Medium Format Recommendations

wibbly

wibbly

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I have to say I'm not a brilliant film shooter, but I love the idea of shooting medium format, the look you get just appears to be amazing.

Problem is I know nothing about them. I've looked at a couple of the Fuji's which look quite promising. Would you recommend these for an occasional film shooter (so budget isn't going to be huge) or maybe something different?

Thanks.
 
What's your budget? Important question! You can spend £50 on a folder or a grand on a 'blad. A happy medium might be a TLR a Rollie might be out your price range but there are cheaper ones such as the yashicas. Or when in doubt get an RB67 ;).
 
wibbly said:
Problem is I know nothing about them. I've looked at a couple of the Fuji's which look quite promising. Would you recommend these for an occasional film shooter (so budget isn't going to be huge) or maybe something different?
Click to expand...

There are so many options in medium format, that it'll be difficult for anyone to recommend you anything without knowing more about what you want.

Which aspect ratio are you interested in shooting (e.g., 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, 6x9, etc.)? Do you want single lens reflex, twin lens reflex, rangefinder, or view camera style? Do you prefer waist level, 45-degree, or eye-level viewfinders? Do you require interchangeable backs?

If you start to answer some of these questions, you'll be able to begin narrowing things down.
 
Fuji GW690. The price of these, especially from Japan, has dropped a lot in the past couple of years and you could probably get a good condition mark I version for about £200 to £220. The lenses on these fellas is amazing but it is a bit like a large point and shoot. Makes 6cm x 9cm negatives.
Rolleiflex Automat. A good one for £200 ish, near the top of the tree where TLR's are concerned, another stellar lens and square is good.
Ross Ensign. Probably the best British camera maker. Version come in 6 x 4.5 (the 16-20), 6 x 6 (the 12-20) or 6 x 9 (the 820). Lovely lenses and built to last they can be had for £25 to £120 depending on type.
Mamiya C330 (or C33, C3, C220, C2) another TLR and the only one with interchangeable lenses, and exceptional quality lenses to boot, 55mm, 65mm, 80mm, 105mm, 135mm, 180mm and 250mm. Well made and built like tanks but a more expensive option if you go for the C330 and want more than the 80mm 'kit' lens.
There are any number of other cheaper or more expensive ways of getting into medium format but these are the ones I know best, others may have a different tale to tel.

Andy
 
Wow guys, thanks so much for the info... I had no idea there was such choice!

I'm more confused now than ever, but in a good way :D

Budget wise, we'll open ended question really, for the time I get to spend shooting film probably a couple of hundred quid or so, as for the rest, really unsure - think I need to do a bit more research.

Thanks again!
 
My first one was a Mamiya C220 which I'd happily recommend, but for about the same price you could pick up a Rolleicord V which is a lot lighter if a TLR is your thing.

As others say, you need to decide what you want before you can narrow the list. Do you want 6x6 square (it's hip to be square) images or other sizes such as 6x7, 6x4.5 etc. After that then try and decide whether you want a TLR or rangefinder etc. After you answer those two questions you'll probably find you only have a few to pick from :)
 
further reading material..:)

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-choices.605871/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-basic-costs.569965/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/considering-medium-format.569730/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/fuji-medium-format-advise.553864/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-travel-camera-dilemma.545806/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/tell-me-about-645-medium-format-cameras.542645/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.516979/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/budget-medium-format-for-landscaper.502804/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/first-medium-format-camera-help.492570/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-best-for-a-beginner.477131/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/cheap-medium-format-camera.467825/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.465424/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/getting-into-medium-format.462686/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/can-we-talk-medium-format-cameras.420445/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/cheapest-medium-format-body-good-films.377834/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.368485/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/best-medium-format-camera-for-a-newbie.333327/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-what-are-the-options.325133/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-first-buy.305833/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-camera.298518/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-what-to-buy.286855/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-camera-suggestions.265332/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-help.260192/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/advice-re-medium-format.230424/
 
joxby said:
further reading material..:)

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-choices.605871/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-basic-costs.569965/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/considering-medium-format.569730/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/fuji-medium-format-advise.553864/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-travel-camera-dilemma.545806/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/tell-me-about-645-medium-format-cameras.542645/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.516979/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/budget-medium-format-for-landscaper.502804/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/first-medium-format-camera-help.492570/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-best-for-a-beginner.477131/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/cheap-medium-format-camera.467825/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.465424/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/getting-into-medium-format.462686/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/can-we-talk-medium-format-cameras.420445/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/cheapest-medium-format-body-good-films.377834/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.368485/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/best-medium-format-camera-for-a-newbie.333327/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-what-are-the-options.325133/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-first-buy.305833/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-camera.298518/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-what-to-buy.286855/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-camera-suggestions.265332/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-help.260192/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/advice-re-medium-format.230424/
Click to expand...
That should keep you busy for a while
 
joxby said:
further reading material..:)

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-choices.605871/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-basic-costs.569965/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/considering-medium-format.569730/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/fuji-medium-format-advise.553864/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-travel-camera-dilemma.545806/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/tell-me-about-645-medium-format-cameras.542645/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.516979/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/budget-medium-format-for-landscaper.502804/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/first-medium-format-camera-help.492570/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-best-for-a-beginner.477131/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/cheap-medium-format-camera.467825/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.465424/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/getting-into-medium-format.462686/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/can-we-talk-medium-format-cameras.420445/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/cheapest-medium-format-body-good-films.377834/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format.368485/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/best-medium-format-camera-for-a-newbie.333327/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-what-are-the-options.325133/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-first-buy.305833/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-camera.298518/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-what-to-buy.286855/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-camera-suggestions.265332/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/medium-format-help.260192/

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/advice-re-medium-format.230424/
Click to expand...


Then buy an rb.... Yes I know, I always say that.
 
You're not wrong Keith. A nice Rolleiflex or a Yashica Mat can be had for around that price and will produce lovely images.
 
With a budget of £200/250 the Bronica ETRS is well worth taking a look at, it's 6x4.5 format and you get 15 shots to a 120 roll of film. It also has interchangeable backs so you can shoot colour or black and white on the same photo shoot!
 
I would go for a bronica etrs, great camera to start with, and budget in a light meter, if you don't have one.
 
andyscott said:
I would go for a bronica etrs, great camera to start with, and budget in a light meter, if you don't have one.
Click to expand...

Yep agree with that..and the advantage with a prism and speed grip is that it handles like a large SLR...on tv last night was Miss Marple and they were using Rolleis (and others) for shots of a film star in the plot, well in one bit they show the photographer developing her Rollei shots and had a set hanging up to dry all in rectangular format :D
 
The Bronica ETR series is really nice, although I think it's difficult to justify purchasing the ETR over the 6x6cm SQ series now that the prices are so close. Although technically larger, because of the larger negative size, the SQ is practically smaller because it's much easier to use with a waist level finder, as the camera never needs to be turned. The SQ can easily shoot 6x4.5 too with the appropriate back.

Talk of any of these cameras really is meaningless, however, if they don't fit the needs of the person using them.
 
Well one of my arguments against a Rollei TLR is that for best results on all subjects is that you need three cameras a wide angle, normal and tele...which would be very expensive.......if you want to go sq best to go for one that can take interchangeable lenses, but that would make the camera larger.and heavier. (I'm thinking of the Mamiya C220 and so on).
 
My Rolleiflex is the bipedal zoom lens version. :LOL:
 
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