Medium Format for Formals?

[cdifoto]

Does anyone here still use Medium Format for their formals? If so, have you tried using digital or standard 35mm film in lieu of it? Have your customers noticed? Do they actually appreciate the difference or can't they tell?

Reason I ask is I'm thinking about getting an older MF camera just to play around, and then possibly offer it as an optional, additional service - at a small premium of course. ;)

Just curious as to whether this is a good route to try, or if it's futile and should be done only for pleasure anymore.

[David M]

Everybody uses their medium of choice but there's a basic question: why bother with MF when today's DSLR's are more than you need ?

(IMHO they they are actually better than MF in every aspect but I already started a lose-lose debate in another thread so let's not turn this one into the same mud puddle)

here's the advantages I see:
- better quality at HIGH ISO, I often shoot my formals at ISO800, you can easily print an 11x14 and see virtually NO NOISE (5D)
- faster processing, I do show reception slideshows to my customers and always include a few formals in them - not possible with film, I can also put a gallery of favorites on my website the next morning - impossible with film
- instant feedback - everybody srews up every once in a while - digital lets me make absolutely sure grandma will love her whole family 8x10 when it's all done and ready because I can make sure my exposure, lighting, color and other factors that determine the initial look of the image are spot on, I am way more accurate with digital than I could ever be with film

for all of the above and then some MF RIGHT NOW seems to me like taking a long way around something that could be done in a much better and easier way, here's 'the guys' shot from a recent wedding:

http://www.catchlightphoto.net/galleries/2006/AnneGeorge/guys_pano.jpg

[cdifoto]

I'm not doing a digital versus film debate. I'm asking if anyone offers medium format IN ADDITION TO or AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO their 35mm film or digital output. Some people do still like MF but I'm curious as to whether it's worthwhile.

I just called my local lab and talked to them about turnaround times and pricing and such and I think I'm going to give it a go...but not as a primary output...just as an option. If all else fails I can use it for personal photos or sell it. I'm not spending big bucks...just a used Mamiya C220 TLR or similiar.

[Wilt]

>> I'm asking if anyone offers medium format IN ADDITION TO or AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO their 35mm film or digital output. <<

Wedding pros have been doing the dual-format thing for a long time before digital became a real, quality contender! MF formals, 35mm candids. The question now is whether or not that practice has evolved to MF formals with dSLR candids vs. all dSLR wedding! For the guy who never gets more than an 8x10 in the order (and doesn't have to crop a lot on the final print), going all-digital is a lot more achievable than for the guy who routinely sells that 20x20 two-page center spread in the wedding album!

[David M]

For the guy who never gets more than an 8x10 in the order (and doesn't have to crop a lot on the final print), going all-digital is a lot more achievable than for the guy who routinely sells that 20x20 two-page center spread in the wedding album!

I do exactly that... I used to do it with 6mpx 10D now I'm just more comfortable doing it with 5D and the spreads are quite often 11x28 and 14x22. Couldn't be happier with the results.

[scotgasch]

Until my 1dsmk2 purchase, I did just this. BTW, I have a used Bronica ETRS and a couple of lens' for sale..:D :D :D

[Wilt]

>>I used to do it with 6mpx 10D now I'm just more comfortable doing it with 5D<<

A center spread with a 6Mp camera! You must have been upsampling in post processing. I would be a bit hesistant to do it with a 20D without upsampling, since 20" on 3500 pixels is less than 200 dpi in an album that will be viewed at close range.

[David M]

A center spread with a 6Mp camera! You must have been upsampling in post processing.

Well... ofcourse ! Upsampling can be done in many ways - the best one I found: trust your lab if you have a god one but for a 20x10 you can still use PS and still get results close to perfection.

[cdifoto]

I appreciate all your input guys. Another thing that makes me want to try out this MF thing is non-wedding related. I was considering, once I get the hang of it, offering MF services to one of the local car dealers that ALWAYS has a billboard over the interstate highway running right by the town, as well as a couple other businesses that do the same. They could laugh at me...or give me a chance. Who knows. MF would give better results than digital would...although LF would be better.

[tim]

>>I used to do it with 6mpx 10D now I'm just more comfortable doing it with 5D<<

A center spread with a 6Mp camera! You must have been upsampling in post processing. I would be a bit hesistant to do it with a 20D without upsampling, since 20" on 3500 pixels is less than 200 dpi in an album that will be viewed at close range.

I think it'd be fine, i'd probably not even bother to upsample. The lab can worry about that, that's why I use a pro lab.

[sapearl]

The Mamiya C220 TLR or a newer C330f would be a very nice quiet, simple and pleasant to use camera. I think you would be very happy with it.

My first medium format was a C220 that I bought used in 1974, then I moved up to the C330's. They are really not very expensive at all on the used market and have a variety of fairly decent interchangeable lenses. They make little noise in a quiet church. I switched over to Hasselblad in 1998 as my main equipment, but still use the mamiya for time exposures during the ceremony.

Bravo that you're considering a dabble in MF. Hopefully I'll be getting a 5D soon as the local commercial labs seem to be moving away from MF film processing. I figure either I better learn now and offer a hybrid service, or chase another film lab if the current facilty decides to cease at the end of this year. Either way you should have a lot of fun with it. Just keep a close watch on your film processing resources though. Enjoy!

Stu

I'm not doing a digital versus film debate. I'm asking if anyone offers medium format IN ADDITION TO or AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO their 35mm film or digital output. Some people do still like MF but I'm curious as to whether it's worthwhile.

I just called my local lab and talked to them about turnaround times and pricing and such and I think I'm going to give it a go...but not as a primary output...just as an option. If all else fails I can use it for personal photos or sell it. I'm not spending big bucks...just a used Mamiya C220 TLR or similiar.

[cdifoto]

I actually bid on and won a Mamiya M645 SLR with Sekor C 110mm f/2.8 lens. Total cost was $270. It looked to be in average condition...nowhere close to mind yet not beat up and abused either.

Just won it and paid for it Saturday 1/28/06 so I haven't received it. Hopefully it works!

There's a local non-commerical camera store/lab that still does medium format developing for $4 a roll. You then pay for prints based on size. Downside is they scan the negs for printing rather than doing it direct...but at least they still develop it inexpensively. They said turnaround time is usually about 3 working days.