Phase One announced, today, the Phase One IQ2 series: three new full-frame 645 format digital camera backs with high-speed wireless connectivity and 13 f-stops of dynamic range, plus new options to meet specific photographic goals. Building on the IQ digital back platform, the technical advances in the Phase One IQ280, IQ260 and IQ260 Achromatic go beyond delivering ultra-high megapixel resolution to introduce greater mobility and workflow flexibility for professional photographers.

All IQ2 camera backs feature full-frame 645 format sensors designed collaboratively by Phase One and Teledyne Dalsa to deliver the world’s best image quality. In addition, Phase One IQ2 camera backs deliver a full 13 f-stops of dynamic range, which combined with meticulous calibration and careful hardware and software optimization ensures that the image quality is matched by no other camera.

The 80 megapixel IQ280 puts Wi-Fi in a new perspective, enabling remote image capture and viewing of huge 80 megapixel images on an iPad running Phase One’s Capture Pilot App. It represents the pinnacle of image quality. With an ISO as low as 35, no other camera or digital back can get better silk-like images.

The 60 megapixel IQ260 offers unparalleled capture versatility, with exposure ranges from 1/10000s to one hour with virtually noise-free images. The 60 megapixel sensor at the heart of the IQ260 is a unique 645 format full-frame device found only in this digital back. It offers the widest exposure range opportunities on the market coupled with phenomenal image quality. And both the IQ280 and IQ260 capture raw images at 16-bitcolour depth per channel, enabling reproduction of scenes with ultra-smooth transitions.

The Phase One IQ260 Achromatic is a dedicated image capture device designed to deliver the highest-quality pure black and white images. It fully shares the IQ2 series’ unplugged assets. At the core of this system is a 60-megapixel sensor with no colour filter array mounted, which means that no interpolation is necessary. Each and every pixel of the sensor is focused purely on capturing the finest details of an image. This digital back comes with no mounted IR cut-off filter, and the IQ260 Achromatic is capable of capturing image in three light spectrums: infrared, visible and ultraviolet  – permitting photographers to experiment with a wide range of their choice of filters to create unique images for artistic and scientific purposes.

Whether you are into 80 megapixel captures, one hour long exposures or pure black and white imagery, there is an IQ2 for you. Each IQ2 model features a large 3.2 inch high-resolution touch screen display, fast wired and wireless connectivity and and an extremely durable aluminum design.

KEY FEATURES:

• 80 megapixel captures
• 13 f-stops dynamic range
• Long exposures – up to one hour
• Wireless remote control
• Wirelessly check, and enrich images
• Pure black and white sensor
• Full-frame 645 format sensors
• High resolution touch display
• USB3 and FireWire 800 connections

 
>> Read the press release
 

Available June 2013; MSRP starting at $39,990 USD
 

SEE THE IQ2 IN ACTION:

Fashion photographer, Frederico Martins, on Fuerteventura shooting an editorial for Elle with the new IQ2 digital back.

 
Landscape photographer, Joe Cornish, visits Iceland to give the new Phase One IQ260 digital back a test drive.

 
Fine art photographer, Bernd Radtke, visits the old olympic village in Berlin to shoot black and white images with the new Phase One IQ260 Achromatic digital back.

Photo Fabulousness ——

Come Visit Me by Ryan Tir
 

Online Awesomeness/Bloggy Goodness ——

Pixsylated is the blog of photographer Syl Arena – known around the world for both his colourful hair and the colourful words and photos he shared in his best-selling Speedliter’s Handbook. He not only knows how to light a photo, he wastes no time teaching others how to do so as well with his in-depth, behind-the-scenes photos and explanations of his entire process – from concept to post production.

Video Virtuosity ——

Now, this is COOL. And shot entirely with the new HD HERO2® camera and Dive Housing from GoPro.

At Vistek, we’re a big fan of the amount of versatility you can gain through the use of tethering photo and video solutions from the folks at Tether Tools. Their innovative solutions provide photographers, filmmakers and other creative professionals with laptop, tablet and monitor workstations assisting with the integration of technology into the creative workflow.

Check out this fantastic video, where Joe Brady teaches tethered photography using Lightroom and an iPad using Air Display.

And stay tuned for an exclusive Vistek/Tether Tools Q & A – coming soon!

Phase One announced, this week, the launch of it’s newest raw converter and photo management software – Capture One Express 7.

 
Featuring the same renowned raw processing engine as Capture One Pro 7, as well as many of the same professional image enhancement features, Capture One Express 7 is a powerful tool containing flexible photo management, advanced adjustment tools and fast performance in one integrated package.
 

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS:

• A renowned processing engine
• Tailor-made camera profiles
• Superior noise reduction
• Stunning High Dynamic Range
• Enhanced clarity
• Beautiful black & white
• Automatic lens correction
• Styles & presets
• Powerful photo management
• Advanced search & filtering

 
Download your free trial version HERE and read full specs HERE.

Join Vistek’s FREE three-city Pro Video Road Show and take part in an interactive demonstration of the very best in products, applications and work processes – beginning with the launch of the Sony F55 in Toronto!

TORONTO | Thursday, March 7 – 7 pm

The Sony F5 and F55 digital motion picture cameras will be presented on a lit set, and a showcase of the camera’s post production and workflow capabilities will be highlighted along with a number of exciting camera accessory options! You’ll be treated to:

• an overview of the F5/55 main features and benefits
• camera comparison footage and films shot with the cameras – displayed on the centre’s 4K cinema screen
• footage comparing sensitivity, colourimetry and the shutter effect between the cameras
• various films shot on the F5 or F55 camera – presented in 4K and HD resolutions

REGISTER HERE
 
CALGARY | Monday, March 18
EDMONTON | Wednesday, March 20

1 pm: Canon Cinema EOS cameras
Product presentation: C100, C300, C500 and 1DC

2 pm: Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera
An introduction to the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera

3 pm: Third-party video recorders
Product presentation: AJA, Atomos, Blackmagic Design, Cinedeck

4 pm: Understanding LED lighting
Explore the pros and cons of using modern LED lighting in production applications

REGISTER HERE (Calgary 03/18)
REGISTER HERE (Edmonton 03/20)
 
CALGARY | Tuesday, March 19
EDMONTON | Wednesday, March 21

9:30 am: Live production systems
If you’re planning a live multicam production or live streamed even, this presentation will provide a solid overview of all the technologies and options involved and available

11 am: The camera wheel
With the multitude of cameras available today, choosing the right one for your needs can be challenging. Join us for a discussion and gain a solid formula for determining the right gear for your project.

1pm – 5pm: Sony Camera Event 
Come see the latest cameras available from Sony – with presentations and product demonstrations. Representatives from Sony will be on hand to answer your questions.

1:30: NEX-EA50, FS100, FS700
2:30: PMW-200
3:30: PMW-F5 – Camera launch

REGISTER HERE (Calgary 03/19)
REGISTER HERE (Edmonton 03/21)

Every once in a while we stumble upon something SO cool that we have to share in a big way! That particular something, in this case, is actually a someone: photographer, teacher, lecturer and DIYer,  Justin Quinnell.

Quinnell’s love of – and creativity with – pinhole photography is something that crossed our radar when a post on reddit featured his outstanding 6-month exposure using a beer can pinhole camera (yes, really, a pinhole camera made out of a beer can – check out how you can build one yourself!)

His gallery, Mouthpiece, features his own unique mouth photography captured with a hand-made SmileyCam  – built from a 110 film with a handmade pinhole plate fixed onto the front.  Another, titled Slowlight, features images taken during a six-month period stretching from the winter solstice of 2007 to the summer solstice of 2008. In addition, Black & White as well as Colour pinhole photos can be seen on his website.

In addition to his public talks and workshops in the UK, Quinnell will be coming to the States for a few speaking engagements this May and June. Dates can be found on his website. And, if you’re not lucky enough to be near one of the cities in which he’ll be appearing, check out his How to do Stuff page. That and a quick trip to your local hardware store should keep you busy for days!

Nikon has launched  its new DX-format flagship camera – the D7100. Ushering in a new era of DX-format image quality and functionality for the experienced shooter and photo enthusiast, the lightweight Nikon D7100 features an impressive array of intuitive features and controls bolstered by rapid performance and a robust feature set .

At the core of the Nikon D7100 is a new 24.1-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor, designed to render the truest, most detail-rich images possible and brilliant HD video. The innovative sensor design delivers the ultimate in image quality by defying convention; because of the high resolution and advanced technologies, the optical low pass filter (OLPF) is no longer used. Using NIKKOR lenses, the resulting images explode with more clarity and detail to take full advantage of the 24.1-megapixel resolution achieved with D7100’s DX-format CMOS sensor.

A wide ISO range of 100-6400 (expandable to Hi-2 of 25,600) allows for more versatile shooting to capture challenging conditions such as nature at twilight or even sports under less-than-ideal lighting. Even at higher ISOs, noise is minimized for both still images as well as when recording HD video.

KEY FEATURES:

• New 51-Point AF System
• 6 fps shooting at full resolution and up to seven fps when using the new 1.3x crop mode
• 1.3x Crop Mode  for both stills and HD video
• 3.2″ LCD featuring a super-high resolution of 1,229K dots
• New bright, high-contrast new OLED data display within the optical viewfinder
• New Spot White Balance allows for quick and precise white balance adjustment while shooting in live view
• Durable, lightweight construction
• Enhanced interface
• Simplified sharing and remote shooting
• HD video capture at 1080/30p, or at 60i/50i (in 1.3x Crop Mode)
• Stereo sound recording capability through an internal microphone, or via an optional external microphone
• Full manual modes plus intelligent modes
• NIKKOR, Speedlight and system compatibility

WR-1 Transceiver & MB-D15 Multi Battery Power Pack

In addition to the D7100, Nikon also announced the WR-1 Transceiver. This device uses the 2.4 GHz radio frequency for maximum range when communicating with the camera, extending the range and functionality for remote shooting applications. The communication range between WR-1 units is approximately 394 feet, and 15 channels are available. Users also have the ability to remotely control a camera (with a WR-1 used as a receiver) attached by operation of another WR-1 (used as a transmitter), and also perform simultaneous or synchronized release of shutters on several cameras using the WR-1.

The MB-D15 is equipped with a shutter-release button, AE/AF lock button, multi selector, and main- and sub-command dials for improved operation when taking photographs with the camera vertically oriented. It can be powered by either six AA batteries (Alkaline or Ni-MH or Lithium), or EN-EL 15 rechargeable Li-ion batteries. To use the MB-D15 with AA batteries, use the MS-D14 AA Battery Holder. When using EN-EL15 batteries to power the MB-D15, use the MS-D14EN Battery Holder.

Available: March 2013; MSRP: $1199.95 (body only) and $1599.95 (with the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens). Pricing for the MB-D15 battery grip and the WR-1 transceiver has not yet been announced.

 >> Read the full press release

Check out this great first-look video from WhatDigitalCamera:

Fashion photographer Matthew Lyn recently wrapped up an exclusive photo shoot at Toronto’s ProStudios for Design Scene, an online source for daily fashion, style and design updates.

Featuring Isaac, who could, quite possibly, be the cutest kid on Models International Ottawa‘s roster, Lyn’s shoot certainly utilized the very best assets of the all-inclusive downtown studio.

You can view the entire editorial, titled: A Young Gentleman’s Story, at DesignScene.net, but we thought we’d treat you to a few here, first.

Located in Toronto’s west end, ProStudios is open 7 days a week from 9am to 9pm. For rates and studio availability, drop them a line at bookings@prostudios.ca or give them a call at 647-930-1875.

Photo Fabulousness ——

by Ian Pettigrew
 

Online Awesomeness/Bloggy Goodness ——

Artist Kiel Johnson uses everything from scraps of paper to corrugated cardboard as his medium; and with that medium he creates some of the most incredible pieces of art imaginable. His website features many of his detailed cardboard projects – but that one that caught our eye is his magnificently-detailed recreation of a DSLR. Check it out for yourself – the entire photo gallery can be seen HERE.
 

Video Virtuosity ——

This one’s for all you MythBusters and camera gear aficionados!

As part of the Vistek-sponsored Exposure Photography Festival, photographer Heather Saitz’ exhibit – Room for Tourists – opens today and runs until March 9 at the UAS Satellite Gallery in Calgary, Alberta.

Rooms for Tourists is a photographic exploration of the architecture, landscape and changing social meaning of the Canadian mid-century motel. Shot over two years across five provinces, Rooms for Tourists visits the nostalgic motel in present day, revealing the rise, fall, and resurrection of a now-elusive cultural icon.

What: Room for Tourists  – Heather Saitz, photographer
Where: UAS Satellite Gallery | 343 11th Ave SW, Calgary AB
When: Tuesday to Saturday | 11 am – 4 pm (closed statutory holidays)
Opening Reception: Friday, February 15, 7–11pm
Admission: FREE

Also: If you’re in the Toronto area, you’ll have a chance to see this exhibit in May, when it is on display at Vistek Toronto as part the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival.