it will be 2 yrs ago next month that I traded my MF in for a dslr. It is still sittting on the used equipment shelf of the camera store.

To each their own thoughts here,but I feel medium format is the way to go to fit well with the D70. Mamiya cameras such as the 645PRo and even the older ones are cheap now. If you don't need interchangeable lens the FUji 645ZI is great. I own one and have printed up to 24+36 prints with good detail. One thing you said made me think of a good reason to shoot film. Digital is great,but I think many of us tend to shoot thousands of images and began to wonder why we lose our perspective on what we are doing. Going to medium format if only to shoot film from time to time is a nice escape from digital. Printing and scanning film has its own rewards. Even though some would disagree with me. Landscape is best shot with 4+5 but medium format is a good compromise much better for that as far as I am concerned then digital at this point in time. Rolleiflex 2.8F and 3.5Fs are a great camera to have. Small simple and one of the best lens made. The RB67s can be had pretty cheap but are heavy. The Mamiya C330 is a good choice. I do not think shooting just digital is bad by any means,but if the desire to shoot film is still there get a medium format camera. I think you will enjoy the results. Monte Johnson.

Thanks for the replies. A freind of mine uses a MF panoramic camera to do this: http://www.bucklayton.com

He drum scans his negs and gets 24 x 70 inch ink jet prints that are almost sharper than can be believed. I'm no pro, but I do want to keep a connection with film, and I do not want to go back to 35mm.

Basically, I don't quite know where to begin except Mamiya or Hasselblad -- so thanks for the help. Are there thrid party lenses for these cameras? etc...

am a novice picture taker am no good

Don't sweat it; we were all new to this once. Here are a few tips from an amateur:

Fill the viewfinder with what you want to capture. If it's big, make sure all of it is in the view. If it's small, get close enough that the whole thing fills the view.

Figure out why a fast shutter speed and a wide aperture is not the same as a slow shutter speed and a small aperture. Hint: it varies the amount of the picture which is in sharp focus. Figure out how to make that work for you rather than against you.

Take notes about the light conditions. Write them down so you'll remember then when you see the pictures.

Take LOTS of pictures. Nothing makes you good at something quite as well as doing it a lot, and it's as true of photography as it is of anything else.

Remember that this is supposed to be fun. Have a great time and your pictures will be the better for it.