Move InTo MedIuM ForMAT
now I have one body and four lenses, and the
weight is very similar. Shooting with medium
format makes you assess what you really
need in your bag and what you really use –
you don’t invest in kit that you know you
won’t use often.”
Another consideration with medium
format is that it offers a slight reduction in
speed. “Shooting action is more challenging
because there is a tiny delay in saving the
files. It’s only small but you have to be aware
of it.” There is also the issue of depth of
field. “It’s much narrower on medium format
cameras, and that coupled with shooting at
slower speeds can lead to camera movement.and pray mentality and consider every detail...
there is a view that a bigger camera makes
you a better photographer, but that is usually
people who have no idea that photographs
are generated by the photographer regardless
of the kit they use. generally speaking the
high-end advertising and magazine worlds
still like higher resolution files, [but] no
one has ever commissioned me to shoot
something and asked what equipment I use.”
You need to consider that medium format
cameras (and lenses) “are naturally heavier,”
says paul Sanders. “Although that said, my
bag is no heavier than when I used two X-T2
cameras with battery packs and eight lenses.
However, I don’t see these things as reasons
not to shoot medium format, they help me
consider what I am shooting. I don’t rush my
images, everything is done slowly, deliberately
and with thought.”
of course, cost is also something to be
factored in. “My gFX 50S setup cost around
£25K if you include the batteries, lenses, body
and bits that were needed, but I don’t think
there is an improvement in my work since
buying it – the evolution of my work comes
from within. A camera is worth the money if
you enjoy using it and you get the results you
want from it. My kit paid for itself inside 18
months, so it owes me nothing.” dP