Medium format slides

Slides

Since I started shooting medium format film I've always had a preference for transparency or slide film. This was mainly because in the 35mm world I used slide film 99% of the time and my work flow was centered around slides. Slides scan beautifully and it is a joy to see them projected. 

Unlike 35mm, when shooting medium format there are different sizes with regards to slide formats. I have camera's that shoot 6x4.5, 6x6 and 6x7 format slides. For scanning purposes no big issue but if you want to project these slides there is no 'one fits all' slide projector. 6x4.5 and 6x6 have the same size of slide mount so can both be used on a 6x6 slide projector. 6x7 alas is too big for that. 

Projecting

Nowadays it is uncommon to see a medium format slide projector. I was lucky to obtain one, a 6x6 projector. This means that my 6x4.5 and 6x6 camera's are loaded with 120 slide film most of the time. I tend to use my 6x7's for black and white and colour negatives mostly these days.

Ok, now I owned a projector. Next on my list was obtaining the necessary slide mounts. Although I was able to buy some 6x4.5 mounts new I usually have to depend on the second-hand market. I have been lucky to get my hands on a mixed supply of 6x4.5 and 6x6 glass mounts but these need to be cleaned before use. I do so by washing them in warm soapy water. I've also heard other stories on how to clean these mounts, how do YOU do it? Please drop me a line in the comments section below describing how you clean your medium format glass slide mounts.

Scanning

My work flow now is to scan the slide first, then mount it. These are huge transparencies to scan so this takes a while. I use an LS-8000ED Coolscan and scan at maximum capacity. Scanning a 6x6 slide gets me a whopping 80.5 megapixel 500 MB file.

The results

Last February I shot a roll of Provia 100F with my ARAX CM-MLU. This is basically an improved Kiev 88CM, when using these you definitely get those old-school vibes. I scanned these earlier today, below you'll find a small selection of winter landscapes.

• Location Naarden
• Camera: ARAX CM-MLU
• Lens: ARAX MC 80mm f/2.8
• Film: Fujichrome Professional Velvia 100F 
• Scanner: Nikon LS-8000ED

Winter

With a full week of snow - almost unheard of here - last week really was a winter landscape photographers delight. 

My Pentax 645Z fitted with a Super-Multi-Coated Takumar/6x7 105mm f/2.4 lens 

As with my first outing, I decided to go to the Naardermeer en brought along my Pentax 645Z. This time I went medieval manual focus and I chose one of the 67 series of lenses, the 105mm f/2.4.

Location: Naardermeer
Camera: Pentax 645Z
Lens: Super-Multi-Coated Takumar/6x7 105mm f/2.4

I really enjoyed using the 105mm again. Yes, it is a big son of a gun but big is better when you are using gloves as this makes focusing a lot easier. I used one of those Pentax-built 67-645 adapters, with these the aperture ring on the lens works properly i.e. no opening the lens up for focusing and then stopping it down.

Brothers

Later that same day I went out for a small stroll and brought both digital Pentaxes. Again, I went manual focus with the 645Z, now fitted with a Carl Zeiss Jena MC Biometar 80mm f/2.8. The 645D was equipped with the SMC Pentax-FA 80-160mm f/4.5, a very nice all-round lens. Originally developed for the Pentax 645N 120 film camera this works like a charm on the digital 645 bodies. 

Location: Naarden
Camera: Pentax 645Z
Lens: Carl Zeiss Jena MC Biometar 80mm f/2.8

Location: Naarden
Camera: Pentax 645D
Lens: SMC Pentax-FA 80-160mm f/4.5

The last photos in this series were taken in the Naarden Citadel.

Location: Naarden
Camera: Canon EOS 90D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

Tripod: Manfrotto 144B frame with a Manfrotto 804RC2 head

Snow

I've probably told you that I'm a sucker for snowy landscape photo's but even if I didn't you'd very likely get that message after seeing these shots. With lovely evening light and snowy fields I joined up with fellow photographer Joeri van Veen and took the Pentax 645Z out for a spin.

Camera of choice

While I selected the 645Z as I'm still getting to know this camera Joeri brought a Sony A7. Ideally suited for trekking, the A7 is a compact camera that packs quite a punch image-wise. Funnily enough Sony's A7R was one of the cameras that made the shortlist a few years ago when it was time to upgrade my set of digital cameras after years of using a Canon EOS-1Ds and EOS-1D Mark II combination. If you're interested, I did a write-up of that selection process which ultimately led to me acquiring my Pentax 645D. Joeri has since gone further and now usually fields a very impressive Cambo Ultima 23D large format camera combined with a Leaf Aptus 22 digital back. Impressive as it is, a Cambo set is not considered ideal for hiking so Joeri quite sensibly bought his Sony A7 as an easy-to-carry companion to the Cambo.

With regards to the 645Z I am very impressed by its photographs. That huge sensor captures detail like no other sensor I've seen and even a cropped image from this camera packs a lot of punch. Let me show you a few examples:

A few more (un-cropped) shots from earlier this evening:

Location: Naarden
Camera: Pentax 645Z
Lens: SMC Pentax-DFA 645 55mm f/2.8 AL [IF] SDM AW