The Phase One P65+ has been here about 3 weeks and has about 500 captures on the odometer. All of the pictures thus far have been do-overs from my normal weekend picture runs. These are mostly just practice runs to overcome the learning curve. The Phase One P65+ file quality is grate and the lenses are performing well too. To improve the keeper rate, the Really Right Stuff MH-01 monopod head has been added along with the near-sighted diopter screen for the Phase One DF body. The biggest challenge has been nailing critical focus. I am getting better, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. I have high hopes for the Brightscreen (it is on back-order).

The Phase One DF body does feels about the same as the Mamiya 645AFD II body. The DF’s Auto-focus is slow, easily confused and tends to back focus. For landscape use I may be better off with setting the auto-focus for speed vs precision (a custom function) and setting it to the wide option (uses three auto-focus points). Perhaps I am guilty of some romantic nostalgia, but I would swear the Mamiya ZD dSLR’s auto-focus did better. I do not need leaf shutter lenses, so the Phase One DF body feels like mis-spent money. The only advantages are being able to tweak custom functions via the P65+’s rear display and the ability to update the camera firmware (via the V-Grip Air). The V-Grip Air is another grossly over-priced accessory. Basically, between the DF body and V-Grip, I am paying a $2000+ premium just to update camera firmware.

After a month or so with the Phase One kit, my only gripe is really the Phase One DF camera itself. Supposedly Phase One is working on a new camera body and the announcement will be around Photokina 2012. I hope this is true because my “Dear Santa’ wish list is very long -

1. 1.Better auto-focus performance and more AF points with a wider spread.
   

2. 2.Exposure Control via rear dial all the time; no need to press the [+/-] button.
   

3. 3.Use a LiON rechargeable battery for the camera (no more AA’s).
   

4. 4.The ability to update firmware via USB without using the V-Grip Air.
   

5. 5.A bigger, brighter viewfinder with higher magnification or higher grade optics for better resolution.
   

6. 6.The camera body buttons need to be bigger.
   

7. 7.Better integration with the Phase One digital back:
   

8. •Custom functions via digital back screen (DF does this, but not the Phase One 645AF)
   

9. •Like most dSLRs (and even the Leica M9!), an info screen display on the digital back’s LCD that shows:  aperture, shutter speed, metering mode, AF mode, ISO, % battery charge in the DB, % battery charge in camera, CF card status.
   

10. •Pushing the shutter button should turn off the DB's rear screen.
    

11. •Simpler Live View set-up.
    

8. 8.Faster X-sync - 1/160th instead of 1/125th, unlikely given LS lenses.
   

9. 9.The shutter mechanism dampening news improvement.
   

10. 10.Better on/off switch; the current one is hard to turn.
    

Ultimately I hope to upgrade to a Phase One IQ160 because the 3.2” rear LCD is key for my workflow. The 2.2” LCD on the Phase One P65+ is really small, making it difficult to judge composition and evaluate whether or not the picture “works”. The IQ’s touch screen is very enticing since the P65+ requires 10-20 button taps to zoom into 100% and navigate around. The P65+ 100% LCD previews really are not all that sharp anyways, so chimping is not a guaranteed QA check point. An IQ back is alot money to spend for ergonomic and LCD improvements, but I see alot of value there.

The new Phase One IQ digital backs took a giant step forward in terms of ergonomics, so hopefully Phase One is equally hard at work on the camera side of the equation. The Mamiya 645AF platform was launched in 1999. The 3-4 year upgrade cycle since the Mamiya 645AF’s introduction is a good pattern of R&D, but the camera body improvements have been minimal. If the new Phase One body addresses most of my points listed above, then body will be IQ worthy. I doubt there will be any Phase One announcements at the CES show, so it will probably be a year before the DF body can be replaced...

I do not regret selling the Leica M equipment to finance the Phase One gear, but the Phase One DF camera body is the weak link for now. The good news is, the Phase One DF makes the Canon 1Ds Mark III feel like a nimble super-car! Had I sold the Canon gear to finance the Phase One gear, I would be regretting my decision for sure. I think my time with the Leica M9 had run its course and it was the right time to move onto a new system.