Leaf Medium Format Photography
Encyclopedia
Leaf previously a division
of Scitex and later Kodak, but now a part of Phase One. Leaf manufactures high end (medium format
) professional digital photography
products. In 1991, Leaf introduced the first medium format digital camera back
, the Leaf DCB1, nicknamed ‘The Brick’, which had a resolution of 4 million pixels (4 megapixels). As of January 2011, Leaf produces the Aptus line of digital camera backs, ranging from 22 to 80 megapixels. Until 2010, Leaf also produced photography workflow software.
, where the Valeos have no on-board display. The Valeos can still be used untethered by using the DP-67 software or the more recent WiView software on a Compaq
iPAQ
. The iPAQs are connected via Bluetooth
with the digital backs. For untethered usage, you will need battery
packs for both the Aptus and the Valeo, otherwise the back must be powered via a Firewire connection to a computer. The Valeo models need a Leaf Digital Magazine as well for untethered use, where the Aptus models have a Compact Flash slot.
The following table shows the models which Leaf still shows on their website as current models.
It is impossible to convert the mount of a digital back for a different medium format body via adapter or conversion plates, because the sensor would then not sit within the film plane
(since the sensor needs to sit the same distance from the lens that the film would). Such conversion may be possible by sending the back to Leaf to be physically reconfigured, depending on the specific model.
Any mount can be used on view camera
s by using the correct adapter
plate, for example: Alpha, Arca, Cambo
, Horseman, Kata
, Linhof
, Sinar
, Toyo, Rollei
X-Act2, and other via Leaf Graflok or third party adapters. This is because view cameras have an adjustable focal plane
The AFI backs (in the Discontinued Models) are specifically designed to work with Sinar and Rollei systems.
, 10GB and 20GB. It can be mounted in the U-bracket, which can also contain two (smaller than normal) batteries. This U-bracket can then be mounted underneath the camera. There are short Firewire cables available to connect the LDM to the Leaf digital back.
converter and workflow
software which enables photographers to deliver ready-to-use images with adjusted color and detail. It is designed to create very high image quality and provides a series of tools created to match the professional photographer's daily workflow. Capture One replaced Leaf Capture as tethering and processing software for all Leaf Aptus and Aptus II backs.
Windows. Leaf capture is no longer developed, and is Replaced by Capture One for all Aptus and Aptus II models.
Note: From v11.2.9 on only supports Aptus models
devices (iPad
, iPod Touch
and iPhone
). The app works via the device's wireless local area network
connection with Leaf Capture Server running on a host computer
iPAQ Pocket PC as you shoot. Before you begin working with Leaf WiView you must install the corresponding application on the iPAQ Pocket PC. Follow the procedure for your operating system.
The advantages of large storage space for your images and full control over the capture process are maintained by the Leaf Digital Magazine and Leaf DP-67 (iPAQ) display and control devices.
Division (business)
A division of a business entity is a portion of that business that operates under a different name. It is the equivalent of a corporation or limited liability company obtaining a fictitious name or "doing business as" certificate and operating a business under that fictitious name...
of Scitex and later Kodak, but now a part of Phase One. Leaf manufactures high end (medium format
Medium format
Medium format has traditionally referred to a film format in still photography and the related cameras and equipment that use that film. Generally, the term applies to film and digital cameras that record images on media larger than 24 by 36 mm , but smaller than 4 by 5 inches .In digital...
) professional digital photography
Digital photography
Digital photography is a form of photography that uses an array of light sensitive sensors to capture the image focused by the lens, as opposed to an exposure on light sensitive film...
products. In 1991, Leaf introduced the first medium format digital camera back
Digital camera back
A digital camera back is a device that attaches to the back of a camera in place of a film holder and contains an electronic image sensor. This lets cameras that were designed to use film take digital photographs...
, the Leaf DCB1, nicknamed ‘The Brick’, which had a resolution of 4 million pixels (4 megapixels). As of January 2011, Leaf produces the Aptus line of digital camera backs, ranging from 22 to 80 megapixels. Until 2010, Leaf also produced photography workflow software.
Digital Camera Backs
After Leaf's DCB, the digital backs evolved into two product lines, the Aptus and the (now discontinued) Valeo. The main difference is that the Aptus models have a 3.5" touchscreenTouchscreen
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus...
, where the Valeos have no on-board display. The Valeos can still be used untethered by using the DP-67 software or the more recent WiView software on a Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
iPAQ
IPAQ
iPAQ presently refers to a Pocket PC and personal digital assistant first unveiled by Compaq in April 2000; the name was borrowed from Compaq's earlier iPAQ Desktop Personal Computers. Since Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Compaq, the product has been marketed by HP. The devices use a Windows...
. The iPAQs are connected via Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
with the digital backs. For untethered usage, you will need battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
packs for both the Aptus and the Valeo, otherwise the back must be powered via a Firewire connection to a computer. The Valeo models need a Leaf Digital Magazine as well for untethered use, where the Aptus models have a Compact Flash slot.
Current Models
Aptus II models are very similar to corresponding previous Aptus models, with the notable differences:- Live view available with Phase One 645AF and 645DF bodies (+ Mamiya AFD III & DF), no dongle required. Live view is available on Capture One with large format bodies for legacy Aptus 22 and up, Live View dongle is no longer required.
- Camera controls (aperture, shutter speed and shutter release) on Phase One 645AF and 645DF bodies (+ Mamiya AFD III & DF)
- Faster shooting speed, shot-to-shot and faster transmission to tethered computer
- Firewire 800 connection replaces Firewire 400
- Slightly different color response
The following table shows the models which Leaf still shows on their website as current models.
| Model | Released | Sensor Size | Resolution | Active Pixels | ISO range Film speed Film speed is the measure of a photographic film's sensitivity to light, determined by sensitometry and measured on various numerical scales, the most recent being the ISO system.... |
Dynamic range F-number In optics, the f-number of an optical system expresses the diameter of the entrance pupil in terms of the focal length of the lens; in simpler terms, the f-number is the focal length divided by the "effective" aperture diameter... (f-stops) |
Seconds/Frame | Lens Lens (optics) A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts light, converging or diverging the beam. A simple lens consists of a single optical element... conversion factor |
Display | Storage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptus-II 12R | 2010 | 53.7x40.3 mm | 80 MP, 16-bit 16-bit -16-bit architecture:The HP BPC, introduced in 1975, was the world's first 16-bit microprocessor. Prominent 16-bit processors include the PDP-11, Intel 8086, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Intel 8088 was program-compatible with the Intel 8086, and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16... |
10320 x 7752 | 80-800 | 12 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF | Rotating sensor |
| Aptus-II 12 | 2010 | 53.7x40.3 mm | 80 MP, 16-bit | 10320 x 7752 | 80-800 | 12 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF | |
| Aptus-II 10R | 2010 | 56x36 mm | 56 MP, 16-bit | 9288 x 6000 | 80-800 | 12 | 1 | 1.0 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF | Rotating sensor |
| Aptus-II 10 | 2010 | 56x36 mm | 56 MP, 16-bit | 9288 x 6000 | 80-800 | 12 | 1 | 1.0 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF | |
| Aptus-II 8 | 2010 | 44x33 mm | 40 MP, 16-bit | 7360 x 5562 | 80-800 | 12 | .8 | 1.3 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF | |
| Aptus-II 7 | 2009 | 48x36 mm | 33 MP, 16-bit | 6726 x 5040 | 50-800 | 12 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF | |
| Aptus-II 6 | 2009 | 44x33 mm | 28 MP, 16-bit | 6144 x 4622 | 50-800 | 12 | 1 | 1.3 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF | |
| Aptus-II 5 | 2009 | 48x36 mm | 22 MP, 16-bit | 5356 x 4056 | 25-400 | 12 | .9 | 1.1 | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF |
Discontinued Models
| Model | Released | Sensor Size | Resolution | Active Pixels | ISO range | Dynamic range (f-stops) | Seconds/Frame | Lens conversion factor | Display | Storage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afi-II 10 | 2008 | 56x36 mm | 56 MP, 16-bit | 9288 x 6000 | 50-800 | 12 | 1 | 3.5" Tilt touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Afi-II 7 | 2008 | 48x36 mm | 33 MP, 16-bit | 6726 x5040 | 50-800 | 12 | 1.1 | 3.5" Tilt touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Afi-II 6 | 2008 | 44x33 mm | 28 MP, 16-bit | 6144 x 4622 | 50-800 | 12 | 1 | 3.5" Tilt touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Afi 7 | 2007 | 48x36 mm | 33 MP | 6726 x5040 | 50-800 | 12 | 3.5" touchscreen | ||||
| Afi 6 | 2007 | 44x33 mm | 28 MP | 6144 x 4622 | 50-800 | 12 | 3.5" touchscreen | ||||
| Afi 5 | 2007 | 48x36 mm | 22 MP | 4056 x 5356 | 25-400 | 12 | 3.5" touchscreen | ||||
| Aptus 75s | 2006 | 48x36 mm | 33 MP | 6726 x5040 | 50-800 | 12 | 1.2, unlimited burst | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Aptus 65s | 2006 | 44x33 mm | 28 MP | 6144 x 4622 | 50-800 | 12 | 1, unlimited burst | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Aptus 54s | 2006 | 48x36 mm | 22 MP | 4056 x 5356 | 25-400 | 12 | .87, unlimited burst | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Aptus 75 | 2005 | 48x36 mm | 33 MP | 6726 x5040 | 50-800 | 12 | 1.7, 5 frames burst | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Aptus 65 | 2005 | 44x33 mm | 28 MP | 6144 x 4622 | 50-800 | 12 | 1.5, 6 frames burst | 3.5" touchscreen | Firewire, CF, Digital Magazine | ||
| Aptus 22 | 2005 | 48 x 36 mm | 22 MP, 16-bit | 4056 x 5356 | 25-400 | 12 | 1.2, no burst | 3.5" touchscreen | FireWire, Digital Magazine | Bluetooth | |
| Aptus 17 | 2005 | 43 x 32 mm | 17 MP, 16-bit | 3576 x 4716 | 25-400 | 12 | 1.2, no burst | 3.5" touchscreen | FireWire, CF, Digital Magazine | Bluetooth | |
| Valeo 22wi | 2004 | 48 x 36 mm | 22 MP, 16-bit | 5356 x 4056 | 25-200 | 12 | 2.3 | iPaq | FireWire, Digital Magazine(+iPaq) | Bluetooth | |
| Valeo 17wi | 2004 | 43 x 32 mm | 17 MP, 16-bit | 3576 x 4716 | 25-50 | 12 | 1.7 | iPaq | Firewire, Digital Magazine(+iPaq) | Bluetooth | |
| Valeo 22 | 2003 | 48 x 36 mm | 22 MP, 16-bit | 5356 x 4056 | 25-200 | 12 | 2.3 | none (tethered only) | Firewire, Digital Magazine | ||
| Valeo 17 | 2003 | 43.2 x 31.7 mm | 17 MP, 16-bit | 3576 x 4716 | 25-50 | 12 | 1.7 | none (tethered only) | Firewire, Digital Magazine | ||
| Valeo 11 | 2002 | 36x24mm | 11 MP, 16-bit | 4056x2684 | 50-200 | 12 | none (tethered only) | Firewire, Digital Magazine | |||
| Valeo 6 | 2002 | 36x24 mm | 6 MP, 14-bit | 3150 x 2100 | 125-250 | 11 | .7 | none (tethered only) | Firewire, Digital Magazine | ||
| C-MOST | 2002 | 36x24 mm | 6.6 MP, 16-bit | 3150 x 2100 | 11 | .33 | none (tethered only) | ||||
| Cantare XY | 36x24 mm | 6 MP, 16-bit | 2048 x 3072 | 50-100 | none (tethered only) | XY-Weave | |||||
| Cantare | 36 x 24 mm | 6 MP, 14-bit | 2048 x 3072 | 50-100 | none (tethered only) | 1-shot | |||||
| Volare | 36 x 24 mm | 6 MP, 14-bit | 2048 x 3072 | none (tethered only) | 3-shot | ||||||
| DCB II Live | 1996 | 40 x 40 mm | 4 MP, 14-bit | 2048 x 2048 | 25-200 | 11 | .75 | none (tethered only) | Leaf PCI, NuBus | ||
| DCB | 1992 | 40 x 40 mm | 4 MP | 2048 x 2048 | 25-200 | 11 | .75 | none (tethered only) |
Camera Mounts
The Aptus-II models are equipped with a specific mount to fit one of the following camera systems:| Brand | Type |
|---|---|
| Phase One | 645AF, 645DF (Same mount as Mamiya Mamiya is a Japanese company that today manufactures high-end cameras and other related photographic and optical equipment. With headquarters in Tokyo, it has two manufacturing plants and a workforce of over 200 people... ) |
| Mamiya Mamiya is a Japanese company that today manufactures high-end cameras and other related photographic and optical equipment. With headquarters in Tokyo, it has two manufacturing plants and a workforce of over 200 people... |
645DF, 645AFD (I+II+III), RZ67 RZ67 thumb|right|RZ67 Pro I ready for shootingThe Mamiya RZ67 line of medium format single-lens reflex cameras manufactured by Mamiya includes three successive models, the RZ67 Professional , RZ67 Professional II and RZ67 Professional IID... (Pro II), RZ Pro IId, RB67 |
| Hasselblad Hasselblad Victor Hasselblad AB is a Swedish manufacturer of medium-format cameras and photographic equipment based in Gothenburg, Sweden.The company is best known for the medium-format cameras it has produced since World War II.... |
H-system |
| Hasselblad Hasselblad Victor Hasselblad AB is a Swedish manufacturer of medium-format cameras and photographic equipment based in Gothenburg, Sweden.The company is best known for the medium-format cameras it has produced since World War II.... |
V-system (not 200 or 2000 versions) |
| Leaf AFi | Also known as "Rollei Hy6" |
| Contax Contax Contax was a camera brand noted for its unique technical innovation and a wide range of Zeiss lenses, noted for their high optical quality. Its final incarnation was a line of 35 mm, medium format and digital cameras engineered and manufactured by Kyocera, and featuring modern Zeiss optics... |
645 (Sometimes still made, based on demand from users) |
| Fuji | GX680II, GX680III - not a Leaf mount; adapter available from 3rd party |
| Bronica Bronica was a Japanese brand of professional medium format roll-film cameras, including rangefinder and single-lens reflex models.Bronica cameras first appeared in 1958, when the company's founder, Zenzaburo Yoshino, introduced a camera of his own design, the Bronica Z rollfilm camera, at the Philadelphia... |
SQA, SQAi, ETRSi (No longer made) |
It is impossible to convert the mount of a digital back for a different medium format body via adapter or conversion plates, because the sensor would then not sit within the film plane
Film plane
A film plane is the area inside any image taking device with a lens and a digital sensor or film; such as a camera. The film plane varies in distance from the lens focal point in each manufacturer...
(since the sensor needs to sit the same distance from the lens that the film would). Such conversion may be possible by sending the back to Leaf to be physically reconfigured, depending on the specific model.
Any mount can be used on view camera
View camera
The view camera is a type of camera first developed in the era of the Daguerreotype and still in use today, though with many refinements. It comprises a flexible bellows which forms a light-tight seal between two adjustable standards, one of which holds a lens, and the other a viewfinder or a...
s by using the correct adapter
Adapter
An adapter or adaptor is a person that adapts or a device that converts attributes of one device or system to those of an otherwise incompatible device or system.Some adapters may only affect physical attributes:...
plate, for example: Alpha, Arca, Cambo
Cambo camera
Cambo BV is a manufacturer of high quality, mainly large format cameras based in Kampen, the Netherlands, and has the distinction of being the first studio camera manufacturer to produce an all-metal large format camera.-History:...
, Horseman, Kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
, Linhof
Linhof
Linhof is a German company, founded in Munich in 1887 by Valentin Linhof. The company is well known for making premium rollfilm and large format film cameras...
, Sinar
Sinar
Sinar AG is a Swiss company producing medium format and large format cameras.The name SINAR is explained as an acronym for "Studio, Industrie, Natur, Architektur, Reproduktion", though in , the acronym is explained as "Sach-, Industrie-, Natur-, undArchitekturfotografie sowie Reproduktion"...
, Toyo, Rollei
Rollei
Rollei is a German manufacturer of optical goods founded in 1920 by Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, and maker of the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord series of cameras...
X-Act2, and other via Leaf Graflok or third party adapters. This is because view cameras have an adjustable focal plane
The AFI backs (in the Discontinued Models) are specifically designed to work with Sinar and Rollei systems.
Leaf Digital Magazine
The Leaf Digital Magazine, or LDM, is a portable, small Firewire-powered hard drive that enables a digital back lacking a Compact Flash slot to be used untethered. There are three models, the 5GBGigabyte
The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...
, 10GB and 20GB. It can be mounted in the U-bracket, which can also contain two (smaller than normal) batteries. This U-bracket can then be mounted underneath the camera. There are short Firewire cables available to connect the LDM to the Leaf digital back.
Capture One / Capture One Pro
Capture One is a tethering software, Raw image formatRAW image format
A camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be printed or edited with a bitmap graphics editor...
converter and workflow
Workflow
A workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps. It is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, a group of persons, an organization of staff, or one or more simple or complex mechanisms. Workflow may be seen as any abstraction of real work...
software which enables photographers to deliver ready-to-use images with adjusted color and detail. It is designed to create very high image quality and provides a series of tools created to match the professional photographer's daily workflow. Capture One replaced Leaf Capture as tethering and processing software for all Leaf Aptus and Aptus II backs.
Leaf Capture
Image capture workflow software, available for Apple Inc. OS X and MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows. Leaf capture is no longer developed, and is Replaced by Capture One for all Aptus and Aptus II models.
- Image comparison
- Camera control (of non-manual cameras)
- LoupeLoupeA loupe is a simple, small magnification device used to see small details more closely. Unlike a magnifying glass, a loupe does not have an attached handle, and its focusing lens are contained in an opaque cylinder or cone. Loupes are also called hand lenses .- Optics :Three basic types of loupes...
tool, focus preview - Realtime live view display
- Grid and layout overlay
- Color temperatureColor temperatureColor temperature is a characteristic of visible light that has important applications in lighting, photography, videography, publishing, manufacturing, astrophysics, and other fields. The color temperature of a light source is the temperature of an ideal black-body radiator that radiates light of...
and tintTintIn color theory, a tint is the mixture of a color with white.Tint may also refer to:* Tint control, an adjustment to correct for phase error in the picture color on a NTSC television set* Tint , an album by Merzbow...
sliders - Adjustable histogramHistogramIn statistics, a histogram is a graphical representation showing a visual impression of the distribution of data. It is an estimate of the probability distribution of a continuous variable and was first introduced by Karl Pearson...
- Moiré removal tool
Note: From v11.2.9 on only supports Aptus models
Leaf Capture Remote App / Server
Used together, allows browsing of your "Shots" folder on wirelessWireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
devices (iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
and iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
). The app works via the device's wireless local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
connection with Leaf Capture Server running on a host computer
Leaf WiView
Leaf WiView is an update of the DP-67 software. It is an application that enables you to have wireless control (via Bluetooth) over your Leaf imaging module to view and edit images on an HPHewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
iPAQ Pocket PC as you shoot. Before you begin working with Leaf WiView you must install the corresponding application on the iPAQ Pocket PC. Follow the procedure for your operating system.
- Known supported iPAQ models: hx2100, hx2400, hx2700, hx4700, rx5900, 110, 210. It is important that the iPAQ has either 240x320 or 480x640 screen resolution, otherwise a part of the screen will be digitally masked off (unsupported models).
- Known supported Leaf models: Valeo 17wi, Valeo 22wi, ...
Leaf DP-67
The Leaf DP-67 application on an HP iPAQ allows wireless remote communication with the Leaf Valeo digital camera back via Bluetooth.The advantages of large storage space for your images and full control over the capture process are maintained by the Leaf Digital Magazine and Leaf DP-67 (iPAQ) display and control devices.
External links
- Official site
- China branch website
- Phase One (parent company)
- Pascal's Rolleiflex Pages -- Information about the RolleiflexRolleiflexRolleiflex is the name of a long-running and diverse line of high-end cameras originally made by the German company Franke & Heidecke, and later Rollei-Werk. The "Rolleiflex" name is most commonly used to refer to Rollei's premier line of medium format twin lens reflex cameras...
Hy6 / Sinar Hy6 / Leaf AFi camera systems