Medium format for Landscapes

[harycover]

Hi all 🙂

I'm completely new to medium format world, I have a fuji s3 pro and a nikon d70 for mainly landscapes photography

I'm looking for advice to buy a medium format film camera to shoot landscapes with, I mainly want to take advantage from the high resolution of the 120mm film wich I will scan and photoshop

Off course the camera should have a wide angle lens (at least 28mm equivalent)

Any advices for a used camera (or maybe a new one ?) I'm looking for something no higher then 800$, cheaper suggestions are appreciated, and as I said it will be doing landscapes, nothing else, is this findable for this price range ? if no, what most expensive models do you suggest ?

Thanks again !

 

[payasam]

TLRs ruled out. Have to look in SLRs and RFs. Do you use only wide angle lenses for lansdcape work?

 

[harycover]

Hi payasam

Yes I'm looking for medium format RF, regarding lenses off course I have some zooms like a tokina 12-24 wich is a 18-36mm on my digital SLRs, however I think It's not that easy to find chep lenses for medium format, so a wide angle prime will do

However I'm looking for anything that can use 120mm film to get sharp landscape pics out of it, I'm really a newbie in medium format world and I don't know what to look for, so any advice appreciated

Thanks

 

[ChrisN]

Do you have a preference for which medium format (negative size and aspect ratio) you would like to use? I guess most landscape photographers would prefer a rectangular (not square) negative, so you could have 6x4.5, 6x7, or 6x9. That is the first decision to make, and will guide your choice of lenses and cameras.

 

[harycover]

Thank you Chris, you're right, indeed I wasn't aware of that, I would say the larger is the better so 6x9... but I guess I can expect the price to jump, not a big deal, if I don't buy it now I'll buy it later, I don't make money out of photography it's "only" a hobby 🙂 so I'm still highly interested in hearing your suggestions !

 

[ChrisN]

OK, lets see. A 28mm (on 35mm) gives you about a 65 degree viewing angle. For MF 6x9 you need to use a 70mm focal length to get the same viewing angle. What 6x9 cameras have a lens that length? Dan's page at http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/fuji670.htm lists the Fuji GSW690 in three models with a 65mm lens, that's pretty close and slightly wider. It's a rangefinder, too! I don't think there is a lot of choice in that focal length with 6x9. Anyone? There must be some I'm not aware of.

6x7 might be a better choice - plenty big enough for huge enlargements, but more camera choice. I would immediately consider the Mamiya 6x7 in RB67 guise. Big and heavy, but you need a tripod anyway. Plenty of lenses to choose from, mirror-lockup, relatively cheap, good for macro work too.

 

[fidget]

Hi, welcome to the forum.
I guess that the number of lenses equating to the 28mm equivalent in 35mm will be quite low. I'm just chipping in with the sort of things I've tried.
The Fuji GA645W gives 45mm which is about your requirements and is a very capable camera. This gives the 6x4.5 cm negs so is smaller than you can get with say the bigger Fujis at 6x9. I believe that one of these has a very wide lens, but can't remember if it's that wide. (fl 60/65mm at 6x9 must be close).
I use the GA645 with 60mm lens (about 35mm equiv) and have recently bought into the Mamiya C330 TLR system with interchangable lenses, the widest being 55mm, but this is heavy but a beauty!
Good luck......Dave

 

[harycover]

Ok, thank you Chris and fidget, I can really see much clearer now, the fuji GSW690 series seems to be exactly what I'm looking for, TLR systems may deliver better quality and interchangeable lenses but are a bit too excessive for me since they are quite expensive, also I do much hiking and I need something not too heavy to carry outside

Thank you VERY much 🙂

... if you want to have a look at a few pics of mine... http://apranax.free.fr/photo/galeries/galerie01/

 

[fidget]

It's a coincidence that you mention hiking with this kit. You will have no doubt when a Fuji 6x9 is in your bag.
Even the scans from the more modest 6x4.5 neg are so far from the D70 as to be in a different world, but offer a much more portable kit than a 690 and a great deal of automation features. As for me, I'm investigating some older folders in the 6x9 & 6x6 class for those hiking days when sometimes they don't even come out of the bag! (Although I don't need 28mm).

Please let us know how you go on...

 

[harycover]

Thank you fidget 🙂, will let you know when I get mine and when I get the first images from it, the GA645W you are talking about seems to be a great deal too, one thing is bothering me though, in this site http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/fujirf.htm they say that it's closest focusing point is 7 meters ! this seems to be very limitating...

 

[ChrisN]

I think that is 0.7m, 700mm. 🙂

 

[Solinar]

A heads up on the big Fujis, they are a bit of a one trick pony. I have the GW 690III which has the 90mm Fujinon, a 38mm equivalent lens in 35mm photography. So, by a one trick pony, I mean I married to the field of view of that one lens.

What I like - the camera is quick to set up, grab a couple of shots, before my companion/passenger becomes bored with the scenery. The 6x9 format provides negs with gobs more real estate than I care to scan or print, if I use the full width of the frame. My poor dated printer is an 8x10 and my largest tray set in the darkroom is 11 by 14.

The large negs provide gobs of wiggle room. So, cropping the image for the final print isn't an issue. There are two 6 by 4.5 negs in every frame. So, there is the alternative of printing a second image with the field of view similar to 75mm lens on a 35mm camera or even a smaller crop that will essentially be the same quality as 35mm neg printed at the full width of its frame.

The GW 690III is to say the least a bulky beast. It also begs to be used with a tripod with slow speed film. Slow speed films provide a rich large format look in my opinion and are worth the effort.

 

[Kim Coxon]

A couple of thoughts. I have used a 6x9 folder quite a lot for landscapes in the past. Rarely if ever was the full format of the neg printed. I find the resulting prints too "wide" 6x& would give a closer match to the more usual print formats which would also give you the choice of other cameras such as the Pentax 6x7 as well as the Mamiya. There are also excellent with a longer lens for portraits or other studio work.

Having said that, I now use a 645 and unless you want huge pictures, I doubt you would notice that much difference from 6x7 or 6x9.

Kim

 

[rpsawin]

Mamiya 7II

Bob

 

[clarence]

The Mamiya TLR system is not expensive at all. Lenses cost 200USD at most.

Clarence

 

[dazedgonebye]

They're a bit hard to stumble across...but I paid about $600 for my graflex xlsw. It too is a "one trick pony," but that one trick is a 47mm (21mm equivalent) lens on interchangeable 6x9 film backs.
Interchangeable lens mf can be expensive.
I've fancied a Kiev 66 for some time, but I've been afraid to buy from unknown sellers in the Ukraine. Perhaps someone here can tell you more about those cameras.

 

[bsdunek]

The Fuji's are nice. My Son-in-Law uses a G690 and get's great results.
My favorite (maybe because I own it along with many accessories) is my Mamiya Super Press. The 50mm lens is wonderful for nature/landscape work (be sure to get the viewfinder for this one). I also use the 90mm and 250mm. Backs are available for 6X7 and 6X9. I also have a back that takes masks for 6X6 and 6X4.5. The problem is finding the proper viewfinder masks. I had to make my own.
Also there is a ground glass back that takes sheet film holders (6X9)
If I were looking for one today, I would choose the Universal Press. This has adapters for either Mamiya backs, including the RB 67, or Graflex backs. There is also an extension back for close-up work.
These cameras have a back that extends and swings and tilts. It's not a view camera, but some distortion correction can be done, so long as the collapsable lens is used.
Just IMHO 😎

 

[Tuolumne]

I highly recommend the Fuji GW645zi. It's a 6x4.5 format rangefinder. It has a modest zoom lens, so you are not married to a single field of view. The lens is the sharpest and best of any that I own, including all the Leica glass. It takes simply spectacular landscapes, and it's not much larger than a 35mm rangefinder. Although it is fully automatic, it can also be used in full manual or aperture priority mode. I really cannot overstate my fondness of this camera for lanndscapes and portrature. I also have one of the Fuji GW690s. As people above have said, it is a real beast. Beautiful, large negatives but a pain to carry around. Big and bulky. Take a look at the GW645zi. They are readily available at prices well under $1000. You won't be sorry.

/T

 

[harycover]

Thank you all for being so helpful

Chris : ok 0,7 meter is much better indeed 😀

Solinar & Kim Coxon : you're poitning me toward a 645, because of the fairly enough resolution and the bulkiness of 690 big brother, this is an interesting point... mostly if I find a snip on a fuji 645 rangefinder

rpsawin : Mamiya 7II has exchangeable lenses but is far more expensive.

clarence : I did a google search and can't seem to verify what you are saying, I live in europe and lenses I find for mamiya systems are quite expensive, however I have no idea of what is a good lens and what is not on medium format systems.

dazedgonebye & bsdunek : thank you for advice, I won't go with the mamiya super press system, it's quite bulky... at least for now, I'll keep in mind what you said if I need it later 😉

 

[harycover]

Tuolumne : thank you for advice, sounds very interesting, are you sure of the name of the camera ? my google search on "GW645zi" returns completely blank !

Do you have any link to it ?

Ok, found it, this is not the GW645zi but the GA645zi 😉 will have a look now