Dear friends, having been using DSLR camera for over a year I have not only identified my priorities|interests so to say (landscape, macro, still life, flowers|plants and portraits, no sport, no paparazzi, - no dynamics.) but became aware of digital photo pros & cons as well as. I saw some large prints made from medium format cameras (non-digital) and the advantages of MF became evident. I think there's no need to explain them :-) So I'm considering what camera should I buy. I was advised absolutely different models/ Some people advise 645 format (and Mamiya 645 as a specific model), others speak about 6x6 - 6x9 formats and Rollei|/Hasselblad as the best choice money can buy saying 645 isn't good enough (In case You've made Your mind go MF take REAL MF, - not "intermediate variant" like 645). More often I was recommended Mamiya RZ 67, Mamiya 645, Mamiya 7 II, Rollei 6008, Rollei SL66 and different Hasselblad models. On the other hand nobody advised Horseman or Linhof or Fuji or Contax or Pentax or Bronica. At the same time in one (non-russian ;-) Forum I was advised to take Russian made Kiev-88 said to be very inexpensive and providing hi-quality pics (?!) and ViewCamera (4" x 5") - in another... I tried to study the question in Internet but as a result everything is messed up in my head. It's so simple with 35mm and cropped DSLR cameras I've got used to! And MF surprises me each time I read a new report/article: mysterious "rangefinders" (what are they&), cameras with no viewfinders, cameras with fixed focus (!?, i. e. Holga) etc. Some things are beyond my understanding at all. For instance why there's no longer made SL66 now, replaced by 6000 series, but the latter is said to be less functional and flexible (there are thousands of that very SL66 all over the world even today). So I failed to make a kind of classification (comparison with automobiles often helps in similar cases - what is a tender Fiat, what is showoff BMW, what is hard-working GM and what is capricious but prestigious Porsche, not to mention Lotus, MacLaren etc) and decided to turn to You for help! Just now I want the following features: - versatile interchargable lenses - from very wide short ones (for landscape shots - > 90) to portrait and macro - AF capability - interchangeable prizm viewfinder (do not only waist level) - interchangeable revolving back (to be able to change different films and pic orientation) - flash synchronisation capability - SLR - not very expensive lenses (I was surprised to find out that some old inexpensive optics can provide better results than modern ones that are 3 - 10 times more expensive!) - but digital back attaching possibility is preferable (I see that it contradickts a wee with previous item :-) Some of the above cryteria may be wrong so please do correct me! So the questions are What are hidden bottlenecks in using MF for y needs? Are my cryteria correct and reasonable or I miss something important? What are Your suggestions about the type/trademark/model? Thank You in advance, -Anthony.

Wish I could help you but I look forward to seeing what feedback you get with this. I know there are at least a couple of MF users in this forum.

Attached Link: Link

Thank You, firestorm - reading it already. But do anybody really use MF (perhaps I should address directly the person in IM since not all of us visit Forum on a regular basis) - do somebody know who uses that kinda equipment?

Hi Anthony , I use a 50yr old 6x6 camera which still produces good results but i do not have the type of information you're looking for...sorry i cannot help further.

I see lots of old Bronica and Mamiya in use by old studio photographers. Like dentists went to lay down chairs, the ones who stood up all their lives had trouble adjusting. So it seems for some older studio photogs. The images I have seen from these cameras are great. Sorry, don't really know enough to comment on a choice.

I visited several sites, forums, read articles, reports and visited several stores and tried different models of Hasselblad and Rollei as I narrowed my choice by these two vendors. As far as I saw most of the salesmen and photographers have their own very individual habits and reasons to love specific vndor|model (some addicted to Hassy 501 just because it's Hassy 501 and it'smore than a camera for them but a kinda style and image, the others like Rollei 66 for the same reason and it's impossible to make them analyse their preferences and formulate competitive advantages of their specific choice). I like Rollei 6008AF very much. Though it's not very frequently discussed (in forums) nor widely used - not so popular (perhaps due to being not very cheap - ?, or there are some more factors...) So if anybody can express his|her own specific opinion on its' drawbacka, I'll be happy to read! Thank You in advance. -Anthony.

Attached Link: http://www.digital-photography.org/Rolleiflex_6008/Rolleiflex_6008_cameras.htm

The thing I like most about the Rollie 6000 series is they are all integrated from earliest models to the new digital. A camera that could truly last for years.

The quality is unrivalled from what I have heard, and you would have a better choice of lenses than Hasselblad.

Still its my dream camera so I am probably a bit biased.

Message edited on: 09/30/2005 16:45