Medium Format Cameras: At what point is a digital camera considered medium format? When I used to think of medium format cameras, I would think of Hasselblad, Mamiya among others.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

At what point is a digital camera considered medium format? When I used to think of medium format cameras, I would think of Hasselblad, Mamiya among others. Cameras that are very large, heavy and ridiculously expensive. Now we have the Nikon D850, Fuji GFX 50 and others from Canon and other companies, full frame high mega pixel cameras in the mainstream market. Why aren't those considered medium format and why are they not advertised as such?

tdekany Loc: Oregon

Ched49 wrote:

At what point is a digital camera considered medium format? When I used to think of medium format cameras, I would think of Hasselblad, Mamiya among others. Cameras that are very large, heavy and ridiculously expensive. Now we have the Nikon D850, Fuji GFX 50 and others from Canon and other companies, full frame high mega pixel cameras in the mainstream market. Why aren't those considered medium format and why are they not advertised as such?

Because FF comes with a 35mm sensor, and not with a much bigger medium sized sensor.

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AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Because 35mm is not medium format, which, in film days generally referred to 6x6, 6x7, or 6x4.5.

I do agree that with today’s sensor capabilities, the resolution of a full frame 35mm dslr is comparable to most medium format films from 40 years ago.

Andy

JD750 Loc: SoCal

tdekany wrote:

Because FF comes with a 35mm sensor, and not with a much bigger medium sized sensor.

To clarify, a full frame (FF) D-SLR contains a sensor that is approximately equal in size to a 35mm film frame.

A true medium format digital sensor would be 6cm x 6cm or 6cm x 8cm. The so called “medium format” digital cameras of today contain sensors that are considerably larger than a 35mm film frame but not as large as a 120 film frame.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Ched49 wrote:

At what point is a digital camera considered medium format? When I used to think of medium format cameras, I would think of Hasselblad, Mamiya among others. Cameras that are very large, heavy and ridiculously expensive. Now we have the Nikon D850, Fuji GFX 50 and others from Canon and other companies, full frame high mega pixel cameras in the mainstream market. Why aren't those considered medium format and why are they not advertised as such?

The D850 is most definitely not a medium format camera, although sometimes it feels like one. Fx sensor size is 24x36mm, equivalent to that of a 35 mm slide. The Fuji GFX sensor is 43.8×32.9.

tcthome Loc: NJ

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

The D850 is most definitely not a medium format camera, although sometimes it feels like one. Fx sensor size is 24x36mm, equivalent to that of a 35 mm slide. The Fuji GFX sensor is 43.8×32.9.

Fuji GFX = medium format!

mg1962

Still waiting for a digital Rolleiflex TLR.

Bill_de Loc: US

At some point 35mm film produced images equal to or better than some medium format films. There were folks using the same argument, but what happened in reality was that most folks replaced their medium format cameras (or never bought a medium format camera) in favor of 35mm.

Today some people are moving up to medium format. What should we call those cameras, medium-plus?

Things are confusing enough for me the way they are.

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Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

mg1962 wrote:

Still waiting for a digital Rolleiflex TLR.

The alternative could be a Digital Hasselblad, already available. What are you waiting for?

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Ched49 wrote:

At what point is a digital camera considered medium format? When I used to think of medium format cameras, I would think of Hasselblad, Mamiya among others. Cameras that are very large, heavy and ridiculously expensive. Now we have the Nikon D850, Fuji GFX 50 and others from Canon and other companies, full frame high mega pixel cameras in the mainstream market. Why aren't those considered medium format and why are they not advertised as such?

Because the size is what determines medium format.
The Fuji you mention is the definition today of medium format.
So far I don't believe there are any equivalent medium format digital to the film medium format which would cover the RB 67 camera.
So the defining line is bigger than 24x36 is medium format and that way everyone is on the same sheet of music.
PS I believe only Canon sensors are actually a full 24x36 as other FF sensors are smaller.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

The D850 is most definitely not a medium format camera, although sometimes it feels like one. Fx sensor size is 24x36mm, equivalent to that of a 35 mm slide. The Fuji GFX sensor is 43.8mm×32.9mm.

Yup, and my 4x5" film View Camera is a ~ 101mm x 127mm Large Format camera. If I were wealthy I'd love a camera with a 4x5" sensor! (In reality a lot of photographers who need them rent large format digital camera backs, yet they are more likely 3x4" and not a full 4x5".

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

lamiaceae wrote:

Yup, and my 4x5" film View Camera is a ~ 101mm x 127mm Large Format camera. If I were wealthy I'd love a camera with a 4x5" sensor! (In reality a lot of photographers who need them rent large format digital camera backs, yet they are more likely 3x4" and not a full 4x5".

Of course there are proof of concept sensors.
https://petapixel.com/2018/06/18/this-is-what-canons-ginormous-cmos-sensor-looks-like-next-to-a-dslr/

Festus Loc: North Dakota

I find it totally amazing that someone that has posted on this site over 6000 times doesn't know what determines a medium format camera from a full frame camera, or any other size format.

1963mca

I'm holding on to my RB67 ProS and all my lenses in the hopes of getting a 6x7 digital back some day, without selling one of my 60 year old classic sports cars. Meanwhile I still get to shoot 6x7 on 120 film.

mg1962

It is not a TLR.