Why do you shoot medium format?

[Lajos]

I started film photography with minolta srt's and films over ISO400 are really got grainy. I like some grain but not if it destroys the image. Few months ago I decided to sell it and bought Mamiya 645 Pro TL. It was a dream to see the high quality images even with higher ISO. The grain is settle and gives mood. I think medium format is the most versatile if you want quality but still somewhat compact equipment.

 

[pdeeh]

Has anyone said "because 120 film won't fit my 35mm cameras" yet? (not read the thread as you can see)
Because if they haven't, I'd like to be the first.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG

 

[LeftCoastKid]

the step from 35 to MF is a gigantic leap in image quality. the next step to 4x5 is not of the same magnitude.

+1. And, perhaps more importantly, Hasselblad, as far as I know, never manufactured a large format SLR...

 

[Sirius Glass]

If you need a large format SLR use a Graflex Model D.

 

[RattyMouse]

I've completely lost interest in 35mm. Medium format enlarges better, has more tonality, can be contact printed as a final result, and doesn't have too many frames per roll. I love my Rolleiflex, and I also love my Lomo Belair, despite all its legion of quirks (or perhaps because of them).

Arent you a Contax guy (35mm)? Or do I have yo confused with someone else. From memory I recall you having a rather extensive amount of Contax gear. Lost interest in it all?

 

[RattyMouse]

Why not just go all the way to 4x5? Is MF really that much of an improvement over 135? Just meant to be a discussion thread to gather your personal perspectives.

My MF camera fits nicely into a jacket pocket. Can a 4 x 5?

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Arent you a Contax guy (35mm)? Or do I have yo confused with someone else. From memory I recall you having a rather extensive amount of Contax gear. Lost interest in it all?

I was a Contax guy. I still have my G2 and lenses for it, and an RTS III with 50mm. But they're gathering dust. They're great for what they are, but I just don't shoot 35mm anymore because the small size and the 36 per roll thing. I much prefer the 12 or 6 per roll I get on 120.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Usually if I have to use a tripod I figure I might as well just use a 4x5, so I generally shoot either 35 or 4x5. I have had some medium format systems over the years, a Pentax 67 and a Rollei 6000. Never really used them much. I am thinking about getting another one just because I think medium format is great for portraits.

 

[Ai Print]

I think if you are going to print in the darkroom, in my experience MF is the best format.

I shoot plenty of 35mm and 4x5 but in terms of technical image quality that prints as big as your trays will ever handle and getting the best image in terms of overall impact, MF beats 35mm and 4x5 hands down n my use of them all. 4x5 and larger is a dust magnet, very hard to keep that film clean during the exposure and not very fast when working in quickly changing light. 35mm is super easy, fast, economical and compact to transport but printed above 16x20, even the finest grained films show their granular mosaic not that it always matters. The other downside to 35mm is you can not swap films around with the same camera like you can MF or LF without pulling the unfinished roll.

For me, photography is 90% impact / talent shown in the final image and 10% technical, if the latter is not being easily eclipsed by the former, then I am just not interested.

I have some fine images from 35mm and 4x5 but medium format tends to give me the best of both worlds and that leads to the best image impact overall.

 

[Sirius Glass]

If one needs to crop MF is forgiving and provides room; 35mm can be a tight squeeze without much room to play with.

 

[Paul Manuell]

Personally, I love using MF. I like that it's no more complicated than 35mm (at least in the case of my camera, a Pentax 645 NII) but feels like I'm using a 'real' camera. Love the weight and the slow, methodical way it forces me to work.
I'd really like to give 4x5 a go but would need someone to teach me one on one to do so, what with the complicated process and having to use a handheld light meter. Anyone bringing out a 4x5 with metered prism, I'd be there like a shot.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG

 

[Alan Gales]

Personally, I love using MF. I like that it's no more complicated than 35mm (at least in the case of my camera, a Pentax 645 NII) but feels like I'm using a 'real' camera. Love the weight and the slow, methodical way it forces me to work.
I'd really like to give 4x5 a go but would need someone to teach me one on one to do so, what with the complicated process and having to use a handheld light meter. Anyone bringing out a 4x5 with metered prism, I'd be there like a shot.

All the APUG 35mm camera owners who are interested in shooting medium format should read this. I completely agree. Loading film is a little different but after that medium format is really easy just like 35mm.

Shooting 4x5 is a different animal because of the sheet film. You have to be clean about loading your film holders and printing your negatives due to dust. Using an incident light meter for exposure is easy. You do have to know what you are doing with a spot meter but it isn't that hard either. A lot of people use an incident meter for large format. Most beginners shoot a 4x5 just like a smaller format camera and learn camera movements as they go. The Steve Simmons book Using the View Camera really helped me. It's very easy to understand and has plenty of photographs to help you. Also join Large Format Photography Forum. Ask about photographers in your area. I'm sure someone will take you out with their camera and show you how to use it before you drop down some of your own cash for a camera. Just buy them a pint after they show you.

http://arlib.press/adc-14860/1626540543

http://www.largeformatphotography.info

 

[Paul Manuell]

Welcome to APUG

Thank you

 

[Paul Manuell]

All the APUG 35mm camera owners who are interested in shooting medium format should read this. I completely agree. Loading film is a little different but after that medium format is really easy just like 35mm.

Shooting 4x5 is a different animal because of the sheet film. You have to be clean about loading your film holders and printing your negatives due to dust. Using an incident light meter for exposure is easy. You do have to know what you are doing with a spot meter but it isn't that hard either. A lot of people use an incident meter for large format. Most beginners shoot a 4x5 just like a smaller format camera and learn camera movements as they go. The Steve Simmons book Using the View Camera really helped me. It's very easy to understand and has plenty of photographs to help you. Also join Large Format Photography Forum. Ask about photographers in your area. I'm sure someone will take you out with their camera and show you how to use it before you drop down some of your own cash for a camera. Just buy them a pint after they show you.

http://arlib.press/adc-14860/1626540543

http://www.largeformatphotography.info

Thank you for your reply, very informative. With ref. spot metering; this is the mode I use virtually all the time, though obviously with my camera's built in meter rather than a hand held one.
And ref. loading the film; I actually enjoy the process of loading 120 compared to 35mm, there's just something about it which I can't really put into words, but if anyone reading this feels the same they'll know exactly what I mean.

 

[Sirius Glass]

All the APUG 35mm camera owners who are interested in shooting medium format should read this. I completely agree. Loading film is a little different but after that medium format is really easy just like 35mm.

Shooting 4x5 is a different animal because of the sheet film. You have to be clean about loading your film holders and printing your negatives due to dust. Using an incident light meter for exposure is easy. You do have to know what you are doing with a spot meter but it isn't that hard either. A lot of people use an incident meter for large format. Most beginners shoot a 4x5 just like a smaller format camera and learn camera movements as they go. The Steve Simmons book Using the View Camera really helped me. It's very easy to understand and has plenty of photographs to help you. Also join Large Format Photography Forum. Ask about photographers in your area. I'm sure someone will take you out with their camera and show you how to use it before you drop down some of your own cash for a camera. Just buy them a pint after they show you.

http://arlib.press/adc-14860/1626540543

http://www.largeformatphotography.info

Alan makes some very good points about 4"x5" photography.

My Hasselblad CX 503 with the PME 45° prism handles like a slightly larger 35mm camera.

 

[jgoody]

I am finding that if I am going to shoot film, often I want a bit more than 35mm quality -- MF seems like a sweet spot and yields images that are superior.

 

[Cholentpot]

Personally, I love using MF. I like that it's no more complicated than 35mm (at least in the case of my camera, a Pentax 645 NII) but feels like I'm using a 'real' camera. Love the weight and the slow, methodical way it forces me to work.
I'd really like to give 4x5 a go but would need someone to teach me one on one to do so, what with the complicated process and having to use a handheld light meter. Anyone bringing out a 4x5 with metered prism, I'd be there like a shot.

Good point. I'm using this argument and calling it my own from now on.

 

[c41]

I like the negatives from 120, the size, the number I get, the cost of the roll, the way I can process, store and enlarge it. Plus the many camera and lenses available that take it, their portability and the wide variety of film available at a manageable cost.

I looked into LF but I'd need a new camera, lenses, enlarger, developing equipment and even then I still wouldn't end up with a bigger photograph since my easel and trays and means to handle the paper would also need to increase.

For me 120 is absolutely the sweetest of sweet spots, I never looked at a 120 negative and wished it was bigger/had more detail.

I can see there is a huge appeal to LF but it's a /maybe I'd try it if they still have such a thing as retirement when I'm 70/ thing for me.

The only real gotcha with MF is the relative and really quite surprising lack of options for movements, that'd be nice, I live with cropping in their absence.

 

[Cholentpot]

I like the negatives from 120, the size, the number I get, the cost of the roll, the way I can process, store and enlarge it. Plus the many camera and lenses available that take it, their portability and the wide variety of film available at a manageable cost.

I looked into LF but I'd need a new camera, lenses, enlarger, developing equipment and even then I still wouldn't end up with a bigger photograph since my easel and trays and means to handle the paper would also need to increase.

For me 120 is absolutely the sweetest of sweet spots, I never looked at a 120 negative and wished it was bigger/had more detail.

I can see there is a huge appeal to LF but it's a /maybe I'd try it if they still have such a thing as retirement when I'm 70/ thing for me.

The only real gotcha with MF is the relative and really quite surprising lack of options for movements, that'd be nice, I live with cropping in their absence.

Try shooting a wedding on a 4x5. Or getting some snapshots of the family.

A 4x5 is great but it's like using a semi truck to move a single fridge. If I needed a fridge moved I can with a stretch do it in my 4 door car (135). Would be very hard and a pain but it can be done. A semi would be over kill. A minnie van (645) would work without too much trouble but a pickup truck (6x6 and larger) would be perfect.

 

[mshchem]

a Crown Graphic with a 16 exp film pack (no longer made) You can shoot almost as fast as a medium format camera.

Modern 6x6,6x7,6x9 are awesome. And with T grain film a 645 is an amazing camera.

Put a 35 mm camera on a tripod, lock up the mirror, use a cable release with T-max 100, Delta 100 etc. You would be amazed what can be done.

You need them ALL

 

[c41]

Try shooting a wedding on a 4x5. Or getting some snapshots of the family.

A 4x5 is great but it's like using a semi truck to move a single fridge. If I needed a fridge moved I can with a stretch do it in my 4 door car (135). Would be very hard and a pain but it can be done. A semi would be over kill. A minnie van (645) would work without too much trouble but a pickup truck (6x6 and larger) would be perfect.

I have noticed, since I started using MF a lot more, that 35mm photography has become more of a medium for trying out things that I subsequently return to with a MF camera to get the negative I end up printing.
I take the car out regularly to scope things out and return with the pickup Ute to get the fridge.
I'm guessing that some LF photographers might do much the same with the convenience of roll film/a MF camera.

a Crown Graphic with a 16 exp film pack (no longer made) You can shoot almost as fast as a medium format camera.

Modern 6x6,6x7,6x9 are awesome. And with T grain film a 645 is an amazing camera.

Put a 35 mm camera on a tripod, lock up the mirror, use a cable release with T-max 100, Delta 100 etc. You would be amazed what can be done.

You need them ALL

Is probably the right answer

The danger I see with LF is all the necessary additional equipment and process/practice that becomes a huge diversion from the plain just taking and making of a photograph.
I think for me personally, it would take a very specific project that just absolutely needed LF to drag me over to the 'large side'.

 

[Harry Stevens]

120! I have the pleasure of re-rolling it onto 620 spools for my Kodak 6X9 Sterling which I have not had the pleasure to use yet but I just really like using my Rolleiflex and Rolleicord VA but I enjoy 35mm for street be it point and shoot or Nikon F90.

 

[Vaughn]

...The danger I see with LF is all the necessary additional equipment and process/practice that becomes a huge diversion from the plain just taking and making of a photograph.
I think for me personally, it would take a very specific project that just absolutely needed LF to drag me over to the 'large side'.

Actually, it all just easily {warning -- an exaggeration!} becomes part of the process...not much different than any camera format. The spontaneity (IMO) comes at the moment of the decision to make the photograph -- not from the quickness at which the photograph was made.

But cameras are tools...and one's tools play a big part in how an image is crafted. One needs to pick the best tool for what one wants to create.

Edited to add: I don't like that last line of mine above. Much too dramatic, pushy and wrong (in many cases). One can do amazing things with whatever tools one has. Actually, it is great fun (and productive) to pick up a new (to you) type of camera and let it lead you to new types of images (going from 8x10 to a Diana camera, for example!)

Area of Temporay Refuge: carbon print from two Diana Camera negatives (film was greatly expired Kodak Tech Pan).