can you tell me about medium format?

[nikon90s]

I know nothing about this format can someone tell me a little about it :roll:

 

[oriecat]

Umm... it's bigger than 35 mm, so the negs are bigger, so the quality of enlargements is finer? Heck, that's about all I know! Next!

 

[voodoocat]

Well medium is in the middle of the designated formats.

35mm is small
6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9 are medium formats. Medium format uses roll film and the #s are in cm.
Large format is 4x5, 8x10 and up and the #'s are in inches. They use sheets of film.

645 and 6x6 are the most popular of the format. The larger film captures quite a bit more detail. It allows you to also enlarge photos much larger than 35mm.

I'm sure others will add more.

 

[manda]

They are a bugger to load!

 

[voodoocat]

not as easy to load as 35mm...

but I'm sure a Holga is going to be tougher to load than an SLR or TLR.

 

[e_]

 
...a few more things:

* an advantage with medium format cameras (MF) is their interchangeable backs - film is loaded into a separate compartment which then clicks/attaches onto the camera. This enables you to change film type at any time, say, from B&W to colour neg or transparency, even Polaroid, halfway through a roll

* Digital backs may also be used (horrendously expensive!) and the image directly downloaded to computer for instant viewing and "save"

* MF cameras have leaf shutters in their lens (or the option of) which are simpler to use with flash - no limitations with sync' speed

* MF cameras have a choice of viewing systems - including waist level viewfinders, prism viewfinders, rotary finders and interchangeable viewing screens (only some 35mm cameras have these options)

* There are also SLR-MF cameras with all the above features

* TLR (twin lens reflex) MF cameras do not have interchangeable film backs and, except for the Mamiya C330, do not have interchangeable lenses

* Some disadvantages are - their weight, no TTL metering, extra cost per shot and they do not have the range of lenses and accessories available for 35mm cameras

Until the advent of digital, MF cameras were the mainstay of studio and professional shooters

These days good second hand models are available at reasonable cost

I had fun learning about them and using them when training, but haven't picked one up for years



e_

 

[voodoocat]

...except for the Mamiya C330, do not have interchangeable lenses

Actually, there are Rolleiflex models that have interchangable lenses. For the Yashicamat, there is a telephoto and wide angle lens. It might be more of a converter, not sure...

 

[Westone]

Hello
I used a Pentex 6X7 for a couple of years. I sold it and went back to my 35mm Nikkor gear. Reason? I found that the prints from my Nikkor gear gave me as good a print as the larger negs. 90% of my wall prints are 11X14. I have many at 16X20, and a few much larger. All from the 35mm format. With slow film, a good tripod and cable release, the 35mm from a good camera will be hard to beat. If you check out the price of the gear for the larger format ..... well ..... if your going to do huge prints, it might be worth the expense. Good luck

Chuck

 

[MDowdey]

Expensive as hell!!!

leave that to the big boys i will... hey that sounded like yoda. awesome.



md

 

[nikon90s]

Westone,
I will try and blow up one and look for my self, I just got a roll of 135 speed film and they are getting developed as i type. I used a tripod but don't have a cable release yet. I have looked at getting one but the only one I found that would work with my N90s costs over $80.00 and for a cable release i just had to let that one soak in for a few days then look on the net for a cheaper one. I will let you all know how my experiment works out.
nikon

 

[chris]

If you don't have a cable release then use the self timer - if you don't need to to take a shot at a precise moment then it should be at least as good as a cable release for preventing unwanted vibration of the camera.

 

[e_]

 

...except for the Mamiya C330, do not have interchangeable lenses

Actually, there are Rolleiflex models that have interchangable lenses. For the Yashicamat, there is a telephoto and wide angle lens. It might be more of a converter, not sure...

...thanks for picking me up on that, voodoocat

Nice one!



e_

 

[Shutter Bug]

Since we're on the subject...can anyone tell me some prices on an SLR style MF camera? Which brands offer that kind and about how much do they go for? What about the lenses and such? Approximate prices on those? And also, how do the focal lengths work in MF? I have yet to figure out the equivilant angle-of-views between MF and 35mm. Thanks!

 

[voodoocat]

Well an 80mm lens in MF is equivilent to a 50mm lens in medium format. There are a lot of SLR MF cameras available. Hasselblad, Mamiya, Bronica, Kowa and Rollei. Prices are pretty expensive. You have the body, roll film back, viewfinder (generally without a meter unless you spend a lot), and lenses.

Expect to pay anywhere from ~$400 for a Kowa 6 with an 85mm lens. On the upper end you could spend $2-4k for a Hasselblad with one lens. And then lenses cost anywhere from $500-$3k a piece.

 

[e_]

 
Hello shutterbug

...i trained on a Bronica MF-SLR but, having little work experience with this type of camera and no use for one, have not kept up with prices & trends

Here's a 3-page result from GOOGLE that might assist until someone more knowledgeable comes along(*)

http://www.google.com/search?q="SLR+Medium+Format+cameras"

Note - you will need to copy & paste that URL into your browser, i could not get it to populate correctly in BBCode

Best wishes!



e_

(*) EDIT: someone did - just while i'ze typing. lol