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Crashing this 80-megapixel drone camera is a $60K mistake
Phase One has debuted what it's calling "the world's smallest" 80-megapixel medium format camera. The Phase One iXU 180 weighs just two pounds and its body is barely bigger than the Schneider-Kreuznach lense it's attached to. That means the entire rig is light enough to fit aboard the gyroscopes of most commercially available quadcopters and ultralight UAVs. What's more, the IR-capable iXU 180 can be employed as either a standalone device akin to a GoPro or as part of a multi-camera array.
According to Gizmag, the iXU 180 will sport a $60,000 price tag -- and that's just for the body, lenses are extra -- meaning it isn't geared for weekend pilots. Instead, Phase One envisions professional photographers, government agencies and enterprise users for applications like generating high-resolution 3D city models or conducting aerial surveys in remote regions. Either way, you're going to want to make sure that you're piloting skills are up to snuff before sending 60 grand's worth of camera equipment into the wild blue yonder.
