Landscapes with medium format

rayonline_nz · Oct 25, 2019

Althou as an amateur I do a bit more, I think I am more into landscapes and cityscapes. I have upgraded to medium format a few years and I really enjoy it. RB67 with a Hasselbald 500CM. Been doing thinking now as the weather here is starting to warm up ... and maybe due to age that I might see things more efficient or aligned.

I enjoy these cameras however ... both of them were not that popular with landscapes even back in the film days. The Pentax 67 would be more common?

I clearly see that the RB67 is such a nice camera to use say indoors or outside if they had assistants, super large viewfinder and it is cheap. Maybe it is cheap that many people see it as not user friendly. The Hasselblad is a more more manageable but I find the square format is more towards abstract and fine art and maybe lifestyle, portraits, documentary type, or just the amateur having some off work time with a camera he likes expressing their creativity.

One could use the RB67 is they were not walking around too much or staying outside that long but it may not be that suitable as a travel / landscape camera ie you might be away from home living in a hotel / motel for a few weeks kinda thing.

What is more clear is an 617 system for those wide sweeping views but those are so expensive.

Like to hear your thoughts. Cheers.

BrianShaw · Oct 25, 2019

I think you are being too hard on square format.

etn · Oct 25, 2019

The fact that Hasselblads have been widely used by fashion photographers does not mean they cannot excel at anything else. The same goes for other models (e.g, Pentax 6x7, which Peter Lindbergh used)

6x6 works very well for landscape. Look for instance at Michael Kenna’s works.
6x7 surely works too (I never went into that format, as my slide projector only does 6x6...)

I think it’s all about finding a format your vision feels comfortable with, regardless of the camera... for me it’s 6x6 (regardless of subject - I do a lot of landscapes too!) From your post it seems that you are more attracted to wide panoramas, so give it a try. I’m unfortunately at the other end of the world otherwise I would have suggested to meet for you to try my Xpan!

Enjoy experimenting

baachitraka · Oct 25, 2019

6x6 is very nice for landscapes...

ParkerSmithPhoto · Oct 25, 2019

The 6x4.5 back for the Hassy is almost exactly a 5x7 ratio, with 16 shots per roll. Great for landscapes!

logan2z · Oct 25, 2019

BrianShaw said:
I think you are being too hard on square format.

+1

Many great landscape photographers shot in square format. Robert Adams and Fay Godwin spring to mind. Godwin used a Hasselblad.

Frank53 · Oct 25, 2019

You have the best camera’s for almost any subject, but “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”
So do what you feel is right, but don’t ask us, because that won’t make it any easier for you
Regards,
Frank

rayonline_nz · Oct 25, 2019

etn said:
6x6 works very well for landscape. Look for instance at Michael Kenna’s works.
I do a lot of landscapes too!) From your post it seems that you are more attracted to wide panoramas, so give it a try. I’m unfortunately at the other end of the world otherwise I would have suggested to meet for you to try my Xpan!

Enjoy experimenting

I have seen Michael McKenna on Youtube. He is more into the black and white, gallery fine arts type if you get my drift right. Yes, you could be right I may be into wide sweeping panoramas. I have shot mostly color slide film for the saturation. I generally shoot in sunrise and sunset and not much in between. The colors goes pop and goes wild. The cost of XPANs and 617s are sooooo expensive. If I am not mistaken I think the XPAN cost more than 617 prob due to it's more portable size and built in light meter.

Dan Daniel · Oct 25, 2019

Both of the cameras you have use a ground ground glass viewfinder system. Are you using a waist level finder for both? Have you tried a prism with the Hasselblad to get a more traditional look-through, eye level type of viewing without reversal? I imagine such a prism for the RB67 would be very heavy.

Maybe you are more comfortable with a rangefinder-type viewfinder? Fuji GW690 or GSW690 might be worth a look.

There isn't any 'best' camera in an absolute sense. What works for some people won't work for others. Always difficult to know when I am looking at new gear how much there is a real problem with the equipment I have and how much I am just distracting myself from lack of focus in actually photographing.

RalphLambrecht · Oct 25, 2019

rayonline_nz said:
Althou as an amateur I do a bit more, I think I am more into landscapes and cityscapes. I have upgraded to medium format a few years and I really enjoy it. RB67 with a Hasselbald 500CM. Been doing thinking now as the weather here is starting to warm up ... and maybe due to age that I might see things more efficient or aligned.

I enjoy these cameras however ... both of them were not that popular with landscapes even back in the film days. The Pentax 67 would be more common?

I clearly see that the RB67 is such a nice camera to use say indoors or outside if they had assistants, super large viewfinder and it is cheap. Maybe it is cheap that many people see it as not user friendly. The Hasselblad is a more more manageable but I find the square format is more towards abstract and fine art and maybe lifestyle, portraits, documentary type, or just the amateur having some off work time with a camera he likes expressing their creativity.

One could use the RB67 is they were not walking around too much or staying outside that long but it may not be that suitable as a travel / landscape camera ie you might be away from home living in a hotel / motel for a few weeks kinda thing.

What is more clear is an 617 system for those wide sweeping views but those are so expensive.

Like to hear your thoughts. Cheers.

can only speak to the Hasselblad 500;it is a very efficient landscape camera n combination with the 50mm lens.

jeffreyg · Oct 25, 2019

Plus 1 on the Hasselblad and 50mm. I use mine with any of the focal length lenses. For me it depends on the distance from the subject and the square format gives you the ability to crop vertical or horizontal not having to rotate the camera for the original shot.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureandphotography.com/

GLS · Oct 25, 2019

Another vote here for 6x6 being fine for landscapes; I use my 501CM all the time for such work.

As others have mentioned, 6x9 is an option is you want something wider. The Fuji rangefinders have very good optics by all accounts, if you don't mind being limited to a rangefinder and one or two focal lengths. The Mamiya 7 is also a highly regarded option for 6x7, but is an expensive system to get into.

617 is great for certain types of landscape photography, but I imagine it is very difficult to compose with in most situations.

Trail Images · Oct 25, 2019

If you have an RB already you can always do multiple shots and use a stitching program to make a full size panoramic. As long as you keep the camera level on all points during the sweep and verify the nodal point you can make huge images. I just did a recent take that was 13,000 pixels on the long side. I have done slightly bigger too but the PC starts to gag on such megapixel sizes.

ic-racer · Oct 25, 2019

rayonline_nz said:
The Hasselblad is a more more manageable but I find the square format is more towards abstract and fine art and maybe lifestyle, portraits, documentary type, or just the amateur having some off work time with a camera he likes expressing their creativity.

narsuitus · Oct 25, 2019

rayonline_nz said:
I have upgraded to medium format a few years and I really enjoy it. RB67 with a Hasselbald 500CM. Been doing thinking now as the weather here is starting to warm up ...

I have used 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9cm medium format cameras. I prefer the 6x6 for general subjects, the 6x7 for portraits, and the 6x9 for landscapes.

Where are you that has warming weather at this time of year?

Dan Daniel · Oct 25, 2019

A very good free panorama editing program is Hugin if the OP wants to mess around with making some. Although being level and rotating around the nodal point is always best, today's panorama programs do pretty nice work even with handheld panoramas. Sure, 2 meter by 8 meter wall print will not be a reasonable thing to aim for, but for most of us getting close will give good results.

http://hugin.sourceforge.net/

etn · Oct 25, 2019

rayonline_nz said:
If I am not mistaken I think the XPAN cost more than 617 prob due to it's more portable size and built in light meter.

I think that all Hasselblads are hyped at the moment, particularly the Xpan indeed!

etn · Oct 25, 2019

rayonline_nz said:
I have shot mostly color slide film for the saturation. I generally shoot in sunrise and sunset and not much in between. The colors goes pop and goes wild.

Medium format slides are sooooo beautiful! What do you do with your slides? Project? Scan? Print?
Projection is probably the most limiting factor. 6x7 projectors are rare and incredibly expensive. Good deals can be found on 6x6. (That's one reason why I stick to 6x6... the other is that I love the square format, really "feel at home" with it)

Paul Howell · Oct 25, 2019

AA shot with many landscapes with a Hasselblad, I shoot with 6X9 rangefinder and 6X6 TLR and SLR what I like about the 6X6 is that I can crop 6X4.5 for 8X10 and 11X14 horizontal or vertical without fussing with the camera. Although I have 6X7 back for my Mamiya Universal I don't use it much.

MattKing · Oct 25, 2019

From a single, cropped 6 x 4.5 slide:

Dennis-B · Oct 25, 2019

This was taken with a Mamiya 645 Pro TL, 45mm lens -

Sal Santamaura · Oct 25, 2019

narsuitus said:
...Where are you that has warming weather at this time of year?

As his profile and the last two characters of his user ID ought make clear, Ray's in Wellington, New Zealand.

destroya · Oct 25, 2019

I have a lot of the 120 formats. I am primarily shoot landscapes. For tripod work, I use a pentax 67 and a fuji 617. the pentax is great as it has many lenses, is built like a tank and has a shutter that sounds like the tank fired a huge shot. the 617 for special occasions. when I hike and shoot handheld, I have a mamiya 6 a fuji gsw680 and gw690. all 3 are great handheld and give great results. the mamiya is mainly a slide film shooter as i have a 6x6 projector. the larger fuji for B&W for printing. the Mamiya is my favorite travel camera as its easy to crop and gives great results with a so so built in meter. all my landscape shots use a separate meter.

dont think you can go wrong with any of the choices. the camera is just a tool, and all of your choices can give amazing prints.

pbromaghin · Oct 25, 2019

St Ansel used both a Super Ikonta and Hasselblad 500c in 6x6. Moon over Half-dome for example.

papagene · Oct 25, 2019

Any camera can be used for landscape work. I use 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9 formats for my landscape photography.

Landscapes with medium format

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Landscapes with medium format

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