Phase One IQ180

This is a medium format camera from Phase One, released in 2011, and it is built around one idea: resolution. The 80 megapixel sensor suits studio, product and fine art work where files must hold up at large sizes.

It is not built for speed. At up to 0.7 frames per second, with three autofocus points, it rewards planned setups and subjects that hold still.

Owning one is a commitment. It weighs about a kilogram and measures 153 x 128 x 184 mm, and it draws its lenses from the Mamiya 645 AF mount.

Detail is the whole point here. The 80 megapixel CCD medium format sensor produces files with plenty of scope for cropping and large prints, and the ISO 35 base setting suits bright, controlled light such as studio lighting or daylight.

The sensitivity range tops out at ISO 3200, so it is most at home in good light rather than dim interiors or night work.

The working pace matches that character. A maximum of 0.7 frames per second keeps you composing frame by frame, with only three autofocus points available, so portraits, products and landscapes fit better than anything that moves quickly. The 1/10000 top shutter speed can freeze fast motion when the light allows.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so steadiness comes from your technique, a fast shutter or a tripod. The Mamiya 645 AF mount gives access to a line of lenses built for this format.

The IQ180 does not record video at all. Every part of it serves the single job of capturing high resolution stills.

There is no built-in timelapse mode either, so any moving-image project will need other equipment.

The rear screen is the most modern feature here. A 3.2 inch display with 1.15 million dots and touch control gives a crisp view for checking focus, and live view lets you compose without lifting the camera to your eye.

The screen is fixed in place, so high and low angles depend on repositioning yourself or the camera rather than tilting a display.

Wi-Fi is built in, but there is no Bluetooth. Flash work needs an external unit because none is built in, and GPS is absent too.

There is no weather sealing, so dust and moisture call for careful handling. The features score of 59 is modest, with the screen and live view scoring well while weather sealing and Bluetooth earn nothing, and it sits around the middle of cameras in our database for features.

Images go onto a single Compact Flash card. With 80 megapixel files, that means no second card running as a copy while you shoot, so packing spare cards is part of planning a shoot.

Power comes from six AA batteries, with a rated life of 800 shots. Treat that rating as a guide rather than a promise of real-world endurance, though spare cells are easy to carry.

There is no USB charging, so fresh cells or a spare set are the way through a long session. The storage and battery score of 35 is limited, and the single slot and missing charging option are where that shows.