The question is, for those who have gone this route, has it been commercially viable? As much as we all like the best equipment, in my case it has to be a financially sensible decision. Do you price jobs differently for MF, or has it allowed you to attract better assignments & therefore better rates? Any advice much appreciated.
Harold,
I was in the same boat as you. I had cases full of Mamiya RZ gear, Sinar 4x5 & 8x10 gear, and saw it all collect dust once I picked up a 1Ds. The nail on the coffin for me was the closing of E-6 labs all around my state.
I now have cases full of Canon gear and have kept my eye on MF gear & prices. What stops me from embracing MF is that I have
many more focal lengths at my disposal. Being able to use anything from a fish-eye to a fast 600 mm gives me more enjoyment & options than I can currently get in MF. I am not a specialist either so it helps to have many focal lengths available.
Almost all of my images go to CMYK printing of some sort. Some SWOP, some sheetfed, some even hi-fi color, and I've
never had a job rejected because of lack of resolution. From postcards to 175 lpi 2-page spreads, I've been able to serve my clients without needing more resolution. However, I do have to remind clients that a tight crop will provide better detail and this is a good argument for MF photography: the client can crop with more freedom when using a large file. The other great feature of MF photography: leaf shutters and high sync speeds. Boy, I miss that!
With my current success with 1Ds cameras, the cost to trade over to MF is not very enticing. I've rented a P45 with Mamiya 645 and have marveled at the detail in inkjet prints, but when my clients looked at the files, there was no comment on the increased resolution or anything else inherent in an MF back (e.g., no AA filter softness, higher dynamic range, 4x5 rectangle proportions, etc.).
Another factor which may push me to MF: what the other guy is using. Even now, clients ask how many megapixels my cameras are, and almost everyone recognizes the 1Ds series as a camera they could possibly own someday. Just like in the old days, when you'd set up your 4x5, people appreciate a "professional" when you're using gear they haven't seen and/or understand the price is that of a new car. Sad but true.
This leaves one other criteria: the ROI factor (Return on Investment). Find a good ROI calculator online (or Quickbooks, perhaps?) and plug in the numbers. I think you'd be surprised how much more you have to charge to pay off the investment in two years (the standard amortization period for digital/computer gear), given the same number of jobs you'd be shooting.
Good luck with your decision!