 Louise |
Medium Format Cameras and Model Releases I am a amateur although have been photographing for years. At this time - after studying photography courses in college - I have started working alongside a wedding photographer. My love of photography, however, is more for scenics and portraits. I love doing animal shots. I am interested in purchasing a medium format camera in the future. Would you advise on make, cost, type, etc. And another very important question... how do you go about getting the rights to pictures that you have shot (people, children, animals, etc.)? Is there a form that you can have people sign and if so how do you get a copy of it? Thanks for any help you can give my way.
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
I can't tell you what camera to get because that is a personal choice. You need to look around and see what suits your needs and style. I can tell you what I use and why. Hopefully that information will be helpful. I use a Mamiya RB67. I chose it over other systems because for starters I like the larger 6x7 negative. I also like the fact that it is completely mechanical and I never have to worry about batteries. The lenses are as sharp as anyone's and I like the leaf shutters (you can flash sync at any shutter speed). I like the bellows focussing on the RB. It allows you to focus closer than any other MF camera. The RB is built like a tank and it's modular design makes it very versatile. It has a very complete line of lenses and accessories available as well. The only real drawback is that it is heavy. A Hasselblad or Bronica 6x6 camera is going to be significantly lighter but I use it almost exclusively on a tripod so the only time it's weight becomes an issue is when I take it backpacking. As far as a form that gives you the right to use your images goes, that form is called a model (or property) release. The wedding phtoographer you are working with probably has a model release contained within his wedding contract and may even have seperate forms in his files. Check with him. Otherwise there is a book on the market that has sample forms in it as well as a CD with forms on it that you can load into your computer. I don't see my copy of it right now but the title is something like Legal Forms for Photographers. Good luck.
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John A. Lind |
Jeff has covered the release issue well. Just as he has reasons for using 6x7, I have mine for using an M645 which is 6x4.5 cm. Like the RB67, it's built like a tank albeit with electronic shutter. The three most common formats are 645, 6x6 and 6x7. In general, larger format size means larger/heavier bodies, larger/heaver/slower lenses, and higher cost compared to smaller format size from the same manufacturer. Your selection of format and make/model will depend on what your priorities are in the selection criteria. Major manufacturers of MF SLR's include Mamiya, Bronica, Pentax, Contax, Rollei and Hasselblad. The Rollei and Hasselblad are at the high price end, especially with their Zeiss and Schneider lenses. With most MF users, it doesn't replace a 35mm SLR system but complements it and allows using each for their respecive strengths. -- John
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Louise |
Thanks to Jeff and John for your quick response, it was great getting a response so quickly. Thanks again Louise
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