Holy mackerel, this thing is enormous! (Fuji GSW690 III)

Mainecoonmaniac

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Yes film is cheap and the camera only gets 8 shots per roll. What will slow you down is loading the film. It's a bit easier than loading a Hassy A12 back. The negs are big and gorgeous and the the lens is scary sharp.
 

Roger Cole

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Well I can certainly see THAT as being a problem. Not nearly reason enough not to get one, but potentially annoying. It took me a while to learn to load my Yaschicamat with cursing and I still find it a bit fiddly. My Mamiya 645 inserts are much easier to load, still take a couple of minutes, but they can be carried preloaded in the cases and just popped into the backs so it's pretty fast.
 

Mainecoonmaniac

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Way different than loading a memory card and pointing and squirting a few hundred shots.
 

Vaughn

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I get to playing with the Rolleiflex and I end up with two of three different scenes (4 to 6 variations each) on a roll -- and after developing I think "What got into me?!" Just having too much fun, I guess. Played with the 11x14 today...
 

clayne

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I have the GW670II and GW690II. Here's a tip, the 6x7 is just the same as the 6x9 with the addition of a mask and obviously modified advance amount. Other than that they appear to be the same camera. Most annoying thing about them is the loud firing, which is definitely not the shutter. Other than that they're great.
 
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Ed Bray

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Mainecoonmaniac said:
Yes film is cheap and the camera only gets 8 shots per roll. What will slow you down is loading the film. It's a bit easier than loading a Hassy A12 back. The negs are big and gorgeous and the the lens is scary sharp.
Click to expand...

I do not agree with this, with the Mark IIIs the film loading is easier than any other MF camera I have used, once the spare spool has been moved to the right, drop the film in, pull the leader across the film gate and insert into the spare spool, wind on until the arrow is opposite a small mark, close the back, and wind on until unable to wind anymore, then you are at frame 1. Takes 'a lot' more time to type than to do!

I do agree with this!
 

erikg

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+1

Easiest MF camera to load, in my experience.
 

erikg

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I read elsewhere that the shutter release noise, or much of it is due to the linkage between the two release buttons. If the vertical release is disconnected noise is greatly reduced. I've never done it, I like the second release, and the noise doesn't bother me. Could be an option for some.
 

eddie

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Mike Evangelist said:
No. (I bought mine from this seller: kwm55 and it arrived three days after I purchased. Smooth as could be.)
Click to expand...

Last April, I got a GSW690II from him. Mine came extremely quickly, too. I bought it about a month after I purchased a GW690II from another dealer in Japan. After about 12 rolls through the first one (and the resulting prints), I knew I wanted the WA version. In about 5 months, I've put over 100 rolls through the pair, and consider them among the smartest photo purchases I've ever made.

I do wish they had a T option, though...
 

Klainmeister

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That shutter drove me nuts and why I stopped using it. I hated putting the cap on, especially because I'd accidentally budge the camera or something and make it less that sharp.

Funny, I never knew about the 65mm version. Can someone post a pic of a 6x9 shot with it? That sounds like a great size/length.
 
OP
OP

Mike Evangelist

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Here are a couple interior snaps. (hand-held, at a pretty slow shutter speed, so they aren't as sharp as they might be.)
 

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Mainecoonmaniac

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I always fumble loading my GW and GSW


I'm not that good with loading 120 film on my Fuji cameras. I usually have to do it sitting down with the camera on my lap. RZ backs are easier for me to load. But those fast loaders shoot more film
 

zoomsphoto

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The amazing Fuji 6x9 cameras

Of all the medium format cameras I have owned and used the Fuji 6x9 stands equal to and many times above the others. It is consistently sharp, has great contrast, and produces images that can be enlarged to your desire. I took this shot last year and enlarged to 20x30.
 

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gone

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I think my comment on the German vs Japanese glass was a generalization. It's only based on the lenses I've owned, and truly, as you mentioned, not everyone sees the differences (they are readily apparent to me though). I have owned a number of Fuji MF cameras and just had to give up getting images that I liked from them. On the other hand, the lenses on the Bronicas (w/ the exception of the Nikkors) and Mamiyas I found too contrasty. These are just MY observations, and they're valid to me only. Not everyone has the same set of peepers.

My only film is Tri-X, and the images from the Fujis didn't work for me. But if I put the same film in a Rolleicord/Rolleiflex/Bessa II or most any German camera, I get exactly what I'm looking for. There is a noticeable difference. For what it's worth, I recently bought an R Canon 100 f2 lens, and it images almost exactly like a Leica, but that isn't the norm.

If I shot landscapes I suspect the Fuji 690 would be an excellent performer, especially using color slide film. You're not looking for lens "character" in that instance, you're looking for large film negatives and high resolution. The Fujis have excellent pressure plates, and hold the film nice and flat.
 
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Klainmeister

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Welcome to APUG! Beautiful image, thanks for sharing that. Reminds me of home...

Regarding lenses, I could readily tell their was a difference in contrast, but that's about it (but even within different versions of the same lens, coatings have the same effect). I always found my M7II images to be quite...clinical because they were optically perfect, but lacked a certain feel I couldn't put my finger on. Switched to Schneider on the 4x5 and am in love. Softer contrast, paired with Ilford traditional grains and I am happy agian.
 
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Mike Evangelist

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VC Meter II - great combo with the 690

This may be old news to others, but I was very pleased to discover the little Voigtlander VC Meter II. It's a perfect match for the GSW690 and it works great. (plus, it's so small in comparison to the camera, that I hardly notice it's there.)
 

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Mainecoonmaniac

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Not olds news to me

Mike Evangelist said:
This may be old news to others, but I was very pleased to discover the little Voigtlander VC Meter II. It's a perfect match for the GSW690 and it works great. (plus, it's so small in comparison to the camera, that I hardly notice it's there.)
Click to expand...

But it's a great idea. I had to use my hand Sekonic meter or my Iphone meter. But this is right in front of the photographer. It looks like it mounts on the hot shoe.
 
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