Fuji GS645S rangefinder contrast

[nwilkins]

I have a Fuji GS645S and everything about the camera is nice except for the terrible rangefinder patch. I have put a little piece of black tape on the centre of the viewfinder window and it has improved the contrast somewhat, but it is still nowhere near as good as my Fuji GW670ii. It is so difficult to focus under anything but perfectly bright conditions that I have stopped using the camera. However I would like to use it when travelling as a smaller alternative to the GW670. So I'm wondering if there is anything drastic that can be done about the rangefinder contrast. Can the whole system be replaced or updated by a qualified repair person? And if so are there any repair people you would recommend (preferably in Canada)?

 

[John Koehrer]

The old ltm Leicas used an orange(ish) filter over the RF window not VF window to increase contrast. Of course theirs was glass, I've used a corner of a gel.

 

[nwilkins]

okay thanks John - I might try something like that before looking into a major repair/replacement (if such a thing is even possible)

 

[Mike Bates]

I improved the rangefinder spot contrast of mine by cutting a piece of 1-stop neutral density gel material to fit the front of the viewfinder. I think the metering is done through the viewfinder, so I compensate by adding one stop to the film speed setting.

 

[nwilkins]

interesting - I wouldn't have guessed that darkening the whole viewfinder changed the contrast. I'll check this out too!

 

[pdeeh]

I think the metering is done through the viewfinder,

correct.