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Do you need medium format?
Pentax 67, 200mm f-4 lens,
Fuji Velvia 50, Bogen tripod and ball head.
I've explained the advantages and
disadvantages of medium format cameras in other articles. The question is, who needs this
format? Unlike 35mm where dozens of affordable cameras and lenses are available, medium
format cameras are high priced. They are serious photographic tools and very expensive
toys for some. Before investing in a medium format system, ask yourself if you really need
it and why. If you are a beginner, you should stay with 35mm for now. 35mm is much easier
to use and the cost of film and processing is much lower. Medium format cameras should be
used by more advanced photographers who have more knowledge of exposure, composition,
light, etc. This format should be used if you need to make large prints or if you submit
your work to clients.
Above: A digital 6 megapixel shot which is acceptable, but lacks detail. A 6 x6 or 6 x7
format would have produced much better sharpness and details.
For portrait and wedding photographers who need to make larger
prints, medium format can't be beat. You can impress your clients with sharp and great
details medium format slides and negatives can produce. Even nature, wildlife, and sports
photographers can benefit from this format. Send 21/4
transparencies to an editor, and he/she knows right away that you are a serious
photographer. This can greatly improve your chances of successes. Architectural
photography is another area where this format really shines. You can capture every detail
in a building that can be lost in 35mm. If you mainly photograph for yourself, 35mm is a
better way to go unless you feel medium format can give you images not possible with 35mm.
You can also learn a lot by using medium format cameras. The slower format forces you to
think and pay more attention to details before pressing the shutter release. You'll see a
great improvement in your photography that you can use with your 35mm camera. If you plan
to sell your work and have more knowledge about photography, seriously consider investing
in a medium format system. Every photographic tool, cameras, lenses, flashes, and other
accessories should be purchased and used only if you really need them and feel they will
improve your photography. Once you become a serious photographer, you will no longer see
photographic equipment as toys, rather tools that are made to make images. You should
purchase only the equipment that are absolutely needed. The cost of medium format cameras
are much higher than 35mm. Invest in a medium format system only if you can answer this
simple question: What can this format do for me that my 35mm can't? If you can give
yourself a reasonable answer, go head and purchase one.
Recommended Reading:
Book
Description:
Learn the advantages and capabilities of medium-format cameras and examine
all aspects of medium-format operations, including SLR, twin lens,
panoramic, rangefinder, wide angle, press, and view cameras. Also explained
and illustrated are lenses and their accessories, motor drives, films,
flashes, filters, slides and slide projectors, and more. Includes black and
white and color photographs and drawings to illustrate proper use of
equipment and various techniques, effects, and possibilities that produce
successful photographs with the best possible image quality.
The medium format is truly the format in the middle. It combines many of the
benefits of 35 mm photography with those of the large format, making a
medium format system an excellent choice for almost all types of photography
from candid action with a hand-held camera to critical studio work from a
tripod. Special chapters are devoted to these different applications and the
type of equipment that most likely meets your photography needs. This book
explains clearly the medium format's benefits, advantages, and disadvantages
and provides a comparison of the medium format to other formats so you can
decide whether it is right for you and your photography.
*The definitive book on medium format, cameras and technique, the most
commonly used format of commercial photography
*New material on panoramic format, apochromatic lenses, aspheric lenses,
tele extenders, glass and relative illumination, and motor drives
*Updated information on perspective control, tilt controls, built in
metering systems, and use of apertures
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