The result of the short-term project was the Phase One IQ180, based on an 80mp sensor co-developed by Phase One and Dalsa. It raised the 1-min@ISO50 bar set by the Phase One P 65+ to 2-min@ISO35. The improvements were modest, but greatly appreciated by many photographers who found that 1 minute was just at the cusp of what they needed and 2 minutes was enough to placate most of their long exposure needs. But many landscape and architectural photographers needed much longer exposures still, and this would require much more than small tweaks. It would require a complete redesign, an entirely new technology, and close collaboration between the hardware, firmware, and software teams.
For the traveling photographer—or anyone who shoots in the field—the release of the iPad offered the possibility of a much lighter, easier field kit. Unfortunately, for the first few years of the iPad’s existence, the software did not exist to facilitate a pro-level workflow. Over the last few months, though, a few new apps have hit the store, and they’ve brought some important new post-production capabilities. Depending on your post needs, you might now be able to get away with taking only your camera and an iPad into the field.