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Author Topic: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?  (Read 17891 times)

dergiman

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Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« on: March 27, 2012, 01:08:12 pm »

Hi,

i just want to ask if anybody ever went back to a 35mm digital camera after owning and using a digital medium format camera for some time?

Did you regret it and what was the reason that you no longer use MFD? Did you regret selling your medium format gear?



Philipp
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John R Smith

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2012, 01:22:11 pm »

Philipp

I think this is an odd question, really. Most serious photographers, certainly in film days, and probably now too, who worked with MF and LF would also have 35mm kit in their cupboard. I know I always did. There are things which MF simply can't do, like fast-moving sports and candid work, and you have to have a 35mm camera around to cover that.

John
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Brian Hirschfeld

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2012, 01:22:37 pm »

Biggest reason I have seen is people get older, and don't want to carry or can't carry their MFD or MF equipment.
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ternst

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2012, 04:46:06 pm »

Hey Phillip, I'm trying to do just that right now - switching to the new Nikon instead of medium-format digital for my landscape stuff. I use the D800 Nikon for high-ISO wide angle night work and long telephoto images anyway (since I can't do either with medium-format digital), so was hoping it could do double duty and allow me to have only one camera system. But after shooting with the D800 for several days alongside the 40mp medium-format stuff - and really looking into the files and making 40x60 prints from both (same scene, same light, same FOV lens, etc.) - I have come to the conclusion that the Nikon does not quite give me the details I need for my prints, even though the megapixel count is so close. If I never made really large prints I would be a happy camper with the new Nikon, but the extra detail (due to larger pixels?) spoils ya.
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Brian Hirschfeld

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2012, 04:47:57 pm »

the extra detail (due to larger pixels?) spoils ya.

I agree.
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TMARK

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2012, 06:06:39 pm »

Yup, 90% of what I did could be done on a 35mm dslr.  Otherwise rent an MFDB.  I know landscapers have higher requirements than fashion shooters, but the MFDBs just aren't fast enough (in every way) for people photography, unless its a static job like beauty or portraiture.  While I think the backs of all flavors have better absolute IQ than any DSLR I've used, I think the D3x the best of the bunch when it comes to DR, resolution, and color rendition.  Not to mention in focus frames.

The D800 should be amazing, although the frames I've seen thus far of confused cats and dogs, inane street scenes, badly posed C grade models in bad taste fashion spreads, leave me a bit cold. 
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Brian Hirschfeld

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2012, 06:08:59 pm »

For me it certainly isn't demand. I enjoy the technology of the camera as much as I enjoy the process of actually making pictures, and medium format offers me a unique experience to most of the people around me, and allows me to do different things and think differently. It also weighs a lot more and has other technical limitations for certain applications.
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theguywitha645d

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #7 on: March 27, 2012, 06:23:58 pm »

...but the MFDBs just aren't fast enough (in every way) for people photography...

Now you tell me. I have been shooting street photography with my Pentax 645D. I know others that do similar work with MFDB on Alpas and such. But now that I know I can't do that...

;)
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Brian Hirschfeld

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #8 on: March 27, 2012, 06:25:46 pm »

everyone's different, like snowflakes

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianhirschfeldphotography/6025679799/in/set-72157627269991041/

anything can be done with practice and effort ;)
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BernardLanguillier

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #9 on: March 27, 2012, 07:37:13 pm »

Yep, I moved from a Mamiya ZD to a Nikon D3x.

The files of the ZD were good, although not significantly better than those of the D3x.

But the main reasons why I moved back to 35 mm were:
- usability in the field for landscape (cold weather shooting battery life, speed, screen,...),
- disappointing lenses compared to the best 35mm lenses, especially on the wide side where the Mamiya/Phaseone 28mm f4 didn't impressed me much on the 48x36mm sensor of the ZD. Very sharp in the center but less so in the corners,
- overall reliability of the system (loose mount tolerances, some software bugs,...),
- bulk and weight indeed,
- lack of DoF when shooting at best possible aperture,
- lack of T/S lenses,
- lack of eco-system (brackets, raw files support in DxO,...).

Cheers,
Bernard
« Last Edit: March 27, 2012, 09:24:04 pm by BernardLanguillier »
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eronald

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #10 on: March 27, 2012, 09:48:27 pm »

I moved from a Mamiya P45+ to a D3x and now D4.

The back was fine, I guess, but I couldn't live with the camera.

Edmund
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nicholask

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2012, 12:28:33 am »

Yep. Owned an Aptus 22 with AFDII and RZ bodies. No client of mine has ever asked for me to shoot with a MFDB system, yet in film days clients did request 2 1/4 or 4x5 film, but not anymore in digital. It's so rare that my clients need very large repro and if they do, it still depends on what the printed resolution requirements in visual terms are desired. You'd be amazed what a well done 5DII file with the current version of BlowUp can do.

People need to get away from the petty war between digital sensor sizes. Honestly who cares. Use what you can afford. Use what fulfills the needs of your clients. Use what best represents the prints you want to create. But too many cameras now of many sensor sizes are so good at creating files that the failure is far too often the skills of the shooter.

I am approaching 40, in better shape now than I have been in a decade, stronger, more desire to do things in the world, but the least desirable thing for me now is hauling tons of gear. I simply no longer care about gear. I want a client job done as well it can be with as little gear as possible. To me creativity is not just in the art of the image, but the intelligent use of equipment and problem solving. One problem all photographers have is too much shit. Lessen the load, broaden the vision and just get things done. I would rather have power tools to build my shed, build my boat, grow a vegetable garden, stain my deck, redo spaces in the house than worry about the nonsense of photography gear.

I've been shooting for clients for 14 years. My new goal is to continue using the 5DII until it dies. Bleed everything out of it. Because if I were going to buy a new camera, I'd bang my head into the wall and instead go buy the Honda outboard I want which would give me far more pleasure with friends on the lake than another minute with new photo gear.

This is very similar to my view, and experience. I too had an Aptus 22, but after it was stolen I decided to get a couple of 5DIIs. I continued shooting for the same clients I had been shooting on MFD for, with the 5DII, and nobody could see a difference in image quality. And the 5DII was so much easier to shoot with than the Mamiya AFD.

Admittedly MFD has (or had...) more dynamic range, but this was most apparent to me when I converted files to b&w - nicer tonal gradations, etc.

I too hope to shoot on the 5DII until the cows come home. I don't particularly love the camera, but it works fine, and the quality is plenty good enough.

Terence h

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2012, 08:14:22 am »

I have both the 5D MK11 and the Aptus 75 and my customers like the look of my food
images shot with the Aptus 75 rather than the 5D .
My clients often say that i must quote with my "big camera"

It is also the fact that the 2x3 format is quite wasteful when cropping to the 4x3 format.

For me i find both essential to my business.

Regards
Terence
http://www.terencehogben.co.za (new)
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 08:55:22 am by Terence h »
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BlasR

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #13 on: March 28, 2012, 10:37:00 am »

I too hope to shoot on the 5DII until the cows come home.  when the cows will be home?  I never hear that sorry..but what the cows have to do with u having 5d2?

Cows control u? This site getting crazy, people killing hoses,bitting them to death, now waiting for cows, come home to hide the camera i guess??? Animals getting kill, others controlling what camera u should use..OH LORD!

my customers like the look of my food...They look your food?  while u eating?  I hope its NOT death horses, the turn to CAT meal, or cows the control with what you taking photos..

Maybe the cows, think you will shot them from both side of the fence?
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Terence h

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #14 on: March 28, 2012, 10:50:35 am »

What are you talking about Blas ? :-)
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dergiman

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #15 on: March 28, 2012, 11:23:18 am »

This seems to be a hot topic.

Keep´em coming!
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Terence h

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #16 on: March 28, 2012, 11:47:09 am »

I must say i would like to see Nikon 800E files possibly they might enable
a switch to a fully 35mm based system , but not too excited from what i have
seen of the Nikon 800 files.

Regards
Terence
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z0624

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #17 on: March 28, 2012, 12:31:08 pm »

Never left 35mm when I started MFD.  I still use my cell phone camera and an x100 as well.  I guess I just shoot with whatever is in my hand.  There is something about the slap of the bigger mirror and the slower methodical process that you are forced to use when shooting MFD that I would miss.  ISO 25 and 50 have their place just as much as 6400 and above.
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Rob C

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2012, 01:10:14 pm »

I too hope to shoot on the 5DII until the cows come home.  when the cows will be home?  I never hear that sorry..but what the cows have to do with u having 5d2?

Cows control u? This site getting crazy, people killing hoses,bitting them to death, now waiting for cows, come home to hide the camera i guess??? Animals getting kill, others controlling what camera u should use..OH LORD!

my customers like the look of my food...They look your food?  while u eating?  I hope its NOT death horses, the turn to CAT meal, or cows the control with what you taking photos..

Maybe the cows, think you will shot them from both side of the fence?

Blas, I suspect that you write with tongue in cheek?

Waiting for the cows to come home means you are going to be hanging about for a long, long time. Dead horses are often found to have been flogged to their deaths.

In my last place of employment we used to have a sink in the darkroom under which lay a horse that had been flogged to death; it was often joined by other things in the same condition. Not that said horse was actually visible, you understand, but we were all aware that there it lay, as sure as paper would fog if some asshole switched on the lights whilst the lids were off the paper boxes.

Rob C



BlasR

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Re: Anybody ever gone back to 35mm after MFD?
« Reply #19 on: March 28, 2012, 01:40:30 pm »

I think the only person the i had read about, taking 50 to 100 photos in put it all together is Bernard.  No way after u shooting with MD you will go back to 35 mm now U will keep 35 mm for very fast shooting.

Rob, I do not write with tongue in cheek.  Oh so those cows are very far away?  they walk slow, that is why people hold the 5d2 for long time? they do not get tired of holding it the long?  those cows must getting everyone mad.

Are u sure those are not mad cows?  mad cows, attack. They kill..so the dead horse was under the sink..poor horse,,I will be scare, working in a sink the a death horse was frogged to death,special if they turn the light off to often.

But its big different from 35 mm to MD, even Bernard will say no...Love U too
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