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Leaf AFi 10 (with more to follow)

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dlew308

Guest
Before their site eats it again:

It’s a wide world. Capture it with True Wide Frame. The True Wide Frame (TWF) 56x36 mm, 56 megapixel digital imaging sensor in the new Leaf AFi 10 camera system takes you to the edge of the medium-format frame. With best-of-class Schneider lenses, the Leaf AFi system can fully realize the power of 56 megapixels, delivering images of unsurpassed quality. Together with the new Leaf ‘Verto’ technology, the TWF sensor can be rotated internally, giving you the control and flexibility to shoot the way you want to. Just imagine.

‘True Wide Frame’ (TWF) sensor
The new Leaf TWF sensor restores lenses to their full angle of view. Together with DALSA Corporation, Leaf designed the exclusive new 56x36 mm TWF sensor to deliver 56 megapixel resolution across the entire width of the Leaf AFi 10’s 6x6 sensor area. TWF sensor technology in the Leaf AFi 10 imaging module and Aptus 10 camera back is also compatible with over 80 large-format cameras, maximizing their capture area.

Leaf Verto internal sensor rotation
Leaf Verto internal sensor rotation technology means no more turning the camera, or even the imaging module with the Leaf AFi 10. With one finger you can flip the sensor from landscape to portrait and back, giving you the power to quickly capture 56mm resolution in both landscape and portrait orientations.
 

LJL

New member
This does look interesting. Like the Verto Sensor rotation concept. If it keeps the sensor in register, that makes for a very nice use option. Looks good with the 45-degree viewfinder.

O.K., have to ask the other question......is this a newer, higher res LCD also? Like the size, and am hoping it has indoor/outdoor readability with high resolution.

LJ
 

yaya

Active member
This does look interesting. Like the Verto Sensor rotation concept. If it keeps the sensor in register, that makes for a very nice use option. Looks good with the 45-degree viewfinder.

O.K., have to ask the other question......is this a newer, higher res LCD also? Like the size, and am hoping it has indoor/outdoor readability with high resolution.

LJ
We've had sensor rotation since 1998 and never had issues with that. I've tried the new mechanism and there's no way the sensor can move.

For the screen there's not much I can disclose right now, sorry.

Yair
 

LJL

New member
O.K., so this new 56MP sensor is 56mm x 36mm compared to the Phase 65+ at 53.9mm x 40.4mm. That adds some width, but loses some height in the format, if that matters to folks, making it a bit more rectangular than squarish. Good for wides, if they can deliver across the entire frame.

The pixels are 6x6, so that is essentially the same, and provides about the same ISO range of 50-800.

Wonder what the other details are going to be? This looks interesting.

LJ
 

yaya

Active member
One of the thoughts behind this new 14:9 size is the Golden Ratio and the opportunities is can lead to.

Please don't forget that we've been working closely with DALSA (previously Philips) since 1998 (which is when we came out with the revolving sensor as well), while Phase "missed" the 17/22/33/28 MP sensors on which this new sensor bases some of its features on...
 

LJL

New member
Yair,
I was not criticizing Leaf, nor propping up Phase. I merely was looking at the dimensions and limited available specs for comparison only. I am sure that Leaf is bringing its own features to the party, much as Phase does for it stuff, and Sinar, Mamiya and others do for their things.

I think it is great to have some of this variety, and time will tell which options are most useful. The concept of the rotating sensor is a great one. The 14:9 format is interesting, and can have some nice applications (landscapes, vertical architecture shots, full length portraits, automobile shots, product shots, etc.).

Just waiting to hear about other things that may be coming....from Leaf and others. There is a brewing feeling that some important things are being missed or overlooked in some of the recent product announcements. This may go as much to which group(s) are the target buyers for some of this new gear. Looking forward to more announcements, projected deliveries and prices on some of this stuff.

LJ
 

yaya

Active member
Hello LJ,

I did not take your comment as criticism, not at all!

It's only because on a public forum you have to assume that not all viewers are tech savvy or have all the knowledge about digital developments in the last 16 years (when the first array-chipped Leaf back came out).

So when I can, I share as much background info as possible, trying to be too aggressive to others...

There are more good things coming and there is certainly a positive vibe about high-end capture right now.

Yair
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Now this got my attention. I loved my Leaf back ... which Jim Collum now puts to good use.

If they offer the Leaf 10 back with internal sensor rotation separately in other mounts, it'll solve the 6X6 non-rotating back issue. Love to see the 40CFE IF with this sensor : -)

All these MF folks are on the ball. Good to see.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
Thanks for posting this Yair. It is interesting to see how the medium format digital companies are sorting things out. It seems that Hasselblad is sticking with Kodak, while both Leaf and Phase have "exclusive" sensors that they have developed with DALSA. As the product lines become more proprietary (Hasselblad with their own backs, Phase with Mamiya and Leaf and Sinar with F&H), the makers now seem to be more directly involved with the sensor manufactures by having them create things that better suit their product lines. I think it can be a good development. Now that the back makers all have a "native" system of bodies and lenses, they can tailor their sensors and backs to fit them better. Obviously Leaf is taking advantage of the AFi/Hy6's 6x6 film/sensor area by having a full width sensor that can be rotated. This type of sensor would not be possible on a camera smaller than 6x6 (well, at least not with rotation).

It will be interesting to see if Sinar also embraces this newer "tailored" approach to sensor design. I suppose we will see by Photokina.
 

yaya

Active member
Thank you Stuart, the responses we're getting so far (less than a day...) are quite overwhelming!

Surely a new format for some people may sounds like an awkward choice, but this 56mm, 14:9 sensor, in my opinion, opens up some interesting visual opportunities.

On 56mm bodies (645, 66, 67) you get to practically use the actual focal length of the lenses.

Shooting a 4:3 image, you still get approx. 50MP

For Large format users (product, architecture, landscape) it give more coverage with wide lenses and more stitching options, either for panoramic views or for square 56mm (think about a 56mm square image shot with let's say ALPA MAX and a digitar 47XL. 3 stitched images and we're already in 6X7 territory...

There are more technological innovations on this sensor that will be revealed at photokina, which are going to make it even more attractive.

7 weeks to go:)

Cheers

Yair
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Thank you Stuart, the responses we're getting so far (less than a day...) are quite overwhelming!

Surely a new format for some people may sounds like an awkward choice, but this 56mm, 14:9 sensor, in my opinion, opens up some interesting visual opportunities.

On 56mm bodies (645, 66, 67) you get to practically use the actual focal length of the lenses.

Shooting a 4:3 image, you still get approx. 50MP

For Large format users (product, architecture, landscape) it give more coverage with wide lenses and more stitching options, either for panoramic views or for square 56mm (think about a 56mm square image shot with let's say ALPA MAX and a digitar 47XL. 3 stitched images and we're already in 6X7 territory...

There are more technological innovations on this sensor that will be revealed at photokina, which are going to make it even more attractive.

7 weeks to go:)

Cheers

Yair
Yair, the technical camera application is not of small importance. Being able to rotate the sensor will be a huge aid. I absolutely hate removing the back to alter the format ... in the pressure ridden hub-bub of a commercial studio shoot, removing a back to rotate it is a dangerous time.
 

yaya

Active member
Yair, the technical camera application is not of small importance. Being able to rotate the sensor will be a huge aid. I absolutely hate removing the back to alter the format ... in the pressure ridden hub-bub of a commercial studio shoot, removing a back to rotate it is a dangerous time.
Since the Volare days, we've always had the intention of bringing this feature back (reminding you that the Volare's most popular platform was the Sinar P2).
For the Aptus and Valeo backs we could do it on the RZ and RB bodies via a rotating adapter - still viable but not as neat as rotating the sensor
The AFi body has given us the commercial "excuse" and the ability to do it properly and in doing that to allow all technical camera users to enjoy it.

There's some more technical info and images available HERE

Yair
 
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