Dark Peak: Mothers Cap

Medium Format digital.

I normally take landscapes on medium format film but I had the opportunity to trial with a Phase One back from the Flash Centre at the weekend - so I jumped at the opportunity.

I chose the Phase One P25+ (22M) since I could do a straight comparison with my 21M 1ds3.

So in short how did it fared (and remember this is for landscape work)

a) Resolution of the P25 is similar but with slightly better resolution than my 1ds3. Imagine what a P30 or P45 would be like
b) Noise is better on the P25 at lower ASA settings.
c) Noise is better on the 1DS3 at higher (>400) ASA settings.
d) Dark Noise is better on the P25 for long exposures at low ISO (high not tested)
e) The P25 appears to have a better dynamic range than the 1ds3 and infinately better than Velvia

Also note
1) I can interpolate the P25 image with a much cleaner/better result than a drum scanned Velvia tranny (obvioulsy not of the same image)

Unfortunately the weather at the weekend was not great, so no nice sunsets/rises to show, just the moody Dark Peak district.

P25+/Mam645III/Tpod/35mm (24mm in 35mm allowing for crop factor)
6th/100ASA/F16
B&W conversion ijn PS/normal PS corrections

NOTE: this B&W image blocked up in the Jpeg Process and I have had to P about quite a bit, the original is very detailed and crisp. Can you give me feed back as to what it looks like on your screen - providing it is calibrated.

PS Yes I did get wet as the camera had my coat

Interesting findings Tom, I always wondered what the 1Ds3 was like vs a DB.

On my non Adobe calibrated work monitor, it looks ok, the foreground has punch, but i fine the background a little too dark? Looks sharp enough, and i dont see any artifacts on my 19" monitor.

Very punchy FG and the sky looks good, but the middle ground looks a bit flat Tom and looks very strange on the left of frame above the FG rock.

Sorry, I should have also told you there was some low lying mist above the heather - which on this scale B&W is a bit hard to render.

T

Looks great to me Tom, I think half a step back with the big stone looking less "jammed" into the composition would have worked well too!

I like the composition and atmosphere, but needs a little more contrast for me!

Hi Tom,

I've refrained from commenting on this one as I know very little about black and white photography.
However, on my screen the image looks good.
The foreground rock and heather looks particularly contrasty which adds immensly to their impact.
The middle distance and sky look considerably softer by comparison (as in contrast, not sharpness), as a result of the mist you mention, which is clearly visible in the middle of the scene.

It's a shame the trees were there, as without them I think the composition would be stronger with that prominent foreground interest leading the eye up that faint diagonal path to the rock in the opposite corner.

It's a shame we can't appreciate the images' full potential at this small size.

As an example of the potential here is a 100% pixel area of the man on the rock, with his son - it is a bit over processed but shows the potential.

Remember this is the 21M back not the 30M, 40M or 60M.

Impressive stuff. Just goes to show what detail is missed on a small jpeg. I hadn't even noticed the person, it could be a small shrub or anything at this size.