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Medium Format Photography

181019

A medium format analogue camera utilises 120 film. This is larger than 135 film, which was more readily available during the peak of analogue photography popularity. Heavier and bulkier in appearance, they vary in size and have a number of customisable parts such as the lens, viewfinder, winder and magazine. Due to the increased surface area of the film, the image quality is significantly better in comparison to 135 film. There is also a distinctive feel to the photographs that it can produce. Medium format has a unique capability to combine a wider field of view with background compression associated with longer lenses. (Adorama, 2019)

Film Sizes

6 × 4.5 - Maximal number of shots per roll

6 × 6 - A square format popularised by Hasselblad and often used for portraiture

6 × 7 - Most favoured for printing because its aspect ratio is similar to 8 x 10” paper

6 × 9 - Offers the same aspect ratio as 135 film

6 × 12 - Popular for capturing panoramic landscapes

Hasselblad Legacy

In 1841, Fritz Viktor Hasselblad founded F W Hasselblad and Company in Gothenburg, Sweden. The original premise of the company was to import sewing materials and machines, accessories and household articles. Arvid Viktor, son of Fritz Viktor, befriended George Eastman in 1885 while on honeymoon in London. This liaison with the film entrepreneur secured a deal for the family to be sole distributor for Eastman Dry Plate and Film Company products. As demand grew, Hasselblad Fotografiska A B was created as a subset of the business.

Victor Hasselblad (Born 1906), Arvid Viktor’s grandson, was raised to become heir of the conglomerate. In his adolescence, he was sent to Dresden, Germany to learn about camera and optic manufacturing. Then he travelled across Germany, France and the United States to further his education. Meanwhile George Eastman had perfected roll film and became an established name within the photographic industry as founder of the Kodak Company. In 1926, Victor would become his apprentice at their headquarters in New York. With the knowledge base that he had accumulated, he opened his own shop in Central Gothenburg. Victor Foto was a retail space, laboratory and a statement of independence from the family business.

In 1941, the HK-7 was the first camera that the young visionary manufactured. It was commissioned by the Swedish government to be an aerial reconnaissance camera for the Swedish Air Force. Victor became CEO of F W Hasselblad and Company in 1943 and he would establish some of the most iconic cameras in their history - the 1600F, 1000F, 500C and 500EL. At the age of 72, he passed and left the majority of his wealth to the family’s charitable trust. His legacy - The Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography - remains a prestigious award and a testament to the contributions of the Hasselblad family. (Hasselblad, 2019)

500 Series

The Hasselblad 500C was the first in the 500 series. Released in 1953, it replaced the focal plane shutter from the 1000F with a leaf shutter. Flash synchronisation became possible across the shutter speed range and it could focus at full aperture. The camera was minimalist in design and the customisable lenses, viewfinders and magazines were part of its appeal. Approximately 70 000 500C bodies were manufactured between 1957 to 1970 and the historic figures photographed by the camera during this era included The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor.

Due to its success, there were several iterations of the 500C each with their own modifications. In 1970, the 500C/M sported an interchangeable focusing screen, prism viewfinder and a built-in exposure meter. In 1988, the 503CX introduced a built-in flash control and a brightened focusing screen. Its successors were the 503CXi and 501C. The 503CW was launched in 1996 and featured an electric winder, which led to the 501CM. In 2006, the 503CWD was coupled with an innovative digital back. Aptly, it was released to commemorate Victor Hasselblad’s 100th birthday and his entrepreneurial spirit.

NASA famously established a relationship with Hasselblad and several 500C cameras were taken onto space missions. Astronaut Walter Schirra suggested a design overhaul to make it suitable for Mercury 8 in 1962. The leather cover was stripped away and the auxiliary shutter, reflex mirror and viewfinder were also removed. In addition, a customised magazine was constructed to accommodate seventy exposures instead of the standard twelve.

An electric motor integrated into the 500 series body was the main draw of the 500EL. Launched in 1965, Victor Hasselblad intended it to be suited for wildlife photography and bird watching was one of his treasured pastimes. In 1971, the modified 500EL/M added interchangeable focusing screens followed by the 500ELX, 553ELX and 555ELD. (Hasselblad, 2019)

Summary

The university has provided free access to a selection of Hasselblad 500 series cameras. I have decided to develop a familiarity with a 80mm lens, which has the following equivocal focal length for a 35mm system - 51 mm in the horizontal, 34 mm in the vertical and 43 mm in the diagonal. This will resemble a familiar viewfinder feel for me and allow me to build confidence with the equipment. There are other operational differences compared to a single-lens reflex camera. Using an inverted view waist level finder, adjusting the shutter speed on the lens, loading the film into a magazine, winding it with a crank and removal of the dark slide prior to shooting are all novel experiences for me. (Hasselblad Historical, 2019)

We were provided with Fujichrome Provia 100F 120 ISO 100 slide film. The frames will be a 6 x 6 square format and I envision a degree of cropping to achieve my preferred composition. The film itself has a super-fine grain suitable for large scale enlargements. The manufacturer also comments that it has satisfying colour depiction with defined primaries without sacrificing delicate pastels. In addition, it has smooth gradation reproduction and excellent highlight to shadow linearity. These attributes will all come into play when I photograph the coloured gel lighting concept that I have proposed. (Fujifilm, 2019)

Bibliography

Adorama (2019). FAQ - What is a Medium Format Camera?. Adorama. Available from www.adorama.com/alc/faq-what-is-a-medium-format-camera [Accessed 12/12/2019]

Fuijifilm (2019). Product Description - Provia 100F. Fujifilm. Available from www.fujifilm.com/products/professional_films/color_reversalfilms/provia_100f/#overview [Accessed 12/12/2019]

Hasselblad (2019). History - 500 Series. Hasselblad. Available from www.hasselblad.com/history/500-series [Accessed 12/12/2019]

Hasselblad (2019). History - Victor Hasselblad. Hasselblad. Available from www.hasselblad.com/history/victor-hasselblad [Accessed 12/12/2019]

De Bakker, Q G. (2019). Equivalent 35mm Format Focal Lengths. Hasselblad Historical. Available from www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HW/HWequifoc.aspx [Accessed 12/12/2019]

Max Vadukul, Brad Pitt, 2013