Ten Basic Tips for Medium Format Photography

Whether you are an aspiring professional photographer or would like better resolution with your pictures, you are probably interested in medium format photography. Here are ten useful tips for those ready to dive feet first into this seldom used format.

Understand the Uses of Medium Format Photography

Medium format photography is no longer reserved for the professional photographer, but you still need to have some experience working with 35mm cameras.

Interchangeable Camera Parts

The majority of medium format cameras are what they call system cameras. This is where the camera body can support various types of lenses, view finders, winding mechanisms, and camera backs. This flexibility will be a definite bonus for the photographer.

Lens

Over the years, the selection of lens for medium format cameras have grown to the point where you can find a variety of lens in the range of 40mm to 500mm, along with various features like wide angle lens or telephoto lens.

Camera Format

When selecting your camera, it is important to know what image size you want for your photographs. The most popular sizes in medium format photography are 6 x 4.5, 6 x 6, and 6 x 7.

Well Known Brands

As with any other type of product, there are certain brands that have been constants in the world of medium format photography. You can not go wrong if you decide to purchase any of the following brands; Contax, Bronica, Fuji, Mamiya, Pentax, and the most famous one Hasselblad.

Film

When it comes to film for medium format photography, you will either have to use 120mm or 220mm, depending upon your camera. You will be able to take anywhere from eight to thirty pictures with a roll of film, as opposed to the twenty four to thirty six you would take with a standard 33mm film.

Film Development

The expense of film development can easily sky rocket because of the limited number of pictures you take per roll as well as finding a place to develop the film. To save money on development, consider creating your own dark room where you can develop the pictures your self.

Suits Your Needs

If you are thinking about starting with medium format photography, make sure it will suit your need. Some cameras will be better fits for landscape photography while others are great for close up or studio shots. As for action shots, medium format photography is not always the right choice.

Buy Used

Equipment can be extremely expensive for those interested in medium format photography. Why not start simple and find a reputable place to purchase used cameras? You can visit sites like http://www.keh.com where you can find a large selection of used medium format cameras.

Understand the Overall Cost

While technology has made things easier when it comes to cameras, it is still important to know what you are getting into and if it is right for you. If this is just a hobby for you, you would be better off sticking with a 35mm camera rather than the digital format.

Resources

http://photo.net/

http://www.nelsontan.com/articles/mfphoto.html