Will 645 give me "that medium format pop"?

[tomfrh]

I'm no expert either but my Pentax 645n makes much nicer images than my canon 35mm from the outset. They just look different.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Once I'm in the darkroom I curse anything roll film. I'm proficient at printing it either in color or black and white, but would far far far rather be working with sheet film instead. But in terms of shooting logistics, there are real advantages to switching up formats under relevant circumstances. And frankly, I don't see what square 6x6 really offers other than the fact you don't need to flip the camera sideways for a vertical composition. Might as well have something a little more compact and shoot 645 to begin with, though I personally prefer to scale up to at least 6x7 or preferably 6x9 when I am shooting MF. But everything is relative, esp the ergonomics you need and what size enlargements you hope to produce. For some people 645 is ideal. Might as well try it while so many bargains are still out there.

 

[Sirius Glass]

645 brings nothing to the party other than being a large 35mm wannabee, fakin' it but not makin' it. 6X6 not only does not need to be flipped on its side, 6X6 is also, according the Hasselblad advertizements, the prefect format. No camera manufacturer ever claimed that 645, 6X7, or 6X9 were the prefect format.

 

[daleeman]

I miss my Mamiya 1000S 645. Had lost of nice accessories. It was light, simple had a good CLA and really popped if that is the term of choice here.
Thinking I had to move up to a Hassy 500C/M I did, letting all my lenses, finders, etc go in one profitable sale to KEH. Then started going after the 500 C/M. Yes the glass is far better, but everything is heavier.
I have both the 645 back and the 6x6 backs and either one is fine.
Go get a 1000S and you will enjoy it.

 

[NJH]

One other quick point I remembered. Last summer I trekked up a mountain with an M6 loaded with Neopan and an M7 loaded with Velvia and I think 3 lenses. I worked out that the weight is about the same as my Bronica ETRS, 60mm & 150mm lenses and 2 film backs one loaded with slide film the other with B&W. I know its nothing to do with 'pop' or any other image attribute but sometimes just the basic requirement to work with more than 1 type of film tilts the balance between 35mm and medium format.

 

[Arklatexian]

Maybe it's the limited DoF you're referring to? Sharp main subject and blurry background which accentuates the feeling of depth?

I don't know if 645 will give you the results described above (I can only assume it will). I know 6x6 will if you do what Old-N-Feeble recommends and you can do it with a square formast, vertical format and a horzontal format, all from the same negative....regards!

 

[taomeister]

The jump from 35mm to 645 is much greater than the jump from 645 to 66/67. Doesn't matter if it's slide film or negatives, the tonality is so nice and addictive. 645 will give you that 'medium format pop' with most cameras shot wide-open / close to wide-open. I love my Fuji GA645zi just as much as shots from a Contax 645, but they are for very different purposes.

 

[gone]

The 3D thing comes from the lens you choose, not the format of the film. Use a Leica or Heliar lens.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

I disagree. To me, it seems that "3D" effect increases with film size. I think it's a matter of limited DoF plus smoother tonal transitions plus some lenses having rounder apertures... and a smaller factor is lens design.

 

[mweintraub]

I disagree. To me, it seems that "3D" effect increases with film size. I think it's a matter of limited DoF plus smoother tonal transitions plus some lenses having rounder apertures... and a smaller factor is lens design.

That's probably because the focal length is longer due to the film size.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

That's probably because the focal length is longer due to the film size.

Precisely... but the Angle of View is greater on large film for a given lens Focal Length. The point is AoV can be the same on various formats but the DoF will change along with tonal smoothness. Rounder apertures play a tertiary roll in out of focus areas as does lens design to a lesser degree. Of course, this is just my opinion.