# [Wet Thumb Forum]-First Medium Format Pictures



## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

Now time has come to post the first medium format picture. Many of you know that I purchased a Medium Format Camera late 2002. Since then I only took pictures of my tank once, to try it. They came out quite nice (although the tank hasn´t looked good for even a short time since I had it), but I had no chance to scan them. Now that I have my scanner, I am amazed by the quality.

This shot was made with a Mamiya 645 1000s, a 20 year old camera. Now I have a Mamiya RZ67, which produces even larger pictures. My scanner is an epson with 3200 dpi. Guess how many megapixel this gives me? 66 Mpix!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, I know the picture is blurry, but look at all the different kinds of greens. Look at that amazing contrast (I didn´t do any retouching), there are too bright and no too dark spots. The picture shows for the first time how the tank looked like, when I took it(ugly perhaps).

I can´t wait until my tanks look fine again.

Sorry for the emotions about that blurry picture, but it just shows me the potential. If you could only look at it in full size: it is 8800*7500 pixel

OKOK, here it is:









and another one










www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

Now time has come to post the first medium format picture. Many of you know that I purchased a Medium Format Camera late 2002. Since then I only took pictures of my tank once, to try it. They came out quite nice (although the tank hasn´t looked good for even a short time since I had it), but I had no chance to scan them. Now that I have my scanner, I am amazed by the quality.

This shot was made with a Mamiya 645 1000s, a 20 year old camera. Now I have a Mamiya RZ67, which produces even larger pictures. My scanner is an epson with 3200 dpi. Guess how many megapixel this gives me? 66 Mpix!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, I know the picture is blurry, but look at all the different kinds of greens. Look at that amazing contrast (I didn´t do any retouching), there are too bright and no too dark spots. The picture shows for the first time how the tank looked like, when I took it(ugly perhaps).

I can´t wait until my tanks look fine again.

Sorry for the emotions about that blurry picture, but it just shows me the potential. If you could only look at it in full size: it is 8800*7500 pixel

OKOK, here it is:









and another one










www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## Guest (May 12, 2003)

Looks nice Birgit.

I noticed that focus is not in-out but rather center-outside.

Center of the picture looks very much in focus but surrounding is more blurred --> very far on the right.

Join as at www.njas.net


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## 2la (Feb 3, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Jay Luto:
> I noticed that focus is not in-out but rather center-outside.


Ain't that the same thing? In=center and out=outside? I don't know all the photography lingo so I could use some pointers.









Very dramatic photos, Birgit!


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

That´s the problem with the glass. When you get very close to the glass with a wideangle lens, there will be that effect. 
It is the same as photographing a tank from an angle. I think it has to do with the quality of the tank glass, cause Amanos pictures are allways sharp.

What I like most on the pictures is the colour detail. I didn´t even use a filter!

www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## Guest (May 13, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Ain't that the same thing? In=center and out=outside? I don't know all the photography lingo so I could use some pointers.


2la,
With regular lens you usually get front-to-back focus. 
On Birgit's pictures I have noticed center-to-surrounding field focus. 
I have never used wideangle lens so I have no experience with them. Sorry for not explaining more clearly.

Join as at www.njas.net


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## 2la (Feb 3, 2003)

I see what you mean. Thanks for the explanation.







I worked on microscopes for six months and if I recall correctly the term we used was "plan". A plan objective lens was focused throughout the entire visual field, while a semi-plan was predominantly focused in the middle of the field with increasing blurriness as you approached the margins of the field.


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

This just makes me want a new camera more









*James Hoftiezer

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive )
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive )*


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## Hey You (May 22, 2003)

hey, nice rasboras i think the one on the far left is pregnant better check it out.


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

Hahaha, they allways look like that after feeding. Although the food only swims on the surface about 10 seconds before its gone.









Greedy pack!

www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

what is medium format? I don't understand

Robert
King admin
www.aquabotanic.com


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

Medium format is a larger filmsize. Usually you have 36x24mm. I have 70x60mm, which is 4 times the size.

On the one hand you can capture a lot more detail with it, and on the other hand you have much better quality, because it is allready 4 times bigger, you have higher resolution, when you make it bigger (scan or print).

www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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## Pedro (Jun 11, 2003)

Sorry to jump in a little late:

First off, besides the fact that many of Amano's tanks are acrylic (lower refractive index than glass) I think that he uses studio lighting of some sort when taking pictures. In doing such he can achieve a large depth of field without the blurs of active fish.
Furthermore, in reference to the first picture of the first post, I noticed that the camera angle had more to do with the decline in focus than the refractive properties of the glass and water. Specifically the lens/tank distance is much less on the left than on the right of the shot as oppossed to top-to-bottom.
More to the point--sorry about the lenght of this post--Birgit/Wolfgang, I'm looking into an M645. In particular, the M645 J caught my eye (I freely admit that I am cheap). Do you think one compromises quality with the "J" versus some of the higher-end bodies?


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## Birgit & Wolfgang (Feb 5, 2003)

Hi Pedro,
I don´t think quality is an issue here, because the lenses are the same.
The difference is the features.
Thanks for putting some light on the acrylic thing!
If you are on the cheap side, try to look at ebay.

www.naturaquarium.at
view some of our pictures


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