MF will die soon?

MikaMatin · 3rd September 2003

Hi guys,

I've recently noticed that alot of DLSR/Digi cams are being advertised aggresively and with the prices; for those ard 2-3 m.pixels considered as an entry level for users coming down, i wonder if the MF will eventually 'die' off just like the LP

I have not yet own a MF before but am intrigued by its precision and quality that it has been serving those professional using them. Precision & quality here means the components being used and the picture that was captured by the user.

Does anyone here think that sooner or later the MF price will eventually be 'brought down to its knees', say less than $2K?

Appreciate your constructive remarks.

Muchas gracias.

Ansel · 3rd September 2003

MF = Manual Focus
MF = Medium Format

Which are you refering to?

Larry · 3rd September 2003

Originally Posted by Ansel

MF = Manual Focus
MF = Medium Format

Which are you refering to?

yah i agree... which one you referring to? can't really tell from your post.

reno77 · 3rd September 2003

Manual focus medium format ?

Actually it looks like he is talking about medium format in the post. I dont think the formats will die out.

Caspere · 3rd September 2003

APS - Yes
disc - Yes

Large Format - Not Yet
Medium Format - Not likely

Both LF & MF will become more niche, new prices will go higher.
Film for both will gradually be more expensive and choices lesser.

Then again, digital backs for MF formats will grow and become less expensive.
(LF digital back at this point is questionable due to cost. Ask this question again in ten years.)

Now, this is a good thing right?

offspring · 3rd September 2003

Actually, I know another MF - usually reserved to scold people.

Originally Posted by Ansel

MF = Manual Focus
MF = Medium Format

Which are you refering to?

Winston · 3rd September 2003

Originally Posted by offspring

Actually, I know another MF - usually reserved to scold people.

MikaMatin · 3rd September 2003

Gd one there offspring!

Spot on reno77!

I'm actually refering to Medium Format actually.

Caspere, yeah i gotta agree with u on the film costs and choice of lenses.

So does this mean that its better to get a MF(pardon the pun) now so tt when the time comes, it's not so costly as what Caspere had pointed out?

Does any of you guys have a Mamiya or Hassey's now? If u do have it, have u been using it actively and what are the costings that have been involved? (Considering the film develpment and process, repairs and etc..)

marios_pittas · 4th September 2003

The cost of a 11MP back for medium format currently is 17K in Singapore..

.. wait...

Now, look at those with D60's and D30's and D1's and ask how much they would have spend by the time they reach the 11~14MP quality.. They would have bought the first 2.2 MP, then the slow 4.5MP? then the slow 6.2 MP then the new 6.2 MP then.. they are waiting for the new faster 6.2 MP.. hmm

..

By the time they buy the 14MP they would have probbaly spend more money then those who would have bought the MF Digital back.. and you still have the choice of using conventional films whenever you need to just by changing film back.. Not Bad

MF is not dead.. as it has always been, it has some uses.. same with 35mm format.. As for large format I am not so sure..

Now if your question is "film vs digital" then thats a different question all together..

The question you need to ask yourself is whether MF is appropriate for the kind of photography you are doing..

sehsuan · 4th September 2003

medium format is not gonna die out, that's what i think. why? because slides on a MF is analog data - you can practically enlarge a print/slide from MF and still have the details compared to digi MF...

Ansel · 4th September 2003

Originally Posted by sehsuan

medium format is not gonna die out, that's what i think. why? because slides on a MF is analog data - you can practically enlarge a print/slide from MF and still have the details compared to digi MF...

Another thing. If I take a 11 MP digital camera image today, it will remain as an 11 MP image forever. However, if I take a 645 image on fine grain 120 film, I can scan it into a 11 MP digital image today, but more importantly, in time to come when high end scanners (aka commercial drum scanners) become cheaper, or when scanning techonology improves, I can scan my film image to even higher resolution!

Medium format will not die, but sad to say, I think more and more pros will turn to digital backs due to convenience and turn-around time requirements from their clients.

And yes, film will eventually become a rarity, as will film processing labs.

MikaMatin · 4th September 2003

Thanks for your constructive input guys

I was at CP this afternoon(the one selling the Medium Format and films section) and was having a light talk with one of the ladies. She seems to be choosing a medium format in her preference since the film used is much 'contrastier' than a digi print. Can anyone rebutt this statment then?

If given the chance, would u guys rather stick with a Medium Format or a SLRDigi? Having said so, what are the 3 most pertinent factors that would make u stick with your choice?

I do agree to a certain extent that with the introduction of a digicam, less time has been spent whilst waiting for an image to pop up in the LCD screen

However, the feeling isn't the same when u're feeling a Medium Format. It's like u're being challenged by the intricacies of wanting to know how the pic turns out and so on and so forth.

sehsuan · 4th September 2003

i sure wouldn't imagine how a medium format will function for sports events with its relative massive weight....

marios_pittas · 4th September 2003

"MikaMatin" you really need to differentiate in the discussion "MF vs 35mm" format, and "Digital vs Film"..

Else it is difficult to understand for what you are asking information for.. can you clarify?

Are you asking whether film will still exist in 10 years time? In which case MF or 35mm is of no relevance to the discussion..

or

Are you asking whether MF cameras are somehow going to dissapear like 126 film did (I still have my Kodak Instamatic 33, for the record!)?

MikaMatin · 5th September 2003

Originally Posted by marios_pittas

"MikaMatin" you really need to differentiate in the discussion "MF vs 35mm" format, and "Digital vs Film"..

Else it is difficult to understand for what you are asking information for.. can you clarify?

Are you asking whether film will still exist in 10 years time? In which case MF or 35mm is of no relevance to the discussion..

or

Are you asking whether MF cameras are somehow going to dissapear like 126 film did (I still have my Kodak Instamatic 33, for the record!)?

Hi pittas,

I am refering to the latter and also bringing in the topic of film since it(the film) is a secondary part of the camera unit (can this be considered a secondary unit?)

I make this question as general as possible but sticking to the context of a Medium Format Camera; let's say the accroutements that encompasses it or its film or even the developing price of a 120 that hinder some ppl from swearing by it.

Wow! A kodak instamatic 33!

GUess its being kept as a novelty prize possesion of yours huh

marios_pittas · 5th September 2003

> Are you asking whether MF cameras are somehow going to dissapear
> like 126 film did (I still have my Kodak Instamatic 33, for the record!)?

> am refering to the latter

Since this is the question

then the answer is NO! i.e. MF cameras will happily exist alongside smaller format cameras. There will always be a need for a high quality image which will require cameras with bigger CCD or bigger film format.. whether they will remain mainstream (like they are somewhat today) that is another question!

As for the costs of printing film.. it has never put me of.. in any of the formats that I have used i.e. 126, 110, 35mm, 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9, or 4x5.. after all: the print is the destination!

MikaMatin · 5th September 2003

Well said pittas! I really applaud your sincere and remarkable answer. At least there's an indication in you that the MF wil co-exist well with the smaller cams.

I'm quite surprised that printing costs doesn't seem to turn u off. What if the price of printing MF prints spiralled up, say ard 2-3 yrs time frm now?

Enuff said, i'm thinking of getting a Rollei or Yashica soon to immerse myself in this MF world soon albeit i'm learning abt the digicams too

3rd September 2003	#1
MikaMatin Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenary East Posts: 114	MF will die soon? Hi guys, I've recently noticed that alot of DLSR/Digi cams are being advertised aggresively and with the prices; for those ard 2-3 m.pixels considered as an entry level for users coming down, i wonder if the MF will eventually 'die' off just like the LP I have not yet own a MF before but am intrigued by its precision and quality that it has been serving those professional using them. Precision & quality here means the components being used and the picture that was captured by the user. Does anyone here think that sooner or later the MF price will eventually be 'brought down to its knees', say less than $2K? Appreciate your constructive remarks. Muchas gracias.

5th September 2003	#16
marios_pittas Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 651	> Are you asking whether MF cameras are somehow going to dissapear > like 126 film did (I still have my Kodak Instamatic 33, for the record!)? > am refering to the latter Since this is the question then the answer is NO! i.e. MF cameras will happily exist alongside smaller format cameras. There will always be a need for a high quality image which will require cameras with bigger CCD or bigger film format.. whether they will remain mainstream (like they are somewhat today) that is another question! As for the costs of printing film.. it has never put me of.. in any of the formats that I have used i.e. 126, 110, 35mm, 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9, or 4x5.. after all: the print is the destination! Last edited by marios_pittas; 5th September 2003 at 12:26 AM.

3rd September 2003	#2
Ansel Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Land Downunder Posts: 2,069	MF = Manual Focus MF = Medium Format Which are you refering to?

3rd September 2003	#4
reno77 Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Bedok Reservoir Posts: 880	Manual focus medium format ? Actually it looks like he is talking about medium format in the post. I dont think the formats will die out.

3rd September 2003	#5
Caspere Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East Side Posts: 1,409	APS - Yes disc - Yes Large Format - Not Yet Medium Format - Not likely Both LF & MF will become more niche, new prices will go higher. Film for both will gradually be more expensive and choices lesser. Then again, digital backs for MF formats will grow and become less expensive. (LF digital back at this point is questionable due to cost. Ask this question again in ten years.) Now, this is a good thing right?

3rd September 2003	#8
MikaMatin Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenary East Posts: 114	Gd one there offspring! Spot on reno77! I'm actually refering to Medium Format actually. Caspere, yeah i gotta agree with u on the film costs and choice of lenses. So does this mean that its better to get a MF(pardon the pun) now so tt when the time comes, it's not so costly as what Caspere had pointed out? Does any of you guys have a Mamiya or Hassey's now? If u do have it, have u been using it actively and what are the costings that have been involved? (Considering the film develpment and process, repairs and etc..)

4th September 2003	#9
marios_pittas Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 651	The cost of a 11MP back for medium format currently is 17K in Singapore.. .. wait... Now, look at those with D60's and D30's and D1's and ask how much they would have spend by the time they reach the 11~14MP quality.. They would have bought the first 2.2 MP, then the slow 4.5MP? then the slow 6.2 MP then the new 6.2 MP then.. they are waiting for the new faster 6.2 MP.. hmm .. By the time they buy the 14MP they would have probbaly spend more money then those who would have bought the MF Digital back.. and you still have the choice of using conventional films whenever you need to just by changing film back.. Not Bad MF is not dead.. as it has always been, it has some uses.. same with 35mm format.. As for large format I am not so sure.. Now if your question is "film vs digital" then thats a different question all together.. The question you need to ask yourself is whether MF is appropriate for the kind of photography you are doing..

4th September 2003	#10
sehsuan Deregistered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,674	medium format is not gonna die out, that's what i think. why? because slides on a MF is analog data - you can practically enlarge a print/slide from MF and still have the details compared to digi MF...

4th September 2003	#12
MikaMatin Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Greenary East Posts: 114	Thanks for your constructive input guys I was at CP this afternoon(the one selling the Medium Format and films section) and was having a light talk with one of the ladies. She seems to be choosing a medium format in her preference since the film used is much 'contrastier' than a digi print. Can anyone rebutt this statment then? If given the chance, would u guys rather stick with a Medium Format or a SLRDigi? Having said so, what are the 3 most pertinent factors that would make u stick with your choice? I do agree to a certain extent that with the introduction of a digicam, less time has been spent whilst waiting for an image to pop up in the LCD screen However, the feeling isn't the same when u're feeling a Medium Format. It's like u're being challenged by the intricacies of wanting to know how the pic turns out and so on and so forth.