In a world gone digital, film
photography is becoming increasingly obsolete. Over the last 20 years, camera
makers like Canon and Nikon have noticed significant impacts due to the shift from film to digital photography. The convenience of taking photos digitally as well as advancements in digital camera technology appealed to many amateur and professional photographers. However, there is still
hope for film; in particular, medium format film. There are several advantages
to shooting medium format film but the two key advantages to shooting medium format film over 35mm digital are picture size/resolution and overall cost. Most professionals and non-professionals alike have used a 35mm film or digital camera at least once. Point-and-shoot 35mm cameras are compact and convenient for those who are looking to get better quality than he or she would get from their cell phone. 35mm DSLRs come in a variety of sizes, prices and come with a wide-array of features. However, medium format film cameras have a key advantage over standard 35mm cameras in picture size and resolution. In comparison to 35mm film, medium format film is nearly four times the size. What this translates to is a larger surface area that is able to take in more light and thus create sharper, higher-resolution negatives. While medium format cameras tend to be larger in size, the larger film rolls and higher resolution images make it clear as to why medium format is often the route professional photographers tend to take – especially if their line of work requires high resolution images such as in commercial photography.
One of the biggest concerns people have over medium format photography is the price of equipment; not to mention the cost of buying, processing, and scanning film. Digital medium format cameras can be extremely expensive costing as much as $20,000 just for the body. However, film medium format cameras tend to be much more affordable due to a decrease in demand but can produce photographs that are often sharper than photographs taken with 35mm DSLRs. My personal recommendation is to buy a slightly used medium format film camera. Some of the best medium format film cameras on the market can still be bought through websites like Amazon and eBay at decent prices. The Hasselblad V-series camera in particular is known for its excellent Carl Zeiss lenses and durability. In addition to durability, medium format cameras – especially Hasselblad and Mamiya – tend to hold their value for much longer than digital cameras; meaning that the investment you make now will be well worth the money in the long run.
With digital photography, convenience is its biggest selling-point; not to mention that film takes time and money to develop. However, many medium format film cameras are selling for great prices in comparison to their digital counterparts. Rather than spend thousands of dollars on a new digital DSLR that has all of the latest and greatest in technology, buy a camera that serves a simple purpose and will last you a lifetime: go medium format.
