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.
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.