best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

[archivue]

in your opinion, what's the better digital back between Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

It will be used with an arca swiss Fline 69 and a 35 digital, a 50 digital, a 80xl and an apo sironar S 150.

Main subject architecture with movements.

[Don Boyd]

You may get more informed responses from this medium format digital forum over at luminous-landscape: http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showforum=16

[Robert Fisher]

Ask Jack Flesher - he is big into MF digital these days

[Kirk Gittings]

These issues are discussed regularly on Luminous Landscape.

[Gordon Moat]

You might want to investigate lease plans and service too. These backs are so close in performance that customer service might be a bigger factor. Leaf seem to be running things nicely lately, though I have never been unhappy with PhaseOne.

You might also want to try PDN Forums (http://www.pdngallery.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi). There are a few pros who post there using both of these, and several more who rent time to time. The good part of PDN Forums is that none of the participants sugar-coat their replies.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

[Kirk Gittings]

Architecture has its peculiarities with these and there are a number of Europeon pro APs who participate on LL.

[Jack Flesher]

Ask Jack Flesher - he is big into MF digital these days

Yes into it now, but by no means an expert :)

First off, you are comparing apples and oranges. The P21+ is a crop sensor 18MP back and the Aptus 22 is a 22MP full-frame sensor camera.

What you probably want to compare are the P25 (22MP full frame) to the Leaf 22, OR the P25+ to the Aptus 54S (54S is a high-speed 22MP back and the Phase 25+ is the faster, more advanced Phase P25 back.)

And once you get to the comparing the same size and MP count sensors, and then compare performance specs within the same performance grouping, there isn't much to choose between them, they are both excellent :)

A few points: The Phase backs are more weather sealed than the Leaf and have no open vents, so for cooling purposes go into a sleep mode. Because of this you need a special trigger cable for Phase backs when used on a view camera to wake them up right before the capture. The Leaf backs have open cooling vents, and thus don't need to sleep, so only need a pc to pc flash cable from lens to back to trigger them.

Cheers,

[adrian tyler]

careful with movements, i tested a p45 and the colour casts (plural) were ridiculous using a 38mm with no movements, you can correct making 2 shots with a filter thingie but i believe the leaf is better in this respect, but i left it there.

incidently, i did buy a nikon d3 with the new 24mm tilt/shift lens a month back and that is really good, a wee bit cheaper than having to buy the mf back plus the new camera and lenses...

something to consider perhaps...

[archivue]

thanks for all your replies !
i was considering this two backs because i know that the aptus is a good back for architecture, but even with good promo is still a lot more expensive than the P21+.
I just don't know if the P21+ is working well with rodenstock lens and movements...
I don't care about the different size of these two sensors (it's quite close), and i don't think that the different in Mpix is that important for my use.

Adrian,
i'm using Canon 5D and TSE lens at the moment, and i'm not completely satisfied... i'm not shure about the quality difference with the nikon stuff... but considering latitude, backs are an other world !

Adrian, can you send me a picture made with this combo, and with a difficult light environement ? what about distorsion ? franges ? hightlights ?
full size in jpeg should be ok : sacripant@online.fr

The other think to consider is the aspect ration, i just don't like 24x36 !

[adrian tyler]

i'll send a picture by yousendit 24mb raw (please trash it after reviewing it i'm under contract not to divulge that work).

i'm not trying to persuade you of anything here (i don't have a big print workflow to make a p45 worthwile), but i did go through this problem 18 months ago and opted for a high end flatbed scanner over the digital back, i use the nikon on commercial assignments so it's not like i have to make museum prints from that work!

it is however a really cool wee setup, and dumping all my 4x5 cameras and lenses for a digital back that made colour casts didn't convince me!

[Larry Menzin]

From what I understand, the P21+ has microlenses, which are not optimal for view camera movements. If you want to do an apples-apples comparison, it should be the P25 vs. the Aptus 22. Both have tools for removing lens cast, but some have said the Leaf Dalsa chips have less cast for a given set of movements. I'm a Phase user myself and get pretty good results with the Rodenstock 35HR, 55mm APO Digital, and 90mm APO digital.

[archivue]

thank you so much Adrian, but how can i open a NEF file without a nikon software ?

[Kirk Gittings]

ACR opens it no problem.

[archivue]

Adrian, the file you send me seems to be made with a 55mm (IPTC) ?

[adrian tyler]

no, i didn't switch the setting back from an old 55 micro-nikkor i've been using (with great results), that is called "digital lazyness" and is one step off from "digital boredom" which is a seperate thread!

yes, i was holding off till this lens came out, and the right project came along so i was able to persuade 'er indoors...

[adrian tyler]

i'm having doubts about the file, looking at the "contacts" it may be as the IPTC says from the analogue 55mm lens, i'm sending new files this morning, sorry...

[Kirk Gittings]

Looking at the new file I would say the Nikon 24 T/S is superior but marginally so. It would be good to test them side by side but at f11 instead of f16, where diffraction limits are less of a factor.