Digital Medium Format Thread

I hadn't heard rumors of the 10-20 - that would be ridiculously wide!! I wouldn't mind the 23mm, but I don't shoot enough in that range to go for it over the 80mm first - I imagine at 10mm you could photograph the back of your own head :LOL:

I cannot wait to actually get some proper models in the studio, this is driving me crazy :LOL:

Self portrait from the couple of hours I snatched yesterday. Shot with the 100S & 32-64.

kBFPKb9h.jpg
 
Playing with the 65:24 Aspect Ratio Mode


65-24 River Weaver Boatyard
by David Yeoman, on Flickr
That's a very interesting tug, almost certainly built in the USA and could be one of those built for the US Army during WWII. The funnel isn't original and probably added in the 1960's. I can read the name on the bow, so I'll see what I can find out about her.
 
That's a very interesting tug, almost certainly built in the USA and could be one of those built for the US Army during WWII. The funnel isn't original and probably added in the 1960's. I can read the name on the bow, so I'll see what I can find out about her.

That will teach me to go on just the hull shape. Here are her full details and service history.

Name:​
HENDRIK II
Launched:​
23/12/1954
Completed:​
1955
Builder:​
Scheepswerf van Rupelmonde, Rupelmonde, Belgium
Yard Number:​
299
Dimensions:​
126grt, 3nrt, 92.0 x 20.3 x 9.5ft
Engines:​
Oil engine, 7cyl, 450bhp; (1966: type G6V30/45ATL, 6cyl, 420bhp)
Engines By:​
MAN; (1966: MAN)
Propulsion:​
1 x Screw
Construction:​
Steel
Reg Number:​
366723
History:​
1955​
SA Entreprises Ackermans & Van Haaren, Antwerp
1974​
Transferred to "Dredging International SA, Antwerp
1975​
George B Wolverson, Christchurch, (manager Frank Pearce (Tugs) Ltd, Poole)
1975​
Renamed PULLWELL BRAVO
1977​
Frank Pearce (Tugs) Ltd, Poole
1981​
Chancery Lane Registrars Ltd, (manager Arthur CR Law, London); renamed PROCEED
1984​
Arthur CR Law, London
1987​
Dredging Marine (South West) Ltd, (managed David Barriball, Plymouth)
1991​
Western Ocean Towage Co Ltd, (manager Silas Oates, Plymouth)
1991​
Renamed COASTAL MAN
1992​
Manassy Ltd, Jersey; re-renamed PULLWELL BRAVO
1994​
Tyne Towage Ltd
1995​
Jalsea Marine Services, Northwich; re-renamed PROCEED
No later history known
Comments:​
1966: Re-engined
 
That will teach me to go on just the hull shape. Here are her full details and service history.

Name:​
HENDRIK II
Launched:​
23/12/1954
Completed:​
1955
Builder:​
Scheepswerf van Rupelmonde, Rupelmonde, Belgium
Yard Number:​
299
Dimensions:​
126grt, 3nrt, 92.0 x 20.3 x 9.5ft
Engines:​
Oil engine, 7cyl, 450bhp; (1966: type G6V30/45ATL, 6cyl, 420bhp)
Engines By:​
MAN; (1966: MAN)
Propulsion:​
1 x Screw
Construction:​
Steel
Reg Number:​
366723
History:​
1955​
SA Entreprises Ackermans & Van Haaren, Antwerp
1974​
Transferred to "Dredging International SA, Antwerp
1975​
George B Wolverson, Christchurch, (manager Frank Pearce (Tugs) Ltd, Poole)
1975​
Renamed PULLWELL BRAVO
1977​
Frank Pearce (Tugs) Ltd, Poole
1981​
Chancery Lane Registrars Ltd, (manager Arthur CR Law, London); renamed PROCEED
1984​
Arthur CR Law, London
1987​
Dredging Marine (South West) Ltd, (managed David Barriball, Plymouth)
1991​
Western Ocean Towage Co Ltd, (manager Silas Oates, Plymouth)
1991​
Renamed COASTAL MAN
1992​
Manassy Ltd, Jersey; re-renamed PULLWELL BRAVO
1994​
Tyne Towage Ltd
1995​
Jalsea Marine Services, Northwich; re-renamed PROCEED
No later history known
Comments:​
1966: Re-engined
@viewfromthenorth
 
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Got one criticism over the 45-85mm.

Its a dust sucker. Been out with Zeddy today and got some nice ones but now 6 dust bunnies. There was just two from the Kelpies trip, 2 more further trips and 4 more dust bunnies.

My Nikkor 24-70mm G was bad for it and the 200-500 hoovers up dust, but this is definitely up there and sensor cleaning will be a regular part of looking after Zeddy.

Why can't every lens have internal zooming where the front element doesn't move whilst zooming. When Pentax redesign some of these for 100mp plus life that would go down very well. Back-lit buttons ala Nikon d850 would be a nice touch. Maybe medium format shooters don't do night/blue hour shooting but this one does. Once I build up muscle memory I might not be so fussed.

Still the lens is sharper than any Sigma ART prime and stupidly sharp everywhere all over *I only shoot stopped down finding F14 a sweet spot for depth vs diffraction. This might be unusual for a medium format user but I bought it for its dynamic range (stupendously good) and resolution (its quite a jump up). Colour rendering and flare resistance seems admirable, I guess Pentaxs super multi coating really is super.

Oh, and the two tripod mounts made a mockery of every other camera I've ever had. All cameras should have this. It's awesome and beyond useful.
 
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Got one criticism over the 45-85mm.

Its a dust sucker. Been out with Zeddy today and got some nice ones but now 6 dust bunnies. There was just two from the Kelpies trip, 2 more further trips and 4 more dust bunnies.

My Nikkor 24-70mm G was bad for it and the 200-500 hoovers up dust, but this is definitely up there and sensor cleaning will be a regular part of looking after Zeddy.

Why can't every lens have internal zooming where the front element doesn't move whilst zooming. When Pentax redesign some of these for 100mp plus life that would go down very well. Back-lit buttons ala Nikon d850 would be a nice touch. Maybe medium format shooters don't do night/blue hour shooting but this one does. Once I build up muscle memory I might not be so fussed.

Still the lens is sharper than any Sigma ART prime and stupidly sharp everywhere all over *I only shoot stopped down finding F14 a sweet spot for depth vs diffraction. This might be unusual for a medium format user but I bought it for its dynamic range (stupendously good) and resolution (its quite a jump up). Colour rendering and flare resistance seems admirable, I guess Pentaxs super multi coating really is super.

Oh, and the two tripod mounts made a mockery of every other camera I've ever had. All cameras should have this. It's awesome and beyond useful.
Hmm, don't get them in my GFX lenses........ Bummer.
 
Does the mirrorless design not let in lots anyway? Internal zoom lenses or not?
Not found it a problem as long as one is careful when changing lenses. The sensor has a dust removal feature (I think it vibrates) which I use when switching on (you have choices) as I say I've not had a problem so far.
 
Does the mirrorless design not let in lots anyway? Internal zoom lenses or not?
Not found it a problem as long as one is careful when changing lenses. The sensor has a dust removal feature (I think it vibrates) which I use when switching on (you have choices) as I say I've not had a problem so far.

I've not had one single dust bunny on either of my GFX cameras and that's with a lot of use and lots of rushed lens changes too - I honestly have zero idea how Fuji does it, but they just arent there! Maybe the startup and shutdown cleaning is crazily effective, but I just don't worry about it any more. I thought it was going to be a major concern given how big the sensor is.
 
I've not had one single dust bunny on either of my GFX cameras and that's with a lot of use and lots of rushed lens changes too - I honestly have zero idea how Fuji does it, but they just arent there! Maybe the startup and shutdown cleaning is crazily effective, but I just don't worry about it any more. I thought it was going to be a major concern given how big the sensor is.
Mirrorless design lends itself to them. Glad to read this though because if Pentax fail to update the 645 range and let it die I can jump into this

Right, I think its a lens design issue. Was our with the 28-45 yesterday in Glencoe and not a single one.

DXO is good at cleaning them up, but it's a PITA as it's easily the thing that takes most of my PP time.
 
So you not adhering to the covid rules?
Or don't they apply to you?
Genuine question.....
I think you'll find that Steve is a professional landscape photographer, a job that you can't do from home so the Covid rules allow him to go tut top do his job.
 
So you not adhering to the covid rules?
Or don't they apply to you?
Genuine question.....
I'm still self employed, I do a tax return etc for this income, so can easily illustrate this is essential travel to support my ongoing business.

Regardless, I'd break them willingly. Everyone else is. I spotted several folk up there camping. Not only that there is lots of traffic on the roads, and 6am in glencoe is the very definition of social distancing. No old people were killed by me and Zeddy today on another trip to Rannoch Moor.

And as for the Kelpies, never seen them busier with young folk I groups socialising and taking in the sights. Good for them for not wasting their youth locking themselves away over fear of catching a sniffle
 
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Regardless, I'd break them willingly. Everyone else is
Everyone else isn't.
There are a lot who may be breaking the rules, but that doesn't mean everyone is, thankfully....
At least you're allowed to travel due to your work......so no need to lower yourself by making provocative remarks regarding covid....
 
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I'm still self employed, I do a tax return etc for this income, so can easily illustrate this is essential travel to support my ongoing business.

Regardless, I'd break them willingly. Everyone else is. I spotted several folk up there camping. Not only that there is lots of traffic on the roads, and 6am in glencoe is the very definition of social distancing. No old people were killed by me and Zeddy today on another trip to Rannoch Moor.

And as for the Kelpies, never seen them busier with young folk I groups socialising and taking in the sights. Good for them for not wasting their youth locking themselves away over fear of catching a sniffle
Part of the problem is that non essential jobs are being treated as essential to the individuals financial wellbeing and nothing to do with health. Perhaps the campers had a camping vlog as a side line on Youtube so were in a similar position to you. I try to stick to the rules but it really grinds that you can travel to Glencoe and I can't. In terms of Public Health I suspect we would have the same risk, none, or at least the same as driving somewhere else. The rules really haven't been very well thought through and I am so glad we are close to being allowed some freedoms. You seem to have stayed at home through most of this so I certainly don't grudge you getting out with your new toy. Hopefully I and others will also be able to enjoy some freedom too.

In terms of the thread I should really stay off here. There is something quite magical about some of the posts here and the quality of most of the shots is excellent. It is definitely giving me some thought on whether to have a MF landscape kit
 
Everyone else isn't.
There are a lot who may be breaking the rules, but that doesn't mean everyone is, thankfully....
At least you're allowed to travel due to your work......so no need to lower yourself by making provocative remarks regarding covid....
Practically everyone is. Roads are heaving...

Respitory illnesses don't really spread in outdoor settings, there's no public health risk at all. Landscape photography in the morning, more socially distant than a walk around your local housing estate.

The rules are very ill conceived. My remarks are my views, not lowering myself.
 
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Part of the problem is that non essential jobs are being treated as essential to the individuals financial wellbeing and nothing to do with health. Perhaps the campers had a camping vlog as a side line on Youtube so were in a similar position to you. I try to stick to the rules but it really grinds that you can travel to Glencoe and I can't. In terms of Public Health I suspect we would have the same risk, none, or at least the same as driving somewhere else. The rules really haven't been very well thought through and I am so glad we are close to being allowed some freedoms. You seem to have stayed at home through most of this so I certainly don't grudge you getting out with your new toy. Hopefully I and others will also be able to enjoy some freedom too.

In terms of the thread I should really stay off here. There is something quite magical about some of the posts here and the quality of most of the shots is excellent. It is definitely giving me some thought on whether to have a MF landscape kit
My advice. Do it.

The step up isn't as big from APSC to "full" frame but it's there.

There's something about the colours, dynamic range that FF doesn't have. The RAWs off this thing are lovely and I've found the jump to 50mp really quite noticeable over the 36mp. If I had a d850 prior I might have been less impressed.

Ultimately though what's impressed me more about the Pentax system isn't the camera, but the lenses. The uniformity in sharpness, accuracy of AF, colour rendition, flare resistance is beyond exceptional. No F mount lens touches the 28-45 or 45-85 I have on this on the equivalent FF field of view.

I love it and deeply regret not having more money and getting this sooner.
 
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[snippy snip]

In terms of the thread I should really stay off here. There is something quite magical about some of the posts here and the quality of most of the shots is excellent. It is definitely giving me some thought on whether to have a MF landscape kit

This is me as well. I recently got an A9 to downsize a little and get the insane AF for the fast moving family shots. But I look at some of the images in this thread and I quite fancy a piece of that! There's just something about the MF shots which have that magical look, even when it's a fairly common scene. Probably a combination of things and it's seriously tempting but I've already committed to Sony.

I was surprised though when having a nosey through Steve's Flickr and I came across some of the recent mountain shots and was impressed with the detail and clarity but then saw it was a D810. I really did think it was MF at first. @SFTPhotography were these single shots or stitched?
 
This is me as well. I recently got an A9 to downsize a little and get the insane AF for the fast moving family shots. But I look at some of the images in this thread and I quite fancy a piece of that! There's just something about the MF shots which have that magical look, even when it's a fairly common scene. Probably a combination of things and it's seriously tempting but I've already committed to Sony.

I was surprised though when having a nosey through Steve's Flickr and I came across some of the recent mountain shots and was impressed with the detail and clarity but then saw it was a D810. I really did think it was MF at first. @SFTPhotography were these single shots or stitched?
No stitching, just careful focusing, exposure and camera technique and a sympathetic processing work flow. Remember I run workshops and sell commercially...if I can't do it then how can I teach it and sell prints, commercial images, supply bespoke calendars etc.

Get the focus bang on, exposure right and no clipped whites or crunched blacks and PP is your oyster. At 100% the detail off a D810 is mint, a 645z takes it a notch up and a phase one...well I want but cannot afford.

And the D810, for what you pay now for low count examples (I sold a under 10k clicks minter for £800 delivered) is an outstanding camera. Other than a 5ds you won't get a better camera for under 4 figures.

But the 645z is better yet. Its full frame plus...its not really true MF like the 5x4 7x6 and 10x8 film or even the larger MF digital sensors that phase one or Hasselblad use in the H series digital backs, but with glass these systems will set you back £50000.

Thats right, fifty thousand. I priced it all up lenses and all. I barely spent £11k on the Pentax stuff and all in all probably more in F mount Nikon stuff over the years.
 
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This is me as well. I recently got an A9 to downsize a little and get the insane AF for the fast moving family shots. But I look at some of the images in this thread and I quite fancy a piece of that! There's just something about the MF shots which have that magical look, even when it's a fairly common scene. Probably a combination of things and it's seriously tempting but I've already committed to Sony.

* gives gentle nudge in the direction of my post in the classifieds in which I'm after an A9 if you do decide you'd maybe like to go for medium format instead ;):LOL:
 
* gives gentle nudge in the direction of my post in the classifieds in which I'm after an A9 if you do decide you'd maybe like to go for medium format instead ;):LOL:

haha aye I would love to go digital Medium Format, but I need the blazing fast autofocus speed at the moment. It's something that will have to wait until the children are older etc. In the meantime I really should stay out of this thread. :D

Have you tried https://usedlens.co.uk ? That's where I found mine on a WEX listing. There's grey as well.
 
Current 5D II shooter here. I'd love to make the jump into medium format but I cannot afford the crazy Phase One type prices. For now I'm considering film using something like a Mamiya RZ67 or similar. I shoot portraits mostly (studio and outdoor - beach, lingerie, swimwear, fashion) with the occasional landscape. I may be printing larger sizes for an exhibit this year, but for the most part I display my work online and for clients, prints are usually in the 8 x 10 size. For now let's assume that I send the film to a reputable lab for processing and scanning.

It would probably be something more along the lines of Fujifilm or Pentax MF which I would look at, which seems to be reasonably affordable. Whilst megapixels and print size is the usual link, for me it's more that something else which MF seems to result in. The tonal or dynamic range. Can't put my finger on it.
 
It would probably be something more along the lines of Fujifilm or Pentax MF which I would look at, which seems to be reasonably affordable. Whilst megapixels and print size is the usual link, for me it's more that something else which MF seems to result in. The tonal or dynamic range. Can't put my finger on it.

For me its the tonality, the improved DR and the 'depth' of the images, rather than look at an image, it draws you in, you look into it.
 
Current 5D II shooter here. I'd love to make the jump into medium format but I cannot afford the crazy Phase One type prices. For now I'm considering film using something like a Mamiya RZ67 or similar. I shoot portraits mostly (studio and outdoor - beach, lingerie, swimwear, fashion) with the occasional landscape. I may be printing larger sizes for an exhibit this year, but for the most part I display my work online and for clients, prints are usually in the 8 x 10 size. For now let's assume that I send the film to a reputable lab for processing and scanning.
You'll find a Pentax 645z really affordable.

If you're willing to go on ebay for the lenses or to a specialist used retailer like Ffordes the lenses will be modest 3 figure prices other than the 28-45 and 90 macro.

All in all I have a 2 body 4 lens system (both bodies new) for just over 11k. A comparible full frame system would cost the same.

A fuji GF system would cost a bit more, the bodies are a little dearer and there isn't the used supply of lenses about- but even new the lens costs aren't horrific and by all accounts its a modern and more portable system.

I'm in love with mine, the IQ is incredible, the tones are just more subtle and as a camera to use its a joy. The shadow recovery is very clean and although I'm not a high ISO shooter I tried it out and it's very clean
 
+1 for checking out the fuji GFX, I switched to it from Hasselblad a couple of years ago and much prefer it.
 
You'll find a Pentax 645z really affordable.

If you're willing to go on ebay for the lenses or to a specialist used retailer like Ffordes the lenses will be modest 3 figure prices other than the 28-45 and 90 macro.

All in all I have a 2 body 4 lens system (both bodies new) for just over 11k. A comparible full frame system would cost the same.

A fuji GF system would cost a bit more, the bodies are a little dearer and there isn't the used supply of lenses about- but even new the lens costs aren't horrific and by all accounts its a modern and more portable system.

I'm in love with mine, the IQ is incredible, the tones are just more subtle and as a camera to use its a joy. The shadow recovery is very clean and although I'm not a high ISO shooter I tried it out and it's very clean
Are the Pentax lenses weather sealed?
 
Unless you are welded to a DSLR style camera, the Fujifilm GFX range must be at the top of any prospective Digital MF shooters list.

In the last few years we have had several bodies (and getting more affordable all the time - and currently the offer the cheapest Digital MF body) and a dozen lenses released, no other manufacturer has made this level of recent commitment.

There has been a significant take up on the GFX system, with pre-orders each time exceeding Fujifilms expectations, now resulting in a lot of second user bodies available where people have upgraded.
 
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