Re: [Leica] Leica quality MF system ?

["Henning J. Wulff" <henningw@archiphoto.com>]

Jim Brick wrote:

>This question was asked of me, at my last Leica Workshop. Perhaps I could
>get some feedback from the LUG.
>
>"As a Leica user and enthusiast, and in keeping with the optical quality
>I'm accustomed to, what medium format camera would you recommend should I
>wish to augment my 35mm Leica system with a roll film system?"
>
>I didn't answer the question. I told the person that I would research it
>and get back to them. Which I am doing.
>
>If anyone has any strong feelings, I would indeed be interested and
>grateful for a response. If the LUG is not interested, private mail is fine.

My personal resolution to this issue:

In B&W, I find that the format differences are not that large, since with
some care the 'sharpness' of 35mm is not noticeably less than that of
larger formats. Also, in B&W, the tonal improvements in going to larger
formats are a lot smaller than in color, so I don't use MF for B&W, but go
to LF if I want better than 35mm quality.

For color I use a completely different approach. For reversal materials, I
shoot whatever size the client wants, but only 35mm for my own use. Color
negative is a different matter, and I shoot 35mm only when I won't need
prints larger than 4x6. Otherwise, my basic color negative system is the
Mamiya 645, with the Hasselblad SWC used instead of the 35 Mamiya lens,
which is terrible. The Mamiya handles well, has a shift lens, and is a
great package for aerials and site work. For hiking, scenics, travel, etc.,
I use a Mamiya 6 system, sometimes with the SWC. 4x5 is used when the
quality, control and lens selection demand it, and when the time and cost
can be justified. Panoramic formats are 120 film based. I used to have
8x10, but clients for that size have faded away.

My MF system is based on the fact that I don't do studio work with it, I
have to carry it, it must have a shift lens (the wider the better) and it
must have a motor drive and fast film change. That leaves the Mamiya as the
only choice. Rolleis might be possible, but that shift lens is a bear! and
they have not always been reliable, are quite expensive, and often hard to
get. I've had a Mamiya system for 20 years, and the only lack the system
had when I started with it was the lack of a shift lens; when they got
that, I was all set.

One thing to remeber about this is that I use MF to get the larger film
area, not necessarily to get the sharpest lenses. The Mamiya 645 allows me
to make prints from color negatives that are impossible with Leica or
Nikon; the quality of the lenses is quite sufficient for that. The Mamiya 6
has somewhat sharper lenses, but I use it mostly when I need compactness
and light weight.

   *            Henning J. Wulff
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