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P - Series REFERENCE MANUAL Phase One A/S Phase One Inc. Roskildevej 39 200 Broadhollow Road (Suite 312) DK-2000 Frederiksberg Melville, NY 11747 - 0983 Denmark +45 36 46 01 11 Tel.: +1 631 547 8900 +45 36 46 02 22 Fax: +1 631 547 9898...
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Notice The name Phase One is a trademark of Phase One A/S. The names Mamiya, Hasselblad, Contax, Mac OS X and Windows are registered trademark of their respective com- panies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Phase One takes no responsibility for any loss or damage sustained while using their products.
Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Unpacking the system Charging the batteries ......... . . 3.
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Table of Contents Delete............Exit the Play mode .
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P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the viewfinder mask........Mounting the P back.
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P - Series Reference Manual Large format and stitched images (Mac) ......4 Simple steps to calibrate ON fixed lenses (Win) ....Large format and stitched images (Win): .
P - Series Reference Manual 1. Introduction Thank you for choosing a Phase One P - Series digital camera back solution. The Phase One P - Series, provides you with the ad- vantage of having the most powerful digital camera solution regardless if you are working portable in the field, tethered in a studio, with portrait, landscape, fashion,wedding, product, architectural or other type...
P - Series Reference Manual 2. Unpacking the system The suitcase contains small compartments for all the necessary parts; CF cards, CCD Cleaning Kit, Camera back and the batteries and the charger. (Suitcase and system contents may vary depending on purchase: Classic or Value added) The Software package, this manual and the LCC cali- bration kit is included in the Phase One Leather binder...
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P - Series Reference Manual CF-cards Utility Com- partment CCD Clean- ing Kit Handle for Handle for Extracting Extracting the Foam the Foam Camera Back Leather Binder with Batteries and Charger Software Package, Calibration set etc.
P - Series Reference Manual Charging the batteries When the system is unpacked the first thing to do, is to give the batteries a full charge. The two 7.2 volt Lithium-ion batteries comes mounted in the charger. Only one battery is used in the P back at a time, but it is recommended to charge both batteries fully before you start.
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P - Series Reference Manual The charger has two red light indicators. While these are on the battery is not fully charged, and should be left in the charger until the red light starts flashing or preferably turns off to gain a 5% extra power. Permanent lighting LED indicates fast charge, when the LED starts flashing the battery is practically full and can be used.
P - Series Reference Manual 3. Introduction to the P - back System overview The Phase One P back is designed specifically to fit on one of several brands or models of medium format cameras. This overview section will deal with generic features, available in all these different models, like for example, tethered or untethered operation, preview display functions, the menu system controls (they all have...
P - Series Reference Manual Tethered or untethered operations The P back can be operated either as a fully portable unit powered by the embedded battery and shoot- ing to a compact flash card or micro drive which is inserted in the CF-card slot on the left side of the cam- era back.
P - Series Reference Manual For more information on capturing tethered with the Phase One Capture One application please consult the online user guide available in the Capture One Help menu. General Hardware Setup The P back is designed to be used with the new me- dium format cameras prepared for digital camera backs.The use on these camera bodies can be done without any cables attached between the P back and...
P - Series Reference Manual Green light When capturing an image the green light is blinking rapidly to indicates that the P back is busy. Constant green light comes on if the backlight of the display is dimmed to indicate that camera is still ready even though the screen is dimmed.
P - Series Reference Manual Power management and shutter latency The CCD on the P back constantly needs to be cleared from previous data before an exposure. This requires some power consumption. On electronically controlled camera bodies the power consumption can be drastically reduced by setting the shutter latency to long latency in the P back or inside the Capture One Application (Please see the section...
P - Series Reference Manual 4. Quick Start This is what it takes to get started real quick Charge the batteries (Described earlier) Install the focusing Screen (Described in camera specific section later) Consult the Camera specific section for special cabling requirements for your solution.
P - Series Reference Manual 5. CF Card Usage When working with CF-cards, card readers and digital cameras it is very important to follow a few rules, to avoid loss of data or uncontrolled behavior. Phase One recommends that you test-drive all new Compact Flash cards (including the one enclosed).
P - Series Reference Manual Secure Storage System (3S) The Phase One Secure Storage system (3S) provides the industries safest memory card handling ever. When working with memory cards in a Phase One P- back, you can always be sure that your data is safe.
P - Series Reference Manual Please note! Ejecting the card while the P back is still writing to the card (red LED is on) will cause images, that are still not written to the card, to be lost. Also ejecting the battery while the P back is still writing might result in loss of the data that is not yet written to the memory card.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting and dismounting On Windows XP and Windows 2000: To avoid confusing the system or, worst case, end up with a CF-card that was unintentionally erased, it is required to safely eject the card by right clicking the icon in "My Computer"...
P - Series Reference Manual Formatting on a Mac OS X computer On Mac OS X the formatting cannot be done di- rectly in the finder but is easily done inside the Disk Utility located in the Applications > Utilities folder.
P - Series Reference Manual Formatting on a Windows computer Insert the CF-card in the card reader, and select the drive when it mounts in "My computer" or in the Explorer. Right click on the drive and select "Format" from the pop-up menu.
P - Series Reference Manual 6. Navigating the P back When the P back is turned on, the screen will always be in its home display position or "Main screen". Pressing and holding down the upper left button on the back will also bring you to the Main screen, regardless of where you are in the menu system.
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P - Series Reference Manual Play Menu When the P back is in its initial state (just after power up) or at the menu systems "home" position (Main screen), the four buttons each has a shortcut as- signed. Play, Menu, ISO and WB. Exit Down Enter...
P - Series Reference Manual When the desired option is highlighted it can be se- lected by pressing the "Enter" button. Exiting the menus is done with the "Exit" button. Home shortcut Holding down the "Exit" button for a few seconds will always bring you to the home position or main screen immediately.
P - Series Reference Manual Button Lock shortcut Holding down the "Play" button while in Home position col- ors the word "Play" in yellow, and at the same time reveals a shortcut with the word "Lock" in the place where WB was.
P - Series Reference Manual 7. Play mode "Play mode" can be used to review, zoom and delete images. From the "Main screen", pressing the top left button the P back is set to Play mode. In Play mode the top of the screen will show a menu bar.
P - Series Reference Manual View modes Play mode has four view modes, or review modes; Normal image display, Exposure warning overlay, His- togram overlay or Info overlay. After entering the Play mode, press the "Enter" button to shift to the view mode you want.
P - Series Reference Manual Zoom After entering Play mode, advance to the eyeglass icon by pressing the but- ton again and press the "Enter" button to select it. It is now possible to zoom in the image with the "En- ter"...
P - Series Reference Manual Browsing inside Zoom While in the Zoom tool (enlargement 1, 2 or 3) holding down the "Enter" key, will hide the two up and down indicators. It is now possible to browse through the images by pressing the Up and Down buttons without leaving the Zoom functions.
P - Series Reference Manual 9. Menu mode Pressing the lower left button sets the P back in "Menu mode" Menu mode is where you set up preferences for the P back. Menus are navigated with the Enter, Exit, Up and Down buttons on the P back.
P - Series Reference Manual by scrolling down with the down button you can select the options. ISO settings In the ISO Settings select from ISO 50 to ISO 800 depending on the condi- tions you want. In general the higher ISO you shoot at the more noise you will have to cope with in the image.
P - Series Reference Manual might be useful to set it manually to avoid an impre- cise white balance which can be a result of the Auto WB option. Custom White Balance Your P-back have an op- tion of 3 custom white balances that can easily be defined by point and shoot.
P - Series Reference Manual Custom white balance from Capture One You can also choose to easily transfer a white balance from Capture One to the P-back: Create a custom white balance inside Capture One. While tethered to the computer select WB from the lower right button on the P-back.
P - Series Reference Manual FileFormat In "FileFormat" you can select two options "IIQ Raw L" and "IIQ Raw S". "IIQ Raw" is a short term for Intelligent Image Quality Raw. "IIQ Raw L" is default and is the absolutely loss less capture format of the P back.
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P - Series Reference Manual In general, If the camera is used for medium format cameras with digital interface this setting is can be set to either "Short latency" or "Long latency" whichever is preferred. Short latency has a shorter response time, but is power consuming, so when battery time is an issue you should select "Long latency"...
P - Series Reference Manual Play Setup The second option in the menu mode is Play Setup. Inside "Play Setup" you can select between "Backlight", "Auto Pre- view" and "Confirm De- lete". Backlight In the "Backlight" you setup how many seconds or minutes of inactivity there may be be- fore the light of the display fades.
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P - Series Reference Manual (Note - If a button is touched during the auto preview period, the preview will remain on and the time-out will be disabled until next capture).
P - Series Reference Manual Delete options In Delete options you can setup whether you want an extra confirmation when you delete images (Default). Or delete images immediately, Or you can disable de- leting of images on the P-back to avoid unintended loss of images.
P - Series Reference Manual Configuration "Configuration" is used to setup general settings and perform general tasks on the P back. "Configuration" con- tains more menu entries than can be displayed on one screen. This is indi- cated by a double arrow pointing down in the right side.
P - Series Reference Manual Power Source Power source only has one option, and is there only for future fea- tures. The P back will de- tect if an IEEE 1394/ FireWire connection is supplying power, and automatically shut of the battery power.
P - Series Reference Manual Disk Checking Disk Checking is done per default on every card in- serted to the P - back. If for some reason this check is not wanted the feature can be turned off in this menu. Phase One recomends leaving diskchecking turned on, to maximize data security on the memory cards.
P - Series Reference Manual Ready beep "Ready beep" is the small beep that sounds from the camera after a cap- ture is taken. The "Ready beep" signals that the capture has been taken, and the P back is ready for next capture. "Ready beep"...
P - Series Reference Manual About The "About" option in the "Setup Menu" displays tech- nical information about the hardware and embedded software in the camera. This is especially useful if sup- port is needed. Before contacting your dealer or Phase One Support please make sure to have access to the "About "box or write down the entire contents of the "About"...
P - Series Reference Manual 10. P back - Mamiya 645 AFD The P back for Mamiya 645AFD is designed for the in- novative Mamiya 645 AFD camera. The Mamiya 645 utilizes a hybrid TTL phase-difference-detection type auto focus system. Furthermore the Mamiya 645AFD provides auto exposure settings.
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P - Series Reference Manual CF-Card slot CF-Card eject button Camera back detach button Display IEEE1394/ Shutter sync FireWire port port Flash Sync Power port button Menu navigation buttons Battery Battery release button To release the battery press the battery release button and slide the battery down and out of the compartment.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the P back on the Mamiya 645AFD The P back is fully integrated with the camera house and acts as a true part of the whole camera system. When no cassette is attached to the Mamiya 645 AFD camera house the mirror is up and the shutter is open.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the Viewfinder Mask The image area of the Mamiya 645AFD is approxi- mately 5,6 cm x 4.2 cm. The image area of the P back is a little bit smaller (depending on model). A P back viewfinder mask for the Mamiya 645AFD is provided.
P - Series Reference Manual Image orientation The CCD in P back is positioned in landscape orienta- tion. Whenever an image is captured in portrait posi- tion, by rotating the camera, an internal sensor detects this new position and the image will appear as a cor- rectly oriented image on the LCD display and in the Capture One application.
P - Series Reference Manual T-mode on the Mamiya 645AFD T-mode is not supported for digital backs on the Mamiya 645 AFD. This is usually not a problem as the Mamiya can use exposure times as long as 16 minutes. Mirror Up When using the Mamiya 645 AFD the mode selector should be placed in M (Manual mode) and the focus...
P - Series Reference Manual Mamiya RZ67 PRO IID The P back for Mamiya 645 AFD also supports the Mamiya RZ67 PRO IID via the 645 AFD adaptor plate from Mamiya. The mode selector on the trigger button should be turned to the white dot when used with the P back.
P - Series Reference Manual Studio flash sync on the RZ lens shutter When using the P back on a Mamiya RZ67 PRO IID, the flash sync should be connected on the Mamiya lens shutter. The flash sync connector on the P back is for use with Large format cameras where no digital inter- face is available.
P - Series Reference Manual 11. P back for Hasselblad V The Phase One P back can be mounted on a wide range of Hasselblad cameras including Hasselblad 555 ELD, 553 ELX, 501 CM, 503 CW as well as Mamiya RZ67 Pro II and 4” x 5” view cameras via an optional Phase One FlexAdaptor.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the viewfinder mask The image area of the Hasselblad camera body is ap- proximately 6 cm x 6 cm, whereas the image area of the P back is a lttle bit smaller. Therefore, it is neces- sary to use the P back viewfinder mask.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the P back The P back is fully integrated with the camera body and acts as a true part of the whole camera system. It is important to ensure that the bottom part of the P back camera back is pressed well into the locking mechanism before the upper lock-...
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the P back vertically The P back can be rotated to the left and mounted ver- tically on the Hasselblad body for use in portrait mode. In this case the lock button on what is now the top should be slided to the left before tipping the P back in place on the body.
P - Series Reference Manual Camera body specifics Regardless of which Hasselblad V type camera used, a sync cable is always connected from the lens to the small connector in the front plate on either the left or right side of the P back. The flash cable is then con- nected to the...
P - Series Reference Manual Hasselblad 555 ELD When using the Phase One P back with a Hasselblad 555 ELD, the shutter release on the front of the Hasselblad must be in the “Digital” position. If, of any reason, you have to use the shutter release in “Film”...
P - Series Reference Manual Hasselblad 553 ELX When using the P back on some Hasselblad motorized bodies (i.e. Hasselblad ELX or Hasselblad ELM series), a motor cable is supplied to enable capture from the computer. The cable is con- nected between the multi-connector on the P back and the...
P - Series Reference Manual Hasselblad 501 CM and 503 CW without winder The Phase One P back also supports mechanical Hasselblad cameras such as the 501 CM and 503 CW. These cameras are operated in single shot mode via the shutter release button or a standard cable release.
P - Series Reference Manual Hasselblad 503 CW with Winder CW Please note that the Phase One P back should not be mounted while the camera is set to mirror up. Also make sure that the lens is not jammed or locked open on the “B”...
P - Series Reference Manual Mamiya RZ67 Pro II adaptor Phase One offers an optional P back adaptor plate with Hasselblad mount that enables mounting and close integration with the Mamiya RZ67 Pro II camera. (Mamiya RZ67 Pro II D can be used with the P back Mamiya 645 AFD) The camera must be set to multiple exposures when using this adaptor.
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P - Series Reference Manual Mirror up operation is only recommended if using Mamiya’s own double cable release. The adaptor plate connects to the Mamiya body, and the switch underneath is set to the L position (locked). If you are using the Mamiya RZ Pro II adaptor you should set the Shutter latency to ”Short latency”...
P - Series Reference Manual 12. H 101 - P back The Phase One H 101 - P back is a single shot digital camera back designed spcifically for the innovative Hasselblad H1 camera. The Hasselblad H1 utilises a hybrid TTL phase-difference-detection type auto-fo- cus system.
P - Series Reference Manual Camera LCD display The Hasselblad H1 incorporates a display which dis- plays information of the actual condition of the cam- era. It shows flash method, lens use, trigger setting, f-stop value, exposure time etc. The Hasselblad H 1 will also display some camera back specific conditions in this display.
P - Series Reference Manual Viewfinder information The icon on the second position from the right shows the actual captures left on the storage media, an ”E” indicates that storage media is full, and you will need to free some space or replace it before continuing. For a general description of the viewfinder information please consult the Hasselblad H1 User Manual.
P - Series Reference Manual Image orientation detection The H 101 - P back CCD is positioned in landscape ori- entation. Whenever an image is captured in portrait position by rotating the camera, an internal sensor detects this new position and the image will appear correctly oriented on the LCD and in the Capture One application.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the viewfinder mask The image area of the Hasselblad H1 is approximately 60 x 45 mm. The image area of the H 101 - P back is a bit smaller (depending on model). A H 101 - P back viewfinder mask is provided. This mask has to be mounted underneath the original fo- cusing screen.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the H 101 - P back on the Hasselblad H 1 The H 101 - P back integrates fully with the H1 camera house and acts as a part of the whole camera system. When no cassette is attached to the Hasselblad cam- era house, the mirror is up and the shutter is open.
P - Series Reference Manual Use of cables No cables are required between the H 101 - P back and the Hasselblad H1 . Flash sync cable must be connected to the Hasselblad H1 camera house. The flash sync cable must NOT be con- nected to the cam- CORRECT...
P - Series Reference Manual 13. P back for CONTAX 645 The CONTAX 645 utilizes a TTL phase difference detection type auto focus system. Furthermore the CONTAX 645 provides auto exposure settings. The CONTAX 645 with a P back encourages all kinds of photographic uses from portraiture and wide-angle photography to high speed shooting to capture fast action with telephoto lenses.
P - Series Reference Manual Auto exposure The CONTAX 645 can work in different auto exposure modes. This is fully supported by the P back, which communicates the equivalent film speed of the digital back to the CONTAX 645 camera. When capturing with auto exposure modes, expo- sure times between 1/4000 sec.
P - Series Reference Manual Double exposure protection With the P - back for Contax it is not possible to ac- cidently double expose the image by capturing one image quickly after another e.g. when using continuos capture mode. The P back communication with the CONTAX 645 is disabling capture functionality in the camera when necessary.
P - Series Reference Manual IR filter on the CCD The IR filter (Phase One TG1 Infrared cut-off filter) is placed on top of the CCD. The filter may not be removed for several reasons. • The focusing of the P back will be damaged. •...
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the focusing screen The image area of the CONTAX 645 is 41.5mm x 56mm. The image area of the P back is slightly smaller (depending on model). A Phase One P back viewfinder mask is provided. This viewfinder mask has to be mounted underneath the CONTAX focusing screen.
P - Series Reference Manual Mounting the P back to the CONTAX 645 The P - back for Contax is fully integrated with the camera house and acts as a true part of the whole camera system. When attaching the P back to the camera house it is important to ensure that the bottom part of the P back is pressed well into the locking mechanism before the upper locking mechanism is pressed together.
P - Series Reference Manual Use of flash sync cable No cables are re- quired between the P back and the CONTAX 645. Flash sync cable must be connected to the CONTAX 645 camera house. The flash sync cable must NOT be con- nected to the P back.
P - Series Reference Manual Operating the camera from the host computer The supplied release cable must be connected be- tween the multiple pin connector on the P back and the mini-jack connector placed at the bottom of the handgrip on the CONTAX camera house. Bulb capture is not supported on Contax...
P - Series Reference Manual TTL flash Because the CCD element reflects light different than film, and this cannot be communicated to the Contax. Using TTL flash with the CONTAX 645 camera and the P back, will result in a 2 f-stop overexposure. When using TTL flash, the exposure compensation on the flash unit must therefore be set to –2 f stops.
P - Series Reference Manual 15. Large format photography The Phase One P back can be used on most large for- mat cameras via the optional Phase One FlexAdaptor and the enclosed lens sync cable (value added pack- age only). The P back supports most mechanical shutters and the Horseman ISS electronic shutter.
P - Series Reference Manual The Phase One FlexAdaptor Shutter latency settings On a Phase One FlexAdaptor the P back can be used with both Long and short latency. Default your P back is set to Short latency, which means that the P back will respond fast on triggering on the cost of battery time.
P - Series Reference Manual 16. Lens Cast What is Lens Cast? Lens cast may occur if using the camera back with wide- angle lenses e.g. Horseman Digiflex II, Hasselblad Flexbody or Hasselblad 905SWC or on other large format cameras with different tilt or swing settings.
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P - Series Reference Manual Calibration (LCC). By holding an opal white plate in front of the lens and capturing a calibration image that you then apply to all of your capture files you are able to remove the lens cast. On medium format cameras the calibration is very simple: You do one calibration for each lens and then save the calibration files and apply them when needed...
P - Series Reference Manual Large format and stitched images (Mac) When using LCC in combination with large format cap- ture and image stitching you must capture one cali- bration file per image and make sure that you match the calibration file to the right image prior to stitching. Start by capturing the two calibration files and the two image files.
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P - Series Reference Manual PLEASE NOTE: As soon as grey calibration is done and the calibration files are saved and appear in the Lens CC drop-down box the calibration files can be deleted from the thumbnail window.
P - Series Reference Manual 4 Simple steps to calibrate ON fixed lenses (Win) (no zoom, tilt or swing). Hold the calibration plate in front of the fixed lens (as close as possible), and capture. In order to ensure correct exposure you may have to open up a few f- stops or in a very dark setup, put on more light directly onto the plate.
P - Series Reference Manual Large format and stitched images (Win): Start by capturing the two calibration files and the two image files. Save the left-side calibration file by clicking the “Generate…” button Name the calibration file i.e.CarsLeft. Save the right-side calibration file the same way. Select the right-side image and apply the right- side calibration file.
P - Series Reference Manual 17. Maintenance Cleaning the CCD When the Phase One P back is not attached to a cam- era, the camera back must be protected with the pro- tection plate. However, over time dust may accumu- late on the IR filter.
P - Series Reference Manual 18. Specifications Full frame solutions (Magnification factor 1,1) P 25 P 45 Imager Technology: Full Frame CCD Full Frame CCD Color filter: Red, green, blue Red, green, blue Pixels (active): 5440 x 4080 pixels 7216 x 5412 pixels CCD size (active): 48.9 x 36.9 mm...
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P - Series Reference Manual P 25 P 45 Magnification factor compared to 645 system Capture Rate Up to 35 frames per minute Up to 35 frames per minute Writing speed to CF: Up to 20 MB/sec depending Up to 20 MB/sec depending...
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P - Series Reference Manual P 25 P 45 Camera support P-Series for Hasselblad V 555ELD, 553ELX, 503CW, 555ELD, 553ELX, 503CW, 501CM 501CM P-Series for Hasselblad V and Phase Mamiya RZ67 PRO II Mamiya RZ67 PRO II One Mamiya adaptor:...
P - Series Reference Manual Smaller than full frame solutions (Mag. factor 1,3 - 1,4) P 20 P 21 P 30 Imager Technology: Full Frame CCD Full Frame CCD Full Frame CCD Color filter: Red, green, blue Red, green, blue Red, green, blue Pixels (active): 4080 x 4080 pixels...
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P - Series Reference Manual P 20 P 21 P 30 Battery type: 7.2 V Lithium Ion (BP-915 7.2 V Lithium Ion (BP-915 7.2 V Lithium Ion (BP-915 type) 2000mAh type) 2000mAh type) 2000mAh Battery lifetime: 250 captures/4 hours 250 captures/4 hours 250 captures/4 hours Exposure time: Several minutes to less...
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P - Series Reference Manual P 20 P 21 P 30 P-Series for Mamiya RZ67 PRO II Mamiya RZ67 PRO II Mamiya RZ67 PRO II Hasselblad V and Phase One Mamiya adaptor: The H 101 P-Series Hasselblad H1 Hasselblad H1 Hasselblad H1 P-Series for 645 AFD, 645AFDII, RZ67...
P - Series Reference Manual 19. CF Card and CardReader Shipping products Phase One is constantly following the progress in de- velopment of faster CF-cards and readers. We currently ship our products with CF card and card readers from Sandisk (Value added puchase only) This is a decision we made based on the speed, per- formance and compatibillity of the Sandisk products.
P - Series Reference Manual Sandisk Product Registration You can register your memory card online at Sandisk's web site at http://www.sandisk.com/registration Sandisk Technical Support Visit SanDisk's web site, www.sandisk.com, or call 866-SANDISK (866-726-3475) Between Monday - Friday: 7:00 A.M. - 4.00 P.M.Pacific SanDisk Warranty SanDisk's Warranty are available online at: http://www.sandisk.com/retail/warranty.asp...
P - Series Reference Manual Rescue utility, when a card is unreadable As previously described it can be pretty crucial to un- plug a card from the P back while the P back is writing data to it ( a red light indicates this). Also disconnecting the battery or power from the P back, while writing to a card can damage the file structure.
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