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[OM] Re: Does buying a medium format make sense anymore?

Subject: [OM] Re: Does buying a medium format make sense anymore?
From: Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 13:17:20 -0700
>From: Albert <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>I've had my eye set on a medium format camera for a long time.  My
>friend has a Hassy, and I took it out for a spin, but found it was way
>to cumbersome to take on vacations...
> But I saw a few slides from a 6x7, and they just blew me away...

I think you need to get a 4"x5" field camera. If a Hassy is "too cumbersome," 
you aren't going to be happy with ANY interchangeable-lens medium format. And 
if you like the control you have over 35mm, but are thinking of getting a MF 
rangefinder just to avoid bulk, you may be disappointed in how limiting a 
rangefinder can be.

So, bite the bullet. Figure you're going to have added bulk and complexity to 
get the quality you want with the control you want. And if you enjoy learning 
new things, there's the whole Scheimpflug thing to explore, of which 35mm and 
MF photographers are largely unaware... :-)

Personally, I never saw the appeal. MF to me seems to combine the worst 
features of 35mm (lack of lens movements, many lack leaf shutters) with the 
worst features of LF (cumbersome, complexity). But I guess one might see it as 
combining some of 35mm ease-of-use with a somewhat larger artifact.

Also, 4"x5" has at least three years longer lifetime before digital eats it up.

>Also, I've made only 3 8x10s in my
>lifetime..

4"x5" trannies by themselves are things of beauty. Who needs a print when you 
have such a large tranny?

-- 
: Jan Steinman -- nature Transography(TM): <http://www.Bytesmiths.com>
: Bytesmiths -- artists' services: <http://www.Bytesmiths.com/Services>
: HTML email goes right in the trash! Turn off HTML if you want to email me.

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