The 645 film format is sometimes overlooked, but it offers a practical middle ground between 35mm and 6x7 medium format. You get more shots per roll of 120 film and maintain high resolution, making it ideal for various photography adventures.
Coming to you from Willem Verbeeck, this insightful video explores the merits of the 645 film format using a Pentax 645 camera. Verbeeck takes you along on a scenic road trip down Highway 395, demonstrating the format's capabilities in stunning landscapes. He highlights that while 645 gives you 15 or 16 shots per roll, some argue the frame size is too small compared to other medium format sizes. Verbeeck sets out to test this, aiming to see if the slight loss in resolution is worth the extra frames.
The 645 format's extra frames allowed him to shoot more freely, capturing fleeting moments like canoes on the water and a ball flying through the air. The resulting photos impress with their detail and color, proving that 645 can hold its own in terms of image quality.
Verbeeck also discusses the practical benefits of the 645 format for casual photography. During the road trip, he encountered diverse landscapes and weather conditions, and the Pentax 645 proved perfect for the spontaneous nature of the trip. He wasn't pursuing a specific project, just enjoying the scenic drive and capturing snapshots. The camera's ease of use and the extra frames provided a liberating shooting experience.
One standout feature of the Pentax 645 is its SLR-style design, which allows you to see the exact composition through the viewfinder. Verbeeck appreciates this, especially for shots requiring precise composition and depth of field control. He compares it to his first medium format camera, the Mamiya 645, noting that the Pentax offers a similar experience but with improvements in usability and design.
Verbeeck recommends the 645 format for those new to medium format photography. The lower cost of 645 cameras compared to 6x7 models makes it an attractive option. You can find a Pentax 645 for under $500, whereas 6x7 cameras often exceed $1,500. For beginners, the difference in frame size won’t impact your photography as much as the extra budget you can allocate to travel and shooting opportunities. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Verbeeck.
I can't imagine shooting film and medium format (or 645) casually like this. It's no secret I'm not a big fan of film to begin with but if I were to shoot film, I think it would be super intentional. Maybe that goes against the idea of being artistic with film but the cost of developing it and digitizing it, not to mention the amount of extra time the whole process takes, would not make me feel like it was a good use of money.