Medium Format and the Mamiya RB67

So, you’ve been bitten by the grain bug and you caught the film photography disease. Congratulations, and my condolences. At some point 35mm, as ubiquitous and fun as it is, may not be enough anymore. You may start to crave the extra detail, sharpness, and razor thin depth of field that only medium format can provide. This is the situation in which I currently find myself.

“Medium Format” encompasses a range of films that exist between 35mm and the “large format” sheet films like 4x5 and 8x10. These days, 120 is the most common by a long shot, but 220 and 70mm can be found if you know where to look. 120 is not a canister film like 35mm, it’s a paper backed film on a spool. The photographer loads the film on one side of the camera and an empty spool on the other. Once the film is loaded, it is transferred to the empty spool and is taped shut once it is finished. 220 is the same as 120 but without the backing paper, so twice as many shots can be taken on one roll since more film can be held on the same size spool. Traditional 70mm stocks that were used for photography are out of production now, but it is actually possible to purchase 65/70 IMAX film and bulk load it to use in a 70mm system. This would require you to develop using the far more complicated ECN-2 development process to deal with the “remjet” layer on motion picture film. It’s a fascinating topic but one too deep to cover here. Motion picture film is something I will cover either in a feature on CineStill film stocks, or if I ever drum up the courage to bulk load and develop motion picture film myself.

Back to 120: 120 refers to a format in a broad sense and can be shot in a number of frame sizes. Most commonly, these are 6x4.5mm (645), 6x6mm, and 6x7mm. Some cameras such as the Mamiya RB67 Pro-SD and Universal Press had film backs capable of shooting a wider 6x8 frame, and there are also systems available that can shoot 6x10 or even 6x12 panoramic. Any of these formats can be shot on 120 film, the only thing that changes is how many shots you get per roll. With 645, you can expect to get a whopping 16 shots per roll, 12 of 6x6, or a mighty 10 shots of 6x7. Quite a far cry from the 24 or 36 exposures allotted by 35mm.

So, why would someone invested in 35mm want to shoot anything in medium format? The disadvantages make themselves known right away. The film itself is the same price or slightly more per roll than the equivalent 35mm stock, holds less than half or even one third of the shots, and is held in what is usually a much larger and heavier camera. The answer comes as what photographers refer to as the “medium format look.” Medium format film is characterized by high sharpness and contrast, thin depth of field, color accuracy, and high resolution. A 6x7 negative has a ridiculous amount of information on it; over 4 times more than a 35mm frame, and a rough equivalent to over 100 megapixels on a digital sensor.

For me, the draw to medium format came only partially from the medium format look. Mainly, I was drawn to the flexibility afforded to me by 120 film and the modularity of my chosen camera system: the Mamiya RB67. The first time I saw the RB67’s huge and bright waist-level finder (WLF), I was hooked. “What does this shoot and how do I get one?” There are 35mm cameras with WLFs but they are often small and, subsequently, relatively dim. Medium format, being a larger stock in a larger camera, allows for the opportunity to house a large and easily readable WLF. The RB67 also solves a major hangup that I (and I imagine most other 35mm nerds) have with shooting film: you can’t change stocks mid roll. If you want to shoot a dimly lit indoor shot but you have a 100 ISO film in your camera you’re out of luck unless you can do a long exposure. The RB67 (along with many other 120 cameras) has interchangeable film backs with dark slides, meaning that you can swap in the middle of as many rolls as you have backs to swap. Something I’m also excited to do is load a 35mm canister into a 220 film back to shoot budget panoramic shots (24x67mm, ~4:11 aspect ratio) like you would get from a far more expensive Hasselblad or Fuji 35mm XPan camera.

I eagerly awaited getting my RB, and from the moment I first handled it I was hooked. It’s everything I loved about 35mm film but more. Less shots per roll means you have to be even more deliberate about what you shoot, and you’re rewarded with a richer experience for your efforts. For someone like me who enjoys anything mechanical, the RB is a joy to use. With no internal electronics, this camera is a collection of satisfyingly chunky buttons, switches, and levers contained in a pleasantly hefty package that can be reliably repaired by nearly any analog camera repair shop. Compared to a conventional 35mm camera, the RB67 has a fairly high amount of gravity in it, but the substantial size and weight is comforting; a distinct reminder that you’re not in 35mm Kansas anymore.

The short time I’ve had my Mamiya has been an absolute joy, and every time I hold it I’m excited to shoot more. I have a trip coming up to Atlanta, GA where I hope to make extensive use of both this camera and my 35s. From meeting local photographers, to car meets and talking shop with friends, I’m hopeful to gain a lot of knowledge and experience as well as some more film work that I can be truly proud of.