Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    271

    best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

    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.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Socorro, NM
    Posts
    187

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

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

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Kingwood, Texas USA
    Posts
    274

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

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

  4. #4
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Albuquerque, Nuevo Mexico
    Posts
    9,864

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

    These issues are discussed regularly on Luminous Landscape.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  5. #5

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

    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. 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

  6. #6
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Albuquerque, Nuevo Mexico
    Posts
    9,864

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

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

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  7. #7
    Jack Flesher's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Los Altos, CA
    Posts
    1,071

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Fisher View Post
    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,
    Jack Flesher

    www.getdpi.com

  8. #8

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

    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...

  9. #9

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    271

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

    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 !

  10. #10

    Re: best digital back Leaf Aptus22 vs Phaseone P21+

    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!

Similar Threads

  1. Digital Camera R&D...
    By Bobby Sandstrom in forum Digital Processing
    Replies: 37
    Last Post: 19-Dec-2005, 20:16
  2. Another victim - AGFA in Chapter 11
    By Juergen Sattler in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 29-May-2005, 03:11
  3. Questions regarding George DeWolfe in View Camera mag
    By Jim Chinn in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 54
    Last Post: 10-Jan-2002, 08:41
  4. digital back with detail and clarity superior to 8X10 transparancy
    By Neal Shields in forum Cameras & Camera Accessories
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 5-Dec-2001, 18:07
  5. Digital back on Linhof M679
    By adam mC8rk in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 16-Mar-1999, 19:51

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •