645: Best of both worlds
Format is a matter of personal preferences.
There is no such a thing as ''The Best Format''. All formats have their own advantages and
disadvantages. What works for some may not work for others. 35mm is the most popular
format. It is easy to carry and operate; has the widest range of lenses in different
speeds; affordable; very sophisticated features. Medium format offers bigger negatives
which can produce superb results; bigger transparencies are more impressive which makes
them easier to sell; interchangeable and Polaroid backs are available for most models;
Multi-format capability as well as 35mm with many models. No one can tell you which format
will work for you. It depends on the type of photography you do. Only you have to decide
for yourself. You can carry two or more formats as many photographers do. Use your 35mm
for wildlife and sports photography, your medium format for portrait and landscape, and
large format for studio work. There is another alternative if you don't want to spend your
money on all available formats. The 645 format.
645 is the smallest medium format system with all the advantages of 35mm. It is 21/2 times larger than 35mm. 645 is considered ideal format since it
requires almost no cropping to fit standard printing papers. With 35mm for instance, a
portion of the negative must be cropped to fit standard papers. 645 is light weight and
easy to handle, much like 35mm cameras. Compared to 35mm, 645 produces more impressive
looking transparencies. You get more details in your images and can make very large
blowups. True that many of today's top 35mm lenses and finer grain films can produce 16X20
prints and larger, but larger formats still hold the edge. Medium format lenses are all
pro quality since this format is mostly used by pros. The same fine grain films which are
available in 35mm are also available in medium format, so a print made by a larger
negative will still produce more detailed and sharper result. 645 includes all the new
technologies found in top 35mm models. Newer Pentax 645N AF, Mamiya 645 AF, and Contax 645
AF, have everything you need for any type of photography. Autofocus with tracking,
sophisticated metering systems, various exposure modes, continuous film advance for action
photography, full viewfinder information, autobracketing, multiple exposures, and many
more advance features. Combine these with their lighter weight and size compared to larger
medium format systems and you have a camera that can go head to head with top of the line
35mm SLRs and still produce a bigger negative or transparencies. 645 is truly the best of
both worlds.
As I mentioned earlier, no format is perfect and 645 is no exception. 645 transparencies
are more impressive than 35mm but not as impressive as a 6X7 format or 4X5 large format.
Lenses made for 645 cameras are bulkier and slower than 35mm equivalents. Although some
fast telephotos are now being made, they cost 3 times the price of a 35mm lens of the same
focal length and speed. 645 in my opinion is the format for those who want the largest
possible negatives or transparencies in a convenient and full featured camera. Instead of
owning 35mm and 6X7 format, you can invest your money in one of the newer 645 models and
have the best of both worlds. You can get superior results with this format whether you
shoot landscapes, portraits, wildlife, or studio. Use it in the studio with sophisticated
flash systems for portraits and still-life. Load a 220 roll of ISO 100 film (to compensate
for the slower lenses) and get 30 exposures when shooting wildlife or sports. Attach a
zoom lens for precise cropping when shooting landscapes. When you are ready to make large
enlargements or sell your work, you'll have an edge over the 35mm users. With 645 you'll
be able to shoot images that are difficult and may be impossible with larger formats. This
is truly a format that offers all the major advantages of 35mm and 21/4
systems. If you want to work with only one format, consider the 645. Ease of handling,
automation, and larger size in one package.