# Phase One 645AF (Mamiya 645AFD III) - Good or Bad?



## haring (Jan 4, 2011)

Is there anybody who uses Phase One 645AF (Mamiya 645AFD III?)
Is the AF fast (relatively) and accurate?
Which digital back do you recommend?

Thanks!


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## BKMOOD (Jan 9, 2011)

Aren't the digital backs for these things about $30,000?  That might explain the lack of response.  Who around here can afford to use the damn thing.  LOL.  At those prices, I'm sure it works quite well.


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## KmH (Jan 9, 2011)

haring copy and paste's the same exact thread on many photography forums - at least 5 of them besides TPF that I'm aware of.

haring rarely, if ever, partisipates in anyone elses threads on any of those forums.

It's all a one way street for haring, taking, but never giving back, which IMO is dishonest.


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## dougpetersonci (Jan 11, 2011)

BKMOOD said:


> Aren't the digital backs for these things about $30,000?  That might explain the lack of response.  Who around here can afford to use the damn thing.  LOL.  At those prices, I'm sure it works quite well.



Prices range from around $3k to $43k.

Like any tool it works great in some situations/applications and not so great in others. Just because you pay $90 for a high-end screwdriver doesn't mean it's going to work any better as a hammer. 

Phase One P40+ and Phase One 65+ backs have a technology called Sensor+ which bins together pixels in a way that gains two stops of ISO at the cost of resolution. This allows shooting up to ISO3200 (an ISO not otherwise available on any other digital back). For many types of photography 10 or 15 (very sharp) megapixels is more than enough and is a welcome trade off for two more stops of ISO. For other types of photography low ISO is fine and in that case you can shoot at the full resolution (40 or 60 megapixels).

Many of our clients are high-end wedding shooters who charge 7-10k for a wedding. For that shooter a 20k system is quickly paid off and well worth it for the increase in image quality, prestige/differentiation (your client's rich uncle won't ever show up with a P65+ but they may show up with a 5DII), and visceral enjoyment associated with shooting a medium format camera.

Doug Peterson
__________________

Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One Partner of the Year
Leaf, Leica, Cambo, Arca Swiss, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Broncolor, Eizo & More

National: 877.217.9870 *| *Cell: 740.707.2183


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## Mike_E (Jan 11, 2011)

dougpetersonci said:


> BKMOOD said:
> 
> 
> > Aren't the digital backs for these things about $30,000?  That might explain the lack of response.  Who around here can afford to use the damn thing.  LOL.  At those prices, I'm sure it works quite well.
> ...




Good one and welcome!!


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