Fuji medium format advise?

AshleyC

AshleyC

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Im trying to think of what would be the "ultimate" walkabout / landscape setup. Large format is out unless ive got small walks planned but for something longer i need something lighter. ive got my Bronica but even that is a but lumpy and 10+ miles up and down in the lake district is knackering with it. I was thinking of the Fuji 645's which seem popular here abouts.

Example images posted on here seem pretty good but just a few questions for the owners or people who know. Can you change lenses on these? What about filter mounts? Can i get my 100mm lee adaptor on the front with those bars in the way of the lens? What about different models. Ive only seem exmaples of the 645S, are there any other types worth considering?
 
The Fujis are nice, but I don't have much faith in the reliability of any of their 645 offerings, so I wouldn't personally get one unless the price were absolutely amazing (i.e., a price so good, it's worth the risk of the camera not working). Also, depending on the types of filters you'd plan to use, you might either struggle with the rangefinder design (e.g., nd grad filter or polariser) or flourish (e.g., ten-stop or red filter).

Issues of reliability aside, the lenses on those Fuji cameras are fantastic.

If I were you, I'd just be using the Bronica unless you had the cash to splash out on one of the Mamiya, Bronica, or newer 6x7 Fuji rangefinders. I use my Bronica SQ-A for nearly all of my walkabout/landscape shooting myself, except when I really must travel light, in which case my Autocord comes out.
 
The Mamiya 7 and 7ii look great, if you can justify the cost. All the lenses are meant to be amazing and it's relatively portable at 1.2 kg.
 
Thanks, i didnt realise they had reliability issues. Yeah the Bronny is ok, although tbh im not getting on with it, i miss the 6x6 too much so if i need to have a body of that type them i might sell the etrsi and get a 6x6 again and then get a fuji to go with that. I dunno, im just re appraising all my gear at the moment and working out what i really want.
 
Sounds like you need a Mamiya 6:

6x6 - check
Lightweight - check
Changeable lenses - check

Plus, they're great :D
 
essexash said:
Thanks, i didnt realise they had reliability issues. Yeah the Bronny is ok, although tbh im not getting on with it, i miss the 6x6 too much so if i need to have a body of that type them i might sell the etrsi and get a 6x6 again and then get a fuji to go with that. I dunno, im just re appraising all my gear at the moment and working out what i really want.
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Personally, I think that either of the other more modern Bronica SLR cameras offer much better value nowadays than the ETR series, mostly because the SQ and GS-1 cameras aren't much bigger, are similarly priced to the ETR series, and are capable of shooting multiple formats (e.g., 6x6cm, 6x4.5cm, etc.).
 
I had the GS-1 for a while and whilst it is a lovely camera, great build quality and excellent lenses, it was significantly bigger and heavier than the Mammiya/Fuji rangefinders. The advantages are : interchangeable lenses and backs for different formats but as a carry round camera...just too bulky and heavy for me.
I lugged my Fuji GW690 MkIII around Scotland in May with no problems but I couldn't have done it with the Bronny.

Andy
 
I also have a GSW690II,bought from this site and I am so pleased with it,s portability for a camera that shoots in 6x9.I have the 60mm lens and so far it has taken cracking good shots. I did pair this camera with a Sekonic twinmate which cost me £60,but,they are a perfect match,hot shoe mounted and I will never sell them.

Truly a great combination and just like carrying an SLR.
 
I've always been a big fan of the GA645 but I know RJ had a bad experience with his. I bought mine from a seller in Florida with a damaged battery cover so get a really good price for it for a relatively simple repair. The lens on the GA645 is very sharp and for a 120 rangefinder they're really small and light. It was nice to have AF on a 120 camera although they are a little bit 'clunky' sounding when they zoom/focus.

I've always regretted selling mine so might pick up another one in the future although at the moment I seem to be looking a GW690iii images on Flickr....thanks Andy..
 
My pleasure mate. :naughty: There's a nice one in the classifieds at the mo....just sayin'
 
Yeah I know...that's the problem! Do you fancy a nice Mamiya M645 with a selection of lenses as a swap? ;)
 
6x9 is such a freaky format though. You can only really use it for landscapes
 
stevelmx5 said:
Yeah I know...that's the problem! Do you fancy a nice Mamiya M645 with a selection of lenses as a swap? ;)
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Do you know I did consider saying yes to this, just for a minute or two but I think I shall pass. I really want a Rolleiflex.

essexash said:
6x9 is such a freaky format though. You can only really use it for landscapes
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No...you can use it for anything, have you not heard of the crop tool? :D
 
yeah but you spend extra on 120 film so i might as well fill it full of the crap im pointing it at.
 
Thanks for refusing Andy, I really don't need to bring more cameras into the house...and my 35mm 3.5 is too awesome for landscapes ;0)
 
essexash said:
yeah but you spend extra on 120 film so i might as well fill it full of the crap im pointing it at.
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Good point, well made. (y)
 
I decided on a GS645S as it's not much bigger than a 35mm SLR and as the majority of my images are scanned and put online rather than printed, I couldn't see the point in lugging a Texas Leica (GSW690) around. It's quite a plastic build so it's light but doesn't really give that feel of quality that you get from a camera with a metal frame. I already love the results though, the lens is sharp and has plenty of contrast. You can't change the lens but it's the equivalent of a 35mm lens on 35mm film so perfect for me as a walkabout.

The lens has a 49mm thread but I haven't tried a filter on it yet. I have the standard rubber hood and that screws in without a problem, the depth of the metal part puts the rubber part beyond the crash bar. I'd like to try it with a 49-52mm adapter ring as I have plenty of 52mm filters but I haven't bought the adapter. I think something like a Cokin or Lee adapter may require an extension ring so that the holder is far enough out, though that'd be easy enough if you didn't mind taking the glass out of an old 49mm filter.

As mentioned above, variable filters and grads would be awkward as you can't see the results with it being a rangefinder, plus the sensor for the meter is built into the viewfinder so you'll have to calculate exposure compensation yourself. The other downside is that the widest aperture is f/4 so low-light shots may be tricky or require a tripod for the best results. Shutter and aperture are set in full-stop intervals, ISO can be set to third-stops so you could tweak the exposure that way if you're having trouble getting it bang on or shooting something fussy like Velvia.
 
Grads on a RF are tricky, especially with such a dinky front element/filter thread. You do get better with practise, but its a potentially frustrating learning curve

The whole stops only settings sounds a pain if the aperture really only goes to the whole stops :(
 
raathistle said:
The whole stops only settings sounds a pain if the aperture really only goes to the whole stops :(
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It's got detents on the full stops but it's a direct manual control over the iris so you could balance it between two and hope to hit the half-stop properly.
 
That sounds a lot more sensible then. Being used to no clicks on my LF lenses I'm used to doing that anyway, and usually don't find it hard on other manual aperture lenses, except occasionally where the clicks are too close
 
are there any 6x6's in that style of body?
 
Pentacon 6 or Six both of these are a similar style and size.
 
Fuji GF670 can be used at either 6x6 or 6x7. Lovely camera by all accounts, and very light. Cons are that they are expensive, you're stuck to one focal length (80mm) and I don't think it's possible to use the Lee filter system because of the folding design. If 6x7 is ok, then consider a Mamiya 7 or 7ii - interchangeable lenses (all of which are very highly regarded) still very light and great picture quality. They make a polariser for it too that flips up so you can gauge the effect. Mamiya 6 great too by all accounts, though they are a bit older so reliability may be an issue, and can cost more than the 7.
 
How about the pentax 67ii or the 645n? Both are on my list for a walkabout type of medium format medium weight type of thing... There's a 67ii in the classifieds...
 
thanks peeps, i got one a couple of weeks ago. a GA645Zi Ive put a few rolls through it this week and a few more tommorow weather permitting so the results will be done next week when im back. I'll do a review of it in the big review thread when i have time, mixed feelings about it so far though.
 
essexash said:
thanks peeps, i got one a couple of weeks ago. a GA645Zi Ive put a few rolls through it this week and a few more tommorow weather permitting so the results will be done next week when im back. I'll do a review of it in the big review thread when i have time, mixed feelings about it so far though.
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I'd really like to see that review; this is on my list of positively maybe cameras!
 
srichards said:
How about the pentax 67ii or the 645n? Both are on my list for a walkabout type of medium format medium weight type of thing... There's a 67ii in the classifieds...
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I think that the Pentax in the classifieds is a 67 rather than a 67ii.
 
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