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Medium-format is a film format in still photography. Generally, the term applies to any film size between miniature (eg: 35mm) and large format (eg: 4"x5" sheet film). The majority of medium-format users are professional photographers, but many amateur enthusiasts also favour the format. 1 Pros and Cons
1.1 Pros
The main draw to medium-format is that, due to its increased negative size (around 3 to 4 times bigger than 35mm), it offers much higher resolution, allowing enlargements to huge dimensions without grain or blur. Professional and amateur photographers praise the larger film for its high resolution and smooth gradation. While large-format view cameras offer greater negative size and higher resoltion still, they generally lack the versatility and convenience of a medium-format camera due of their bulky size and relatively awkward process.
Medium format negatives can also be shot in a variety of aspect ratios, which differ depending on the camera body used. The most common aspect ratios are 6x6cm (square) and 6x4.5cm (rectangular). Other frequently used aspect ratios are 6x7cm, 6x9cm, and 6x17cm panoramic. The 6x4.5cm format is usually referred to as "645", with many cameras that use this ratio bearing "645" in their product name. Cameras that can swith to different aspect ratios do so by either switching camera backs, or by special multi-format backs. All of these dimensions are nominal; actual dimensions are a bit different. For example, 6x7cm might give an image on film that is actually 56 x 70 mm; this enlarges exactly to fill an 8x10 sheet of paper. Another feature of many medium-format models is the ability to use Polaroid instant film in an interchangeable back. Studio, commercial and architectural photographers value this system for its ability to verify the exposure using the shutter, aperture and flash synch of the camera that will take the final photograph on roll film. Historically, the format was much more widely used with the lower-quality films of earlier eras. The coarse grain of such film suffered in enlargement, so negatives and transparencies of moderate (not miniature) size, which needed less enlargement, gave better pictures.
Another pro is that, like large-format cameras, many medium format cameras have various interchangable parts. While most 35mm SLRs support different lenses, it is standard for medium-format cameras to support different lenses, winding mechanisms, viewfinders , and camera backs.
1.2 Cons
Compared to 35mm, the main drawbacks are accessibility and price. While 35mm cameras, film, and photo finishing services are widely available and relatively cheap, medium-format is usually limited to professional photography shops and can be prohibitively expensive. Medium-formant film also supports fewer exposures per roll, usually around 12 to 16, and are generally more difficult to load than their 35mm counterparts.
2 Medium-format photography today
Digital photography has come to the medium format world with the development of digital camera backs, which can be fitted to many medium format cameras. These are also very expensive, but record higher-quality images than any other digital photography format. Not only do they deliver more megapixels, but also, their larger pixels result in lower noise. Features like fan cooling also improve the image quality of studio models. Furthermore, many offer bit depths greater than those of miniature digital sensors.
All medium format cameras manufactured today use the 120 film120 is a film format for still photography introduced by Kodak for their Brownie No. 2 in 1901, and still very popular, as the surviving medium format. The 120 film allows several image formats, the most common being the 6 × 6 cm (120 square format), or m format. Many also can use the 220120 is a film format for still photography introduced by Kodak for their Brownie No. 2 in 1901, and still very popular, as the surviving medium format. The 120 film allows several image formats, the most common being the 6 × 6 cm (120 square format), or m film format. When buying a used camera, ascertain whether it takes a film format that is currently available.
3 Medium-format photography and lomography
While most professional medium-format cameras are very expensive, inexpensive plastic imports from China, such as the Holga, are gaining in popularity, particularily with toy camera enthusiasts. Due to the poor quality of the camera, the exact image captured on the negative is, at best, random in nature. The Seagull, also from China, delivers high-quality images, although the lenses and camera bodies are not at the level of those from Swedish, German and Japanese manufacturers. Medium-format cameras are also available from former Eastern bloc countries at moderate prices. Used cameras can deliver astonishing results for a reasonable investment. Because of the immense popularity of lomographyLomography is a commercial trademark of Lomographische AG, Austria for products and services related to photography. The name is licensed from a former state-run optics company LOMO PLC in St. Petersburg, Russia. The 35 mm LOMO LC-A camera was promoted by and toy camera culture, medium-format photography has seen a resurgence with the amateur class.
