Medium and Large Format Photography: Moving Beyond 35Mm for Better Pictures [Paperback]

Roger Hicks (Author), Frances Schultz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001

Most experienced photographers who work with 35mm ask the same nagging question: If they changed to a larger format, would they get better pictures?



In Medium and Large Format Photography, renowned professional photographers Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz provide all the practical and artistic guidance every aspiring photographer needs to master the world beyond 35mm.



In clear, no-nonsense language, this valuable guide details all the possibilities and limitations of various film formats, as well as the best cameras and equipment to use with each. Indispensable, easy-to-read tables make it simple to compare film sizes, lens lengths, and other information at a glance. Plus, the guide is packed with over 200 stunning photos showing the merits of medium and large format photography in action.





• A comprehensive introduction to the many cameras and film formats available beyond 35mm

• Includes expert tips on buying equipment, darkroom supplies, and processing film

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This fine book by two accomplished photographers offers an excellent introduction to medium- and large-format photography. For 35mm photographers eager to move up, it is one of the few titles available about medium-format photography and the only recent one. The authors first discuss the many advantages of working with negatives and transparencies in formats larger than 35mm. They next deal with medium-format equipment, which uses roll film, and then large-format cameras, which rely on sheet film in various sizes, most often ranging from 4" 5" to 8" 10". Each of these chapters includes examples of some of the best equipment available in each category. There is also a separate chapter on lenses and accessories, including tripods, light meters, and filters, and another chapter devoted entirely to the darkroom. The book concludes with brief personal essays by each of the authors and appendixes that include information on Polaroid processes, custom cameras, and suggestions for making better photographs. This informative book is beautifully illustrated with examples of camera equipment and of excellent photographs. Appropriate for all libraries, especially public and academic libraries with good photography collections. Highly recommended. Raymond Bial, Parkland Coll. Lib., Champaign, IL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz are a husband-and-wife team with many highly successful books to their credit, including Perfect Exposure, Quality in Photography, and the Pro-Lighting Series. They live in Kent, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817445579
• ISBN-13: 978-0817445577
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,517 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Medium Format Overview, January 3, 2002

By 

CALVIN LEE (Burke, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medium and Large Format Photography: Moving Beyond 35Mm for Better Pictures (Paperback)

This book contains a good overview of the various medium & large format cameras currently available on the market. It is however, a little dated in that it does not contain some of the newer 645 autofocus models. This book is highly recommended for those who are considering the purchase of medium or large format equipment,as it describes the strengths and weaknesses of popular rollfilm formats & brands.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Useless, May 12, 2006

By 

Ali Caglar Akgungor "Fokki" (France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Medium and Large Format Photography: Moving Beyond 35Mm for Better Pictures (Paperback)

The status of this book is unknown: It's not a technical book, it's not an equipment guide, it's not a photography book neither...
Reading it is just having a conversation with the authors you met in a street cafe. They talk to you for 2 hours, they show you your equipment and say "you have to move beyond 35mm for better pictures" and they leave. But you're not convinced...
Why?
The most important reason is: The pictures in this book are awful. Maybe 2 or 3 are aesthetically OK, but the rest is just mediocre. When you see them, you say "If I'll have photos like these, why to buy medium or large format equipment?". It seems like the authors like travelling from time to time, and when you see the pictures they made aronud the world, you say "well they spent their money for nothing", the photos are so uninteresting.
The second reason: Technically, the book is near to level zero. Even the camera movements, which are the main advantage of large format, are not really explained.
All you can find in this book is a couple of tips and tricks, if you already know someting about the topic.

Why I wrote this review?
BECAUSE I WANTED TO CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU MUST MAKE MEDIUM OR LARGE FORMAT PHOTOGRAPHY. Believe me, it worths. When you print your first pictures from a 2 x 3 negative, you understand why. When the camera movements allow you to play with depth of field, sharpness etc, you understand how much you were limited with 35mm or digital. GO TO MEDIUM OR LARGE FORMAT, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. THE 2ND HAND EQUIPMENT PRICES ARE SO LOW NOW THAT YOU CAN OFFER YOURSELF SUPER CAMERAS! GO, AND TRY!

But not with this book... No.

10 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Demystifying medium and large format photography, February 11, 2006

By 

Sam Kapoor (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medium and Large Format Photography: Moving Beyond 35Mm for Better Pictures (Paperback)

If you ever wondered about cameras professionals use, this book will demystify medium and large format photography. For anyone who is serious about photography, you must know all the equipment options out there. This book introduces reader to a subject largely unknown to amatuers. There is a wealth of information in the book and it is very well organized. This book will make you think about very important part of camera; the recording medium.

Authors cover different films, formats and cameras in very easy to read order. They make compelling argument for moving up to medium or large format even if you are not a professional photographer. I was delighted to know that moving up need not mean any more expense than using regular 35 mm equipment. This book is full of insights authors have accumulated over their long professional careers. You will realise why your expensive 35 SLR could not give you professional picture quality no matter how hard you tried.

Some readers may get overwhelmed by the information on a lot of makes and models. However this is very valuable information at one place and as your interest in MF and LF photography grows, you will keep referring back to these details.

What distinguishes large format from other type of cameras is the ability called 'movements'. Movements is what gives large format cameras the ultimate edge. It is not just the large size of negative. It is important to know this to understand LF cameras better.

You will realize that even with the advent of digital cameras, MF and especially LF cameras will retain their edge for a long time to come.