Why Photographers Use Medium Format Cameras

For most photographers, medium format is overkill–the equivalent of driving a tank to pick up a gallon of milk.

But, there’s no denying that medium format systems have their place in the market, particularly for photographers who need the absolute best image quality with zero compromises.

To explain the differences between medium format and smaller format cameras and why photographers opt for medium format systems, Hasselblad commissioned photographer Karl Taylor to create a video sharing his thoughts, insight and experiences with medium format cameras.

Considering the video is commissioned by Hasselblad, it’s no surprise the video comes across as an advert for medium format systems–because that’s exactly what it is. However, for every ounce of biased praise Taylor gives to medium format systems, there’s equally insightful information shared about the format and why some photographers opt to pay the premium.

Specifically, Taylor mentions the obvious sensor size benefit, which ultimately yields less signal-to-noise ratio, an issue that has long been a compromise of high-megapixel, small-sensor cameras. Along similar lines, he also points out the more accurate color reproduction, another benefit of the larger pixels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZPrapbMfd0

Yes, this is an advertisement. But it’s also a wonderful explanation of a camera format that many of us will likely never shoot with (at least not on a daily basis).

For more videos from Karl Taylor, you can head on over to his YouTube Channel.