And just as the 67 looks a perfect representation of the classic professional cameras of the ‘60s, it takes all of one glance to pinpoint when the 645 debuted. It was released in 1984, almost twenty years after the debut of the Pentax 67, which continues to be a titan in the medium format arena. In true Pentax fashion, the 645 is almost perennially forgotten and under-appreciated. More importantly, I’d been introduced to what may be the best bridge camera for anyone looking to jump from 35mm to bigger negatives. I now owned a truly portable medium format camera with internal metering, and money left over for a few rolls of film. For $375 I walked out with the camera body, a 75mm and a 150mm lens, and two 220 film backs. While browsing the shelves of a camera store in Wilmington, North Carolina some months ago, a very helpful (and effective) salesman recommended I try the Pentax 645. Luckily, there exists a machine that offers the convenience of the 35mm SLR and a reasonable price point. That’s a shame, because shooting massive medium format negatives with a capable and affordable medium format camera is one of the greatest joys in vintage photography. These are all great cameras, but for shooters looking to dip their toes into the water of medium format photography, sticker shock, lack of portability, and absence of creature comforts often lead would-be buyers to retreat back to the comfort of their 35mm cameras. Cheaper options exist, the Mamiya RB67 for one, but this camera demands compromise due to its incredible heft and lack of a light meter. But these are seriously expensive machines and are out of reach for many shooters.

And that’s understandable – the first has pedigree, the second has cool factor, and the third seems to be all that film labs share on social media. The desire to jump into medium format photography is usually accompanied by visions of Hasselblads, Rolleiflexes, and the Contax 645.

Contax 645 medium format slr