Thursday 26 January 2012

Summer days- IR from PODAS Weston Park

I have been doing some rather belated filing and I was sorting through some shots from the PODAS workshop at Weston Park late Summer 2011.

It was great to meet some new people who's passion for photography had bought them from the four corners of the world to experience the pinnacle of currently available Medium format photography in the shape of the astonishing IQ180, in surroundings that were considered good enough to be the retreat for the leaders of G8.

If you ever get the chance to go there do take it, Weston park is simply wonderful, with an art collection that includes a Caravaggio or two.

But for all the new photo friends and sublime surroundings, they were not the highlight.

Not for me anyhow.

The highlight for me was that I got further hands on time with the photographic world's equivalent to a limited edition carbon fibre Lamborghini - the Phase One Achromatic+ back.

It is out of this world in so many respects, price (the priciest back that Phase One makes) in rarity (there truly must be more carbon fibre Lamborghini's) oh and yes, in sheer superlative photographic quality.

What is this rare, expensive, exotic back?

To quote Phase One

'Achromatic+ is a 39 megapixel medium format digital back designed specifically for black and white photography, with Bayer filter, and no interpolation'


In other words a digital back which captures 'pure' black and white.


And not just in the visible spectrum, it records all the way from Ultra Violet to Infra Red.


And it is the Infra red spectrum that I like to shoot in, through a Lee 87 Infra Red filter (focusing is a matter of trial and error. 






Why do I love it so much? I have waxed lyrically about it before in other posts and you may have seen a rather fun bts video too


You see things the human eye cannot (which as a matter of interest why I feel we all love super slow mo photography)


This shot is not from Weston but it is one of my favourites....




So why this post?


I will never be able to afford one of these remarkable devices.


So this an appeal to Phase One.


Can you please make a version that has some, but not all of the capabilities of the Achromatic back but at a considerably reduced price.


It would create a generation of shooters of a different kind, and further build the Phase One brand I think.


I know nothing of the technicalities involved and how difficult it would be but this back in hundreds of peoples hands would be wonderful.


One can but dream, unless someone out there knows differently....



1 comment:

Libby said...

Ok Drew I have missed a few of your posts. It's great to see you posting about IR. I used to do film years ago and now I am playing around a bit with the digital. I looked up the price of the P One Achro back and just about choked on dinner here. Thanks for that ;-)

But you are right if it was available a better price it would add a new dimension to fine art shooting. Your shots, as always, lovely. -Libby