Phase One P5 – A glimpse into the Leica S future?

[Leicaflex]

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Everyone is talking about the new Sony A9III with it‘s new Global Shutter sensor, but they were not the first to announce this tech in a „larger“ format camera. Phase One was actually a few days earlier with the announcement of the P5. A camera with a 128 MP global shutter sensor for arial photography. 
It uses the Sony IMX661 sensor, which interestingly has the dimensions of 46x32,9mm, large enough for the Leica Pro Format.

Wouldn‘t a mirrorless, shutterless Leica S4 with Global Shutter be a great next step? Maybe even with a new mount alliance between Phase One and Leica similar to the L-mount.

[irenedp]

Honestly… it depends. If Leica wants a camera for fashion photographers, maybe, because a MF would provide some advantages

If you use medium format for anything else … weddings, they have the Fuji. It’s just average but it’s dead cheap.  Landscape, art or product, I couldn’t care less for a global shutter. 

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[jankap]

Sony aims at the mass market, so they have to advertise aggressively. Phase One has its professional followers, they are informed or get informed otherwise.

[pcgarner]

Careful of seduction by the latest device.

[BernardC]

3 hours ago, Leicaflex said:

A camera with a 128 MP global shutter sensor for arial photography.

It's not meant for pictorial use, because of the usual global shutter issues.

It is a good fit for aerial photography because it resolves movement issues caused by the moving (flying) camera.

[Leicaflex]

The advantages of a global shutter sensor could fit very well to the profile of a medium format camera. Assuming the image quality is good enough.

Using a flash with every shutterspeed would be a great feature for all high end fashion or advertising photographers. 

There would be no need to develope complicated central shutter lenses and every adapted lens would benefit from the global shutter.

I‘m sure the Sony sensor is immensely expensive. But the price range of Leica S or Phase One cameras could be the right platform for this tech. And it would be a clear differentiation to the competition (Fuji, Hasselblad).

[irenedp]

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20 minutes ago, Leicaflex said:

The advantages of a global shutter sensor could fit very well to the profile of a medium format camera. Assuming the image quality is good enough.

Using a flash with every shutterspeed would be a great feature for all high end fashion or advertising photographers. 

There would be no need to develope complicated central shutter lenses and every adapted lens would benefit from the global shutter.

I‘m sure the Sony sensor is immensely expensive. But the price range of Leica S or Phase One cameras could be the right platform for this tech. And it would be a clear differentiation to the competition (Fuji, Hasselblad).

For fashion photographers, as I said, probably. For other types of photographer, no. 

I use two S and a Phase One. Obviously I don’t do fashion, but I am not interested whatsoever in a global shutter. 

[Leicaflex]

If the image quality restrictions could be solved, the global shutter would allow every kind of photography and would be beneficial in some. 

A S4 with a sensor, that makes a mechanical shutter in the body and a central shutter in lenses obsolete, would make it possible to reduce the flange distance and to mount any lens, even L-mount lenses.

I don‘t see the need for a global shutter in the SL3, because there are so many cheaper and good alternatives in form of very fast traditional sensors. But in the S it could make more sense, especially for a modern and new lens mount.