Digital BW, The Print

Stephen Kundell wrote:

> So, does anyone out there have recommendations for a
>medium format SLR camera, preferably manual, not very heavy, ...

Julian wrote:

>Martin Parr did a lot of his stuff on a Makina. I tried to find one and
>couldn't. How about a Rolleiflex?

I, too, am a medium format (mf) fan.  It is the smallest format that gives
me what I consider sharp 16x20s.  As I've gotten older (or lazier) I've
moved from carrying my entire Rollei SL66 outfit on backpacks, to Rollei GX,
and now to rangefinders -- first the Fuji GA645 Zi and, hopefully, the
Bronica RF 645 (if they ever get their 135 problems fixed).

The MF SLRs are heavy.  The manual, mechanical ones are slow.

The Rollei GX is a true classic, and many consider it one of the best light
cameras around.    With no mirror flap and an f2.8 aperture that is capable
of 16x20 enlargement, one would be hard pressed to find a camera that can
outshoot it in low light.

Two issues that may not be readily apparent have become critical to me.
First, the weight issue is not just the camera, but the whole system that is
needed -- specifically including how heavy the tripod must be to steady the
camera's vibrations.  Second, how flat the camera can hold the film is a
huge issue in mf sharpness.  If the film isn't flat, you might as well be
shooting 35 mm if capturing the subtle details of nature are among your
priorities.

The tripod weight issue has an easy answer -- leaf shutters.  I've tested a
fair number of cameras, and my conclusion is that focal plane shutters have
inherent vibration.  A camera simply cannot start and stop the mass of that
shutter without the famous "equal and opposite reaction."  To dampen it on a
tripod, the weight/mass must be in line with the shutter movement.  So, the
SL66, with its very smooth focal plane shutter moving always vertically
(advantage 6x6 v. 645) is relatively easy to control because the mass of the
tripod is in line with the shutter movement. (It still  needs some mass for
the 150) Horizontal focal planes are a pain to try to control -- read
massive tripod.

All the leaf shutter mf cameras I've had and tested can get totally sharp
shots (in excess of 80 line pairs per mm on the film) with the cheapest and
lightest of tripods -- even with the center column up.  This is a huge
factor for me in holding down the total weight.  I "wear" a cheap, light
Slik 800 on my belt.

The film flatness issue is also critical for me.  Film "remembers" the bend
it goes through prior to reaching the film plane.  If it sits on a turn for
more than a few minutes, it will not lay flat when it gets to the film
plane.  The "reverse curl" cameras are the worst -- SL66, Hasselblad, etc.
Even the Rollei GX has the problem to a lesser extent.  With these cameras
there is one really good procedure to get really sharp shots -- shoot only
ever other frame and abandon the frame that has sat on the rollers.  Not
very efficient.

The straight-through film transport systems of the rangefinders (and some
others) have the potential to cure this problem with many films.  While some
I've tested still have problems with some film types, the Fuji Zi and
Bronica RF seem to be able to be shot like a 35 mm with Tmax 100 (or
probably other film with a sturdy backing).  (Fuji's new Acros did not stay
flat.)

So, for light weight but very sharp photos, the mf rangefinder with a leaf
shutter is hard to beat, in my view.

By the way, I highly recommend renting or otherwise using a camera before
buying.  I found, for example, the handling of the Mamiya 7 to be awkward
and slow.

Good luck in you search.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com