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The Kiev 60 was a medium format SLR made in Ukraine between 1984
and 1999 but it is still available new in the guise of the Arax 60. If you
have used a 35mm SLR the Kiev 60s style will be immediately familiar,
offering a relatively smooth transition from small to medium format.If money is no object and you want the highest quality
images, then medium format is a step in the right direction.
Unlike 35mm SLRs there is a huge variety of camera body
shapes and styles, from those that look and handle like
an oversized 35mm SLR to more boxy designs that use a
waist-level viewfinder to display a reversed image and have
interchangeable film backs so you can switch mid-roll between
different emulsions. In addition, some of these cameras offer
automatic exposure options while others are fully manual and
will require an external lightmeter of some sort (although
many have metered viewfinders that are available as an
optional extra). With so much choice, determining which
camera is right for you will depend a lot on what you want to
do with it, so it really pays to do your homework before placing
a bid or getting out your money in a camera store.Tips
Some medium format cameras were popular with professional photographers and, as such, may have had a hard life.
While not all heavily used cameras and lenses will be worn out, some will be close to the end of their life.
Watch out for cameras and lenses that have gone unused for a long period of time as lubricants can dry out and mechanisms can jam as a result.
Medium format SLRs tend to have a more limited range of lenses in terms of focal lengths and maximum apertures than their 35mm counterparts.
Some medium format SLRs use lenses with a leaf shutter rather than the camera possessing a focal plane shutter. This makes the camera body
simpler but the lenses more complex (and more expensive).MEDIUM FORMAT SLRSWith their bellows, ground glass screens and
use of single sheets of film instead of rolls,
large format cameras are a natural evolution
of the plate cameras that existed at the dawn
of photography. Like those early cameras
there is no one large format, although the
options are becoming increasingly limited:
5x4 is the most accessible format today
followed by 10x8 and then a few 5x7 options
(the names refer to the size of the film, in
inches, that the cameras are designed for).Tips
If you’re looking to buy a large format
camera think about how easy (or not) it is to get
accessories or spares for it. Some makes and
models might be cheap but they can be so obscure
that it’s virtually impossible to buy any spare parts.
The same sentiment as the above applies to
lens panels: some cameras use unique panel
shapes or sizes that can be hard to source.LARGE FORMAT CAMERASLeft Large format cameras are generally based on one
of two designs: ‘field cameras’ (left) and ‘monorail
cameras’. Field cameras are generally lighter and more
compact and usually fold up to make them
transportable for location work, whereas monorail
cameras are bigger and bulkier but often have more
comprehensive movements, precise geared controls
and longer bellows that allow better close-up shooting.© Shutterstock© Shutterstock