My first medium format digital back was a Phase One P25 which I use on Contax 645, a camera system I still love the most, although don’t use it often anymore. The Contax 645 is such a great camera not because how it performs – not that it is not performing well – in fact it is still one of the best! But more on how the camera was designed! Simple, quality and effective all elegantly put together that is something we don’t see often anymore. I don’t use it often anymore because there are comparable systems, although not as intuitive to use, but they still deliver the job, whereas Contax 645 is no longer serviced, albeit still functional – but it has its day.
That was back in 2003, it is now 2013, and a decade later, people would still surprise to find in the rapid developing digital age, something that old is still that good – in controlled light, in ISO 50-100 range, however, its quality can be challenged from 2 pocket size cameras – the SONY RX-1 with a fixed-focal Zeiss lens, and the Sigma DP3M, also a fixed-focal specially designed Sigma lens; both capable of challenging the original Phase One P25 at lower ISO setting, and even more competitive in the medium ISO range (200-800), P25 practically not that useful beyond 100, ISO 200 is something I would avoid using, ISO 400 is just a setting there. However, people making money inside still or fine art photographer would still find the back very useful, use for what it is best. But how lucky it is in 2013, at 1/30 of the cost (in the case of Sigma DP3M), we can have that quality! Quality speaking, not on matter of lens interchangeability.
So it is that good for what we have today, particularly the Sony RX-1 and Sigma DP3M, and particularly the Sigma DP3M – what it is cost.
The Sigma DP3M is to me a more photography tool than SONY RX-1 because it is simpler, works even more like the old day medium format camera – focus slow, writing the file slow, and shoot slow and because of it does thing slow, the photographer has a little time for the brain to work together – rather than relying everything on the camera. A camera capable of delivery best quality is not the same that a camera will deliver the best photograph – which the photographer is still in full control. Such as the old day that a Konica Hexar can be every bit of Leica M except with more advanced electronics, but in comparison there are much less legendary images produced from Konica – except for some perfect focused, perfect exposed images totally lack of artistic value.
With the quality the Sigma DP3M capable of delivering, many glitches can be forgive, but still desirable and expect to see a future DP camera – hopefully a full frame Foveon (ever?) with EVF, built-in Flash, faster AF, faster file writing, and better battery, to move the current DP3M from an artist camera to a production camera, even though it costs as a SONY RX-1.
Image taken with Sigma DP3M, ISO 100, 1/100s, f/10, with ProFoto Pro 7 + 5-ft reflector.
Bangkok, May 2013
