Medium format system comparison

Medium format System Comparison

One question I'm often asked is which camera is best? Is Canon better than Nikon? How about Pentax cameras? The same questions are asked about medium format cameras. It is not the camera that produces good pictures. It is the photographer behind the camera. Good equipment certainly help us produce better pictures. We need sharp lenses and quality films. A solid camera with sophisticated features will help us take more control over our photography. All major camera manufacturers produce quality cameras for beginners to professionals. Don't be too concerned about the brand, but look to see which company offers the largest system of accessories. Medium format users must look into every system available more carefully. Unlike 35mm cameras, there are no generic lenses and accessories made for medium format cameras. Although generic flashes and some teleconverters are made for some models, you are stuck with your own brand of camera lenses and accessories. One of the reasons Canon and Nikon are so popular among the pros is the large system accessories these companies offer. It is not because Canon and Nikon make better cameras and lenses than other manufacturers. The main reason majority of pros use Canon and Nikon cameras is that both companies offer lenses, flashes, and accessories for all types of photography. Pros have the option to choose lens focal length and speed or more powerful flash units among other accessories. They may not need a 400mm f-2.8 now, but they know such a lens is available to them in case they need to purchase one in the future. Medium format systems are more limited. You must choose your camera carefully depending on the type of photography you do. Lets see who has the best system in 645, 6X6, and 6X7 formats. I'm not going to discuss camera features here. I have done this in other articles. I just want to show each company's system accessories to help you pick the right camera.

645 Autofocus:
Autofocus is fairly new to this format and currently only three 645 cameras have autofocus capability. Pentax, Contax, and Mamiya each have one model. All three companies are adding more lenses to their system and I'm sure the line of autofocus lenses will grow more in the near future.

Pentax 645N has eight AF lenses ranging from a 45mm f-2.8 to 400mm f-5.6 including 45-85mm and 80-160mm zooms plus a 120mm macro lens. 645N also accepts 13 SMC manual focus Pentax 645 lenses from 35mm to 600mm. Accessories include 1.4X and 2X teleconverters, three dedicated flash units, extension tubes, 120, 220, and 70mm pre loadable film backs. 645N also accepts Pentax 67 lenses via an adapter in manual focus mode.

Mamiya 645 AF includes six AF lenses from 45mm f-2.8 to 300mm f-4.5 as well as twenty-two 645 manual focus lenses from a 24mm fisheye to 500mm telephoto including 200mm f-2.8 and 300mm f-2.8 fast telephotos. Mamiya 645 AF accessories include Polaroid back, digital back, extension tubes, and manual focus teleconverters. Camera accepts 120 and 220 film backs.

Contax 645 AF is backed by five Carl Zeiss autofocus lenses from 35mm f-3.5 to 350mm f-4 APO Tessar. A 1.4X autofocus teleconverter is also available. Other accessories include dedicated flash units, 120 and 220 film backs with 220 vacuum film inserts for 220, and Polaroid back.

Update: Hasselblad H1 645AF: This camera was not available at the time this article was originally published. Below is a brief description of this camera.

In the past, many professional photographers have shied away from auto-focus cameras, complaining that the slow speed of the auto-focus let valuable shots slip away. Quite often it was simply quicker, not to mention more reliable, to focus manually. The H1, however, offers lightning fast, super-accurate focusing under almost any conditions, guaranteeing that even the most fleeting of instants can be frozen accurately and clearly. And the auto-focus features an instant override function, enabling easy access to manual focusing without leaving the auto-focus mode. The H1's central lens shutter design enables virtually vibration-free exposures at even the longest shutter speeds and makes the H1 capable of flash-synchronization at all shutter speeds, up to 1/800 of a second. The advanced auto functions of the H1 take the guesswork out of your photography, allowing even the most spontaneous of shots to be perfectly focused and exposed. In addition, the H1 can be customized to suit your individual needs. The H1 allows you to save specific setting groups as so called profiles so you can then instantly access a whole range of pre-determined options at a press of a button. This extremely useful feature enables the H1 to adapt to your specific work method or style, not the other way around. But even when changing settings manually, the H1's ergonomic design and intuitive user interface enable you to make fast, easy adjustments without removing your eye from the viewfinder

Best 645 autofocus system? Pentax has a slight edge over its two competitors. Since autofocus is mainly used for wildlife and sports photography, 300mm and 400mm Pentax autofocus lenses available for this model makes the Pentax 645N the favorite. On the other hand, both Pentax and Mamiya are very close if you don't mind using manual focus lenses. In this case, Mamiya has an edge over the Pentax model with more lenses including 200mm and 300mm f-2.8 lenses if you are willing to pay the high price for them. Contax Carl Zeiss lenses are simply superb. This is Contax's edge over the other two models. However, quality of Pentax and Mamiya lenses are not far behind. Portrait, landscape, and studio photographers will be happy with all three models. If you are interested in wildlife and sports photography, Pentax and Mamiya offer more lenses and accessories. All three cameras are equally good in terms of quality and features for any type of photography.

645 manual focus:
Choices in this group include Bronica ETRSi, Mamiya Pro 645 TTL and 645E, and Pentax 645. Bronica ETRSi is supported by 16 Zenzanon-PE lenses ranging from 30mm fisheye to 500mm f-8 telephoto with leaf shutters. Two zooms are also available: 100-220mm and 45-90mm. Other accessories include 1.4X and 2X teleconverters, extension tubes, 120, 220, 35mm and Polaroid backs, winders, and four interchangeable viewfinders. Mamiya has a large selection of lenses for both of its 645 models. Twenty-two lenses ranging from 24mm to 500mm APO including 55-110mm and 105-210mm zooms, 200mm and 300mm f-2.8 APO telephoto lenses. Accessories include 2X teleconverter, bellows, four interchangeable viewfinders and motor drives (Pro TTL model only), 120, 220, 35mm, and Polaroid backs (Pro TTL model only), built-in TTL flash metering for Metz, Quantum, and Sunpak flash units. Pentax has 13 SMC lenses ranging from 35mm to 600mm f-5.6 including 80-160mm and 45-85mm zooms plus adapter to use Pentax 67 lenses. Accessories include 1.4X and 2X teleconverters, TTL flash units, extension tubes, bellows, 120, 220, and 70mm film inserts, and built-in motor drive.

Best 645 system?: Mamiya gives the photographers the largest selection of lenses and choice of lens speed. This is a major advantage. Mamiya also offers most accessories found in 35mm format. All of these accessories are compatible with the Pro TTL model and some with the 645E. Bronica ETRSi and Pentax 645 lenses and accessories are not as complete as Mamiya's, but not too far behind either. All three systems are equally good for general photography. For Wildlife and sports photography, Mamiya is ahead of its competitors.

6X6 format:
This format also known as square format include two models from Bronica, SQ-Ai and SQ-B (B stands for Basic and sold in kit only). Hasselblad has the 501CM, 503CW, 555ELD, 202FA, 205FCC and 203FE. Rollei has three cameras in this group-6001, 6003, and 6008. Bronica supports its 6X6 cameras with 13 Zenzanon-PS lenses with leaf shutters ranging from 35mm fisheye to 500mm f-8 telephoto. Other accessories include 1.4X and 2X teleconverters, extension tubes, bellows, motor drive (SQ-Ai only), seven interchangeable viewfinder including AE prism finder (SQ-Ai only), 120, 220, 35mm, Polaroid backs as well as 645 back. Hasselblad has one of the largest selection of lenses and accessories of any medium format system in the market. 501CM, 503CW, and 555ELD accept CF-series Carl Zeiss lenses with leaf shutters. Seventeen lenses ranging from 30mm f-3.5 to 500mm f-8 including a 140-280mm zoom. 202FA, 205FCC, and 203FE accept shutter-less FE-series Zeiss lenses ranging from 50mm f-2.8 to 350mm f-4 including 60-120mm zoom. Accessories include extension tubes, 1.4X teleconverter, motor drives, 120, 220, 70mm, Polaroid and 645 film backs, and seven viewfinders. Rollei also has a wide range of lenses and accessories for its 6X6 cameras. Twenty-five Schneider and Zeiss lenses with built-in leaf shutters are available from 30mm f-3.5 to 1000mm f-8. Two zooms are included in Rollei line-75-150mm f-4.5 and 140-280mm f-5.6. Accessories include 1.4X and 2X teleconverter, five finders including AE finders, extension tubes, 120, 220, 70mm, Polaroid, Digital, and 645 backs.

Best 6X6 system? Hasselblad and Rollei are complete systems with lenses and accessories for most type of photography. Bronica has lenses for all type of photography, but does not offer choices in lens speed. The problem with Hasselblad and Rollei for most photographers is the high price of lenses and accessories. Bronica system is more affordable and still of good quality. Some lenses made by Hasselblad and Rollei, especially super telephotos are rare and ridiculously expensive. All three systems offer lenses and accessories for most type of photography. What they lack is longer more affordable telephotos. However, Hasselblad and Rollei cameras and accessories are state of the art systems made for professionals and collectors who demand the best and don't mind to pay the big bucks. The question in this format is not which company has the best system, rather if you have and willing to pay for Hasselblad and Rollei systems. If you want a 6X6 camera that is more affordable with a good range of lenses and accessories, Bronica SQ-Ai is the best choice. If you can afford Hasselblad or Rollei systems, you get the best and most complete system of any company in the market including 35mm. Keep in mind that 6X6 film backs are available by Mamiya and Bronica 6X7 camera systems. It is worth looking into these systems as well.

6X7 format:
Bronica GS-1, Mamiya RB67 Pro SD, Mamiya RZ67 Pro II, Mamiya 7 II, and Pentax 67II are the top 6X7 medium format cameras. Bronica supports its GS-1 with nine Zenzanon-PG lenses from 50mm f-4.5 to 500mm f-8 with built-in leaf shutters. Accessories include 2X teleconverter, motordrive, extension tubes, bellows, 120, 220, and Polaroid backs. Four viewfinders are available including an AE rotary prism finder. Mamiya RB67 system includes 18 lenses with built-in leaf shutters ranging from 37mm fisheye to 500mm f-6 APO including 100-200mm zoom. Mamiya RZ67 includes 20 lenses also ranging from 37mm fisheye to 500mm f-6 and 100-200mm zoom. Each system accessory includes 1.4X teleconverter, extension tubes, motordrive, 120, 220, and Polaroid backs. Three viewfinders for RB67 and four viewfinders for RZ cameras are available including AE prism finders. Mamiya 7II is a rangefinder camera with only six lenses, a 43mm, 50mm, 65mm, 80mm, 150mm and 120mm. Body accepts 120 or 220 film as well as 35mm for panoramic. Other accessories include close-up adapter set, external battery case and flash bracket. 7II has built-in metering system with aperture priority and manual exposure mode in Centerweighted and spot metering. Pentax 67 II is supported with 21 SMC and Takumar lenses from 35mm f-4.5 fisheye to 1000 mm f-8 mirror lens including 55-100mm zoom, 100mm and 135mm macros, 165mm f-4 leaf shutter, and some super telephoto lenses not available in any other medium format system. These include 400mm f-4, 500mm f-5.6, 600mm f-4, and 800mm f-4 (comes with matched 1.4X teleconverter) and 800mm f-6.7. Accessories include 1.4X and 2X teleconverters, extension tubes, bellows, reverse adapter, four finders including AE prism finder with TTL flash for dedicated FTZ flash units.

Best 6X7 system? Bronica GS-1 is ready for any type of photography even though its lens line up does not offer as many lenses as Mamiya RB and RZ or Pentax 67 II. Mamiya 7II is best suited for landscape, studio, or portrait photography. Lenses and accessories are very limited for 7II. Mamiya RB and RZ lenses and accessories are complete for most type of photography. Pentax 67II system accessory is undoubtedly the most complete system of any medium format system. Some 35mm systems can't even compete with Pentax 67II. My first choice in this format is the Pentax 67II simply because of its large system accessories. It is the only system that gives you lots of choices in telephoto lenses with decent speeds. For outdoor photography, Pentax 67II is ahead of all its competitors rivaling 35mm systems. Mamiya RB and RZ are workhorses with superb lenses for any type of photography including wildlife and sports. For studio and landscape photography, all cameras mentioned here will be just fine. If you need longer telephotos, Bronica GS-1 gives you one choice-500mm f-8. Mamiya RB and RZ 350mm f-5.6, 500mm f-6 and f-8 lenses. Pentax 67II is designed for outdoor use with everything you can possibly need. That is, if you can afford the SMC and Takumar telephoto lenses.

Update: Tamron Corporation, the manufacturer of Bronica medium format cameras, has discontinued all Bronica medium format system as of October 2004.

Medium format System Comparison

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