Medium format cameras are cameras that use medium format film or medium format sensors, and their format size is generally between 4.5×6 cm and 6×9 cm, which is much larger than ordinary 35 mm full-frame cameras, so they can take higher quality photos. Medium format cameras have an irreplaceable position in the field of professional photography, especially in landscape, portrait, commercial, advertising and other types of photography, they can provide fine colors, rich layers, wide dynamic range and excellent image quality.
However, medium format cameras also have significant drawbacks, the main one being their high price. The manufacturing cost and technical threshold of medium format cameras are very high, so medium format cameras on the market are very expensive, generally in the price range of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan. This is unaffordable for most ordinary consumers, and only a few professional photographers or wealthy people can buy it.
Medium format cameras are much larger in size and weight than ordinary full-frame cameras due to the larger sensors and lenses used, which brings inconvenience to carry and operate. Especially when shooting outdoors, medium format cameras take up more space and weight, increasing the burden on photographers. At the same time, medium format cameras focus on providing high-quality photos, so their functions are relatively single, generally only shooting static or slowly changing scenes, and are not suitable for dynamic, fast or complex scenes. Medium format cameras have much worse focusing speed, continuous shooting speed, video capabilities, etc. than ordinary full-frame cameras, which limits their range of applications.
With the development of technology, ordinary full-frame cameras are constantly improving their performance and functions, gradually narrowing the gap with medium-format cameras. For example, there are now full-frame cameras on the market that can take photos of more than 100 million pixels, and full-frame cameras that can shoot 8K video, things that were previously only possible with medium format cameras. Moreover, full-frame cameras also have the advantages of lower price, smaller size, more functions, etc., which makes them more popular with consumers.
In summary, although medium format cameras have incomparable high-quality photos, they also have the disadvantages of high price, large size, and single function, which makes them a niche commodity that only a few professional photographers or wealthy people can enjoy. With the advancement of science and technology, ordinary full-frame cameras are also constantly improving their performance and functions, gradually replacing the advantages of medium format cameras in some fields, which also makes the market share of medium format cameras smaller and smaller, and is destined to become a niche commodity.