The Hasselblad 500C, left, and Pentax 645 are shown.
Medium-format photography once only was the realm for professionals. The equipment was expensive and usage could be tedious. At the same time, the cameras — such as those made by Hasselblad, Mamiya, Bronica, Pentax and others — produced large, beautiful negatives or slides far better than their 35mm counterparts. These days, with the pros switching to all-digital photo studios, medium-format cameras are readily available for a fraction of the original cost. They can be a lot of fun, produce great photos or slides and teach a lot about photography.
Instructions
Buying a Used Medium-Format Camera
1. Decide first what level of photography you want to do. If you want the best lenses, the best accessories and the best cameras in the medium format field, Hasselblad is the way to go. If you want a camera system that gives ease of use, more photos per film roll and has less expensive accessories, the Pentax 645 is it. The others generally are between these two in quality and cost.
2. Decide your budget. A Hasselblad camera body generally can be found between $100 and $250 these days. Originally, that would have cost $2,000 or more. The camera body, however, only works when you add a film back, a viewfinder and a lens. A film back with a darkslide for 12 photos per roll of 120 film will cost between $50 and $300. A similar film back for 24 photos per roll of 220 film will cost about the same. A waist-level viewfinder can be had for less than $100, but an eye-level pentaprism can cost upward of $500. A “normal” lens (80mm or 75mm) is where the real expense is. A used one will cost between $250 and $900. For a basic setup, a Hasselblad will cost at least $500.
3. The Pentax 645 is much less expensive and easier to use. It does need batteries, however, unlike the Hasselblad. This is because it has a built-in light meter and a mechanism to advance the film. It also gets 15 or 30 photos on a roll of 120 or 220 film, respectively, compared to the Hasselblad’s 12 or 24. This is because it shoots rectangular, rather than square, photos and each frame is slightly smaller. Also, the film back fits inside the camera, so it is not possible to switch films midroll like the Hasselblad. Another advantage of the 645 is tthat it has a built-in pentaprism with the meter inside. This means you always can shoot at eye-level without the image reversed left to right.
4. Buying a used camera means checking out things like shutter release, lens clarity and light tightness. While there are technical devices for determining shutter accuracy, you can get a rough estimate by holding the camera without lens or film back toward a light and snapping at different speeds. This only will give a sense of differences between shutter speeds, but it also can tell you if the shutter sticks, moves slowly or gets stuck totally. The shutter should snap open and shut smoothly at any speed.
5. Lens clarity is in two parts. First is the viewfinder, the part you look through. Without the lens attached, look through the viewfinder for bits of lint and cracks or dings. The lint usually can be removed easily, but decide how annoying any cracks or dings are. Neither will affect picture quality, but both may affect how you see a scene and focus it. The second part is the lens itself. This is important because anything in or on the lens can affect the photos. If there is lint or finger oil on the lens, this can be cleaned. If there is pitting to the glass or a crack, these cannot be fixed without taking the lens apart and replacing the glass element. Sometimes, however, very small imperfections won’t have much of an effect on the photos, depending whether they are at the center of the lens element or at the sides. Another common problem with older lens is dust and particles getting inside the lens itself. This again entails taking the lens apart, which is not recommended unless the user has the appropriate skills.
6. Film backs for the Hasselblad are complicated. They have dark slides to prevent the film from being exposed when the back is off the camera, which means you can switch film types midroll. The dark slide has to seat properly, not be bent and have its light seals intact. Most pros, when buying used, seek film backs and dark slides that have matching serial numbers. This means they were made to fit together and cause fewer problems. The Hasselblad will prevent picture taking when the dark slide is in place.
7. Film backs or magazines for the Pentax are less complex, but need to work with the camera’s electronic gears to propel the film. Check the steel roller to make sure the teeth are intact. Also check to make certain there are no cracks or pinholes on the back, the part the sticks outside the camera when shooting. Most film backs for the Pentax come with a little case to lock them into when not in use. Make certain the film back has the case when you buy because leaving an exposed film back lying around or in the camera gadget bag can cause damage.
8. Choosing lenses depends on what you want to shoot. If you always plan to shoot portraits of people, a standard 75mm or short telephoto 100mm to 120mm lens will do. If you want to shoot landscapes, a 30mm to 55mm is necessary. Zoom lenses still are expensive for medium-format cameras, but they do exist. For the Pentax 645 these are 45-80mm and 80-160mm and range from $500 to $1,000. For the Hasselblad, zoom lenses are harder to find and generally start at around $1,000. Also, other manufacturers made lenses for these cameras. They usually are not as good — the standard Carl Zeiss lenses made for the Hasselblad and other cameras are considered by many to be the best lenses ever made — but are cheaper.
9. Other accessories such as cases, flash units and wind knobs, among others, are available. Most any electronic flash can be used, but they generally are made to give a flash spread for a rectangular 35mm-sized photo. When buying less-expensive flashes, experiment before shooting something important to see the flash spread in the photos. The rapid-wind knob for the Hasselblad makes it quicker to wind film. There also is a motorized Hasselblad available.
Tags: film back, will cost, photos roll, photos roll film, roll film