 BetterPhoto Member |
645 or 67 format for studio, on-location headshots Hi there, I have been a photographer for a few years now but haven t used any of the medium format cameras yet, I am about to start a photography business and will be making headshots for actors and models both in Studio and on-location, I will also be doing some fashion work, once again in studio and on-location. i really want to go Medium format but am undecided to which one, 645 or 66/67, I will be using it both on tripod and handheld especially when on-location. Also in terms of brands, mamiya, hasselblad, etc... I would appreciate any advice and comments on the best option for such work. Thank you. Nuno Silva.
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Michael H. Cothran |
I've been a professional medium format shooter for 33 years, so maybe I can offer some insight. First, I would definitely choose 645 for your head shots. Not 66 or 67. Now I'll tell you why - Medium format quality is good in any size. However, 1. 6x7 would be an overkill for 8x10 headshots. You just don't need that much negative, even for 11x14 or 16x20. 6x7 would also be more expensive to shoot since you only get 10 shots per roll. AND...6x7 equipment would be more expensive to purchase. 2. 6x6 is a waste of film, as you would be cropping each frame down to a 645 anyway in order to produce an 8x10 image. You get 12 shots per roll with 6x6. That said, I shot with a Hasselblad for over 25 years, including many, many headshots. The one good thing about 6x6 is that you don't have to flip the camera for vertical or the occasional horizontal shot. 3. That pretty much leaves 645. With 645, you get 15-16 shots per roll, depending on the camera brand. You can come close to using a full frame with minimum cropping for your headshots, and the cost of 645 equipment can be pretty cheap these days. I would also be sure to purchase a system with leaf shutter lenses (such as the Bronica ETRSi) rather than a system with a focal plane shutter (such as the Pentax 645). The leaf shutter lenses sync with your flash as any shutter speed, while the focal plane shutter systems have a limit of about 1/60 sec or so. Hope this helps.
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