Medium & Large Format Cameras, in simple terms, are cameras that take a larger format of film, or have larger digital sensors than the 35mm cameras otherwise found on this website. Like all types of camera, medium and large format cameras come in all sorts of different types. But, with the majority of content on this website being about 35mm cameras, I decided to lump all medium and large format cameras into one category.
If you like the look of one or another of the cameras reviewed below, you can navigate to similar cameras by following the tag links found at the bottom of the review.
I was at work one day when a friend/client came in with something in a weathered leather case. At the end of our service he handed me the case with “and this is for you.” This is a particularly gifty friend, he’s previously gifted me everything from a stereo receiver to a pair of socks… and it’s clear that he is dialed into all my favorite things, because today he’s handing me an old film camera.
Late last year I was confined to my apartment for a week and that opened an opportunity for me to write about a 6 x 6 format camera that I have been meaning to buy for years. That medium format camera is the redoubtable Mamiya C330f Twin Lens Reflex. I own two Rolleiflex TLRs, a 3.5 E and T with a prism finder; I should be happy with these two MF TLRs. But I was intrigued by the possibility of added versatility that the Mamiya could bring to the table, so I pulled the trigger on one being auctioned on eBay. The seller stated that he was not sure if the camera was working or not, and that he did not know much about it to say that it worked. But the kicker was the “Buy it now” price: $25 plus shipping.
The Ikonta range of folding medium format cameras complemented Zeiss Ikon’s Contax ‘system’ camera. They combined quality optics with leaf shutters in sophisticated bodies. The ‘Super Ikontas’ even featured a coupled rangefinder. They were made in three formats for 120 film. The A bodies were 6×4.5, the B’s were 6×6 and the C’s were 6×9. Other Ikonta models catered for 127 film (3×4) and 616 film (a huge 6.5×11 negative). The particular camera I’m basing this article on is a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 532/16. One of the ‘B’ models, producing 6×6 negatives on 120 film. This model was first produced in 1936 and carried on in production for nearly 20 years.
In this article I am going to talk about the Pentax 645N and Pentax 645D. The use of ‘and’ in the title rather than ‘vs’ is intentional. The use of ‘and’ in the title rather than ‘vs’ is intentional. This is not a competition. It is also not an attempt to convince anyone that this mount is a superior option to other systems. I am firmly Team “Whatever Floats Your Boat”. This is merely an overview of my experiences with two of my favorite cameras… with a few lens options thrown in
I bought a Hasselblad H1 by accident. Like it’s older cousin, the Hasselblad V, the H series is modular. It has options for batteries, viewfinders, and camera backs, in addition to lenses. Sometimes, it turns out, coming into possession of just one camera component can start you on a camera journey.
A while ago I had bought a Phase One P30 back for my Hasselblad V at a price I had thought acceptable. It turns out, of course, it doesn’t fit the V. I had bought a H series back, and there was no mechanism of adapting it to a V camera. The P30 went into a box in a drawer. Play the montage of time passing. Then last year I saw a Hasselblad H1 camera for a reasonable price.
