MF revival in Asahi Camera

[David Noble]

This month's issue of Asahi Camera in Japan features a 16-page series of pics (color reversal) shot by Araki Nobuyoshi with a Mamiya 7II, another article describing the shoot, and a third interviewing five or six other Japanese photographers and talking to them about their choice of current medium-format cameras for their work.

Both film and medium format seem to be alive and well here.....among relatively serious shooters, anyway. The most-used cameras in Japan are in cellphones, followed by digital p&s, but I see an awfully large number of people—young and old—with vintage film SLRs and rangefinders. I think the Japanese market will probably be slower to let go of film than any, despite its love of novelty.

 

[sleepyhead]

Interesting! Thanks

 

[sepiareverb]

Great to hear that MF is still going strong in Japan- I think it still has a life ahead tho a new camera probably won't be developed...

 

[yarinkel]

Thanks for the tip. I'll buy it tomorrow.

Actually, I find that generally speaking the 2 major Japanese photo magazines (Nihon Camera and Asahi Camera) are very film oriented.
There's also regular articles on vintage cameras

 

[Tuolumne]

Are these magazines availzble in the US? Are they in English or Japanese?

/T

 

[rich815]

>>>>>Japanese market will probably be slower to let go of film than any

What makes you think they ever will?

 

[steamer]

You could probably get a copy at a Japanese bookstore like kinokuniya in LA or NY
The Magazine is in Japanese but there is always plenty to look at. I always look forward to the readers' contributions-- always some amazing photos.

 

[einolu]

i wish i could read that magazine :-(

medium format will be around for a while longer, i think, because there still isn't a inexpensive digital alternative. you can get the detail of medium format out of digital but you can't yet get that kind of dof and tonality that you can get from a 6x6 or larger negative.

 

[Terao]

Japan's eagerness for gadgets means they're further along the digital journey than the west. Its not just this place but I do see increasing numbers of digital shooters also trying the odd roll of film. Controversial here but the only reason to use 35mm film is to avoid the crop factor or possibly to benefit from the unique signatures of certain films (e.g. Scala). The reason to use medium format is far more compelling, primarily because of the total costs involved in shooting with a digital MF back.