What Medium Format Camera to Use - Weddings

As a videographer, the last time I worked with a photographer using a Hasselblad 6x6, or any 6x6 for that matter was about 4-5 years ago. There has been one occasion 2 years ago where I can into a guy shooting pre-wedding formals at a popular location using an older 500C with an old chrome 80mm lens; They might have been the standard at one time but not now. Now the top guys and ladies doing the high end weddings or commercial work are shooting digital backed 645's, even 6x7's. (Check out Next Top Model on TV). The so to say lower priced wedding shooters are using 35mm Canon's, Nikons or Fuji's. I have learned in talking to photographers that the typical 9 to 5 couple want cheap, and big enlargements are rarely ordered unless shooting a wedding costing several thousand dollars, not the typical young couples price range of $800 to $1300. Even at that I have seen only 35mm DSLR's used for the more expensive weddings I have been to. If you are intent on a non D camera your best bet probably for a one camera setup would be a 645 with auto focus at the top of the heap. Personally I think your competitive advantage with be with a MF camera for the formals and altar returns and 35mm for everything else. If your client's have money add a photographer/assistant with a 35mm camera and you use a MF setup for the important stuff and another 35mm camera.

In my replies I assumed the originator of this thread was seeking info. on film equipment as this is an analogue site. It is true that I am rather long in the tooth but I also believe 'if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it'. Hasselblad in their wisdom have given users the means to go digital with existing equipment but at what cost - £5000 and up, and for what? Slightly more convenient maybe, but certainly no improvement in quality.
Anyway Eunice, did you just start this thread to sit back and watch the fireworks, or have you come to any conclusions?

eddym said:

Yeah, I know. But it has flatness problems. And I'd prefer a film width somewhere between 35mm and 120.
Boy, am I ever daydreaming!

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127 has flatness problems?

Perhaps you don't know what 127 film is?

I just found 14 rolls of Efke 100 in the back of my fridge. Time to haul the Yashica 44 out again.

The 44 is 4cm x 4cm. Somewhere between 135 and 120 film.

tim in san jose

For such things as wedding photography, it is hard to beat an RB (which I have used) or RZ67.

Well,
I have shot about an equal number of weddings with TLR, then switched to Hasselblad.

I am always cognizant that I am a guest "in the house", so to speak. So, I make a point of talking to the clergy, and asking them "Hope I didn't interfere or make too much noise". I'm using a 500CM from the back, during the ceremony.

Interestingly, not ONE has ever said I was excessively noisy. The standard reaction (fifty weddings later) is, "I didn't even know you were back there". Good enuf.

I would recommend a Pentax 645n2 with 45-85 zoom and an optional 80-160 but that may not be truly necessary. With the 45-85 you can focus down to a couple of feet. The camera has autofocus and also audible in focus LCD when using manual or autofocus, clear dials, excellent metering, is TTL flash capable with 3rd party and Pentax dedicated units, is comfortable to use over a long period takes 120 and 220 insets. Downside no interchangeable backs

Takes excellent images blow to 20x24in or even larger dependent on film used
I have used Mamiya manual cameras for weddings they are excellent too but are much slower to use- their zoom is 55-110 and min focus is about 5 feet - not close enough when doing candids

Hope this helps

k_jupiter said:

127 has flatness problems?

Perhaps you don't know what 127 film is?

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Ooops, sorry, I thought you had said 126.