Medium format and TPF newbie...

[saldun70]

Hello all,

I'm writing from (rainy) Oxfordshire in the UK, where a Google search for a good medium and large format photo forum has landed me here.

I'm currently shooting 35mm digital and have a Nikon D700 with a couple of primes. The more I shoot, the more I feel it could be time for me to move up to medium format. I mainly shoot urban fine art photos, and value clarity and detail very highly. I also do still life work at home, and mainly process to a mono finish. I also want to move into print soon, and want to have the confidence to be able to offer all sizes for sales without any loss of detail etc...

So this is not only a say "Hi!" post, but also to see if any of you kind folks have any recommendations for a reasonably priced way in to the medium digital world.

My budget is flexible and ever-changing, so I'll leave that side of it open - and yes, I understand digi backs can be pricey. (Obviously I'm very interested in the new Leica S2 system, but hey, who has THAT kind of cash floating around...).

I've been looking at Mamiya and Rolleis as possible bodies, but have already gotten the feeling I need to seek some input from seasoned users (eg. I've seen an 'excellent condition' Mamiya 645 AFD with 80mm f2.8 AF lens for £699 - would that be a good price/model/lens...? So many questions!).

Lens-wise I would be looking at fast standard (80mm in medium terms, I believe), and something reasonably wide, and a portrait lens...

Thanks in advance for your input. I'll look forward to reading your thoughts and comments very much.

Cheers,

 

[EricO]

I've been shooting with MF for about two years. It's a big thrill for me. I shoot with a Mamiya RZ67 and I love it. I recently purchased another body and it came in the mail a couple of weeks ago and used it last weekend to do a studio shoot. I'm not recommending one brand over another but want to say welcome to the exciting world of MF.

 

[Derrel]

Well, honestly, if you're shooting wide-angle prime lenses, you're probably not getting all that you could out of the D700. Most of the older designed Nikon prime lenses are not as good optically as the new 14-24 and 24-70; that's one reason Nikon is re-designing its primes a few lenses at a time.

The medium format digital world's cheapest entry point has gotten less costly since you made your post. A spate of "low-cost" (for MF) backs were introduced recently. You could check the news section at dPreview or at Luminous Landscape's forum, where most of the world's medium format shooters hang out.

 

[saldun70]

Great - thanks for your comments, guys...

 

[Torus34]

Saldun;

The larger film formats make possible larger prints with high detail. B&w can be explored without concern for grain.

It's been said that owning a film camera but not having a darkroom is akin to having a leash but no puppy.

I 'work' [actually, play] with 6x6cm gear. There are many fine old rigs available in this format. Mine's a TLR. I find looking at the world with a 'belly button' perspective is not a problem.