Medium Format Cameras

Medium Format Cameras

Modern medium format cameras are equipped with capable autofocus systems that can track moving subjects across the frame and keep up with action. They’re also much lighter than they used to be, and are capable of shooting at faster speeds while still producing images with that inimitable big-sensor “look”. In-body image stabilisation has become a more common feature on medium format cameras, enabling the capture of sharp images at slower shutter speeds while hand-holding the camera.

Medium format cameras and lenses have also become comparatively more affordable than they once were, and there is now a considerable price overlap between full-frame and medium format cameras. If you want ultra-high resolution images, many modern digital medium format cameras boast sensor resolutions in excess of 100 megapixels.

Plus, they’re also much lighter than they used to be. While there is some unavoidable physical bulk that comes with DSLR Cameras, in general medium format systems are much easier to hold, wield and transport than they once were. This combined with the other enhancements has transformed medium format into something much more agile and versatile than it once was.

The high resolution of medium format means these types of cameras tend to be very popular with photographers who need to make prints to their images. The more pixels you have in a digital image, the larger and more detailed a print you can make. Landscapes, portraits, fashion, still-life, architecture, fine art and more – all of these genres have their share of medium format devotees. The large-diameter lenses of medium format systems are also great for producing images with a shallow depth of field – again, great for portraits.

The size of the sensor allows the individual pixels to be larger and less closely spaced than they are on other types of camera. This means not only more detail, but also a greater dynamic range (the difference between light and dark tones in an image) and less digital noise.

The exact size of a medium format sensor is not a fixed thing – the term refers to any camera with a sensor larger than a frame of 120 film (44 x 33 millimetres). The sensor produces images with a 4:3 aspect ratio, rather than 3:2 as is the case with full-frame cameras. Sensor sizes can vary slightly between different systems.

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