Photography Equipment Spotlight – PhaseONE

Today we’re highlighting two cameras in our toolbox we use almost every day, our Phase ONE‘s. Our commercial photo studio is often directed to create something that will be featured on the world’s stage via packaging or advertising. When we’re awarded those opportunities, we want to make sure we have the best equipment available. These cameras have image sensors that have a phenomenal amount of megapixels, which capture an exceptional level of detail. Cameras like these allow us to turn a product, such as a tiny shaving razor, into the size of a billboard.

Here are some of our favorite finished projects we’ve completed using the phase.

A Camera that Elevates our Process

The first prominent feature that sets these cameras apart is the modular nature. Principally we have two cameras, one is 80mp, and the other is 100mp, but with Phase ONE’s unique modular design, we can share modules as needed.

What that amount of megapixels means to everyday people; You can take a shot of something like a beer can with the velvety foam coming out, and when you zoom in you can see every detail in the texture of the foam. Then you can blow it up as big as a billboard sign, and it won’t lose its fine details.  For an everyday comparison, the iPhone X has 12mp cameras – that won’t get anywhere close to these.

For the other photographers out there, here is our Tool Kit for Our PhaseONEs

• 2 Phase XF Bodies
• IQ3 80mp Digital Back
• IQ3 100mp Digital Back
• Waist level viewfinder
• 2 Standard View Finders
• ProPhoto Lighting Equipment
• CaptureOne Software

And here are the lens we love to use with them:

• 2 Schnieder Kreuznach 80mm f2.8
• 2 Schnieder Kreuznach 100mm Macro f4
• 1 Schnieder Kreuznach 55mm f2.8

For our nonphotographer readers, what that tool kit means is quite simple. We can take finely detailed images for any client of any food, drink, or product and take almost any design to the next level.

To Us, All the value comes from the process and post-production.

Here at our studio, we have seven full-time photographers and three digital retouchers, and everyone has areas of expertise from food, products, lifestyle, portraits, and more. So our cameras are used for anything we can shoot with them and often while clients are in the studio.

When using our PhaseONE’s, we always use their uniquely created software Capture One Pro. This allows us, as well as our clients, to quickly view the images taken on a computer screen. Despite the massive file size, this tethering between the program and camera is remarkably fast. Right away, we can get the client involved, zooming in on areas of the image, and creating a look on set. Having the ability to apply curves, effects, and more without altering the raw lets the client get a feel for the output before handing it off to our retouching team. The buy-in created during this process helps us deliver final images with a higher level of confidence and excitement. On the set, we even airplay/cast our computer screens to large HD and 4k TVs to let the whole team huddle around and share input on the process.

From there we start shooting for post-production, gathering all of the puzzle pieces together. The phase’s sheer level of detail allows us to hone in on even the smallest of product features and highlights. We can capture every single facet, shot after shot. That control will enable us to hand an enormous amount of opportunities to our retouching team.

Retouching The Phase’s High Resolutions Images

Our three-person team of digital retouchers works with these high resolutions images almost every day. When working with that kind of resolution, the process and the work required is certainly more intensive. Every speck of dust, scratch, or blemish can be seen. This means the final photo requires more work to complete, but this creates a highly polished output with little to no imperfections even on the largest of scales. Our retouchers also appreciate the marriage of the Schnieder Kreuznach lenses and phases since the middle of the lens glass gives the image a fresh look. It also has enough resolutions to pull back and forth without losing details.

On top of all that, it even allowed us to pursue a unique opportunity to also incorporate 3D renders seamlessly into images. The retoucher could zoom in 1000%+ and do their magic to make it apart of the photo.

The final layered file size can be significant (1gb+), but the sheer flexibility allows us to produce work that brands will place on their packaging and advertising all over the world.

Experience the PhaseONE for yourself

We love to share our world with others and pull back the curtain on commercial photography. Anyone interested in seeing what these cameras can do in person is always welcome to come to tour our studio and enjoy a test shoot.

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