Pictorial / landscapes | 6x9 cm or larger camera. 4x5 and larger cameras should have a groundglass and be capable of lens movements to insure adequate focus with near and far objects. Large negative provides excellent detail and tonality, even with N+2 processing. As they say, there is no substitute for displacement. | 6x4.5cm camera with scale focusing or depth-of-field chart printed out. Medium-sized negative provides very good tonality and detail and allow for N+2 processing without noticeable grain. | 35mm camera. Large grain relative to the size of details on film impedes the perception of depth, regardless of lens resolution. Small negatives require large degrees of enlargement, degrading tonality. |
Social occasions | 35mm camera provides unobtrusive size (generally) and provides excellent picture quality at close range. 35mm flash systems are typically sophisticated (most now feature TTL meterning) and capable of pleasing results. | 6x4.5cm or 6x6 camera with focusing mechanism allows excellent tonality in ambient light in a relatively small package. Medium-format flash systems are less sophisticated, often requiring off-camera flash. | 6x9 cm or larger cameras. These do not allow for quick action so as to preserve expressions. Large size and weight is intimidating to subjects and makes shooting fatiguing. Already-primitive operation is impeded by the use of shutter-mounted PC cords, which tend to become unplugged. |
Travel photography | 35mm camera (rangefinder or compact SLR) provides good image quality at all distances and is unobtrusive. Best lens length is 35mm. | Folding 6x4.5cm or 6x6 camera with 60-75mm lens, if small enough, can give medium-format performance from a package not much bigger and heavier than a 35mm camera. | 6x9 or larger cameras. While some exceptions can be made for compact items like the Brooks Veriwide, cameras in this size range are bulky, heavy and often require tripods. |
Close facial Portraits | Reflex- or groundglass-viewing 6x4.5 or larger camera with normal or telephoto lens (80mm or longer for a 6x4.5). Medium or large format provides best tonality, coupled with a negative big enough to retouch if necessary. | 35mm SLR with groundglass focusing screen (or spot autofocus) and normal or telephoto lens (50-105mm). A good groundglass (B, D or E) screen is easier to focus on a face than one with a focusing aid (split screen, microprism, etc.), and when the stopdown lever is pushed, will show depth of field without blackout. Pro-level SLRs like the Nikon F3 have complete frame coverage and can be focused anywhere on frame. | 35mm rangefinder camera with large-aperture 85-105mm lens or 6x9 rangefinder with 100-180mm lens. Primary disadvantage of RF normal lens is that most focus to 1m. Disadvantage of RF system is that focus cannot be precisely controlled as a composition element; off-center focusing is difficult and requires recomposure. |