Digital Camera for a Film Shooter

[adamr1699]

Hello all,

I have been a fairly committed film shooter for quite some time but with the impending doom of pro400h and Kodak's exponentially increasing prices I have finally decided to start searching for an adequate digital camera. I would come here for some guidance!

I predominantly shoot 120, and will continue to use film for my black and white work but would like a replacement for color. I use a Mamiya 7, Pentax 6x7 and Rolleiflex for 90% of my fine art work. 6x7 or 4x5 are my preferred ratios. Currently my only digital camera is a Fuji X-E1 which I use as it was cheap and I can easily mount my older slr glass. I have had a Sony A7 II which I strongly disliked and and canon 5d mk II which I liked for the most part aside from the 35mm character.

I am not opposed to medium format digital but I am not willing to spend more the 3000-3500 so the new models are out of the questions. Older Hasselblad digitals and the Sigma SD aspH camera are what I am most drawn to, both for their results and their workflow but I'm finding it hard to find anyone with experience coming from film speaking to their digital equipment choices.

Thanks for your help and for reading this wordy post!

Adam

 

[Peter_S]

Adam,

you will read a lot of different replies. There are two ways to approach this.
a) Get something similar to the film cameras in handling, use, haptics, etc.
b) See digital as a different medium with different capabilities, and thus be open to a different camera system alltogether.

With you dislike for the Sony you are probably happier with a).

I came from a similar direction, tried and used a lot, end settled on a M9M (monochrome). If I shot more color, I would add another M8.2 or Sigma Merrill.

The Sigmas...sure it is an option. I used them quite a bit, like them a lot, but I find that film-like claim to be a myth. That is subjective. The one thing with Sigmas is that one needs to be very skilled at post-processing to unlock their full potential, and a couple of other issues (slow, for one), which may or may not be a problem.

With all of these there is an issue: 3:2 ratio. The only way to get around this is either cropping; however, 6:7 means a lot of cropping. Alternatively, get a used medium format body in 4:3 (Fuji GFX - used prices came down a bit recently; or Pentax 645D/Z).

What SLR/medium format lenses do you have? How do you like the X-E1?

 

[jsrockit]

Fujifilm GFX-50R and 50mm 3.5 used…or the older Pentax 645d.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

The Nikon D850 and Z7/Z7II have a 4:5 crop mode. There are adapters for Pentax 67 lenses to Nikon F, and I suspect you could find one to directly adapt 67 lenses to Z mount as well. Not sure how much resolution you need but even cropping to 4:5 should leave you with around 36MP.
You could also look at the Pentax K1, as you can adapt 67 lenses to K mount. I'm not sure if that camera has a 4:5 crop mode.

The Nikon D850 and Z7II are about $3,000–$3,300 brand new. I think the K1 II is about $1,800–$2,000 brand new. The adapters are not expensive.

 

[BernardL]

IMO, you do not need a digital camera to be medium format in to equal the technical quality of film medium format. In my limited experience, my Fujifilm X-E3 delivers a higher technical quality than my film medium format cameras (C-220, GS645W, using Portra film). As concerns "small DOF effects", the high apertures available for digital cameras, whether FF, DX, or MFT, offset the effect of the smaller sensor (compared with film MF).

My 2 ¢ advice.

 

[keytarjunkie]

Coming from a similar background - 4x5, Mamiya 7, Pentax 6x7, Pro 400H etc. I was happy with the D800 and 5x4 crop mode with Sigma Art lenses. I was unhappy with the Hasselblad H3DII-31, I have used these cameras a lot in studio settings but I don't find them any fun in the field. I still have a Sony A7RII but strongly dislike it and wouldn't recommend it. I think the answer is Fuji GFX-50R and 50mm f/3.5 (or Hasselblad X1D and 45P). Maybe a bit out of your budget but worth reaching for.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

... I predominantly shoot 120, ... I use a Mamiya 7, Pentax 6x7 and Rolleiflex for 90% of my fine art work. 6x7 or 4x5 are my preferred ratios. Currently my only digital camera is a Fuji X-E1 which I use as it was cheap and I can easily mount my older slr glass. I have had a Sony A7 II which I strongly disliked and and canon 5d mk II which I liked for the most part aside from the 35mm character.

... I am not willing to spend more the 3000-3500 so the new models are out of the questions. Older Hasselblad digitals and the Sigma SD aspH camera are what I am most drawn to, both for their results and their workflow but I'm finding it hard to find anyone with experience coming from film speaking to their digital equipment choices. ...

Fujifilm GFX-50R and 50mm 3.5 used…or the older Pentax 645d.

Based on Adam's comments I agree wholeheartedly! My prediction: 6-months on the Fuji and Adam will never use film again (B&W or color).

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I'm pretty sure there must be adapters to use Pentax 67 lens on Fuji GFX cameras. (Although I have never used the Pentax 67 system, I happen to think that the Pentax 67 lenses produce the most beautiful images of anything short of 4x5. If I had that system and lenses, I do not think I would want to give them up.)

 

[valdas]

What’s wrong with x-e1 🙂? In fact I am also mostly film shooter. I bought XE-1 to see if digital is “my thing”. I like my Fuji. But I use it mostly to shoot an item I sell on ebay or a passport photo for my kids. And then I am back to film. And more film. Whoever says “try this and you will never use the film again” - they are simply wrong. And I do not deny all the merits of digital - I simply do not feel the joy and I still see some magic in the film which I cannot see in digital - it is basically je ne sais quoi…

 

[shawn]

Fuji just had the 50R on sale for $3500. Used you can find the 50r for around $2600. You can get adapters for your Pentax 6x7 lens to use them on the Fuji. Including tilt/shift adapters if you wanted to go that way.

The Fuji has a wide range of aspect rations on it. 4:3,3:2,16:9,1:1,65:24,5:4 and 7:6. 4x3 is native, everything else is cropped but it will record the jpeg cropped with full resolution in the RAW file.

The 50R should be like a supersized version of your XE1. Much bigger body, 3x the resolution, two + stops more dynamic range, much larger EVF with more resolution and so on.

Shawn

 

[narsuitus]

"... I have finally decided to start searching for an adequate digital camera. I would come here for some guidance!"

"I predominantly shoot 120, and will continue to use film for my black and white work but would like a replacement for color."

"...but I'm finding it hard to find anyone with experience coming from film speaking to their digital equipment choices."

Before the digital age, I shot large format (4x5 inch and larger), medium format (6x6cm, 6x7cm, 6x9cm, and 6x12cmm), and small format (35mm SLRs and rangefinders).

During the digital age, I first started with two point & shoot digital cameras. I was so impressed with the quality of the digital images that I then tried the following "higher quality" digital cameras:
Canon G compact digital
Olympus micro 4/3 digital
Nikon D200 dSLR
Fuji X mirrorless digital
Leica M10 digital rangefinder

Today, I still shoot and develop black & white film (large, medium, and small) but I prefer using my digital cameras for color. I have been very pleased with the quality of the color images from all my digital cameras. However, the Fuji color images are my personal favorites.

When I shoot 4x5 inch black & white, I also like to use my Olympus micro 4/3 set to the 5:4 aspect ratio for shooting test shots.

When I shoot 6x7cm medium format portraits with my 180mm lens on my Mamiya RB67, I also like to use an equivalent focal length lens on one of my digital cameras to perform test shots.

 

[taomei]

I primarily shoot film but definitely need digital for the events / family times when I need to deliver images to people, or share relatively quickly. But putting work-horse digital aside, there are some digital cameras that I kept around just for the shooting experience and results:

Sigma dp2 Quattro
Leica M9
Epson RD-1xg
Nikon Df

The first three all have really unique color responses, with the Sigma Quattro being the most 'fussy' as it requires its proprietary software to really bring out the amazing resolution and detail that makes it feel like shooting medium format sometimes. It's slow and methodical, but I find it a super cheap alternative to modern medium format digital, and the lens is very crisp especially using the high resolution mode on a tripod.

The M9 has the most Kodachrome-like color of these, which if 18mpx is enough, is more than fine for most purposes. The Epson RD-1 series has the CCD color science also which, although less poppy than the M9, still looks great, and the Df is obviously for the knobs and shooting experience with older Nikon glass.

If you can find a good SD Quattro or DP series, they're surprisingly good at replicating that medium format feeling (slow AF, but crisp and interesting color), and they're cheap these days!

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Here we go...

Phil Forrest

 

[BillBingham2]

Fujifilm GFX-50R and 50mm 3.5 used…or the older Pentax 645d.

+3 now.

B2 (;->

 

[Dogman]

Stick with full frame digital. Try a high resolution sensor model, 36mp and higher. They are the medium format equivalents of today. Don't like the Sony? Give Canon and Nikon a try. Their DSLRs are still great cameras and they make good mirrorless I hear.

 

[typhillips]

OP, how large do you print? Given the lack of noise with today's sensors, unless you are making enormous enlargements, 24MP might be all that you need.

IMHO, the applications for high resolution digital cameras (such as the Fuji GFX) are really limited compared to the medium format film cameras of yesteryear. It used to be that if you wanted grain free enlargements past a certain size (5x7, 8x10, depending on film speed) you needed to move from 35mm to a larger film format. However, that is no longer the case with digital.

Just something to think about....

 

[adamr1699]

The X-E1 is good for the occasions when I need digital but it is not enjoyable enough or high enough resolution to take the place on color 120 film. I have a lot of odds and ends lens wise, Canon and Nikon slr lens, as well as a Can 50 1.2 ltm and 35mm 2.5 Nikkor ltm which are my two absolute favorites.

Adam,

you will read a lot of different replies. There are two ways to approach this.
a) Get something similar to the film cameras in handling, use, haptics, etc.
b) See digital as a different medium with different capabilities, and thus be open to a different camera system alltogether.

With you dislike for the Sony you are probably happier with a).

I came from a similar direction, tried and used a lot, end settled on a M9M (monochrome). If I shot more color, I would add another M8.2 or Sigma Merrill.

The Sigmas...sure it is an option. I used them quite a bit, like them a lot, but I find that film-like claim to be a myth. That is subjective. The one thing with Sigmas is that one needs to be very skilled at post-processing to unlock their full potential, and a couple of other issues (slow, for one), which may or may not be a problem.

With all of these there is an issue: 3:2 ratio. The only way to get around this is either cropping; however, 6:7 means a lot of cropping. Alternatively, get a used medium format body in 4:3 (Fuji GFX - used prices came down a bit recently; or Pentax 645D/Z).

What SLR/medium format lenses do you have? How do you like the X-E1?

 

[adamr1699]

IMO, you do not need a digital camera to be medium format in to equal the technical quality of film medium format. In my limited experience, my Fujifilm X-E3 delivers a higher technical quality than my film medium format cameras (C-220, GS645W, using Portra film). As concerns "small DOF effects", the high apertures available for digital cameras, whether FF, DX, or MFT, offset the effect of the smaller sensor (compared with film MF).

My 2 ¢ advice.

I agree however for me I'm far less worried about resolution than I am character and image feel. While modern full frame or even crop digitals could certainly hold up resolution wise to medium format there is something lost which I believe has more to do with lens geometry than the sensor itself.

 

[adamr1699]

Based on Adam's comments I agree wholeheartedly! My prediction: 6-months on the Fuji and Adam will never use film again (B&W or color).

I could never give up my silver gelatin prints!!

 

[adamr1699]

I'm pretty sure there must be adapters to use Pentax 67 lens on Fuji GFX cameras. (Although I have never used the Pentax 67 system, I happen to think that the Pentax 67 lenses produce the most beautiful images of anything short of 4x5. If I had that system and lenses, I do not think I would want to give them up.)

I certainly won't be giving up any of my film gear! I shoot with the 105 2.4 on my Pentax and it will certainly stay with me. It would be nice to be able to adapt it to digital but even with the gfx it might become a bit too tight.