Would a half frame camera be good for portraits?

faberryman · Dec 11, 2021

Tell me again what is wrong with tracking down a short telephoto for your Pentax MV?

Sirius Glass · Dec 11, 2021

faberryman said:
Tell me again what is wrong with tracking down a short telephoto for your Pentax MV?

No complaints from me. If you want it, will use it, and get enjoyment from it, then certainly you should find one and buy it for yourself.

gone · Dec 11, 2021

This helps a great deal. Thank you. I knew it would be more complicated w/ that lens selection. Just like with full frame 35mm cameras, once you get away from 50mm lenses (or their equivalent) and start looking at fast short tele lenses, the budget goes out the window. I definitely need one though, especially when running around w/ people my age. Sharp Zeiss-glass won't work for that. Half frame might turn out to be too expensive, despite the savings in film costs.

Sirius Glass · Dec 11, 2021

momus said:
This helps a great deal. Thank you. I knew it would be more complicated because just like with the the full frame 35mm cameras, once you get away from 50mm lenses (or their equivalent) and start looking at fast short tele lenses, the budget goes out the window. I definitely need one though, especially when running around w/ people my age. Sharp Zeiss-glass won't work for that. Half frame might turn out to be too expensive, despite the savings in film costs.

When there was only film, the camera cost was eventually exceeded by the cost of film and processing. That is still probably true for film cameras. For digital cameras, the costs for cameras, lenses, accessories, software, computers et al now drive the costs and shutter activations have little or no impact on costs.

gone · Dec 11, 2021

Well, back to a little Pentax MV or similar model. I might be able to find a reasonably priced short tele for one of those.

Huub · Dec 12, 2021

A 85mm f2 would set you back for aorund 200 $ or €, a f1.8 of the same focal length is about the double. The 105mm f2.8 can be had for around 100, the 135mm f3.5 for less then half of that. The 135mm f2.5 will costs about 150. All are excellent lenses.

removed account4 · Dec 12, 2021

Les Sarile said:
Having the Konica Auto-Reflex - which can switch between full and half frame at any point on the roll, it is easy to tell that the 50mm lens is still a 50mm lens except that the field of view is cropped.

What a fantastic idea for a camera ! and I thought I was being inventive suggesting the OP look at Vaughn's dark slides for inspiration and block off 1/2 of his skylight filter
Thanks for posting this !
John

Les Sarile · Dec 13, 2021

jnantz said:
What a fantastic idea for a camera ! and I thought I was being inventive suggesting the OP look at Vaughn's dark slides for inspiration and block off 1/2 of his skylight filter
Thanks for posting this !
John

I'm with you and think it's a fantastic feature but as far as I know, it's the only camera that does this. Or is it?

Would a half frame camera be good for portraits?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency