Recent Medium Format Articles

The New Phase One Lab Gives IQ4 150MP Owners An Impressive New Tool

Phase One Labs is a new function available for Phase One IQ4 150MP and 150 Achromatic digital back owners. The lab offers beta versions of features currently in development, allowing photographers to provide feedback for future releases. Even though it’s only in beta, the first feature is a doozy.

Are Leaf Shutter Lenses Better Than HSS and HS?

In the past few years, flash manufacturers have put a lot of efforts to let cameras’ x-sync fade into obsolescence. However, the current solutions are not perfect and aren’t always intuitive to use for non-tech-savvy photographers. In 2016, I made a comparison between Hi-Sync and HSS. Since then, I have had the chance to play with a Phase One XF and give the beautiful Schneider Kreuznach leaf shutter lenses a try. With more experience using Hi-Sync as well, I thought a follow-up article was well overdue. So let’s dive in and see what solutions are currently available to go past the x-sync limitation.

Hasselblad Launches H6D Camera Platform in 50-Megapixel and 100-Megapixel Versions With 4K Video

Hasselblad has launched a brand new medium format digital body, the H6D, in both the familiar 50-megapixel CMOS flavor and also in a new, 100-megapixel CMOS configuration with the same Sony sensor found in Phase One's XF IQ3 100 MP released earlier this year. The new body features an updated UI, a relatively new look and design for the first time in several generations, and a brand new lineup of updated lenses capable of shooting at up to 1/2000 of a second, with full support of the new 100 MP sensor.

Celebrity Covershoot at Amazing Locations in Las Vegas You Need to See to Believe

Late last year I was contacted by one of my magazine clients to shoot their upcoming cover with Panic At The Disco front man Brendon Urie and it had to take place across the country in Las Vegas in about a week (I am NYC-based by the way). I scrambled to find some cool locations in the region, knowing full well I did not want to shoot in some cramped hotel suite. Little did I know that with some good researching and shrewd negotiating, I would find some of the coolest locations I have ever photographed, and just moments from the Las Vegas strip.

The World of Medium Format Photography

Mastering the intricacies of medium format photography can significantly elevate the quality and impact of one’s work. This great video takes a look at the Fujifilm GFX 100 II, a 100-megapixel medium format digital camera, equipped with an ultra-sharp tilt-shift lens, showcasing not just the technical prowess of this setup but also its artistic potential.

Is Medium Format Worth It? Breaking Down the Hype

Photographers often get caught up in the technical details of their gear, especially when it comes to sensor size. The debate around whether bigger is always better can lead to hefty investments in medium format cameras, but are they really worth the cost? Understanding what these larger sensors offer—and whether the benefits justify the price—can help you make a smarter decision without breaking the bank.

Photographing The Most Epic Burger You've Never Eaten

Once upon a time at brunch in Santa Monica, I created the biggest, most complex cheeseburger anyone had ever even attempted to ask a chef to make. I basically picked my top 10 things off the menu and asked the chef to put it between ciabatta bread. Then I ate the entire thing. It gave me severe meat sweats and rendered me unconscious afterwards, but it was the most delicious thing I had ever created. It's my single greatest achievement in life. I learned a lot about myself that day and will tell the Epic Burger story to my great great great great grandkids.

Hasselblad Introduces the X1D II 50C Along With a Few Other Treats

Hasselblad, a Swedish company known for photographing space and their medium format cameras, has just released a new version of their X1D. With competition from Fujifilm and Phase One, the X1D II 50C is a very portable, sleek, and versatile medium format camera compared to its competitors.

Step by Step Guide To Wet Plate Photography

Guest writer Josh LeClair is a commercial photographer based out of Marquette, MI. After seeing the stunning work done by Ian Ruhter with wet plate photography, he decided to try it for himself. LeClair does it on on a much smaller scale using a holga camera.

Luchador Fighter Portrait Series Behind The Scenes

Last year, I decided to pursue a fun portrait series of Luchador fighters from the Chikara Pro Wrestling League, located on the East Coast of the US. I've always been fascinated with this style of fighting and entertainment. These big colorful characters take the ring to pummel each other to the great delight of their dedicated fans. Some may call it "fake" or a performance, but I can tell you first hand that I saw blood drawn during a match on more than one occasion. These fighters are dedicated to their craft and I wanted nothing more than to capture them on camera.

An Owner's Review of the Mamiya 645AFD

This is more or less the camera that started film photography for me. Since developing an appreciation for Joey L’s work, I wanted to shoot medium format. The focus falloff and rendering was just so surreal compared to full-frame and crop-sensor cameras that I had been shooting with. Unfortunately, the cost of entry was a little steep for a digital back. After doing some research I stumbled upon film 645 cameras. And so it began.

In Defense of the Square Photograph

Are squares better? Come with me as we throw a fork in the photographic microwave and investigate why you shouldn't underestimate the 1:1 image format.

Hasselblad Promises Sony Rebranding Rampage Is Over, and We Now Know Why It Began

Hasselblad's controversial partnership and reskinning of Sony's consumer and prosumer digital cameras that led to Frankenstein creations such as the Stellar and Lunar cameras also got some of its models on a number of "worst camera of the year" lists. While that was certainly out of the ordinary for a brand that prides itself on being on the exact opposite lists, an interview with DP Review gives insight as to why this all began in the first place. And when you think about it, you can't blame them.

One of the Weirdest Medium Format Cameras Ever Made

Before gaining popularity with the highly respected X Series and GFX Series, Fujifilm was quite active in the film industry, making some fantastic cameras that are still popular with enthusiasts today. One of the most interesting cameras they made was the GA645Zi, and this great video takes a look at what it is like to shoot with a medium format point and shoot.

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R

Fujifilm set the bar for APS-C portrait lenses with their phenomenal XF 56mm f/1.2 a few years back and they have done the same for digital medium format with the GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR. The GFX system is an exceptional fit for those shooting high-end portraiture and the GF 110mm f/2 is quite possibly the perfect portrait lens for this application.

A Review of the Fujifilm GF 80mm f/1.7 for Portraits

Fujifilm's medium format range doesn't have a huge selection of lenses, but it does have some utterly superb glass never the less. Their latest release has turned a few heads, but how good is it for portraiture?

Fstoppers Reviews the Hasselblad X1D II

For those of you who haven't heard of Hasselblad, they were one of the first cameras used to shoot from space and are known today to be one of the top medium format companies around. With a recent release of their X1D II and a unique digital back for their v-system, what is it like to shoot with one of these cameras?

My Fujifilm GFX 100 Mistake

The Fujifilm GFX 100 was released four years ago, and a replacement model is most likely coming out soon. Even so, I have been wanting to try out this 102 megapixel behemoth for a long time, and I was recently able to get one on loan from Fujifilm for review. After testing the camera, I realize that it was a mistake, and in this video, I tell you why.

Is This the Best Portrait Lens Available Today?

Portrait lenses are some of the most popular optics out there, and as such, photographers have a huge range of choices that offer a variety of capabilities at many price points. This great video review takes a look at one of the best portrait lenses out there, the Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR and the kind of image quality you can expect from it.

'Advanced Product Photography': A Free Video Tutorial

We create tons of free content on a weekly basis for our YouTube channel, but until now, we have exclusively sold our "professional" photography tutorials on the Fstoppers store. But today, thanks to a few sponsors, we've created a free 45-minute tutorial on product photography.

A Review of the Fujifilm GFX100 II Mirrorless Medium Format Camera

The latest camera in Fujifilm's lauded line of medium format mirrorless cameras, the GFX100 II, builds on previous cameras in the GF series by adding a wide range of new features and improvements, Yet, it still maintains that impressively competitive price that tempts many users to consider switching away from full frame to medium format. How does it hold up in practice? This great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect.

Street Photography With the New FUJIFILM GFX100 II

FUJIFILM medium format bodies have attracted quite the cult following and for good reason. Their latest flagship model in the GFX range is available for purchase, but how does it hold up in street photography?
Full Behind The Scenes Of A Photoshoot With KITT And The A-Team Van

I've been working on a personal photo series capturing movie and television cars (real and replica) for about 5 years now under the title "The Unicorn Project". I've posted about this before on Fstoppers (here, here, & here), as you may recall. Most recently, I had an opportunity to photograph a replica A-Team Van and KITT from Knight Rider while I was in Los Angeles. These happen to be two of my favorite television cars of all time. Watch the video and read the full post below to learn how it was done.