with a cable release so you aren’t touching the camera and introducing unwanted movements. 

You need or maybe a better way to express this, is want a wide lens.  Sandy has experimented using a 16-35 as well as a 24-70.  Both worked well enough however the next issue is how fast the lens is.  Both of these lenses are Sony, and the “fastest” setting is f/4.  That is until Sony released the new and vastly improved 24-70 GM f/2.8.  Sandy still has the 16-35 however she now has and loves the newer much faster 24-70 GM lens. 

The marriage of ISO (film speed) and lens coupled with shutter speed. 

When we began our quest Sandy had the older slower lenses.  The slower the lens the longer the shutter speed and the higher the ISO.  This combination brings problems.  The slower the shutter speed the more star movements.  The higher the ISO the more chance of noise.  Sandy captured a beautiful image of the Milky Way behind a windmill however it could have been much better with a faster lens that she now has.  This is how we learn.

Don on the other hand has been trying another method.

Attaching a camera on top of a telescope and allowing the built-in tracking to keep the camera orientated in the sky.  The first attempt using the medium format Phase One XF, 80-megapixel IQ180 digital back met with limited success; that success was so limited we’ve decided to abandon any further testing.

Next came the use of “star-trackers”.  These are instruments that are placed on top of a tripod with a camera attached.  These use the star Polaris to lock in your alignment.  The camera can be moved to any spot in the sky afterwards so long as you don’t move the tracker.  The trackers with proper alignment allows for much longer shutter speeds without the introduction of movements in the stars.

After trying and failing to capture nightscapes with medium format Don went back to using his Sony A7rII however with much faster lenses. So far he’s used a Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 as well as the super-fast 50mm Mitakon f/0.95.

 

Setting up at Mexican Hat Rock NM

Using Vixen Optics Polarie-Star Tracker

Phase One XF/IQ180 and 35LS

on top of a 6" telescope

  

Using fast lenses allows for lower shutter speeds (as slow as 5-seconds) while using medium to higher ISO as low as ISO 500 to as high as 5000 without the introduction of noise.
 

Night sky over Mexican Hat NM

Sony A7rII Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 13-seconds ISO 4000 

Milky Way over Mexican Hat NM

Sony A7rII, FE 24-70GM f/2.8 13-seconds ISO 2500

 

What we’ve also found that in using super-fast lenses is we don’t need to use a star tracker as we don’t normally exceed 20-seconds.  It seems 20-seconds is the threshold of star-movements.  Sandy will likely begin using a star tracker as the current fastest lens she has is f/2.8.
 

Equipment used to date. 

 

Really Right Stuff tripods one with a RRS Ballhead while the other doesn't need a ballhead. 
 

We have 2-trackers that we like.  The first one used is a Vixen Optics Polarie-Star Tracker that supports up to 4.4 lbs. (2 kg).  It operates on 2 AA batteries and is about the size of a large paperback book.
 

Our newest tracker is an iOptron SkyTracker which like the Vixen Optics operates on 2 AA batteries yet has a 7.7 pound (3.5 kg) payload.  This device is just as easy to setup and use as the Vixen Optics however it is slightly larger since the tripod attachment is built-in. 
 

Here are more sample images.
 

Milky Way over Mexican Hat Rock

Sony A7rII Voigtlander 21mm f/1.8 13-seconds ISO 2500

 

 Busy Sky over Valley of the Gods NM

Sony A7rII FE16-35 30-seconds ISO 2000

 

This is the first of a series on photographing nightscapes so stay tuned for more.

 

As always, thank you for allowing us to share.

 

 

Sandy & Don