110 DIGITAL CAMERA^ MARCH 2021 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com
Jon Devo reveals why medium-format
could be the progressive photographer’s
choice in the not-so-distant future
Scanning
ahead...
J
Jon Devo
instagram.com/gadgetsjonJon is a professional photographer,
videographer and technology journalist.ust as digital heralded
the demise of film
photography, so
smartphones are
steadily seeing off
the consumer end
of the digital camera market. To
distance ourselves from tech-savvy
point-and-shooters, I believe that
serious amateur photographers should
begin turning to film or stepping up to
medium-format – especially as ‘pro’
smartphones are increasing in price
and medium-format cameras are
becoming more affordable.
With the price gap shrinking each
generation, price is less of a barrier.when it comes to maximum aperture,
from the über-cool f/0.95 that
was popularised by Leica’s 50mm
Noctilux-M to the Carl Zeiss Planar
50mm f/0.7. Medium-format lenses
are unable to compete, even at f/1.8.
The advantage full-frame cameras
enjoy here is being rapidly eroded
by smartphones, which use intelligent
image processing and multiple
sensors to convey depth. However,
medium-format offers quality in the
graduation of colours, and dynamic
range latitude that puts it well beyond
anything a smartphone can challenge.
The argument could be made that
with most images these days being
viewed on screens rather than as
prints, there’s little need to capture
images on larger-format cameras.
Some may even attribute this as a
factor in the demise of DSLR cameras.
However, displays are increasing in
pixel density and colour depth across
the board, from phones and tablets
to laptops and televisions. Moving to
medium-format will help to future-
proof your work, as displays become
more capable of showing off the full
splendour of your photography.So why do I believe medium-format
is going to be a key differentiator for
both professionals and experienced
amateurs? In brief: sensor size.
Medium-format sensors offer a
minimum of a 1.7x increase in their
light-sensitive photo area, compared
with full-frame sensors; and if you
shoot on film, medium-format 6x7 film
can provide around a 4.8x equivalent
increase. The more light that’s
gathered, the more potential there
is for increased tonal range and detail.
The famed ‘medium-format look’
is largely a myth if you’re simply
comparing digital medium-format
and full-frame cameras. But the look
is about much more than just shallow
depth of field. For the past decade or
so, extreme background blur has
been the on-trend and sought-after
look for many photographers. It’s
understandable that silky separation
between subject and surroundings
is a feature that denotes quality to
laypeople – that’s what we’ve all been
spoon-fed – but trends do change.
Full-frame cameras can blow
medium-format out of the waterAbove left: Medium-format offers
smooth tonal range transitions
and incredible levels of detail.Above: This out-of-camera shot from
a Hasselblad X1D offers plenty of
dynamic range to reveal in post.Before
After
“ Moving to
medium-format
could future-
proof your work”