I recently bought a Mamiya 645Pro-TL camera

[kendrab]

First of all, hello to everyone here. I am glad to see such a large group of medium format photography enthusiasts. I look forward to talking about medium format photography and learning from you all.

This is my first visit back to film in 30 years, and my first experience with medium format film photography too. I bought my Mamiya 645Pro-TL camera with the belief it will be a tool to learn/relearn the fundaments of photography, while creating larger images for better quality prints.

I am not totally new to photography. I have owned a Nikon digital camera system for a few years, but some aspects of that digital system didn't work very well for me. I was faced with a choice of going to a full-frame camera and a whole new series of lenses, or stepping back to a medium format film camera and a series of high quality inexpensive lenses.

I have enjoyed using my Mamiya camera over the last three weeks. I enjoyed it so much that I got rid of my Nikon digital camera gear. I found someone with a large collection of Mamiya 645 lenses, and swapped a Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens for three great Mamiya ones: 50mm f/4 Shift, 80mm f/2.8NL, and A150mm f/2.8. The camera I bought had a 80mm f/2.8N lens on it, so I have a good start.

I had a Nikon 16-85mm lens as well, and was able to swap it for a new Sekonic L-358 light meter with the Wireless controller module, so am pretty happy about that.

Medium format photography is different. I knew that intellectually, but actually working with it has been most interesting. My experiences have been quite positive. Seeing really good results from my first roll of B & W film in 40 years was quite gratifying. Having people come up to me  to ask if I am doing a video or something has led to a number of interesting conversations, as well as a few photo opportunities.

It seems like medium format film photography using film is suiting my needs and temperament better than the much more modern digital world. I like the simplicity of it all, and LOVE how the camera just seems to get out of the way and let me be creative. I expect my switch from digital back to film based photography is a bit unusual, but would love to hear from anyone else who did so, and what their experiences have been.

Kendra

[Paul2660]

Congratulations on the switch.

I am curious do you scan your film into digital format to print
or print in a darkroom? 

As my workflow is to create a print from an inkjet digital capture is the preferred method for me.
I realize it's an individual choice. 

Paul

[kendrab]

Hi Paul,

My future plans are to get a good film scanner. I have looked at the Epson V700/V750 flatbed scanner, and know many people get good results with them, but it seems like there it takes a lot of add-ons to get good results (aftermarket holders, ANR glass, Silverfast software, wet mount chemicals, etc.), and they can be a bit fussy. I don't want too much fuss, just good results, so I will likely save up for something like an Imacon Flextight Precision II. At around $2,500-$3,000, it is not a cheap solution, but compared to the price of a new medium format digital camera, with current generation digital back, and pricey new lenses it seems a reasonable bargain.

Kendra

[Paul2660]

You are headed in the right direction.  Silverfast seems to be the best software for scanning currently and the Imacon without a doubt excellent results.

Paul

[amsp]

There's also the Plustek 120 scanner to consider.

[kendrab]

Thanks for the link. It looks pretty decent, and getting it new would be a bonus (other scanners I am looking at are between $2,500 and $,500 used). I will look for some reviews online.

[tnabbott]

Congratulations! This was my first a medium format camera and I loved it!

[KingRoach]

Congrats for the move. Indeed film photography is more immersive than digital in both the photographic and the "lived-experience" senses.

I have a Mamiya 645 AF which I use with both Digital and Film backs. My move to film wasn't too long ago (as I'm talking about it every now and then on my blog), and I'm going through very similar sentiments and questions as you. I cannot afford a scanner of that sort anyway, so I'm stuck to a flatbed, which is currently an Epson Perfection 4490.

I will look at Silverfast as a software option, so thank you for mentioning it.

[kendrab]

I am settling in to my new camera system, and am getting a lot of enjoyment from it. I decided to take my camera, tripod and three lenses on a hike today, and went a bit further afield than I normally did with my digital camera. My Mamiya camera encouraged me to go just "a little bit further" and take "just one more" photograph. By the time I got home, I had walked something like 20 km over fairly persistent hills and valleys, with roughly 30 lb. on my back. By the time I got home, I was beat. I fell asleep after supper, but am sure I was smiling as I did so. It was a great day.

In the course of my travels, I had three or four other people approach me to ask "what kind of camera" I was using. These questions led to a few interesting conversations, with one young lady saying "her dad had a camera like mine in storage" and she was going to ask him to let her use it. She though film was "cool" and couldn't believe how much more she could see through the viewfinder of my camera compared to her own Nikon D-300.

I sat down the other day to figure out what the cost of a modern medium format digital camera system would be if purchased new. A Mamiya Leaf system with Credo 60 back and three good lenses will run about $40,000. $40,000! Mind you that is JUST for the camera, digital back, and three lenses. Getting a new shift/tilt lens would easily add another $5,000 to the total.

At this point, I am now into my medium format Mamiya camera system $300 more what I got from selling my old one. But I now have 7 great lenses for it, from an 50mm f/4 shift lens to a 300mm f/5.6N. A new Mamiya Type B Remote Shutter Release and WG-401 Power Grip are on the way for it. I even have a Vanguard Supreme 40F water tight hard storage case coming. I got $2,300 from selling my Nikon camera and three lenses, so have $2,600 invested in my new system so far.

I have decided to get the PlusTek OpticFilm 120 scanner for Christmas, and have given a deposit to my local camera store to get one brought in. My total investment will still be less than $5,000.

Spending $5,000 for a manual focus medium format camera with digital added in the post-production phase, versus spending $40,000 to have it "built-in" to a new camera with auto-focus and better low light performance. Some might take the high road, and buy that shiny new digital camera setup. Professionals needing that capability have no other real options, given the time constraints they work under. But as a retired amateur photographer living on a pension, my approach suits my sensibilities (and my budget) a lot closer.

Does it really matter where digital technology is introduced in your photography, as long as you get good digital images at the end of it? Let those with deep pockets or pressing needs buy the shiny new digital medium format cameras and lenses, with their attending costs. I can't afford to do the same, nor do I have any real desire to.

My camera shines at what I need it to do, and encourages me to engage with photography with a lot more enthusiasm. Putting digital technology in at the post-production stage will allow me to convert my film images into high quality digital files at a reasonable cost, so they can be stored and distributed more readily. I can't ask for much more than that.