Medium/Large Format cameras, anybody with experience?

Brock.

Brock.

Active member
I have recently been inspired (edward burtynsky) to pursue one of these cameras. I have absolutely no idea where to start, or how expensive it may be.
If anybody has had the opportunity to own or even own one of these cameras, could you kindly offer some guidance as to where I should begin? I have used many fully manual 35mm SLR's, never developed them myself however...

For anybody that is slightly confused, I am referring to these:
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Two very different (and generally expensive) cameras. If you don't have a particular reason to use one of these formats over 35 or digital, i would use one and become familiar with the process before throwing any money into it, especially with view cameras. It's a very different technique and thought process, which you might enjoy, or might find tedious.
 
Aenigma shoots a bunch of large format stuff.

and i think michelle might shoot mf.

thats about the only two people i can think of on ns that shoot anything other than 35mm, and there arent many people on here that even shoot that.
 
I have the hasselblad 500 C/M and love it. pm me if you have specific questions. but def pm Aenigma about large format. I wish i knew as much as he did about it, some great work.
 
I have a Hasselblad 500C, I shoot it 90% of the time. I absolutely love it. Best investment I've ever made. Most people shoot Hasselblad square, but I have a 645 back and mask. Also, best decision I ever made. I now have the option to shoot either 645 or square with just the change of the back and change of viewfinder, both of which just take 15 seconds to change. Also, I get 16 shots a roll rather than 12. Mine only cost $700 bucks with the full outfit, so it is affordable if you're looking to get into medium format. But, there are a ton of other options that you can go with for 645 if that's the look that you're going for.

One option is the Mamiya 645. You can find them for about $300, so it's way more affordable than the Hasselblad. Some are completely manual, but you can find others that either are autofocus/have a meter/etc. I don't have much experience with them, but everyone I know that has had one has been happy.

For square shooting you can also check out the Mamiya C330, Yashica Mat 124, or a Rolleiflex (tons of different TLRs and SLRs). Both the Mamiya C330 and Yashica Mat 124 (also different Yashicas you can check out) are TLRs, or Twin Lens Reflex. The C330 is a tank, but once again, everyone who I talked to loved it. Plus it's going to cost less than the Hasselblad. Great thing about the C330 is that it's one of the only TLRs where you have the option to change lenses. The Yashica Mat 124 is going to be a bit smaller than the C330, but it's a solid camera. My friend just got one and it is NICE. I want one wicked bad now. One of the best things about it is that it has a meter! Which is great if you don't know Sunny 16. (Look that up, it'll be your best friend if it already isn't). And two awesome things about both the C330 and the 124 is that they can both run 120 and 220 film. If you were to go with something like the Mamiya 645 or Hasselblad, you have to get separate backs for that. I have nooo experience with any Rolleiflex, so I won't even comment about it.

If you're going to keep this on a tripod at all times, you can check out a Mamiya RB67 or a RZ67. Now I said that the C330 is a tank, but these take the cake. They are HUGE! Both were primarily made to be used in the studio, which is why they are so massive. You have a lot of options with both, because they do have interchangeable backs, view finders, lenses, etc. And the biggest thing about these cameras is that they shoot 6x7, which is going to be the closest to large format you're going to get. So, even though they (should be) stuck to a tripod the entire time, you can still shoot landscape or portrait with just the flip of a back! Seriously, haha. The back rotates! That way you can shoot either way but still use the waist level view finder. It's really cool. One thing about the backs that I'm not sure of is that I know the RZ67 can take 6x6, 645, and 6x7 backs, which is really awesome. I'm assuming the RB67 can do the same. That gives you the same flexibility as the Hasselblad but at a much cheaper cost. You can pick up a RB67 for around $300.

And if you're now looking at 6x7s (love them!) you could check out the Pentax 67. It's an SLR, but it's huge. It's just a massive SLR, haha. Pretty cool looking, but going to hurt your neck after a while. Along with the TLRs I mentioned, this camera can shoot both 120 and 220 film. But, with a 6x7 format, you're only going to get about 9 or 10 shots out of the roll. Definitely something to think about. It also only runs around $500, which isn't bad. I don't have any experience or know of anyone who has experience with a Pentax 67, but I'll report back hopefully soon. This is going to be my best camera, haha!

Another option for 6x7 is the Mamiya 7. Amazing camera. Even though it shoots 6x7 it's much smaller compared to the Pentax 67. It is a Rangefinder, so gotta keep that in mind. Also keep in mind it's going to run you a few thousand dollars to pick one up. Hahaha.

So yeah, there's my rundown of medium format cameras I've had experience with! Hopefully it helps you a bit? I've shot 4x5, but no where near the same as Aneigma (sorry if I spell your name wrong), so I won't go over it. But, one thing, if you're looking to shoot stuff like Burtynsky, you're going to want a field camera rather than rail system. That's all!

But really, shoot medium format. It's so FUN!
 
I cannot emphasize this enough, definitely shoot with each before you make a decision.

The thing I like the most about shooting with medium or large format is that it makes you slow down and take your time with each shot. One of the reasons I have pretty much abandoned 35mm is that when I shoot that format, I end up with hundreds of shots to sort through and only a few that are worth keeping. With large format, I'm happy with about 50% of the photos I take.

I don't have enough experience with medium format to add onto what has already been said, I think that's been summed up pretty well until you have more specific questions. I do have two friends who shoot with the Pentax 67 (one of them exclusively), and that camera produces beautiful images.

As far as large format goes...I wouldn't know where to start without specific questions from you. Feel free to ask anything and I'll do my best to answer! One hurdle you will want to consider is processing, though. 4x5 is pretty expensive to send out (about $3 a negative), and my scans are usually 300-600MB from each negative--although that's at max resolution. For developing yourself, you have a few options, and I'm happy to talk about them with you if you're curious.

The reason I shoot large format is because you can do things with it that are impossible in any other format. With my monorail camera I can independently control perspective and focal plane, and do pretty much whatever I want with either. There's the obvious image quality advantage too, but with a good scan that doesn't become evident until you get into large prints (24"+). There's a lot that each format offers, and you'll make some definite sacrifices going with either, along with putting at least a few hundred dollars into getting set up.

So yeah, ask me whatever and I'll try to give you answers! I'll put up a few examples here too, just to try to show how I use each.

Hasselblad 503

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Toyo 45 GII

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Hahaha, didn't realize I didn't post anything on Bronica.

Personally I've never used one (or even seen one in real life!), but from what I hear they're a solid alternative to a Hasselblad. The biggest thing you have to keep in mind with Bronica is that they are out of business.. which means no more parts are being made. If your Bronica breaks and you cannot find the part, you're shit out of luck. But, if you're willing to risk that then definitely check em out. Inexpensive (relatively), solid build, and good image quality.
 
I dabble with a Yaschica A, it's mad fun, but I don't have the time or money to use it all the time or experiment with it the way I want, and being a super simple TLR, there's not a ton I can do with it.

Remember that you need to buy film, shoot, process (at a lab that will do it well, or buy the chems and equipment and do it yourself) and then either scan (buy a scanner, choose the shots you like, get your best shots scanned at a lab) or print (more time, equipment, money, chems, experience needed). You might be able to find a lab that has the equipment there for you to use if you pay to rent darkroom time, but you still need to know how to do it beforehand.

I think that with that in mind, I would suggest borrowing one and spending money on a couple rolls of film. Shoot them, odds are anyone you can borrow the cam from will have a scanner to scan the film with. See how you like it. It's way fun and when you get that shot it's VERY rewarding, but it's a big investment of money and lots of time.
 
i used to have an RB67 in high school and although it was a tank! (i used to say it could have doubled as a weapon if i needed it to) i loved it, Picked it up on ebay with 3 lenes and prizm finder and a bunch of other stuff of like $500.
 
Great, thank you! That was probably among the best posts I have seen here, very concise and comprehensive.
To everyone else, I should have explained this earlier but I wasn't exactly looking to dive right into this stuff by purchasing anything. I was looking for an overview that gives some great information regarding the equipment and processing (as well as price) to serve as an introduction, and it seems I have found what I was looking for. Thanks Michelle!

 
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