Now, amongst the multitudes of cameras I bought, sold then regretted was a very special camera – being the Fujifilm Professional GA645i. You’ve all probably read about this and have seen Youtube videos, or you own one and love it! But I’ll relay my experience with it nonetheless. I bought this camera as I had been a very long time Contax G2 user and from what I read, this seemed to be the closest MF format (6×4.5) camera to that.
A few years ago I became interested in photography. I was mostly attracted to the old twin-lens reflex cameras, but soon I had to face the fact that my weak eyes cannot focus well enough (my contact lenses are not able to fully correct my vision).
I found it frustrating that in order to take a sharp photograph, one would actually have to see what they are photographing – and see it sharply. I did not enjoy guessing the distance; it made photography a stressful experience. That’s when I turned my gaze to the box cameras, and eventually got a Pajtás 6×6 box camera in my hands.
People on film photography forums and around the internet go on and on about the virtue of medium format, they will say “the larger negatives take my photography to another level” or “you don’t get the same 3D pop with 35mm” or the ubiquitous “it slows me down to shoot in 120”.
For me medium format has been the polar opposite of each of these statements: I shoot it on a Holga.
