Medium format purchase advice wanted

[oftheherd]

originally posted by Wayne R. Scott

Quote:
I am not completely convinced that wide angles are the best lens for landscape photography, but then again what do I know?


Originally posted by John

Quote:I can agree with Wayne here. I shoot mostly 50mm for landscape and have 90mm shots that look like I was too far away. I am talking focal length for 35mm format. This is against all common wisdom but it still leaves me "not completely convinced that wide angles are the best lens for landscape photography."

I do not have any MF experience but do note the used prices make it pretty easy to get started if one wants to.

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Your point is well taken. Depending on the landscape in question, I might or might not use a wide angle. My post was more meant to be specific to China, in the event the lady's father was going to be in areas where he might be diasppointed by not being able to back up far enough, as often happened to me in Korea. Sometimes other buildings or a cliff prevented the inclusion of parts of the scene I wanted. Granted not all types of landscapes require that.

 

[clarence]

Mamiya 7II has 35mm Pano kit, 2 in 1 perhaps?

If you want to have 6x6 and panoramic 35mm capability, the Mamiya 6MF is a 'Multi-Format' camera that has options for both formats, as well as a rather questionable 6x4.5 option that simply crops the 6x6 frames, and allows you the same 12 exposures.

Clarence

 

[Dougg]

In this instance, the ultimate user is not part of the discussion, and represented here remotely by a friend of his daughter, so it's all very speculative, and primarily of entertainment value for us. 🙂 If I were to travel to China with landscapes in mind, I might well choose an XPan or Pentax 645... keeping portability in mind. I'm very fond of my P67's but this is a bulky system for travel.

As to formats and focal lengths... 6x9 is easily compared to 24x36 because it closely shares the 2:3 rectangular proportion. Actually about 56x84mm I think, right? Diagnonal is 101mm compared to 43mm, for a mulitplier of 2.35. Then 65mm divided by 2.35 is 28mm equivalent on the small camera.

6x7 (56x70) isn't the same proportions as 35mm but again going by diagonals anyway we have 90mm and a multiplier of 2.08. Here 55mm has about the same effect as 26mm on the small camera. Going to 645 (56x41.5) has a 70mm diagonal for a 1.6 factor and 45mm comes out very similar to 28mm.

 

[clarence]

In this instance, the ultimate user is not part of the discussion, and represented here remotely by a friend of his daughter, so it's all very speculative, and primarily of entertainment value for us. 🙂

The 'ultimate user' for me in this discussion was always someone like myself, 60 years of age but still fit, and with a daughter who wanted to get him the Fuji 680 he always wanted.

Clarence

 

[mdelevie]

A fascinating discussion. My suggested kit would be:

1) a very high quality, lightweight tripod. The carbon fiber Manfrotto comes to mind. He'll be carrying it all over the place, so emphasis on light weight, but without sacrificing stability.

2) a very wide-angle rangefinder in 6x7 or 6x9 format. Three candidates come right to mind: the Plaubel Makina 67W with 55mm, the Fuji GSW690 superwide, and lastly the Mamiya 7 with 43mm. The Mamiya is the least robust, and the only one of the three that needs an external viewfinder for framing (for the 43mm lens, anyway).

3) a smallish but high-quality light meter.

4) a practice excursion or three into the nearest mountainous area.

I agree with just about all of the prior posts, except for the digital SLR suggestion. No slight on the Canon digital EOS line, they're fine cameras and I love my L glass, but on an extended vacation in China, I'd carry lots of film, a few spare batteries, and maybe a backup film camera.

 

[akalai]

Has no one mentioned the Hasselblad SWC?

Compact, brilliant wide angle lens, multi format, possibilty to use digital backs (if you are worried about that), no mirror slap,... all round brilliant snap camera too, if you ever get the chance to use one you will quickly realise that it is capable of being used for many different roles, and it is easy to use hand held despite the fact that it is basically a film back with a lens mounted on it!

Whether it is "best on the market"... well that is always going to be subjective. But if your friend means that she is willing to spend a decent whack of cash to purchase this equipment for her father AND assuming that he asked for MF, and is also proficient with this equipment, then she should consider a Hassy SWC (or one of its variants) along with the other equipment already mentioned.

As to Hasselblads being snob cameras... haha, I met a snob recently using a disposable camera!!! 🙂

 

[Toby]

One sold on ebay recently for about $1300. If I was interested, I'd enter an ongoing favorite search and another one will probably show up before long.

One of the things I like about flickr.com, is that you can do a search for Plaubel (within the flickr website), and it'll bring up all these photos that were taken with a Plaubel Makina. I've used that feature to satisfy my curiousity about a variety of lenses and cameras. I'd imagine the lens is pretty sharp...it's Nikon from back when Nikon didn't make so many cheapie products.

Martin Parr used a Plaubel Makina. Wim Wenders is pictured in The Times today with his Plaubel. But I did read an article in the British Journal of Photography where a photographer said he had three because they broke down so often. But if he liked them so much....

 

[Krosya]

Martin Parr used a Plaubel Makina. Wim Wenders is pictured in The Times today with his Plaubel. But I did read an article in the British Journal of Photography where a photographer said he had three because they broke down so often. But if he liked them so much....

So did Helmut Newton (not a wide version, but a regular one), as well as Rolliflex TLR, Hasselblad, Fuji 645 folder, plus some others, including old german folders and Canon 35mm AF P&S camera. Many people don't know , but a lot of his photos are done by folders, Plaubel being used very often. I wish I could afford/justify one too. Maybe when my photos sell for as much as his? 😉 😉 😉

George

 

[narsuitus]

If I were receiving a film camera as a gift and if I would be using the camera primarily as a landscape camera, my choices in order of preference would be:

1. A 4x5 inch large format field camera with depth of field and perspective control.
2. A 6x9cm medium format camera
3. A 6x7 cm medium format camera
4. A 6x6cm or 6x4.5cm medium format camera

However, since my personal preference is probably different from the father of the friend of the poster, I think a gift certificate is the best recommendation. If the friend thinks a gift certificate is too impersonal, then she can take her Dad out for dinner and a shopping spree where he can fondle the merchandise before he makes his decision.

 

[Ariya]

These are all great suggestions. I have the GX680 and the Mamiya 6 and I love them both. The GX680 is my favorite camera. I would never part with it and I would never recommend one to someone who is travelling. It's just too big for that. If your father wants to photographs a variety of subjects, I would recommend the Mamiya 6 or 7. If he is a true landscape photographer without much interest in people shots, I would recommend the Linfhof 617 or similar (Fuji G617). They are top of the line in terms of build quality, lens quality and final image quality. There are landscape photos at my local pro lab from one of these printed something like 3' x 6' and they are spectacular. Here are a couple of links to give you an idea.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/617.htm

or

http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/fuji617.shtml

Like others have said - this is not a present that can be a total surprise. You will need to present a few options to him and get his feedback. That said, if you took him shopping personally I am sure that he would love the experience as much as the gift.

Peter