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Choosing a Medium Format Camera
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Hey guys.
Me again. This time with a real film photography related question. Im thinking about buying a medium format camera. Ive used them before and I really like them, but Ive no idea what to look for when buying one these days. If I’d a point to start from to find I’d be real happy, any pointers or yelling (as long as its constructive) is welcome.
Thanks
Dave
Hi Dave,
I have a few different types of medium format cameras and could meet you some weekend and show you them. You could shoot off a few rolls of film to get a feel for the cameras.
Let me know what you think.
Peter
Im now loving my Pentax K1000, Cheaper on ebay! not a one tiny dust on it! :-D
Took myself at the mirror
thefizz wrote:
Hi Dave,
I have a few different types of medium format cameras and could meet you some weekend and show you them. You could shoot off a few rolls of film to get a feel for the cameras.
Let me know what you think.
Peter
That’d be fantastic! Ive only used some really old ones in college so my knowledge of them is pretty limited. I’ll have to arrange something with you for some weekend when Im free.
johnnycorcoran wrote:
Im now loving my Pentax K1000, Cheaper on ebay! not a one tiny dust on it! :-D
I like Pentax, my first real camera was a 35mm Pentax, a Z-10 if I remember properly. Its in my back room in a bag, she dont work to well no more. But isnt the K1000 a 35mm?
yup
johnny – thats 35mm !Hi Dave,
I bought into a medium format system a few years ago, and still adding to it tbh.
the system i went for was the MAMIYA 645. it was a toss up between that and the PENTAX 645.
after reading a few reviews the MAMIYA was a better overall system but the PENTAX has better glass
in general.as the MAMIYA system is 100% modular from the Super to the Pro TL the backs, winders and meters can
be interchanged. the lenses can be changed from the earlier M645 bodies right up to the last PRO TL.i am constantly on the look out for new “bits” for it. the current line up is:
Super Body,
Winder,
Power drive grip,
Prism finder [non metered],
120/220 Film backs X3,
120 film inserts X3,
220 film inserts X2
Electronic Cable release
Sekor 55mm f2.8 lens,
Sekor 80mm f2.8 lens,
Sekor 150mm f4 lens [all 58mm filter thread]its easy to accumulate various parts as it is a modular system, like the PENTAX, BRONICA and ROLLEI.
A lot of people will also recommend skipping out the 645 format and going for the larger 67 format.
Mamiya do a v.good and vast 6×7 format system. the downsides for this system is the gear is a lot
more expensive than the smaller format and you use more film :shock:I would have liked to have gone for the larger format but I recon I would have 4 times more money spent
on the same amount of gear.what I love about the modular system is the fact that I can shoot 3 different films just by changing the
backs from frame to frame, one minute shooting colour the next shooting mono!best of luck with the hunt and most of all – – – enjoy!
oh i also had the BRONICA ETRS 645 system and did not like it! it was very “flimsy” and “plasticy” and tbh
didnt like the leaf shutter lenses.now the BRONICA SQ 6X6 format seems to be a beautiful system and something I would love to buy into
in the future . . . but again its a lot more expensive.the square format is just such a lovely format.
obviously there are lots of other Medium Format cameras to be used and enjoyed like
6×6 format TLR’s
645, 6×7, 6×8, 6×9 rangefinders… and sorry forgot to mention the inexpensive Russian gear,
Kiev’s and Zenit’sHi edg3, I have a couple of MF cameras, my main is an etrsi with 75/105/150 and a 2x and I just ordered a 50mm from ebay last week,which cost about €150 delivered. I aslo have an etr body which I got on adverts with the 105 lens for €100. Overall it’s not that expensive a system, all mentioned above cost about €750 and that included a metered prism finder and cromatek hood and a sca for a metz flash. I also have a yashica 124G TLR, 6×6 with a sweet lens, old and could do with a cleaning but really enjoyable to use,€70 on ads. Lubitel 166U TLR,as simple as they come,cheap as chips,takes 6×6 or some come with an adapter for 645. I also have a Kiev 88 but I wouldn’t recommend them,liable to break as mine did mid roll,expensive to get fixed,especially if you have to send to Russia. If you wan’t to test the water without too much of an out lay,the Lubitel would be my choice,under €50, no meter but most MF’s don’t in the body anyway, tons available and lots of info available online. The 166U for me,it has the sync for flash where some don’t,and it will fire at all speeds. Hope that’s given you some idea’s,I mentioned the prices I paid to give you an idea, I’m not selling:)
A year ago all of what you just said would have made my headspin, and oddly Im surprised its nto right now. I’ll have to look up the models but the rest I pretty much understand. I’d live a 6×6 I really like the square prints, theres just something about them you cant get from digital.
I had my eye on some old Russian equipment but its being sold by a Canadian company and I’d be stung on import duty. Its not new, but its good as new.
Also thanks Aoluain for the run down, thats a real nice kit you have built up there.
Right now Im weighing up my options, but they mostly revolve around money. I’m just back to college so funds are a bit tight but if I managed to get the basics I’d be happy and it’d be something I’d add to over the coming years. I love digital but film just has something to it you cant get from digital. As my tutor says, B&W is the only true form of photography, color is added in afterwards :) and I think if you dont have a grasp of film photography your digital will suffer. Gimme an old scratched and dusty pentax-a over an L series anyday if you want feeling instead of sharpness :)all you need to get started with a modular system is a body, film back, lens and finder of some sort!
Few things to consider, namely form and format. Re: form, MF cameras come in many, and can ultimately decide useability for you. Your choice is mainly between slr’s, rangefinders, twin lens reflexes and non-rangefinder folding cameras. Format-wise, the common formats will be 6×4.5, 6×6, 6×7 & 6×9, with less common formats being 6×8 and the panorama formats like 6×12 & 6×17. Luckily, pretty much everything accepts 120 film, with the format simply deciding the number of frames you get, and the aspect ratio.
My personal weakness is for 6×6, as I find nothing as beautiful as a contact sheet of 12 6×6 images, as well as generally liking the square format. 6×7 is probably the best format for printing as it fits many of the more common sizes of paper well with only very minimal cropping, and 6×9 would make the transition to medium format easy enough format-wise if one is a 35mm shooter. Just bear in mind the bigger the format, the bigger the camera can be, and also many enlargers only go up to 6×7.
Myself, I have a Rolleicord TLR currently and a Hasselblad in the past, but whereas I loved the format, I did not really get on with the camera forms, as a rangefinder/ folder is more my style. Most people will be likewise, and will not get on with certain forms of MF cameras for the shooting they favour, so do try before you look at buying.
EDIT: Re: models, the below are a few of the different models/ brands for each format off the top of my head:
645: Pentax (slr), Mamiya (slr), Bronica (rf), Fuji (rf), Contax (slr)
6×6: TLR’s – lots, with Rollei, Yashica & the Mamiya at the fore. Bronica SQ (slr), Hasselblad (6×6). Folders – lots, from pretty much all manufacturers. Mamiya 6 (rf), Bessa III (rf)
6×7: Mamiya 7 (rf), Fuji 670 (rf), Bessa III (rf), Plaubel Makina (rf). Pentax 6×7 (slr), Mamiya RZ (slr), Mamiya RB (slr)
6×9: Folders – lots, with many manufacturers.Good luck with what you choose in the end by the way.
Almost all recent medium format system cameras are professional tools, so it’ll come down to handling (and servicing), budget and processing requirements. If you want a cheap way in, an old (amateur) TLR might also work for you and those are restricted in what they can do, but nevertheless quite lovely; I took e.g. this portrait with an old Ciro-Flex I bought for €8 somewhere:
I personally also like the Bronica SQ(A) series; quite an affordable system, recent, versatile and no cult-camera prices on their excellent lenses.
I thought I managed to get out of MF almost completely years ago, but I do have relapses, buying a nice 6×6 Agfa-folder to keep in my pocket and if, like me, you’re really bored on a rainy Sunday, you can always make your own, like e.g. this one, which is now my “Hasselblad SWC replacement” :May I be the first to say, that is one seriously cool camera! Very nice job.
Thank you, Damien; I’m sorry if that hijacked the thread a bit.
Edit: Dave: Check out the pre-release price of the new “Bel-Air 6-12” (6×6, 6×9, 6×12 all-in-one, AE, plus two lenses!….Seriously nice features, other than only offering f8 and f16 though..but soon the camera-hacks will remedy that , too :)
Carsten
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