Medium format shooting has been getting a lot of love lately, not least from Fujifilm, which has introduced three new models in recent years. But now, Danish medium format specialist Phase One, known for creating super high mega-pixel Medium Format cameras that are designed to be used in studios, is firing back at its rivals, not just with a new camera but a new system.

The new body pairs with Phase One’s existing medium format backs that provide either 100 or 150 megapixels of resolution, and it utilizes a new range of lenses with an electronically controlled electromagnetic shutter system. The XT system is available starting today and is priced at $56,990, including the 150-megapixel back and a lens.

“The XT Camera System perfectly marries extraordinary image quality and extraordinary photographic technology,” Phase One says. “It’s versatile, flexible, and remarkably intuitive to use. With components that communicate digitally with each other and the system’s compact size, the XT is crafted for effortless capture, so the photographer can focus on capturing the moment, not on camera settings.”

The base of the new XT system is the camera body, which is basically a frame that mounts the lens on the front and the digital back on the rear. Since the digital back is where the sensor, processing, and controls are, the XT body is very thin and light compared to Phase One’s XF line of the cameras. Aside from a handle and shutter button, the only controls available on the body are dials to shift the lens horizontally and vertically. Phase One says the whole system is designed to be modular, so parts can be upgraded over time as they are developed.

Unlike the XF system, the XT is fully manual, and there is no autofocus system.
The new camera system features a two-action shutter release, horizontal and vertical movement dials shifting 12 millimeters up, down, left, and right, an X-shutter lens interface and a detachable Arca Swiss type tripod foot that can be rotated for landscape and portrait orientated shooting. It was exclusively designed to be used with the IQ4 150MP, IQ4 150MP Achromatic, and the IQ4 100MP Trichromatic medium format digital backs.

Speaking of the lenses, the Rodenstock lenses for use with the XT have been fitted with Phase One’s digital integrated X-Shutter, an electromagnetic shutter that was originally designed for use in Phase One’s various industrial camera systems and imaging solutions. The XT will launch alongside three Rodenstock lenses: The XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-S 23mm f/5.6, XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 32mm f/4 and XT – Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 70mm f/5.6. To take full advantage of this excellent optics, the XT camera system allows shift on both the X and Y axes. With precision-built adjustment knobs, you can shift a total of 24mm along each axis, which will allow for precision capture of images for stitching panoramas. The XT camera records the shift position in the digital file as well, for later reference.

“I love the XT,” says landscape photographer Reuben Wu, who has been testing the camera. “The combination of the Phase One IQ4, a compact camera body, and an incredible lens is just what I need. I can easily fit the camera with two lenses in my small shoulder bag, and still, barely feel like I am carrying anything.”

Sound good? Start saving, as a package that combines the XT body, IQ4 150MP back and a lens of your choice, will set you back $56,990, with lenses ranging in price from $8,990 to $11,990. More information on the Phase One XT and how to book a demo can be found on their website.