Week 3 : 3.3.2011 - Medium Format Cameras & Workshop 3

Before Lesson Research:

I'm actually very excited for next weeks class. Using a medium format digital camera is something I've been interested in since beginning this course. Having used a film Medium format a few times I have been dying to try out a digital one! I also love HASSELBLADS!! =]

Medium Format Cameras

Brands:
- Hasselblad
- Mamiya
- Bronica
- Rollie
- Pentax
- Fuji
- Fujica
- Linhof
- Horsman
- Arca

The sensor size or size of the film used in medium format cameras is bigger than 35mm cameras allowing much higher quality.

SLR or TLR

Over a century and a half ago, in 1841, in the port city of Gothenburg in western Sweden, the Hasselblad family established its first trading company, F.W. Hasselblad & Co. The location, Gothenburg, with its proximity to the European continent and its historic trade connections with Britain, Holland, Denmark, Germany, and a host of other countries, was ideal for an international import-export firm. F.W. Hasselblad & Co soon became one of Sweden’s most prosperous commerce houses. They also began importing supplies and products for the newly burgeoning field of photography.



Info and Photo from http://www.hasselbladusa.com/



http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/10534/hasselblad_h3d/


Week 3 : 3.3.2011 - Medium Format Cameras

Medium Format cameras are actually amazing!

Originally used a Multishot w/ filter wheel sensor.

One monochrome area array sensor with RGB filter wheel.

The problem with this is it needs to take and combine three photographs of the same image.

In the late 90's Tri-Linear Arrays were created which work like a conventional scanner.

- Single pass capture

- Can cover large image area

- Easily replaces film back

- Problems include a long exposure which means only still life can be photographed.

Digital Backs

- Single shot capture

- Adaptable to most cameras

- Bayer filter array

- Most digital backs for medium format have a 35mm sensor.

- Digital backs have to work tethered.

Shutter

- BTL Leaf Shutter - Can sync at any shutter speed.

- 1/800th is - Fastest

CCV Sensor

Hasselblad

- Up to around 60mp

- Image quality is there main focus

- Expensive!!

Phocus

- Can be downloaded for free from hasselblad.com

- Similar to lightroom

- Can be used to tether, edit, export

Image from: http://www.hasselblad.se/products/phocus.aspx

Hasselblad H3D2

Approx cost: $24, 000

Some Specs

Camera Type Auto-focus, auto-exposure DSLR Construction One piece stainless steel shell. Die-cast aluminium internal structure Weight 2.3kg Tripod Mount 1/4” and 3/8” sockets Viewfinder Prism finder or waist level finder Focusing Screens Interchangeable with grid type screen available Shutter Type Between the Lens Leaf shutter Shutter Speeds 32 secs to 1/800 sec Flash Sync All shutter speeds Auto Bracketing 2, 3, 5, 7 or9 captures in 1/3, 1/2 or 1EV intervals Interval Timer 2 to ‘no limit’ captures at intervals of from 1 sec. to 1 hr. Sensor Type Single capture CCD (Kodak) - enhanced with microlenses Sensor Size 31 Megapixels - 4872 x 6496 pixels – 33.1 x 44.2mm Pixel Size 6.8microns ISO Range 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 Capture Rate 1.2 seconds per capture. 42 captures per minute Metering Modes Centre weighted, Centre Spot, Spot Autofocus modes Single, Continuous – focus is at centre of viewfinder Colour Definition 16 bit File Format Lossless compressed Hasselblad 3FR/3F File Size Raw 3FR 40MB average (but varies widely) (-> 8bit TIFF 95MB) Onboard Storage CF card type U-DMA (e.g. Sandisk Extreme IV) External Storage Imagebank II (100Gb storage), Host computer (tethered capture) Host Connection Firewire 800 (IEEE1394b) NB. Firewire must supply power The Phocus software was specifically designed for the Hasselblad cameras and raw image files. Some features of the software are :- o Digital Auto Correction o Moire removal o 3FR / 3F o Camera Control / Tethered Capture – provides full camera control including remote focusing.

Workshop 3 - Introduction to the Hasselblads

Equipment: Hasselblad MF Digital Camera, Hasselblad Firewire cable, white balance card, computer with Phocus software.

Task: To gain experience using Hasselblads and Phocus software. To produce two images for use in Time magazine front cover (portrait) and two page spread (landscape). You need to photograph the CEO and one other senior staff member.

Group: Mel, Jos & Tam

Two Photographs

• One full length portrait
• One close up/head and shoulders portrait
• The portrait format must be used for the cover and have room for a title banner at the top.
• The other must be landscape for the double page title spread with space for the title and article.
• One portrait must feature the selected product.

Images

Image 1

Taken with a Hasselblad H3d2

f3.5 @ 1/125th of a sec with ISO 100

Image 2

Taken with a Hasselblad H3d2
f5.6 @ 1/125th of a sec with ISO 100

Just for fun =]

Questions:

1. Specify the industry sector in which your CEO works

Working in the Photography industry (lighting) for Broncolor.

2. Details of the lighting set up

Image 1: We had a lot of trouble with this image and eventually took a different approach which is how we came up with the second image. We had three lights. One to graduate the background. A second coming in from the right to light the face and the last one to the left at the back to give seperation in the hair from the background.

Image 2: Hollywood lighting. One large softbox to the front and above the subject, with a reflector on the subjects lap to fill in the shadows created by the high angle. Another light was used as the product which can be seen in the photograph. This also adds a hair light to the subject.


Lighting Diagram



http://www.lightingdiagrams.com/

3. Critique the images in relation to the industry sector selected and how well you met the requirements of the brief.

We left ourselves short of time for this workshop and like most groups only managed to get one portrait done. We had difficulties with our lighting set ups and ended up starting from scratch a few times until we finally found one we liked. We think our photo turned pretty good from an advertising perspective but maybe the lighting was a touch dark on the face. I enjoyed the opportunity to use both the Hasselblad's and the Phocus software and look forward to working with medium format cameras this semester.