Are there still pros shooting MF FILM?

[richardman]

I know the MF film is not as good as MFDB or even dSLR (may be with the exception of the Mamiya 7), but just out of curiosity, have all working pros like Ann Leibovitz etc. move to dSLR or A7 or whatever or are there working pros who still shoot 6x7, 6x6 film?

 

[Swissblad]

I think John Sexton and Michael Kenna still use film.

 

[JeRuFo]

I know of a couple of people still shooting RZ67 and a few portrait shooters using Hasselblads and Pentax 6(x)7s, but the number is tumbling. I think a lot of people still use it now and again, for particular shots, but have digital as their main workflow. The problem with big commercial shoots is that clients expect digital nowadays and like to know they get what they wanted during the shoot, so you probably can't use it for every assignment anymore.
I shoot it for 6x17, like you, but not in 6x6 or 6x7.
I know the shooting team from silverfineart.com still shoot Hasselblads, I believe, and maybe Charlie Waite still does?
For most applications it is probably still plenty of quality, especially with modern film.

 

[richardman]

Yes, I know Michael Kenna still does, and for sure if John Sexton is shooting MF, he would be shooting film Thanks

I took my SWC as a "backup" for my 4x5 today and it works out really well. Normally I take my M9 but thought I would go "full film" just for the heck. I am not a (money-making) pro so the slower pace works fine. Actually, it's sort of satisfying to hear that clunk from the SWC

I took a few shots with the 4x5 and the SWC, will do a head-to-head test..

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Nick Brandt:
Nick Brandt : Photography

Morten Krogvold:
krogvold.com - Morten krogvold

There are many, but those who are good don't talk about it much, they're out there taking photos. There are some wedding photographers using film as well.

Fine art film wedding photographer | Scotland | UK | Europe

Film Photographer – Brian Ho | thegaleria

» Laura Murray Photography >> Boutique Wedding and Lifestyle Photography

--

I'm preparing to do some of my industrial photography on film. The GX680 is very suitable for that. Most quality T/S lenses for any camera costs more or less as much as what I paid for my entire GX680 setup (2 bodies, 5 lenses, 4 viewfinders and a pile of other stuff, mostly in mint condition). When it comes to resolution... 6 x 8 scanned at 3,000ppi equals around 60 megapixels. I don't need more than that

 

[Shashin]

MF film has a unique look, and can have unique formats. There are also more camera types and the entry fee is lower.

I am unsure why you don't think MF film is not as "good" as a DSLR or MFD.

 

[Swissblad]

Yes, I know Michael Kenna still does, and for sure if John Sexton is shooting MF, he would be shooting film Thanks

As a subscriber to newsletter, I recall John Sexton regularly referring to his priceless Hassleblads (see alsoadvert). I also recall him using a Rollei SL66 e.g. Rice Fields, Dusk

Cheers,

.

 

[Swissblad]

Ming Thein also has a thing for film

I'm sure there are more.

Good reason to go out and shoot some FP4 or Tmax as well.

 

[Ken_R]

I know the MF film is not as good as MFDB or even dSLR (may be with the exception of the Mamiya 7), but just out of curiosity, have all working pros like Ann Leibovitz etc. move to dSLR or A7 or whatever or are there working pros who still shoot 6x7, 6x6 film?

I do not know any professionals (meaning that do commercial, sports/events, advertising, architectural, product, wedding / portrait work regularly as their main income to make a living) that use film as part of their main workflow.

Very very few use film occasionally for landscape fine art and other low volume fine art work.

All TV/WEB Commercial motion work I know of use digital cinema cameras, mostly RED's and ARRi Alexas. Most Motion Pictures (short and long form) use those cameras as well.

 

[GregMO]

Martin Schoeller shoots with only film as of last I have seen. MF & LF.

 

[jph]

I saw some of Christopher Burkett's photographs at the West gallery last weekend. Awesome stuff. He only uses film and does optical printing. He uses MF and LF.

 

[Frederic]

Those still shooting films are probably using larger formats than MF nowadays (film shines in 8x10 IMHO). But most of them are "contemporary photography artists" (≠ fine art), mostly in the landscape area, so I'm not sure it's the kind of pros you were referring to.

 

[richardman]

..
I am unsure why you don't think MF film is not as "good" as a DSLR or MFD.

Shashin, it was meant to forestall any debate about "IQ260 is so much better" etc. type of replies. I have stacks of film boxes and film spools, even though I have the M9. That should say something about my bias.

 

[richardman]

I saw some of Christopher Burkett's photographs at the West gallery last weekend. Awesome stuff. He only uses film and does optical printing. He uses MF and LF.

jph, I was at the Photography West yesterday and the Burnkett's stuff is quite nice, although I am sure the large prints are from his ULF.

We also saw many Burnkett prints at the Stanford University hospital. The Bing family donated A LOT of his work plus of course (partially?) funded the new Bing Concert Hall.

 

[Godfrey]

Richard,

I still have and continue to use my SWC and 500CM with 120 film. There is nothing that replaces the look these cameras produce on film. I don't shoot with them all that often, sadly; I'm too busy with other things most of the time. But I won't sell them off again like I did in 2004-2005.

G

Hasselblad SWC :: Ilford Delta 3200 w Orange filter​

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Those still shooting films are probably using larger formats than MF nowadays (film shines in 8x10 IMHO). But most of them are "contemporary photography artists" (≠ fine art), mostly in the landscape area, so I'm not sure it's the kind of pros you were referring to.

Not all. This guy uses an F6 for much of his work, including reportage:

John B. Crane
Nikon F6 35mm Film Camera

I know some of the wedding photographers use 35mm as well. Can't remember who though.

Film might be dead, but it's still being developed, in both senses of the word. I just picked up three rolls at the lab yesterday

 

[schuster]

164 - No Smoking - Jughandle 2013

Looks nice on my monitor, and I can imagine how gorgeous it would be... printed on Agfa Brovira, or Ilford Gallerie... or (gasp!) Kodak Portriga. Sigh. There was a lot to like about those days.

 

[Egor]

I still have a Heidelberg drum scanner, and though its not 40-50/day like in the old days (80's-90's), there are still about 40-100/month of various trannies and negs coming in, and its starting to increase.
One pro friend of mine (shoots boats and stuff at sea) put it this way: "When you really think about it, film was a hell of a deal, you know. It goes almost anywhere, no batteries or electrical requirements, no filling my addled brain with computer tech talk like firmware updates and connection cabling, resolution equivalent to high end digital (when drum scanned of course ) cheap and available gear and lenses, I get to concentrate on the image...etc. Then there is that certain sense of tactile quality you get by handling, developing, printing...etc)

Anyway, its a good question and although I make fun of my film clients (I call them "hipsters") they have a point!

 

[Godfrey]

Looks nice on my monitor, and I can imagine how gorgeous it would be... printed on Agfa Brovira, or Ilford Gallerie... or (gasp!) Kodak Portriga. Sigh. There was a lot to like about those days.

thanks!

I'm a better digital printer than I ever was as a darkroom printer. This particular photo prints beautifully on Epson Exhibition Fiber paper, which has a lot of the same look as what I remember as Agfa Brovira.

G

 

[robertwright]

YES! me.

Lots of people. Look at the doc's about Tim Hetherington, you see him in the field with a Hasselblad and a Rollei.

Schoeller, I think still does altho his last show that went up last week in NYC I went to and it looked to me about half and half.

Class Bird, Ryan Pfluger, Jake Stangel, maybe Brigitte Lacombe, google some of these and you'll see their work.

I went back to film for personal work, and also for client work where there is time and when I actually care- RZ and Mamiya 7. But I don't shoot a ton on a job, for others the workflow is not there.

I like the color, the depth, I like the cameras more than dslr's. I like the format shape more than 35mm. Once upon a time you chose a camera and a format because it was part of the expression. Now we just crop and filter as if it was the same but it is not. Its the instagrammization of photography....