Last Updated on 03/08/2020 by Mark Beckenbach
Now that you’re curious about shooting 120 film in 6×7 format, allow us to inspire you further with these awesome photography projects.
If you’ve been wanting to get into medium format film photography and have done enough research, you must have come across the fact that 120 film comes in several frame sizes, including 6×7. This format was popular because, as Wikipedia mentions, it enlarges almost exactly to 8×10 inch paper, leading its proponents — especially those who print — to hail it as the “ideal format.” You may even have stumbled upon our round-up of fantastic cameras for 6×7 format. We can only hope that’s enough to help you either make up your mind about shooting in this frame size or which camera to get you started. But in case not, these awesome projects we’ve featured in the past will inspire you. This format is great if you’re not a fan of shooting squares, but don’t take our word for it — let these photographers and their works serve as proof!
Dreamy CineStill 800T Portraits by Alex Medvick
Back in 2017, we came across gorgeous portraits shot by Alex Medsvick with Pentax 67 and CineStill 800T. Medium format is perfect for portrait photography, so we’re not surprised it was his format of choice for his works. Likewise, Cinestill 800T is an incredibly popular film we can shoot with today, including in 120 film. As for choosing the Pentax 67, he told us in an interview:
“The Pentax 67 is straight up one of the sexiest cameras I’ve ever seen. It’s a pleasure to hold, and the 6×7 negatives come out beautiful if I hold up my end of the work.”
Portraits of Strangers by Drew English
Are you more of the street portraits type, but not sure if a medium format camera will work for you? It’s definitely a consideration size-wise, especially when you’re shooting in the streets. But, we say it’s worth it if you’re after the impressive image quality and resolution of medium format film. Case in point is the collection of street portraits Drew English shot with a Pentax 67. Not wanting to go through all the exposures of 35mm film and requiring a great resolution to capture and bring out the character of his subjects, medium format was the way to go, and the Pentax 67 was the camera of choice. In his submission to us, he said:
“It’s heavy, cumbersome, and a bit unwieldy at times, but I fell in love with it. At only 10 exposures per roll, I could start with approaching a smaller number of people in order to build up my confidence. The lenses are a huge part of it too. They are quite unique and fantastic but have an incredibly low price point compared to other medium format gear.”
Buy Pentax 67: eBay
Gorgeous Landscapes in Kodak Portra 400 by Jacob Howard
Apart from portraits, medium format film is also popular among landscape photographers for the extra resolution and detail. If you’ve been curious about shooting landscapes in 6×7 format, Jacob Howard has really beautiful examples shot using Mamiya 7 II and Kodak Portra 400. The extra width allowed him to capture a larger scope of the scenes, while his film of choice gave his shots some moody, earthy hues. With this camera and film combo, we can imagine how great it would be to alternate between portrait and landscape snaps.
Buy Mamiya 7 II: eBay
Surreal Landscapes in Expired Polaroids by Paul Hoi
Love instant photography and Polaroid films? Well, if you decide to get a Mamiya RZ67, you can also get a Polaroid Back Film Holder that will let you shoot Polaroid 108, 668, 669, 665, and 107 films. Experimental landscape photographer Paul Hoi did exactly that and spent two weeks shooting with expired Polaroid 669 films (which have a slightly bigger image size at 7.3 x 9.5 cm) while traveling in Iceland. The result is a surreal series aptly titled Psychedelia: Polaroids from Iceland. In our interview, Paul mentioned he liked the dreamy results of the expired Polaroid film and the technical approach of the RZ67. So, if lo-fi landscapes are your thing, you might enjoy shooting expired Polaroids when you’re not shooting 120 films in 6×7 format.
Buy Mamiya RZ67 Kit with Polaroid Back: eBay
Buy Mamiya RZ67 Polaroid Back Film Holder: eBay
Buy Polaroid 669 Film (Expired 2009): eBay