Medium format digital wannabe

[jimgolden]

22MP backs are in the $3500 range, check out keh.com or call pro photo in Portland, they occasionally see used...

[MBat]

For a while I used a Phase one H20 (on RZ67), and G4 Mac laptop very successfully. Not compact or light but quite easy to use and should be available for something in the region of $2K (I paid £1300 for 2xRZ bodies, adaptor, 3 lenses and the H20, and got a Powerphase scanning back as well). On top of that, add an old Mac Ibook or similar. Capture 1 4.8.3 is free in its DB version (digital back only). 16Mpix, and very nice quality.

Glen Orchy

MarkB

[darylgo]

A potential source are the rental houses.  I have purchased from Adorama rental and Sammy's rental, via their pro department.  The backs in each case had moderate use but were in Ex+ condition.   Avoid ebay, this is a big purchase and many omissions occur in the descriptions.  Despite the ability to return a back purchased through ebay it becomes a big hassle.  Landscape shooting makes tethering difficult at best unless you are always going to be near your car like Ansel Adams with his platform over the roof....but then again who could argue with his results.  Landscape photography is tethered as it is with tripods, grad neutral density filters, lenses etc.  Studio shooting is fine for tethering but field shooting with it's lack of convenience makes this too difficult.  Many photographers love the Phase One P25 but a little known back with a large sensor and similar pixels is the Leaf 54s.  The 54s has a much bigger screen with beautiful histograms to evaluate exposure.  Phase One on the other hand is simple and for the same reason tethering doesn't work well in the field the simplicity of the Phase backs allows for quick evaluation with a few clicks.  Just some speculation on my part:  if Nikon and Canon bring out larger sensor full frame camera models I believe the P25 and 54s may fall in price with supply rising when the pros no longer need these backs.  In addition the IQ backs from Phase are just about to be released and they are offering generous trade in on practically any back.   35mm cameras are fine for quick shots but for serious landscape work medium format pixels are far superior.   

[ondebanks]

Probably the cheapest MFDB for unfettered, untethered use (i.e. shoots to CF card, has a screen to evaluate results, and compact detachable Li-ion batteries) is the old Kodak Pro Back 645M. This won't fit a Hasselblad V model, but you also mentioned you are looking for a MFDB for Mamiya; it fits the Mamiya 645AF[D] line. There were also variants for the Contax 645 and Hasselblad H1. And BTW it also shoots tethered over Firewire if you so wish, or with alternative power sources (AC mains transformer or Quantum Turbo battery).

Anyways, I have one and love it. Got it, just-serviced and low-mileage, for $2700; and they've only come down further in price since then. It's still supported by Midwest Camera Repair, who bought all Kodak's stock of spare parts - and who resell/service them very affordably in comparison to the other MFDB manufacturers. For example, I recently got a brand new replacement IR filter and 2 brand new batteries, for the princely total of €210 (no, there's no missing zero there!). Try doing that with PhaseOne, Leaf or Hasselblad! 

BTW, the clip-on, clip-off IR filter makes this a fantastic back for switching between regular and Infrared photography, if that's your thing.

[GX680III]

Please pardon the limited knowledge of a newbie on this Forum but this is my current experience of MF digital on a budget and imho, so much depends on your needs as well as your pocket. 

If you don't need very wide-angle shots, you should certainly be able to find a back like the Imacon Ixpress 384 with its 16M pixels (4,000x4,000) producing 16bit RGB files of 96-384Mb and that offers single shot, 4 shot and 16 shot modes.  I use mine on a Contax 645, Mamiya RZ67 and Fuji GX680III and the image quality is outstanding.  Adapters are available for almost all MF bodies with detachable film holders.  The use of the ImageBank which houses the battery (Sony info Lithium -series so up to 8 hours of shooting on one charge with the FP970) and the hard drive allows the camera to be used free of a computer if you prefer and I take mine up the sides of the mountains here in Wales.  The crop factor does limit your options for wide-angle shots but with 35mm on the Contax, and the 50mm lenses on the Mamiya and Fuji I can get some very usable landscape/architectural pictures - especially with the movements available on the Mamiya (via the Adapter plate)and Fuji (though limited with the 50mm on the Fuji).

Oh yes, and I still use the trusty old Phase 1 H10 tethered on my other Contax 645 in the studio, although I'm about to sell it as the Ixpress 384 renders it redundant really.