Is Medium Format Worth It?

It used to be that medium format was so prohibitively expensive that its usage was limited to just a few professionals and rental houses. But in the last few years, that paradigm has been completely rewritten, and now, medium format is a viable alternative to full frame for a lot of photographers. So, is it worth taking the dive? This great video discusses the topic. 

Coming to you from Samuel Elkins, this awesome video discusses whether it is worth shooting with medium format. Medium format used to be incredibly expensive, and while some such options still are, brands like Fujifilm have rewritten the rules quite a bit, bringing medium format bodies with modern features into the price range of upper-level full frame bodies and making the format a viable alternative for a lot of photographers. Of course, you are not going to grab such a body for shooting something like a sports game, but for portraits, landscape work, and even wedding photography, they have become a viable (and in some situations, a better) alternative to traditional full frame choices. It is certainly an exciting time for gear enthusiasts. Check out the video above for Elkins' full thoughts. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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7 Comments

"It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." - Ferris Bueller

I feel like the point of entry for medium format is difficult along with the price I also see a lot of snobbery from people who are into this

Is clickbait worth it? Well depends on what you expect out of it. If you need an article to help you decide what you need you don't really know what you need.

Is [insert product] worth it?

If ever there is a pointless question with no definitive answer, this is it.

waste of time for online displays

hard to reconcile with reality when Sony A7r4 can show more detail than anyone wants to see

Are we all pretending photographers using other sensor sizes cannot properly frame an image and crop it to a 4:3 aspect ratio? I just want to be on the same page as everyone else.

Yes, but... my used Bronica S2, 75mm 2.8, 120 back and prism cost me under $500.
Shoot it, scan negs, and WaLa MEDIUM FORMAT DIGITAL!