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Re: [OM] 6x4.5 compared to 35mm?

Subject: Re: [OM] 6x4.5 compared to 35mm?
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 23:14:01 +0000
At 20:55 1/10/02, Ag-Schnozz wrote:
At 11:20 1/10/02, Albert wrote:
I'm just curious, how much will I gain going from 35mm to 645 format? Will I notice the difference, or not really until I pass the 8x10 threshold?

Since no one else answered...

In B&W, medium format is MUCH better for those of us not liking
grain.  Otherwise, yes, 8x10 is the crossover point.

I share in Ag's observation (along with a couple others) about 8x10. I *can* tell the difference between the 8x10's from the 645 and the 8x12's from 35mm. This assumes "due care and diligence" when making photographs. Sloppiness with shake, vibration or DoF control will easily ruin either for enlargement.

Medium format does have a tendency to slow some of us down just enough to take extra care in composing pictures.

Humans [in general] value most that which has the greatest difficulty to achieve. Someone mentioned a while back cited a factoid about the number of digital images made during the past year or so. I daresay the ease, cost and speed with which someone can do this with a digital is only surpassed by using a digital video camera camera. The only limit is the number of images that can be stored before running out of memory cards. IMHO the total number of times a camera holder presses a shutter release is not meaningful; it considers nothing about the yield rate. The following "objective function" is meaningful:
  (Burn Rate) X (Yield Rate) X (Time Spent Making Photographs) = (Total Yield)

The M645, 35/2.8 shift lens on an OM body, and [35mm] Contax IIIa RF decrease my burn rate and increase the yield rate. For me it's the setup and evaluating/setting exposure required before tripping the shutter. The more work the system requires, the more each exposure is valued, and the result is fewer wasted photographs. The secret is using a system that naturally facilitates the photographer maximizing the "objective function" for the type of subject material and style of photography. Assuming time available for making photographs is independent of Burn Rate and Yield Rate, it allows a Burn Rate just fast enough that the Yield Rate does not suffer significantly.

-- John


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