New Backs from Phase One - Wifi enabled.

I'm presenting on the Manfrotto stand at Focus on Imaging 2013, good fun it is too.What this means is you don't get a very good opportunity to look around at the other stands and see what offerings there are.At breakfast this morning I bumped into Eric Joakim of Phase One, who told me of some very interesting developments with their backs, in fact they have just unveiled three new IQ backs.The IQ260, IQ260 Achromatic and the IQ280.

Notably the IQ260 is capable of exposure times up to one hour, which some people missed with the demise of the P45+.

I currently use a Phase One P65+ back, which I'm very pleased with, though I do have an eye on one of the IQ back.

I have always regarded the IQ backs by Phase One as 'Suspicious devices'

Let me explain before someone calls the bomb squad.....

The IQ back is a little bit bigger than the P series back, no big deal you might think, but in this age of ever increasing miniaturisation it is unusual to see any kind of incoming product bigger than the out going product.

Why did they do this?

I had my suspicions that they left space for 'something else' inside?

I think we may well have found out what that 'something else' is.

The new IQ2 backs are Wifi capable, you can connect them directly to an iPad, via the excellent (and free) Capture Pilot.

You get to view previews of the images on your CF card and Art directors can rate the shots as you go ( the tags are transferred onto your CF card as you shoot)

Eric Joakim (who missed his breakfast to record this) gives us a walkthrough.

Phase One goes WiFi from drew gardner on Vimeo.

In the very short demo, the ease and reliability of connection was highly impressive stuff.

Oh, and one more thing.

The IQ backs are now working with beta software implementation of USB3.