Testing the Phase One 645AF and P65+

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/8 1/1250 ISO100

100% Crop

Phase 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/11 1/350 ISO100

100% Crop

Phase 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/1000 ISO100

I've been sharing images and thoughts on the Phase One 645AF and 3-lenses, Phase One 80D, Mamiya 150D and the Mamiya 300.  Most of the past entries have centered on the wildlife capability of the 300mm; now I want to share what the lenses can do with landscape. 

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/180 ISO100

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/8 1/250 ISO100

Phase One 645AF Phase One 80mm

P65+ f/11 1/700 ISO100

Jackson Hole WY is a wonderful place to be for a landscape photographer and since there is so much wildlife here it's also easy to slip into a mode of junior wildlife photographer. 

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/320 ISO100

100% Crop

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/250 ISO100

100% Crop

I've been away from using a Phase/Mamiya body for close to 3-years having decided to move to a technical camera.  I added a full-frame 35mm about 2-years ago thinking I needed a smaller light-weight system.  While I've been very pleased with the images I've gotten with the Leica M9 the one major drawback for me was the printing limitations with the 18 megapixel files.  This limitation is more notable with the upgrade from the P45+ to the P65+.

T.A. Moulton Barn

Phase One 645AF Phase One 80mm

P65+ f/11 1/500 ISO100

Phase One 645AF Phase One 80mm

P65+ f/11 1/500 ISO100

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/500 ISO100

I remember upgrading my Mamiya 645 to the newly released Phase One 645 body late 2007, about 30-days before getting the Cambo WRS; I sold my complete Phase/Mamiya kit within months of adopting the Cambo WRS. 

Phase One 645AF Phase One 80mm

P65+ f/11 1/500 ISO100

I cropped out some of the sky

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/500 ISO100

I've been using a Mamiya 300 for several days now and find it a great lens both for landscape and wildlife.  I haven't been able to set this on a tripod simply because I lack the proper plate for the lens.  I also feel that if the lens works as well as it does  handheld it will be a stellar lens on a tripod.  The Mamiya 300 lens has been around for a great number of years now and it simply works no matter the digital back; I've used this lens 3-years ago on a P30+ and P45+ and now see amazing results from the P65+.  This is the one non "D" lens that I can highly recommend.

I've also been able to use the Mamiya 150D and Phase One 80D and find these lens to be very good.  As good as the 300 is, the 150 and 80 are better.

I heard about using a soft release on the shutter button.  These devices are designed to screw into the shutter release button to reduce camera shake when handholding.  It also offers a better platform to use when shooting in cold weather and gloves.  Either way this little device helps to reduce vibration and allows handheld shots at slower shutter speeds.  It works as advertised.  I decided to remove it from the M9 and try it with the 645AF which weighs considerably more and found it works just as well.

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/8 1/250 ISO100

100% Crop

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/250 ISO100

100% Crop

So what does all this mean to me?  Great question.  While Sandy will continue using 35mm and her Canon 1DsIII,  I've decided to shoot strictly medium format.  As good as the Phase One 645AF is I've also decided on the Phase One 645DF simply for the increased focusing ability.  I've also decided to keep the 80mm, 150 and 300 focal lengths to compliment the 35, 72 and 120 that I have with the Cambo WRS. 

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/8 1/180 ISO100

100% Crop

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/8 1/125 ISO100

100% Crop

The weather turned nasty for a couple days and I found myself shooting in -5 degree temps with a wind chill past -15.  We've had periods of snow with high winds which caused blowing snow on top of everything else.  We've also had a period of time where visibility could be measured in feet.  I used the Phase One 645AF in all this as well as the lenses and the P65+.  Everything worked as it should without any problems.  There were times when it just wasn't possible to use auto focus and when that happened manual focus worked fine.

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300mm

P65+ f/11 1/500 ISO100

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 150mm

P65+ f/11 1/700 ISO100

The sample images included here were all opened in Capture One Pro and eventually processed in CS5 sometimes with a little help from Nik Software. 

Once again I wish to thank Dave Gallagher, friend and owner of Capture Integration for allowing me to test and review this equipment. 

Stay tuned for more.

 

Don

 

Testing the Mamiya 300 with wildlife

Full-frame image

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/11 1/350 ISO100

Handheld

100% Crop

I've been writing and showing samples of the Mamiya 150D and 300 since Dave Gallagher sent the 2-lenses and a Phase 645AF to me while I'm here in Jackson Hole WY.  The only thing Dave requested was that I get a few images of buffalo.  Up until late yesterday that request had not been filled.  And truthfully I feel I can do better however it really is hit or miss in finding the buffalo herds close enough to capture.

"Moran Herd"

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/8 1/320 ISO100

Handheld

100% Crop

We've been stalking 2-separate herds the past couple days; one in the Moran area, the other near Kelly.  The heard in the Moran area have been staying far from the main road and only really accessible by a single track road which now has over 6" of snow.  Thankfully we have 4-wheel drive and can cross 30" of water.  Going out to a place named Elk Ranch we cross approximately 18" of ice encrusted water then on to a unplowed road which has 6" to 8" of snow.  Traveling the road about 2 miles will get you close to where the herd is.  Sometimes we're lucky and get within several hundred yards of them as they graze while other times we're no closer than 1,000 yards.  Makes for very difficult shooting.

"Moran Herd"

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/8 1/320 ISO100

Handheld

100% Crop

This is the herd we encountered on our first day of testing the Mamiya 300 and was unable to achieve any clear images due to blowing snow.  The images below were all captured from a distance of close to if not over 1000 yards.  We've been keeping a close eye of this herd has they have 2-new born calves which is unusual this late in the year.  We're told the coat of a new-born are reddish-orange which gradually turns brown as they get older.

"Kelly Herd"

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/8 1/320 ISO100

Handheld

100% Crop

The other herd is near Kelly WY and appears to be more mature.  We happened on this heard late yesterday afternoon around 4:30 as they were crossing the road.  This has been the closest encounter of a herd for several weeks.

"Kelly Herd"

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/8 1/320 ISO100

Handheld

100% Crop

Shooting conditions: 

The Moran herd was captured in near perfect conditions with bright skies with falling or blowing snow.  The only difficulty was the distance involved.

"Kelly Herd"

Phase One 645AF mamiya 300

P65+ f/8 1/320 ISO100

Handheld

100% Crop

The Kelly herd was captured as the sun had pasted behind heavy cloud coverage making the area almost dusk.  There was no snow falling and very little wind; just very cold.

"Kelly Herd"

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ f/8 1/320 ISO100

Handheld

100% Crop

The Moran herd was shot using manual focus while the Kelly herd has a combination of auto and manual focus.  I later switched to Sensor-Plus for the Kelly herd which helped. 

"Kelly Herd"

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ Sensor Plus f/8 1/320 ISO200

Handheld

100% Crop

My preference is to shoot using a tripod and I do that nearly 99% when capturing landscape.  While I haven't been shooting off tripod I've nevertheless have been very pleased with the results both in the landscape images as well as the wildlife.  I feel the weight of the body and either the 150 or 300 along with the balance makes it very easy to shoot handheld.

"Kelly Herd"

Phase One 645AF Mamiya 300

P65+ Sensor Plus f/8 1/320 ISO200

Handheld

100% Crop

My thoughts on the Mamiya 300:  I feel I've gotten a couple "Gallery" shots (images that are good enough to print and sell) not only of landscape but wildlife and am looking forward to working them up after I get home.  The lens is easy to hold and use and switch from auto to manual focus and has been providing me with crystal clear images.  I said earlier that I'm not totally pleased with what I did with the Kelly herd; that was user error and not the fault of my equipment.  In my haste to capture the buffalo I made a rookie mistake in not checking the camera settings and ended up shooting too fast for the conditions; thus the darker colors.  We're returning this evening to see if I have learned my lesson and will report later.  

Bottom line - I like it.  This lens serves both as a great landscape and wildlife lens.

I'll continue to test and use the 150D and 300 in the next couple days and will begin adding images from the 80D which should arrive later today. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments and I'll attempt to address them while I have this kit.

Don