But for new and would-be medium format photographers, the ever-shifting landscape of the hobby can be a bit daunting. Of the hundreds of available medium format cameras, how can we possible know which is the one to buy?

We answered this very question in a pair of articles, the first published way back in 2016 and another in 2019. Five years on, they could do for an update. So, here’s the update.

I’ve meticulously selected five of the best medium format cameras that one can buy today, each with its own unique reason for being. Since we’re just starting out, the cameras are arranged by type, which will help would-be users who may not know what they want. I’ve also tried to keep the cameras on this list limited to those with reasonable prices. (I break this rule only once.)

Enjoy!

For old school sophistication, buy a Minolta TLR

Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) cameras; one glance and we know we’re holding an old world piece of machinery. They’re as much jewelry as they are highly functional photographic tools, and I mean that in the best way possible — TLRs are gorgeous, and can make gorgeous photos.

TLRs have two major features which differentiate them from most other cameras. First, they shoot square images. Second, they have two lenses, one which acts as a focusing screen viewfinder through which the photographer looks to frame the shot, and a second lens which is used to actually expose the film.

The viewfinder of a TLR is typically located on the top of the camera. The photographer peers down into it while holding the camera at waist-level. Since there’s no penta-prism as we find in most SLR cameras, the image in the viewfinder can be a bit disorienting for new shooters. But stick with it and we’re able to enjoy a unique and engaging perspective.

The most popular TLRs in the world are the famed Rolleiflex and Rolleicord TLRs. However, these camera are quite expensive today, loved for their extremely high build quality and classic characterful lenses. For new shooters looking to try a TLR, I have two recommendations.

If you’re looking for a classic TLR with a capable lens, high build quality, bright and accurate focusing screen, and easy-to-learn all-manual controls, buy the Minolta Autocord. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Minolta made about a dozen different Autocord models, some with light meters and some without.

Avoid buying the Autocord L and the Autocord LMX, since these models used a selenium light meter (which in modern times will almost certainly be dead). If you require a camera with a built-in light meter, seek out the Autocord CDS II or CDS III, the only Autocords with built-in battery-powered CdS meters (these meters don’t die from age, like the selenium ones do).

An all-manual meter-less Autocord can be purchased today for under $250, and if we’re patient and careful, it’s possible to find one for under $100. I can’t overstate the value proposition of a camera this good at a price this low.

Read my full review of the Autocord here, and then shop for one on eBay.

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HONORABLE MENTION : Much of what I wrote about Minolta’s TLRs can be equally applied to Yashica’s TLRs. Yashica made a number of incredibly reliable, capable TLR cameras, some of which are all-manual and some of which come with light meters. Indeed, an article on this very site has gone into great detail to spotlight the Yashica TLR as a perfect first medium format film camera.

The most popular Yashica TLR is the Yashicamat 124 G, a truly gorgeous and capable camera. By the specs and the results, the Yashica and Minolta TLRs are essentially equal. I picked the Minolta because they’re less popular, and therefore less expensive today.

For those who love SLRs, Buy the Pentax 645

The Pentax 645 is quintessential Pentax. It’s affordable, easy to use and delivers quality images. It was marketed toward amateur photographers shooting their first weddings and those just breaking into the professional world. Which means it’ll be more than good enough for the brand new medium format photographer.

It offers center-weighted metering with full auto Program mode, plus semi-auto Aperture and Shutter Priority modes, as well as full manual mode. ISO ranges in 1/3 stops from 6 – 6,400 with shutter speeds of 15 seconds to 1/1,000th of a second, plus bulb mode for long exposures. Its motor drive is capable of 1.5 frames per second, which allows us to blow through a whole roll in just twenty seconds (kind of absurd).

The viewfinder has a lovely LED display. In manual mode it shows how many stops we are from a perfect exposure, which it indicates with an encouraging “Ok!” If we use the exposure compensation, a very tiny plus sign will light up when compensation is engaged. Nice touches.

It’s a relatively small and light camera, for medium format, and benefits from a truly astonishing line-up of interchangeable lenses.

All of these features combine to create a camera which, essentially, can do anything any new medium format film shooter could ever ask of a camera.

The Pentax 645 has undergone two facelifts over time: the 645N in 1996 and the 645NII in 2001. The 645N was a complete overhaul which added a more sophisticated interface, auto-focus, and matrix metering. The later 645NII added mirror-lock up. Both the N and NII are much more professional-oriented cameras, but that comes at a price. They cost double or triple the cost of an original 645.

For budget-conscious film photographers looking for a solid medium format SLR camera, the original Pentax 645 is it. Importantly, it also leaves enough money left over to buy the most important ingredient for growth – lots and lots of film.

Read all about the Pentax 645 in our article here, and then buy one on eBay here.

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HONORABLE MENTION : The Mamiya 645 series of cameras can be very similar to the Pentax 645. The oldest version of the Mamiya is a full-manual camera, but later models offer various degrees of semi-auto and full-auto shooting modes. Prices on these start at the same level as the Pentax, but climb significantly with the spec sheet. The Mamiya was not my first choice because the Pentax is typically cheaper.

For effortless photography, buy the Fujifilm GA645

The Fujifilm GA645 is a very special, and very modern camera. Made in 1995, it is essentially a point-and-shoot medium format film camera that makes shooting medium format as easy as… well, pointing and shooting.

Focus is automatic. Film advance and rewind are automatic. Exposure is automatic, semi-automatic, or full manual. It’s compact and portable, making it a great choice for travelers or street photographers. It even has a built-in flash. Shooting this thing is like shooting the most capable point-and-shoot film camera ever made. It’s the Canon Sure Shot of medium format!

The 60mm f/4 Fujinon Super EBC lens creates stunning images. A variant called the GA645W is fitted with a wider 45mm f/5.6 lens, though this camera tends to be more expensive than the original GA645.

The only major issue with the Fuji is that it’s relatively expensive. Indeed, it’s the most expensive camera on this list. However, there really are no other alternatives for people seeking a fully-automated point-and-shoot medium format film camera, and this one is a true wonder of modern photographic engineering. As Aldo Gucci once said, quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.

Buy your own Fuji GA645 on eBay.

Fujifilm GA645 for sale | eBay

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For medium format on a budget, buy an old folder

Contrary to oft-repeated opinion, it is in fact possible to buy a compact, high quality medium format film camera with a stunning lens for under $150. And I don’t mean a Holga (don’t buy a Holga). We just need to know what to look for.

Medium format folding cameras are the best kept open secret in the medium format world. Collectors and “the olds” have known about them for decades, and we can often find these photographic saints spreading the good word of folding cameras as far as their Facebook groups’ organic reach will allow.

Medium format folding cameras are essentially simple, light tight machines with shutter and lens assemblies mounted to the front of a collapsible bellows. The lens, shutter, and bellows are typically protected by a folding door, which can fold open to extend the whole business into the position needed to make a photo.

When closed, they are incredibly compact (I once used one during a vacation in Disney World). When opened for use, they can make incredible images in a variety of image formats (6 x 6, 6 x 7, and 6 x 9 are most popular).

The downside to these cameras is that they’re all manual and often lacking in any sort of focusing aids. This means that we’ll need to understand light or carry a light meter, set our aperture and shutter speed manually, and even focus by eye using the scale focus method (estimate distance to subject, set that number on the lens, and hope for the best). For this reason alone, medium format folders are not necessarily a great choice for beginner photographers. But for those who know what they’re doing in the 35mm space, the price is low enough to justify the risk.

Medium format folding cameras were made by plenty of companies – Zeiss, Agfa, Kodak, and more. Which means that their are plenty to choose from. The big peril in buying a folding camera is that we need to make sure we’re buying one that’s fully functional.

As a result of their age and their rather delicate design, folding medium format camera can be a bit fragile. When looking to buy one, make sure that the bellows are free of leaks and pinholes, ensure that the lens elements are free of haze and fungus, and confirm that the shutter and aperture function as they should.

The models that I would seek out are the Agfa Isolette, Super Fujica 6, or the Zeiss Ikonta.

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For the biggest possible negative, buy a Fuji Panorama G617

I admit, this final addition to my list is a bit tongue-in-cheek. Nobody should buy this camera as their first medium format camera, and it shouldn’t be on this list. But it’s been so long since I was able to write about the G617, and I really want to do so.

Because there’s simply no other camera like the Fuji Panorama G617.

The biggest selling point for the G617 is hinted at in the name; the enormous image area. Measuring a truly massive 6 x 17 centimeters (2.25 x 6.5 inches) in a 3:1 aspect ratio, the G617 is capable of exposing unbelievably large swathes of film. First produced in 1983, it was intended to be a specialty tool for landscape and architectural photographers who were looking to expose gigantic negatives in a relatively portable camera.

It features a fixed Fujinon 105mm F/8 lens providing a diagonal angle of view of 80.3º (the approximate equivalent angle of view of a 25.8mm lens in the 35mm format). The lens’ aperture spans from a maximum aperture of F/8 to a minimum of F/45, and this sits behind a Made-in-Japan Seiko No. 0 inter-lens leaf shutter capable of speeds from 1 second to as fast as 1/500th of a second, with additional Bulb mode for long exposures and flash sync at all speeds.

Focusing is handled via the scale focus system, film advance is achieved via a thumb-powered advance lever on the top plate, and aperture and shutter speed are all adjusted via rings or levers on the lens. Multiple exposures are possible by resetting the shutter with the lens-mounted lever and firing it again via the release on the lens without advancing the film between shots.

Essentially, that’s all there is to the Fuji G617. It’s just a gorgeous specialty camera made for creating super-wide, extremely massive images on medium format film. And if you want to see what it can do, check out my review here.

Fujifilm G617 for sale | eBay

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Zeiss Super Ikonta B 532/16 (6 x 6 folder)

All film cameras are anachronistic, but some are more anachronistic than others. Folding cameras belong squarely in the latter camp. Even though some are still capable cameras, their archaic designs and counter-intuitive controls often turn away most casual or beginner shooters. Fortunately for those willing to brave the jungle of ripped bellows, hazy rangefinders, and indecipherable shutter mechanisms, there’s a whole world of surprisingly affordable and usable folding medium format cameras with truly amazing lenses. Our pick from this particular family of medium format cameras is the 6 x 6 Zeiss Super Ikonta B 532/16, though bear in mind that it’s probably only well-suited to a photographer who knows their stuff in 35mm already and is looking to step up to a bigger negative. There will be no metering here, so be prepared.

The Zeiss Super Ikonta B 532/16 hails from the Zeiss Ikonta line of medium format cameras, a premium line of compact folding cameras which dates back to the heyday of the type – 1929. Over time, the Ikonta line evolved, eventually leading to the much-improved Super Ikonta line. 1937’s Zeiss Super Ikonta B 532/16 in particular featured a speedy Carl Zeiss Tessar 8cm (80mm) f/2.8 along with a combined rangefinder/viewfinder, and automatic frame spacing, which is about as much as one can ask from a folder.

The great thing about the Super Ikonta is that, unlike a lot of vintage folders, you can actually use this one without pulling your hair out. There aren’t an inordinate amount of steps needed to take a picture, and the Zeiss Tessar lens, though uncoated in prewar versions, makes the experience worth it. The Super Ikonta is especially suited for shooters looking for a slower, more deliberate shooting style characteristic of medium format.

The kicker? This little experiment won’t cost much. A good example of a Super Ikonta B won’t run over $200 and some of the other Ikontas can be bought for about $75. That’s cheaper than almost any other medium format camera, and you get a genuine prewar Zeiss lens that spits out huge, beautiful 6 x 6cm negatives. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Mamiya M645 First Gen (6 x 4.5 SLR)

For those who are perpetually freaked out by old-world folding cameras and would prefer a more familiar introduction to shooting medium format film, there’s the Mamiya M645. The Mamiya M645 can be considered the little brother to the legendary RB67, but for my money it’s the more practical and useful camera, especially for those looking to dip their toes into the medium format pool.

The Mamiya M645 is a medium format SLR from 1975 that shoots a more compact 6 x 4.5cm negative, which means a couple of things. One, it makes the entire camera smaller, which puts it at a distinct advantage over larger formats. And two, it gives the shooter fifteen exposures instead of the twelve of 6 x 6 camera, or the ten of one that shoots 6 x 7 format. This makes the camera significantly more forgiving compared to most other medium format cameras without much compromise.

It’s also important to note that the M645 is a system camera, which means it offers interchangeable lenses and viewfinders. The Mamiya-Sekor C series of lenses are affordable and have been roundly applauded for decades for their sharpness and resolution, as well as for their gentle color rendition and fine micro-contrast. The interchangeable finders of the M645 also give the shooter a ton of flexibility, with optional eye-level, waist-level, metered, and even aperture priority autoexposure finders.

The Mamiya M645 might not be the least expensive camera on this list, but in terms of cameras that a new shooter can learn and grow with, it certainly beats out the rest. It’s one of the only medium format cameras suited both for the street and the studio, its lenses are some of the best in the genre, and it can be customized to any shooter’s taste. Not many cameras can lay claim to that, past or present.

Check out Mike Eckman’s review here.

Mamiyaflex C2 (6 x 6 TLR)

A more affordable entry to the medium format system camera category is yet another Mamiya, this time with two lenses instead of one. It’s the Mamiyaflex C2, from the well-known and well-loved Mamiya C-series of interchangeable lens TLRs.

In the history of pro-spec medium format cameras, the Mamiya C-series can be seen as a stopgap between the big transition from TLR to SLR. But instead of looking and operating like a weird middle Animorph, the C-series performed incredibly well. The series was well regarded among professionals for their ruggedness, versatility, and no-frills design, and remains a cult favorite among medium format aficionados today. Our pick from this series is one of the elder statesmen of the series, the Mamiyaflex C2 Professional.

The Mamiyaflex C2 Professional was the second in the Mamiya C-series, a refinement of the original Mamiyaflex C. It shared the same features that made the Mamiya C-series special – the interchangeable lenses, viewfinders (including the delightfully angular Porroflex metered viewfinder), and built in macro bellows. A few refinements were made as well; the C2 added focusing knobs on both sides of the camera, a longer, more stable base, and a redesigned lens mounting switch.

Are there technically better Mamiya C-series cameras? Yes, the C220 and C330. But those cameras have gone up in price in the last few years as more folks have fallen for the charm of the C-series. The C2 is, on average, much more affordable, mounts the same family of Mamiya-Sekor lenses, and does pretty much everything those two cameras can do. If you can do without the clout, the Mamiyaflex C2 will do the job.

Bronica SQ-A (6 x 6 SLR)

For aspiring medium format shooters, there’s one name that stands far above the rest – Hasselblad. We get it – it’s a pretty, compact, well-built, and widely revered camera that mounts some of the best lenses ever made for medium format. But for those that want something a little less expensive and a little less old-school, there’s the Bronica SQ-A, a 6 x 6 studio legend in its own right.

The Bronica SQ-A looks and operates mostly along the same lines as a Hasselblad 500C/M. It’s a 6 x 6 medium format SLR system camera featuring interchangeable viewfinders, lenses, and film backs (!). The biggest difference between this and a Hassy is that the Bronica is an electromechanical camera which, with the right finder, supports aperture-priority autoexposure, a welcome feature.

In use, SQ-A is the very definition of a workhorse. Its looks are a bit industrial, but thankfully its operation is too. The camera just goes. Flash-sync is available at all speeds owing to the leaf shutter, the autoexposure works wonderfully for outdoor on-the-go work, and if you need anything extra, the system probably has an accessory for it. It’s a professional’s camera through and through, and (one of the more affordable to boot).

Pentacon Six (6 x 6 SLR)

Last on our list is a camera Jeb reviewed very recently, the East German Pentacon Six. While not a traditional studio workhorse or a shining example of old-world build quality, the Pentacon Six is an example of the hidden pleasures of the cameras produced in the Eastern bloc, as well as an incredibly affordable and interesting system camera.

The Pentacon Six at first glance looks like an oversized 35mm SLR, and that’s pretty much what it is. It’s a medium format 6 x 6 SLR with a built-in waist level finder and a bayonet mount that enables mounting of lenses from manufacturers like Carl Zeiss Jena and even Schneider Kreuznach (if you’re willing to hunt). It’s built well, is simple to operate, and is surprisingly compact and portable for its class.

While the Pentacon Six may lack the modularity of the other cameras on the list, it absolutely makes the most out of what it’s got. For my money it’s got the most interesting story out of any camera on the list, the images it creates are gorgeous, and it’s quite affordable considering the current prices of medium format system cameras. It might not be an out-and-out professional’s camera, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot, and will serve any beginner well.

And those are our recommendations for starter medium format cameras in 2019. If these don’t strike a chord, try one from our original list. And if you know of a perfect low-price/high-quality medium format camera that we’ve not included, let us know in the comments.

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