Farewell to Medium Format: One man's journey

[Jae_Moon]

After many happy years, I have decided to let go of my beloved Arca Swiss Rm3di gears. As I get older, a mile walk with my camera bag is becoming a challenge and not enjoyable anymore.

I was introduced to the Medium Format photography some 30 years ago with Hasselblad 500, then Arca Swiss F Classic Compact 6x9 later.

I moved to the digital photography with Hasselblad H2. Like many other camera aficionados, I added lenses, finders, adapters and sturdier tripod and head, etc. My camera bag was gradually getting heavier but I could manage. The net balance between the pain and pleasure was still with the pleasure of getting the shots. I made a hike to the Wave in 2006, with Hasselblad H2, P45, HC50/110, tripod and stuffs (a bare minimum in my calculation), which is about 3 miles one way. I made shots I have been dreaming about but the hike forced me to thinking about an alternate solution to bulky and heavy Hasselblad, but staying with the Medium Format.

A Technical Camera and its lenses had a significant weight and size advantage over Medium Format SLR. The obvious disadvantages were that IT IS NOT AUTOMATIC, no auto exposure nor auto focus. But the weight and the size won me over and I purchased AS Rm3di in 2011. I made my own case to carry Rm3di, P45, Schneider 35, 47 and 90 in a light weight Jansport backpack (total weight of 11# including the backpack, 50% reduction from MF SLR, lenses and a pro camera bag).

The solution worked out very well and I could hike in pursuit of images in enjoyable way again. In the mean time, I developed a program to enable to focus a Tech Camera with distance measurement. Then another program to take advantage of Tech Camera’s ‘Tilt and Shift’ capability. Some of you may have read the threads:

(https://www.getdpi.com/forum/medium...echnical-tech-cameras.html?highlight=jae_moon)

But the time keeps moving on, and I realized my ‘lighter backpack’ is once again became too heavy. The trips to Iceland and Nova Scotia/Newfoundland last year made me to realize that. Being a trained engineer and a retired entrepreneur, I again went back to find a solution and came up with a foldable hand cart (with extra large wheels) as a solution. I took out the Zero Haliburton Aluminum case that came with my P45 DB and made foam inserts for all my gears. It worked fine during my trip to Paris earlier this year, extra large wheels rolled well on the cobble stones streets of Paris or the hilly streets to Sacré Cœur with no problems.

But my elation with my ingenious solution was short lived. I went to the Grand Teton and the Yellowstones NP in late September. I hooked up with my photo shoot companion in Las Vegas, and our first stop was at the Horseshoe Canyon near Page, AZ. It is a short (0.6 mile) walk from parking lot to the rim, but I didn’t remember that many parts of the trail were ankle deep soft sand. By the time I realized this it was too late to go back and I wish I had the gears in a backpack instead of on a hand cart. I made shots after dragging the cart through sinking sand. Going back to parking lot was a hellish affair, then the sun was out and hot.

We made to the Grand Teton after driving through the most beautiful Fall color I’ve ever seen in my entire life on Hwy 89 between Logan, UT and Bear Lake. We were at the Mormon Row one early morning when I realized that P45 was acting up since I neglected to take the camera case inside the previous night (the temperature dropped to 40 F over night). I found myself with a sick P45 and a big Haliburton case on a hand cart in front of the Mormon cabin while the sun was rising. I didn’t have any other backup camera with me other than my new iPhone Xs. I sheepishly took my iPhone out in front of a dozen or so photographers with their impressive gears. I left my camera case where it was and went ahead to take shots, I had an App which took photo in RAW.
Later, over our breakfast in town, I took a look at my iPhone photos on my laptop with Capture One. I was happy with the results and told my photo buddy that I would shoot the rest of the trip with iPhone to see if it could be an acceptable option.

I am saying the obvious,

....... iPhone cannot be compared with P45 for picture quality.
....... But..,
....... You know the rest.

This is a story about a guy who have enjoyed photograph, GEARS, tinkering and traveling, then realizing that he has to compromise in order to continue.

I want to keep enjoying photograph, tinkering and traveling but with a small gear so I can go farther and longer and see more. I guess I am going through the process of separation, by writing this thread, and also accepting a bitter pill of getting old.



p.s.

I have had a regular DSLR during all this time but the MF has been my real lover,

 

[k-hawinkler]

After many happy years, I have decided to let go of my beloved Arca Swiss Rm3di gears. As I get older, a mile walk with my camera bag is becoming a challenge and not enjoyable anymore.

I was introduced to the Medium Format photography some 30 years ago with Hasselblad 500, then Arca Swiss F Classic Compact 6x9 later.

I moved to the digital photography with Hasselblad H2. Like many other camera aficionados, I added lenses, finders, adapters and sturdier tripod and head, etc. My camera bag was gradually getting heavier but I could manage. The net balance between the pain and pleasure was still with the pleasure of getting the shots. I made a hike to the Wave in 2006, with Hasselblad H2, P45, HC50/110, tripod and stuffs (a bare minimum in my calculation), which is about 3 miles one way. I made shots I have been dreaming about but the hike forced me to thinking about an alternate solution to bulky and heavy Hasselblad, but staying with the Medium Format.

A Technical Camera and its lenses had a significant weight and size advantage over Medium Format SLR. The obvious disadvantages were that IT IS NOT AUTOMATIC, no auto exposure nor auto focus. But the weight and the size won me over and I purchased AS Rm3di in 2011. I made my own case to carry Rm3di, P45, Schneider 35, 47 and 90 in a light weight Jansport backpack (total weight of 11# including the backpack, 50% reduction from MF SLR, lenses and a pro camera bag).

The solution worked out very well and I could hike in pursuit of images in enjoyable way again. In the mean time, I developed a program to enable to focus a Tech Camera with distance measurement. Then another program to take advantage of Tech Camera’s ‘Tilt and Shift’ capability. Some of you may have read the threads:

(https://www.getdpi.com/forum/medium...echnical-tech-cameras.html?highlight=jae_moon)

But the time keeps moving on, and I realized my ‘lighter backpack’ is once again became too heavy. The trips to Iceland and Nova Scotia/Newfoundland last year made me to realize that. Being a trained engineer and a retired entrepreneur, I again went back to find a solution and came up with a foldable hand cart (with extra large wheels) as a solution. I took out the Zero Haliburton Aluminum case that came with my P45 DB and made foam inserts for all my gears. It worked fine during my trip to Paris earlier this year, extra large wheels rolled well on the cobble stones streets of Paris or the hilly streets to Sacré Cœur with no problems.

But my elation with my ingenious solution was short lived. I went to the Grand Teton and the Yellowstones NP in late September. I hooked up with my photo shoot companion in Las Vegas, and our first stop was at the Horseshoe Canyon near Page, AZ. It is a short (0.6 mile) walk from parking lot to the rim, but I didn’t remember that many parts of the trail were ankle deep soft sand. By the time I realized this it was too late to go back and I wish I had the gears in a backpack instead of on a hand cart. I made shots after dragging the cart through sinking sand. Going back to parking lot was a hellish affair, then the sun was out and hot.

We made to the Grand Teton after driving through the most beautiful Fall color I’ve ever seen in my entire life on Hwy 89 between Logan, UT and Bear Lake. We were at the Mormon Row one early morning when I realized that P45 was acting up since I neglected to take the camera case inside the previous night (the temperature dropped to 40 F over night). I found myself with a sick P45 and a big Haliburton case on a hand cart in front of the Mormon cabin while the sun was rising. I didn’t have any other backup camera with me other than my new iPhone Xs. I sheepishly took my iPhone out in front of a dozen or so photographers with their impressive gears. I left my camera case where it was and went ahead to take shots, I had an App which took photo in RAW.
Later, over our breakfast in town, I took a look at my iPhone photos on my laptop with Capture One. I was happy with the results and told my photo buddy that I would shoot the rest of the trip with iPhone to see if it could be an acceptable option.

I am saying the obvious,

....... iPhone cannot be compared with P45 for picture quality.
....... But..,
....... You know the rest.

This is a story about a guy who have enjoyed photograph, GEARS, tinkering and traveling, then realizing that he has to compromise in order to continue.

I want to keep enjoying photograph, tinkering and traveling but with a small gear so I can go farther and longer and see more. I guess I am going through the process of separation, by writing this thread, and also accepting a bitter pill of getting old.



p.s.

I have had a regular DSLR during all this time but the MF has been my real lover,

:worthless:


IPhone pictures are fine! :thumbs:

 

[Wayne Fox]

:worthless:


IPhone pictures are fine! :thumbs:

fine for what?

Hard to make a 90” print from an iPhone snap. I have no problem with someone who realizes they don’t need the resolution and control of medium format because their end purpose is just to throw something onto a computer screen or make an 8x10 print, but I do sympathize with anyone who’s age and health force them to give up using the gear that provides what they “need” . I find myself having to make similar choices as I get older and the knees start screaming.

But if/when I end up with only an iPhone, it will mean I’m done with my current pursuit of creating work to sell, and just shooting nice pictures like the billions of others out there to show where I am and what I’m seeing. Granted I believe a good photographer can get more out of an iPhone than the average smart phone user, but the end purpose of these images is certainly a different realm. To be honest, not sure I’ll spend much time hiking into to such places just to take an iPhone snap and say I was there.

But it does seem there is a lot of territory between a MF tech setup and an iPhone that would allow the OP to continue to create high quality images that can handle being printed in decent sizes ... there are several micro 4/3rds kits out there that are pretty small and light (a few pounds) and are quite capable. I would think when you get to the point you can’t carry a 5 lb pack, you probably shouldn’t be making the hike anyway.

 

[docmoore]

Jae_Moon

Not surprising that many of us here are entering that phase of life where the extraordinary treks will be memories
rather than future plans.

It may be a bit late but you might check out the following link:

www.wheeleez.com

Look at the beach conversion kits. Great floatation over sand and rough terrain.

However this is a great time for us in that so many mirrorless cameras offer great DR and decent pixel count.

I am looking at the Nikon 19 TS lens for my Z 7 ... for stitching with landscapes. Camera and lens ... with a 24-70
native S lens weighs very little ... not a tech camera in any sense of the word but allows for perspective correction, decent
DOF control and huge files.

The X1D was my last MF camera ... a bit too limiting as it was a bit rough ... firmware wise ... should be better a couple of
generations down the line IF Hasselblad continues to develop it. The Z is for a first attempt useable, light, weather sealed,
has decent battery life and good focus assist for those of us who manually focus 95% of the time.

I still remember tethering my H3D 39 back to an external battery bank to use with my Alpa TC ... no live view shim one lens at a time.

BTW ... Halide allows RAW capture on the iPhone ... and Filmic Pro will give you control for video ... just add a case lens for anamorphic capture.

Thanks for the report.

Regards,

Bob

 

[Vivek]

Toss the iphone and get the pro:

https://consumer.huawei.com/en/phones/mate20-pro/

:grin:

 

[Shashin]

A Fuji GFX 50R and 32-64mm zoom may be just the ticket.

 

[hcubell]

I travelled the same road after schlepping around an H2, IQ 180 and an assortment of lenses when, like magic, the X1D appeared. No need to give up MF in favor of an iPhone. The X1D body and 2 or 3 lenses can easily fit in a small, lightweight backpack like the FStop Gear Loka UL or the Guru UL, or even smaller packs. And, as a landscape camera, it can run circles around a P45 in many respects.

 

[Jack]

I absolutely understand the progression to being physically limited in what I'm able to carry. In my case it's really become more about what I want to carry -- and as I get older, that's a lot less than it used to be. I do also appreciate the relative ease of capture with the do-all DSLR's as compared to tech cams and movements, but at the same time I miss the total control I had with camera movements. I also appreciate that my iPhone is with me all the time, regardless of where I am -- and that in itself can be the ticket to capturing that special moment. End of day, there are tradeoffs with every choice we make, but at the lowest limits certain gear will be too simple and prohibit us from accomplishing the goal we desire, and that is a loss IMHO...

 

[PeterA]

Beautifuly written story Jae_Moon - about what lies ahead for us all God willing we get there. On teh bright side, as others have mentioned, Just as true to say that there are excellent lightweight cameras available that will allow for beautiful memories to be made - just one thought from me to add to above, and that is, adapt to the environment one finds oneself in and make photographs therein - it isn't all about bling! I've only recently come back into >50MP land because the cameras are getting lighter as are the lenses - I think it is fair to say based on posting facts if nothing else- that I was an early adopter of so called 'technical cameras' - and tbh - almost everything that an Alpa can make (or an Arca ) can be made using alternative processes and some creativity. I can vouch for both Hasselblad and Fuji lightweight offerings and their wides- outstanding!

PS thanks for the tips on phone aps Bob.

atb
Pete

 

[TheDude]

iPhone cannot be compared with P45 for picture quality.

Wonder which (future) iPhone generation can be considered to have caught up with the P45. Might be sooner than expected.​

 

[dougpeterson]

BTW ... Halide allows RAW capture on the iPhone ...

+1 for shooting raw on the iPhone and processing in Capture One.

Camera+ is another popular iPhone app that allows raw capture.

By the way I strongly suspect your Phase One P45 back itself was fine. It can very easily perform at that temperature. More likely it was frigid cold batteries. If you find yourself in that situation again, just put the batteries inside your belt or under your arm to warm them up, and switch between the body-warmed battery and the camera battery.

 

[dougpeterson]

Wonder which (future) iPhone generation can be considered to have caught up with the P45. Might be sooner than expected.

*shrugs* an iPhone will never be a P45 Arca Kit and a P45 Arca Kit will never be an iPhone.

As the OP points out: no matter the image quality of a particular camera, it does you no good if it doesn't fit with your needs or you don't have it with you. If the OP enjoys his time creating images with an iPhone better than he enjoyed his time creating images with an P45 Arca kit and he is satisfied with the end result, then no other metric or technical specification matters matters – he should do what brings him joy!

 

[MGrayson]

As I never tire of pointing out (sorry about that), there are captures that only a very small sensor can pull off:

Some 2016 iPhone....


Best,

Matt

 

[k-hawinkler]

As I never tire of pointing out (sorry about that), there are captures that only a very small sensor can pull off:

Some 2016 iPhone....


Best,

Matt

Thanks Matt for the terrific image! I like it! :thumbs:

 

[MGrayson]

Thank you, K-H. I should have also posted this, taken from almost the same spot a few days later, showing what a a larger sensor can do (Leica S, 120/2.5 wide open). So, as Doug said, one really can't replace the other.



--Matt

 

[k-hawinkler]

Thank you, K-H. I should have also posted this, taken from almost the same spot a few days later, showing what a a larger sensor can do (Leica S, 120/2.5 wide open). So, as Doug said, one really can't replace the other.



--Matt

Thanks Matt. True. I love those colors!

 

[Craig Stocks]

I certainly understand the migration to smaller and lighter gear, but personally, I'm not ready to give up the beautiful files from my medium format. However, my method of working is probably different from many of the others here. Additionally, I've already integrated smaller formats into my process. When my wife and I head out on a hike I carry a Sony a6000. When we travel by air I take the a6000 and a Sony a7r2 kit. But when I head out to do serious photography I take the medium format.

My logic - when we're hiking it's usually the middle of the day and I'm not likely to find any subjects that fit my vision. If I do find something I really like the a6000 is minimally sufficient. So far, it's never been a problem.

When we travel by air it typically isn't on a photo-centric trip. The a7r2 is head and shoulders above the a6000 and is capable of producing some very nice work. But it's clearly not in medium format territory.

In the studio I use medium format almost exclusively, even when it's not needed. When I do head out into the wild with the medium format it's usually no more than a 1/2 mile or so away from the car. I usually only carry the camera around my neck, a tripod and a couple lenses and filters in a shooting vest. If I were to head off on a longer trek I'd probably transfer the camera and a couple lenses into a backpack.

Over the years, I've gown to appreciate the results from medium format even more, thanks in large part to the way Phase One has continued to add features. When I first moved into medium format a number of years ago it was with a DF and P65+. I loved the files but hated the DF body; AA batteries and frequent lockups were a daily hassle. I did upgrade to the XF but to be honest, I felt more than a little resentment that I had to buy a new camera body to fix issues I never should have had in the first place. Now that a few years have passed and Phase One has released 4 feature upgrades I truly enjoy using the XF/IQ system. The buttons are all in the right place and programmed to work just the way I like. Features like long shutter speeds and the Time Lapse tool make working easy. And to top it off the files from the IQ3100 are fabulous to work with and never seem to disappoint me.

So I'm sticking with medium format and use it whenever I can.

 

[TheDude]

as Doug said, one really can't replace the other.

Horses for courses, as they say.

But I keep surprising myself how often I use my iPhone X where really I should have used my Linhof Techno outfit.

 

[k-hawinkler]

I certainly understand the migration to smaller and lighter gear, but personally, I'm not ready to give up the beautiful files from my medium format. However, my method of working is probably different from many of the others here. Additionally, I've already integrated smaller formats into my process. When my wife and I head out on a hike I carry a Sony a6000. When we travel by air I take the a6000 and a Sony a7r2 kit. But when I head out to do serious photography I take the medium format.

My logic - when we're hiking it's usually the middle of the day and I'm not likely to find any subjects that fit my vision. If I do find something I really like the a6000 is minimally sufficient. So far, it's never been a problem.

When we travel by air it typically isn't on a photo-centric trip. The a7r2 is head and shoulders above the a6000 and is capable of producing some very nice work. But it's clearly not in medium format territory.

In the studio I use medium format almost exclusively, even when it's not needed. When I do head out into the wild with the medium format it's usually no more than a 1/2 mile or so away from the car. I usually only carry the camera around my neck, a tripod and a couple lenses and filters in a shooting vest. If I were to head off on a longer trek I'd probably transfer the camera and a couple lenses into a backpack.

Over the years, I've gown to appreciate the results from medium format even more, thanks in large part to the way Phase One has continued to add features. When I first moved into medium format a number of years ago it was with a DF and P65+. I loved the files but hated the DF body; AA batteries and frequent lockups were a daily hassle. I did upgrade to the XF but to be honest, I felt more than a little resentment that I had to buy a new camera body to fix issues I never should have had in the first place. Now that a few years have passed and Phase One has released 4 feature upgrades I truly enjoy using the XF/IQ system. The buttons are all in the right place and programmed to work just the way I like. Features like long shutter speeds and the Time Lapse tool make working easy. And to top it off the files from the IQ3100 are fabulous to work with and never seem to disappoint me.

So I'm sticking with medium format and use it whenever I can.

Thanks Craig. May I ask how old you are and how firm?

Earlier this year I turned 70 and got a few weeks ago my first MF, the GFX 50S.
When walking about taking pictures I carry one camera and the lens on it.
Next time, maybe a different lens, or a different camera MF, FF, APS-C, or MFT altogether.

Occasionally I have with me in the car several lenses to choose from, taking pictures not far from the car with different lenses, one at a time.

Well, that seems to work for me.

 

[Craig Stocks]

Thanks Craig. May I ask how old you are and how firm?

Earlier this year I turned 70 and got a few weeks ago my first MF, the GFX 50S.
When walking about taking pictures I carry one camera and the lens on it.
Next time, maybe a different lens, or a different camera MF, FF, APS-C, or MFT altogether.

Occasionally I have with me in the car several lenses to choose from, taking pictures not far from the car with different lenses, one at a time.

Well, that seems to work for me.

I just turned 65. I’m quite healthy but have never been athletic. Our usual hiking limits are around 5 to 7 miles and under 600 feet elevation gain.