Considering Medium format

[lxdude]

I used to shoot 35mm, 100% of the time. I had a F3, two F4's and F5, the fastest f/1.4 and f/2.8 glass I could afford. Then one day I bought an RZ67 on impulse with a 80mm/2.8 and 120 back. After my first roll of Kodachrome came back I was amazed at the detail and tonality that I could never dream of achieving with my Nikon system. All my films felt like they were alive, Velvia 50 was incredible, even TMax 3200 didn't seem grainy anymore, it took on a totally different look.

One of my regrets is I didn't shoot MF in the years 120 Kodachrome and processing were available.

 

[Mike645]

Can I put in a good word for the good old-fashioned folding rangefinder - 6x9 or 6x6 - lots of them around, the quality marques all had quality lenses and shutters, a nice example cla'd and a good second-hand working exposure meter and off you go to get some candids, landscapes, sports stuff or whatever. Lenses are in most cases not interchangeable, some have screw on wides/teles. Light, easy to carry, unobtrusive and a joy to work with - although you may have to wind on the film, cock the shutter and set the aperture manually.... but it ain't that tiring and takes only seconds with some practice.
You could always pick one up and try it - and if you don't like, sell it again... I use cameras from a 5x4 monorail to a Sony A77 with slr 645s and tlr 6x6s in between, but I always have my old Ensign 12-20 (F3.5 Ross Xpress lens) in the car along with a small Nikon digital just in case... But I'm biased, I like photography the way it used to be when I started out at the age of 8 with a Kodak brownie 127 and an overlly optimistic opinion of my talents and a "darkroom" in te cupboard under the stairs... that was 60 years ago... I'm still learning... Whatever you decide, let your imagination and creativity rule... THAT's the important thing. Good luck, Mike E W