Fujica GS645S: Not the ultimate tool for MF street photography but...

[Dali]

Hi there,

Last week, I spent several days using with my Fujica GS645S. After this experience shooting in the street, I can share with you the feelings I have about this camera for street photography:

PROS:

_ Light camera. I can carry it by hand all day long without problem.
_ Very easy to load. Important when you have to change of film after 15 shots...
_ Very good lens. The f/4 60mm lens is really convincing and this focal length suits well street shooting.
_ Bright finder with well defined borders.
_ Integrated light meter. Not that important but it is one less thing to carry...

CONS:

_ Loud shutter. Not the perfect way to get unnoticed and easily double a shot...
_ Small rangefinder patch not always easy to catch. Not very important if you use the zone focus method.
_ Light meter LEDs difficult to see especially against a bright scene.
_ Parallax compensation is not perfect at close distance. Don't forget to slightly shift your subject to the right of the frame prior to press the shutter release!

As a conclusion, it was a positive experience and i wonder if there is a better tool for medium format street photography apart maybe from the Fujica GS645W and its 45mm lens.

If one thing would have to be improved, I vote for the shutter noise. Bring it to the level of a Rolleiflex and it would be (to me) an almost perfect tool.

 

[RattyMouse]

I use a GA645 and love it. Fast and accurate autofocus but not much quieter with the autowinder. Gets 16 shots per roll too!

 

[Harry Stevens]

I use my very beat up old Rolleicord VA for street and I have a 16 adapter fitted at the moment though unlike others I often find it hard to find more than about 4-6 shots on a single outing that are worth pressing the shutter for.

 

[mweintraub]

I use a GA645 and love it. Fast and accurate autofocus but not much quieter with the autowinder. Gets 16 shots per roll too!

Have one too. The crazy AF noise gets me everytime.

 

[Dali]

The GS is not AF...

 

[RattyMouse]

Have one too. The crazy AF noise gets me everytime.

Yep...it's a grinder.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I dunno. I've been practicing handheld shooting of my 6x9 Fuji rangefineder, and it's so ridiculously light compared to my other gear that I see no need to go smaller, or even to carry the Nikon much anymore. It too has a bit of a shutter whirrrr sound, but it's nowhere near as noticeable as the KER-LUNK of my Pentax 6x7 SLR.

 

[xya]

Your conclusions are exact. I sold my GA and kept the GS, wrong decision, it broke only weeks after (aperture doesn't close) and there is nobody for repair. I now use a Konica Pearl III and a IV, virtually no shutter noise, even smaller and lighter. I have I tiny light meter in the accessory shoe (Kodalux L). As I shoot mainly b&w there is enough margin to only have a look at the light meter once and a while.

 

[macfred]

Your conclusions are exact. I sold my GA and kept the GS, wrong decision ...

I had two GS - both were faulty after a relative short period of time.
Sold them as defect and got a GA645 (FUJINON 60mm f/4) and a GA645Wi (FUJINON 45mm f/4).
Good decision - no problems so far (after using them for about three years).

I now use a Konica Pearl III and a IV, virtually no shutter noise, even smaller and lighter ...

Those are very nice - I think I will buy a Pearl IV pretty soon !

 

[xya]

...got a GA645 (FUJINON 60mm f/4) and a GA645Wi (FUJINON 45mm f/4). Good decision - no problems so far (after using them for about three years).

I had a GA645Wi, a wonderfull camera for street photography. I will probably buy one again.

Those are very nice - I think I will buy a Pearl IV pretty soon !

go for it, even if they seem to be expensive. compared to the III the view/rangefinder is much better and film winding feels like a modern camera. altough on my two III models winding never failed. it just feels fragile...