101 Million Light Wells

When I started in photography as an amateur, I had a three-megapixel camera. At the time, it was a marvel of technology. Three whole megapixels. Now, you'd feel insulted to find that few in your mobile phone. Almost 20 years later, I've broken the 100-megapixel barrier. I've started working with the Phase One IQ4 trichromatic sensor, which has 101-megapixels and is optimised for accurate colour rendition. I used the IQ3 trichromatic back when I was in Chile last year and was utterly captivated by its abilities. I'm excited to be using its successor for my upcoming islands project.

The IQ4 and the Alpa

I use the 101-megapixel back on an Alpa 12 TC camera, which allows me to use large format lenses. These are optically the absolute best lenses you can get. Zero distortion, zero aberrations, and zero money left in your bank account after purchase. But let's be honest, there's no point using a 101-megapixel marvel like the IQ4 with anything else. It's been wonderful to work with these beautifully crafted lenses on the Alpa-Phase One combination. I feel a real connection with them. They make me excited to go out and take photographs. They add to my experience, rather than subtracting from it. Shouldn't we all feel that way about our equipment?