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Medium Format Camera Types
By Robert Monaghan
Here is a brief guide to the
various major types of medium format cameras:
TLR – twin lens reflex cameras
Pros:
- Very quiet operation – no moving mirror, just leaf shutter in lens
- Sharper photos handheld – less vibration, extends hand-holding range (1+ stops)
- Compact and lightweight – no heavy prism or mirror mechanics, just reflex mirror
- Reliable and long-lived – fewer moving parts to go wrong, simple operation
- Metering on some models –
selenium cell meter requires no batteries
- Prisms for pro models –
provide eye level viewfinder option at significant cost
- Sportsfinder on many models
– provides eye level framing for following action
Cons:
- Most TLRs feature a single
fixed prime lens only (e.g., 80mm f/3.5)
- Parallax errors – viewing
lens is offset above lens that takes photo, closeup problems
- Waist-level finder with reversed left-right viewing, harder to
follow action shots
- Metering – often handheld meter is needed (note: selenium meter lacks sensitivity)
- Prisms – costly option on only a few pro models, heavy, bulky, top-heavy
- Specialty TLRs – wide and tele-photo Rollei models very expensive, collectibles
Notes:
Mamiya C220/C330 – only interchangeable lens TLR (only 55mm thru 250mm)
Paramender – offset camera on tripod distance between lenses for closeup work
Lubitel (Ukraine) and Seagull (China) TLRs have quality control issues
Yashicamat 124/124G – often overpriced at EBAY (above $200)
Early Yashicas and others – 3 element lenses less capable than later 4 element TLRs
Rolleiflex have coupled shutter and film advance, Rolleicords have these separate
Mamiya C3/C33/C330 have coupled shutter/film, Mamiya C2/C22/C220 separate
Best Buys?
Rolleicords (Va/Vb..) under $200 range for solid mechanics and optics
Yashicamat 4 element optics, Autocords and Ricohflex etc. down into $100 range...
TLR Problem Areas:
Closeup Photography:
TLRs are often cited as
having problems doing closeup photography due to parallax error.
While there are paramender devices to let
you focus on static closeup subjects, then raise the camera the required
distance to center the TLR lens, these are bulky, slow, and costly and not
available for all TLR brands. TLRs are a bad choice for true macrophotography
(1:1..), where an SLR would give you an exactly framed shot and offer a wider
range of magnification factors.
Wide Angle Photography:
A few wide angle Rolleiwide
TLRs with great optics were made, but are astronomically priced today. Use of
wide angle adapters (see adapter pages) and even a fisheye adapter is one low
cost alternative, but quality is reduced and precise composition is problematic
(no direct viewing).
Telephoto Photography:
A few telephoto lensed
Rollei TLRs were also made, again high priced collectibles today. Some low cost
telephoto adapters exist, but they generally produce softer images of reduced
quality. An afocal telescope/binocular option is possible, but very hard to use
and focus.
Recommended Usage:
TLRs are great for
portraiture, weddings, street photography, and general usage where their quiet
operation and light weight is a plus. Leaf shutter lenses make it easy to use
fill flash. Many lower end TLR models
are quite inexpensive, and often recommended as a starting point for medium
format photography. But be sure you can live with the single lens – see Lens
Envy pages first!
Rangefinders
Pros:
- Easier focusing thanks to brighter viewfinder and contrasty rangefinder mechanics
- Less noisy – no moving mirror as in SLRs
- Leaf shutter lens models offer fill-in flash X-synch at any shutter speed
Cons:
- Leaf shutter lenses limited to 1/500th second (often only 1/350th or so true speed)
- leaf shutter models have slower lens speeds (apertures)
- few models have interchangeable backs (so you may need pricey second body)
- accessory finders are costly, bulky, not as accurate
- closeup accessory (diopter lens) usually limited, bulky, hard to find ;-)
- harder to use for landscape work with graduated ND filters and polarizers (big glitch)
Notes:
Current Models:
Bronica RF645 - non-AF 645, 135mm lenses recalled, prices lowered
Fuji GA645 series (i, Zi, Wi..) - fixed lenses, AF option, lightweight travel
Fuji GW670 series - 6x7cm, fixed lens, no meter, same lens/body as GW690
Fuji GW690 series - 6x9cm, fixed lens (wide option), no meter, lens vignettes wide open..
Mamiya 6/6MF - 6x6cm format, interchangeable lenses, pricey, 35mm panoramic option (MF)
Mamiya 7/7II - 6x7cm format, 43/50/65/80/150/250mm ~= 22/26/30/43/76/128mm horiz. on 35mm SLR;
but 43/250mm use acc'y finder, only 150mm is RF coupled; limited close focus, pricey!
Popular Used Models:
Zeiss Ikonta folders - some 645, 6x6, 6x9cm RF models, great optics, old (bellows..), collectibles
Mamiya Universal series - lenses (50mm-250mm) and backs (6x7,6x9,polaroid), shift option..
Koni/Rapid-Omega - 6x7cm, 58/90/135/180mm (~=28/47/70/94mm on 35mm), 120 or 220 backs, bulky..
Fuji G/GL690 - 6x9cm, 65/100/150/180mm is an older "Texas sized Leica", quiet, but hard to fix
Graflex XL/XLSW - zeiss.. lenses, graflex back options, XLSW is 47mm fixed lens, bulky..
n.b. lots of older RF folders with varying optics and performance but at low prices on used market
Problem Areas
Rangefinders can be used for closeup work with accessory (diopter) lenses on most models. The
useful diopter magnification ranges are limited. A few rangefinders have interchangeable backs
including ground-glass and extension tubes and even tilt/shifts (such as Mamiya Universal series).
You can however cheat, and use any good two element achromatic diopter that fits, thanks to our
diopter tables pages and tips.
Close-focusing is often a problem with rangefinders. Reducing close focusing cuts lens size, weight, and costs.
But you may have a problem getting tight portraits (e.g., Mamiya 7 with 150mm RF lens). As an
example, the close focusing 135mm lens for the Koni-Omega 6x7cm RF usually costs more than the
other three lenses combined (still a bargain though at US$400-500+). Here again, you can cheat
with a "fractional diopter" moderate (e.g., +1/2) closeup lens to
take closer portraits and shots.
Accessory finders are often used with wide angle and longer telephoto lenses. The Mamiya 7
system uses accessory finders for its 43mm ultrawide and 250mm (uncoupled) telephoto lenses.
The finder adds substantially (e.g., ~$500 here in USA) to the overall cost (US$3,000) of
the Mamiya 7's 43mm lens option. Framing is less exact than with SLRs, and focusing is a
problem with longer telephoto lenses, which must usually be used on a tripod for this reason.
In short, the rangefinder is a poor choice if doing closeup or copying documents, or
subjects like still lifes and architecture where shifts/tilts are often needed. The right
cameras and accessories can be used for portraiture (if close focusing isn't an issue).
Recommended Usage
Rangefinders are relatively quiet, unobtrusive, and fast action cameras which can be ideal
for situations like street photography, rapid action, and places like weddings or lectures
where loud cameras would be frowned upon. In the theatre, rangefinders are popular as they
are easily focused in dim light. But since many rangefinders have slow lenses, you may need
really fast film.
Used interchangeable back and lenses rangefinders like the Mamiya Universal series (6x9cm)
and Koni-Omega 6x7cm rangefinders can be great buys for quality optics and a flexible
system. The Koni- and Rapid-omega series were favored by wedding photographers for fast
action (hence "rapid"-omega). The Mamiya Universal series had a ground glass back and back
tilt model and a polaroid back.
Single Lens Reflex Cameras
Pros
what you see is mostly what you get (viewfinders from 74% to 100% full frame view)
interchangeable lenses (often including leaf shutter lens(es) even with focal plane models)
often interchangeable finders, including various metering and magnified viewfinders
often interchangeable backs (permit different formats, 120 or 220 film..)
polaroid backs an option on some cameras for lighting checks
wide range of lens options in some lines, fisheyes (30mm..), ultrawides to long telephotos
Cons:
often heavy, thanks in part to moving mirror and esp. heavy prism finders
motor drives slower, heavier with larger medium format SLRs (batteries..)
few third party lenses, so often limited to OEM mfgers lenses (esp. leaf shutter models)
Loud! moving mirror may also add vibration, esp. 1/30th-1/4 second with long lenses
lens costs often a major factor, e.g., Zeiss or Contax optics
fewer autofocus models, limited AF lens options, slower AF (larger format), mostly 645 (+Rollei 6008 AF)
abysmally slow flash synch top speeds on focal plane models (1/30th! to 1/60th sec. typical)
higher maintenance costs for leaf shutter models (due to shutters in each lens)
speed variations, esp. at slow speeds, between different lenses (critical with slides)
top speeds limited, marked 1/500th on leaf shutters often true 1/350th sec., or 1/1000th sec on f/p models
accessories often needed for specialty areas like macro (may not be available in some lines)
Notes:
Current Models:
6x4.5cm Autofocus models - Pentax 645, Mamiya 645, and Contax 645 Autofocus models
lenses are very pricey, offerings limited, prices high, AF speed slow to good
6x6cm Autofocus - so far limited to Rolleiflex 6008AF electronics rich, but pricey lenses
6x4.5cm manual models - Bronica ETRSi, pentax 645, Mamiya 645 (plus 645 kiev and others)
lenses often modest cost, ETRSi is leaf shutters, Pentax/Mamiya focal plane shutter
6x6cm manual models - Hasselblad 50x (leaf) and 200/x (f/p), Rolleiflex 600x (leaf), Bronica Sq AI (leaf)
Pricey zeiss lenses on hasselblad and rolleiflex lines, hassy leads on mechanics, rollei on electronics, bronica on prices..
6x7cm manual models - pentax 67 (f/p),
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