Richard, Thanks for your insight and I couldn't agree with you more. I, for one, am still stuck in the film groove and am happy to pursue the art form in this manner. It's all about getting out there and using the gear however hard fought and hard won it has been to get it and create some great images. Wolf
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MASK FOR CFV CROP FACTOR
- Thread starter jotloob
- Start date
Well, sorry to hear of the CFV problems. Mine has been flawless since it came out of the box, except for my own mistakes.
A few clarifications. Professional photographers don't necessarily have a back up because a lot of them rent these backs. If they own them, they get a hot swap warranty ... meaning the local re-seller has the back-up or will get it. For ex&le, I sent in my Aptus back due to a faulty release and had the replacement in my hands with-in 2 hours. The repair was done in 24 hours and back in the studio. When I sent in my H2D/39 for an upgrade to a H3D/39, the reseller came by the studio with a H2D/39 to use while mine was gone.
Also, buying best price isn't always the best thing with this level of gear. Support is VERY important, not necessarily because of imperfect gear, but because it IS sophisticated gear and can be screwed up easily if operated incorrectly. My reseller got my CFV in and spent a day going over it before bringing it to my studio. He then spent 1/2 day showing me how to use it and how to set up Flexcolor to process the images. I have his personal cell number and can call him anytime ... even when he's on vacation (he said so: -) If he can't answer the question, I get a call from an Imacon tech expert within a few hours. 95% of the issues I've experienced were due to my errors and were solved over the phone.
Same with Leaf, the last issue I had was because I loaded the new software for the Aptus 75 and failed to hook up the back to the computer to let the software load the new firmware. Tech clued me in over the phone and 10 minutes later I was up and running again.
The Ferrari analogy is a good one. You wouldn't hand the keys to someone who did know how to drive a stick shift would you?
BTW, the Firewire cord won't hurt the CFV back. It's designed to be used daily in the studio to shoot straight to the computer. I've had to replace one firewire cord so far because I rolled a heavy object over it and smashed it. The Firewire port on the 7 MF Digital backs I've owned so far back have never been a problem: ( Kodak Proback, Proback 645C, Imacon 96C, Hasselblad H2D/22, Aptus/22, Hasselblad H2D/39, Aptus 75).
Hope the CFV issues are ironed out one way or the other, it's a fabulous back, and the 3 other guys I talk to on a regular basis are experiencing flawless shooting with theirs also.
A few clarifications. Professional photographers don't necessarily have a back up because a lot of them rent these backs. If they own them, they get a hot swap warranty ... meaning the local re-seller has the back-up or will get it. For ex&le, I sent in my Aptus back due to a faulty release and had the replacement in my hands with-in 2 hours. The repair was done in 24 hours and back in the studio. When I sent in my H2D/39 for an upgrade to a H3D/39, the reseller came by the studio with a H2D/39 to use while mine was gone.
Also, buying best price isn't always the best thing with this level of gear. Support is VERY important, not necessarily because of imperfect gear, but because it IS sophisticated gear and can be screwed up easily if operated incorrectly. My reseller got my CFV in and spent a day going over it before bringing it to my studio. He then spent 1/2 day showing me how to use it and how to set up Flexcolor to process the images. I have his personal cell number and can call him anytime ... even when he's on vacation (he said so: -) If he can't answer the question, I get a call from an Imacon tech expert within a few hours. 95% of the issues I've experienced were due to my errors and were solved over the phone.
Same with Leaf, the last issue I had was because I loaded the new software for the Aptus 75 and failed to hook up the back to the computer to let the software load the new firmware. Tech clued me in over the phone and 10 minutes later I was up and running again.
The Ferrari analogy is a good one. You wouldn't hand the keys to someone who did know how to drive a stick shift would you?
BTW, the Firewire cord won't hurt the CFV back. It's designed to be used daily in the studio to shoot straight to the computer. I've had to replace one firewire cord so far because I rolled a heavy object over it and smashed it. The Firewire port on the 7 MF Digital backs I've owned so far back have never been a problem: ( Kodak Proback, Proback 645C, Imacon 96C, Hasselblad H2D/22, Aptus/22, Hasselblad H2D/39, Aptus 75).
Hope the CFV issues are ironed out one way or the other, it's a fabulous back, and the 3 other guys I talk to on a regular basis are experiencing flawless shooting with theirs also.
Here's my CFV work flow:
Shoot to a supported CF card that's been reformatted in the camera. They cannot be protected files nor should you dump the card contents in the trash when on your desktop unless you empty the trash before removing the card.
Firmware in the camera HAS to match the software version, or you'll have issues like I did.
Now, with shots on the CF camera, load it into a card reader ( Firewire or USB2 .... you have to use the USB2 port on a G5 to get the advantage of the faster USB2 read speed). You do NOT need a specific brand of reader to my knowledge. I use a Promaster USB2 multi reader, and 4 Lexar Pro CF readers that are daisy chained together so I can load 4 CF cards to my desktop at once. These are nothing but solid state Hard Drives as far as any computer is concerned.
Once the file appears on desktop you can 1) load it to a separate file on your desktop. or 2) go straight to Flexcolor.
Open Flexcolor, go to "Window" in the top menu and make sure "Thumbnails" is highlighted with a check mark ( Or Apple 8 is the key command on a Mac). You can also go to "Import" under Window which will open a new thumbnails window. There should now be 2 windows open for Flexcolor .... the thumbnail window and the correction window for a selected file. They will be blank until you select the folder you put on your desktop.
To select the folder go to the top left corner of the thumbnails window and click on the arrows to scroll to ... "choose a location", select it and a dialog window will open. In that window will be the CF card on your desktop (or the new file you loaded the images to) ... select it and scroll to the image file and click on it. The images will now appear in the thumbnails window. Double click on any image and it will load to the corrections window.
If you want to work in Adobe Camera RAW instead, you have to select all the images in the thumbnails window and click on "Exp. DNG" button top left on the thumbnails window.
Shoot to a supported CF card that's been reformatted in the camera. They cannot be protected files nor should you dump the card contents in the trash when on your desktop unless you empty the trash before removing the card.
Firmware in the camera HAS to match the software version, or you'll have issues like I did.
Now, with shots on the CF camera, load it into a card reader ( Firewire or USB2 .... you have to use the USB2 port on a G5 to get the advantage of the faster USB2 read speed). You do NOT need a specific brand of reader to my knowledge. I use a Promaster USB2 multi reader, and 4 Lexar Pro CF readers that are daisy chained together so I can load 4 CF cards to my desktop at once. These are nothing but solid state Hard Drives as far as any computer is concerned.
Once the file appears on desktop you can 1) load it to a separate file on your desktop. or 2) go straight to Flexcolor.
Open Flexcolor, go to "Window" in the top menu and make sure "Thumbnails" is highlighted with a check mark ( Or Apple 8 is the key command on a Mac). You can also go to "Import" under Window which will open a new thumbnails window. There should now be 2 windows open for Flexcolor .... the thumbnail window and the correction window for a selected file. They will be blank until you select the folder you put on your desktop.
To select the folder go to the top left corner of the thumbnails window and click on the arrows to scroll to ... "choose a location", select it and a dialog window will open. In that window will be the CF card on your desktop (or the new file you loaded the images to) ... select it and scroll to the image file and click on it. The images will now appear in the thumbnails window. Double click on any image and it will load to the corrections window.
If you want to work in Adobe Camera RAW instead, you have to select all the images in the thumbnails window and click on "Exp. DNG" button top left on the thumbnails window.
photo_franc
Member
Hi Marc,
I would have to agree with your comment on Price Shopping. If you want the best price you can't expect the seller to be there for you. He's cut his profit to sell to you at a reduced profit so he's off to sell to someone else so he can make a living. The manufacturer is still standing behind the product 100% but you'll have to do your own leg work to contact the manufacturers support. I know that if I want the best price I can't expect any support from the seller. I bought my Kodak back USED in a private deal and the seller gave me some basic instructions(20 Min) and the Kodak tech support number. I've talked to Kodak several times and they were very helpful in solving my problems but the seller was of no help. I could have paid 20% more to buy one from a local dealer and I would have gotten the same type of support you talk about, for me budget was a large issue so the private sale worked better for me although I did spend about a week getting the kodak tech support answers. We are in a service industry and our clients want various levels of service. I have 1 client who wants untouched tiff images and we've worked out a deal for that, but I also have a client who wants the images ready to drop into his catalogue and he pays for that too. BTW I've had my Kodak back almost 7 months now and it's almost paid for itself 1)by cost savings(negs & scans) & 2)jobs that I would have never gotten if I didn't have the MF back. Next move is to a CFV.
Regards, Franc
I would have to agree with your comment on Price Shopping. If you want the best price you can't expect the seller to be there for you. He's cut his profit to sell to you at a reduced profit so he's off to sell to someone else so he can make a living. The manufacturer is still standing behind the product 100% but you'll have to do your own leg work to contact the manufacturers support. I know that if I want the best price I can't expect any support from the seller. I bought my Kodak back USED in a private deal and the seller gave me some basic instructions(20 Min) and the Kodak tech support number. I've talked to Kodak several times and they were very helpful in solving my problems but the seller was of no help. I could have paid 20% more to buy one from a local dealer and I would have gotten the same type of support you talk about, for me budget was a large issue so the private sale worked better for me although I did spend about a week getting the kodak tech support answers. We are in a service industry and our clients want various levels of service. I have 1 client who wants untouched tiff images and we've worked out a deal for that, but I also have a client who wants the images ready to drop into his catalogue and he pays for that too. BTW I've had my Kodak back almost 7 months now and it's almost paid for itself 1)by cost savings(negs & scans) & 2)jobs that I would have never gotten if I didn't have the MF back. Next move is to a CFV.
Regards, Franc
Right Franc, if you get used or buy from a fast turn reseller, you really have to do your homework before using these backs to their full advantage.
We have to remember that the tasks and expertise of the film lab master technician is now our task and expertise. That's the learning curve. You can't run your CF card down to the corner for a set of proofs. You have to learn how to set up the camera and software because the files are propritary to Flexcolor. You cannot open them in PS before processing in Flexcolor one way or another.
There are a few blogs dedicated to these different backs, mostly manned by professional photographers sorting through various capabilities they need to extract from the backs, or how to work through various changes in software as they relate to new computer platforms or firmware upgrades. There is an initial price to pay for the swift convenience of digital or ever improving technology ... one that requires the same patience and craftmanship that those who worked in a darkroom had to employ.
We have to remember that the tasks and expertise of the film lab master technician is now our task and expertise. That's the learning curve. You can't run your CF card down to the corner for a set of proofs. You have to learn how to set up the camera and software because the files are propritary to Flexcolor. You cannot open them in PS before processing in Flexcolor one way or another.
There are a few blogs dedicated to these different backs, mostly manned by professional photographers sorting through various capabilities they need to extract from the backs, or how to work through various changes in software as they relate to new computer platforms or firmware upgrades. There is an initial price to pay for the swift convenience of digital or ever improving technology ... one that requires the same patience and craftmanship that those who worked in a darkroom had to employ.
Hi Marc,
> There is an initial price to pay for > the swift convenience of digital or ever improving technology ... one > that requires the same patience and craftmanship that those who worked > in a darkroom had to employ.
Even Microsoft has never put that kind of spin on their buggy OS.
Perhaps you could elaborate on this. What problems had you encountered in the darkroom that required "the same patience and craftsmanship" that is required to work around bugs in digital backs? Did your film reels have bugs?
Personally, I consider most of the problems with these backs as poor engineering and/or poor testing before product release.
Regards,
Austin
> There is an initial price to pay for > the swift convenience of digital or ever improving technology ... one > that requires the same patience and craftmanship that those who worked > in a darkroom had to employ.
Even Microsoft has never put that kind of spin on their buggy OS.
Perhaps you could elaborate on this. What problems had you encountered in the darkroom that required "the same patience and craftsmanship" that is required to work around bugs in digital backs? Did your film reels have bugs?
Personally, I consider most of the problems with these backs as poor engineering and/or poor testing before product release.
Regards,
Austin
jotloob
Well-Known Member
I would not mind to kiss that bride .
But sorry to say , i would like to come back to that dry blablabla
and thank you all .
With your contributions , you helped me to get my frustration and doubts under control .
I slowly get my mental balance again .
For a psycological exercise , i loaded a roll of film and took a couple of shots . What a great feeling .
Yes Richard , film has magic and still lives and i am shure , it will still live for a long time .
Wilko , no matter , wheather the problem , i experienced with my CFV is a software , or a hardware problem , or even both , it should not happen . At the current state of development and production , these products should have reached a mature and stable quality . Especially when you look at the price .
I am quite shure , HASSELBLAD will never tell me the truth .
So you go out for shooting with the uncertainty in your head , wheather your back will fail again , or not . What a miserable imagination .
Marc , I have uploaded the latest firmware , which is R179 , right at the beginning . I have all the latest levels in OSX , FLEXCOLOR and CFV and also have learned a lot since . Also by your qualified contributions and your experience , you are willing to share with others .
I dont have the chance for a replacement back . Too far away from any dealer . What , if that happens in the Australien outback ? ? Would the kangaroos bring you the replacement back , your dealer is willing to give you ? Shurely not .
And , honestly , you must admit , that would not be the solution either .
If you have the option to format the CF card , it must work .
If you have the option to delete one or more images from the CF card , it must work .
If you have the option to use tethered mode , it must work .
Plus +++++++
The back is designed for that , and you have payed for that .
Also by no means , you should be able to bring your back into "dead mode" . No matter which key you press and in which sequence . In other words , handling errors should be impossible .
Careful handling , when inserting or removing CF cards and/or cables should not cause any damage at all .
So , i am impatiently waiting for the outcome and the return of my back .
In the meantime , i will review my questions and the answers to them .
And shoot some rolls of film .
But sorry to say , i would like to come back to that dry blablabla
and thank you all . With your contributions , you helped me to get my frustration and doubts under control .
I slowly get my mental balance again .
For a psycological exercise , i loaded a roll of film and took a couple of shots . What a great feeling .
Yes Richard , film has magic and still lives and i am shure , it will still live for a long time .
Wilko , no matter , wheather the problem , i experienced with my CFV is a software , or a hardware problem , or even both , it should not happen . At the current state of development and production , these products should have reached a mature and stable quality . Especially when you look at the price .
I am quite shure , HASSELBLAD will never tell me the truth .
So you go out for shooting with the uncertainty in your head , wheather your back will fail again , or not . What a miserable imagination .
Marc , I have uploaded the latest firmware , which is R179 , right at the beginning . I have all the latest levels in OSX , FLEXCOLOR and CFV and also have learned a lot since . Also by your qualified contributions and your experience , you are willing to share with others .
I dont have the chance for a replacement back . Too far away from any dealer . What , if that happens in the Australien outback ? ? Would the kangaroos bring you the replacement back , your dealer is willing to give you ? Shurely not .
And , honestly , you must admit , that would not be the solution either .
If you have the option to format the CF card , it must work .
If you have the option to delete one or more images from the CF card , it must work .
If you have the option to use tethered mode , it must work .
Plus +++++++
The back is designed for that , and you have payed for that .
Also by no means , you should be able to bring your back into "dead mode" . No matter which key you press and in which sequence . In other words , handling errors should be impossible .
Careful handling , when inserting or removing CF cards and/or cables should not cause any damage at all .
So , i am impatiently waiting for the outcome and the return of my back .
In the meantime , i will review my questions and the answers to them .
And shoot some rolls of film .
Jurgen:
You wondered what would happen in the Australian Outback.
Kangaroo Delivery (by overnight pouch, of course) ??
Actually, the Australian Hasselblad Distributor considered using Kangaroos, but they thought this delivery plan would surely make CFV owners jumpy.
(That's what I heard, but it may just be a TAIL.)
Colin
You wondered what would happen in the Australian Outback.
Kangaroo Delivery (by overnight pouch, of course) ??
Actually, the Australian Hasselblad Distributor considered using Kangaroos, but they thought this delivery plan would surely make CFV owners jumpy.
(That's what I heard, but it may just be a TAIL.)
Colin
Let's look at this objectively (and without the mean spirited responses please ).
Did it occur to anyone that the card reader could be flawed? Or the USB port on the computer? Isn't it interesting that the back worked when hooked up via firewire? Also, Jurgen makes the assumption that one needs a certain reader, when that is not the case. The card and reader have nothing to do with the back ... except that the CF card needs to be one supported by the firmware, which is so in this case.
If in the transfer process, the card became corrupt, the back would reject it and not work when it was inserted back into the CFV. Reformatting wouldn't necessarily cure that because the back refuses to recognize a corrupt card and won't allow any function to be performed. So, it could require completely cleaning the card using Sandisk Rescue PRO ... and isolating the problem ... be it the reader, port or the CFV itself.
If the Flexcolor software had such a bug in it wouldn't it be a bug for Michael Terry and I as well as other CFV back users? ... which it is not. I'm running the same G5 OSX computer as Jurgen, same back, same version of Flexcolor and the same firmware.
There are a lot of things to learn about digital capture, and many of them are not associated with the digital back itself.
This is not to say that Jurgens' back isn't flawed, it may well be so. But to condemn all digital backs because of a few flawed ones is nonsense.
Did it occur to anyone that the card reader could be flawed? Or the USB port on the computer? Isn't it interesting that the back worked when hooked up via firewire? Also, Jurgen makes the assumption that one needs a certain reader, when that is not the case. The card and reader have nothing to do with the back ... except that the CF card needs to be one supported by the firmware, which is so in this case.
If in the transfer process, the card became corrupt, the back would reject it and not work when it was inserted back into the CFV. Reformatting wouldn't necessarily cure that because the back refuses to recognize a corrupt card and won't allow any function to be performed. So, it could require completely cleaning the card using Sandisk Rescue PRO ... and isolating the problem ... be it the reader, port or the CFV itself.
If the Flexcolor software had such a bug in it wouldn't it be a bug for Michael Terry and I as well as other CFV back users? ... which it is not. I'm running the same G5 OSX computer as Jurgen, same back, same version of Flexcolor and the same firmware.
There are a lot of things to learn about digital capture, and many of them are not associated with the digital back itself.
This is not to say that Jurgens' back isn't flawed, it may well be so. But to condemn all digital backs because of a few flawed ones is nonsense.
jotloob
Well-Known Member
Colin
Ok.Ok. But what would happen in the UTAH desert or in sibiria ? ? No HASSELBLAD dealer there . And a screwed up CFV ? ? (Or any other brand) Face the facts . These "sofisticated" machines MUST become more reliable . And HASSELBLAD and other companies are asked , no ..... forced to do more , to improve the reliability of their products . It is not enough just to get the cash , they must give a "working value" for the money they claim .
Ok.Ok. But what would happen in the UTAH desert or in sibiria ? ? No HASSELBLAD dealer there . And a screwed up CFV ? ? (Or any other brand) Face the facts . These "sofisticated" machines MUST become more reliable . And HASSELBLAD and other companies are asked , no ..... forced to do more , to improve the reliability of their products . It is not enough just to get the cash , they must give a "working value" for the money they claim .
photo_franc
Member
So true Marc,
All the technical problems I mentioned in an earlier post were directly related to other equipment and not my Kodak back as I first thought them to be. Kodak was kind enough to guide me to the source of the problem, a bad radio slave transmitter.
All the technical problems I mentioned in an earlier post were directly related to other equipment and not my Kodak back as I first thought them to be. Kodak was kind enough to guide me to the source of the problem, a bad radio slave transmitter.
wbulte
Active Member
From the looks of it we all have a great time speculating on what illness Juergen's CFV might or might not have. I'm sure Hasselblad will be quick to point out there was a problem unrelated to the back itself if that proves to be the case. If I understood Juergen correctly the last state of affairs before sending the back to Hasselblad for inspection was that the whole thing had turned catatonic. That at least should never happen.
Wilko
Wilko