I found a good-looking Fuji GS645S save for two small issues. Can I fix tiny lens fungus & a tiny bit of haze? (If that's what this actually is.)

manfrominternet

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The Fuji GS645S seller claims that the camera is practically flawless, save for what he calls is fungus on the lens from elementand a tiny bit of haze on the viewfinder.

Here’s what said about the [viewfinder] and the lens:

-Finder:
Beautiful condition.
There is a thin haze.<----------------(I can't find this "thin haze. Can you? If there is indeed some haze in the viewfinder, how can I safely remove it? )
There is no fungus.
There is no balsam separation.
There are no scratches.
There are no large dusts.
No problem in the view.

Here's a picture of the viewfinder:


Here's a picture from inside the viewfinder!:


-Lens:
Beautiful condition.
There is no fog.
There are a few tiny fungus on the front element.<-------(There is obviously something going on in this lens. Can anyone identify it and tell me how to fix it?
There is no balsam separation.
There are no scratches.
There are no large dusts.
No problem in the shooting.

And here's a picture or the lens:


Are these two problems repairable? If so, what tools, chemicals, etc. do I need to fix them? Of note, I do have a substantial amount of repairing cameras, nut not particularly in the lens/viewvinder department. Any help on this would be greatly valuable!

Many thanks to all you guys ahead of time!
 

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chuckroast

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The description sounds typical of a Japanese eBay vendor. I have had not great results with these vendors. The almost always overstate the quality of the goods and/or minimize defects. I've also had several instances where the item went through some kind of in-house "repair" and was not operating properly when I got it.

I have never had problems getting refunds, though.

I'd run away from this one.

You can check with Fototech in Warsaw, Poland to see if they service these cameras. They fixed my GA-645Zi really nicely. Be aware that shipping is a killer though, if you live outside Poland.
 

koraks

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They fungus may or may not be possible to clean by disassembling the lens. Its growth can likely be halted by exposing the lens elements for an extended period of time to strong UV light. The fungus as shown here will not affect image quality in a perceptible way. In due course, fungal growth like this will permanently damage the lens surface. Even cleaning won't remove it. If this is the case with this particular lens is impossible to tell at this point.

The haze in the viewfinder I find impossible to judge in terms of severity. It's likely that it can be cleaned and this generally requires the camera to be partly disassembled.

The camera might be a reasonable workhorse if the price is right. What's right is up to you to decide. I'd be inclined to agree with @BrianShaw. If you're looking for a bargain and the seller will accept a lowball bid, this might be the break you're looking for. If you're looking for a pristine unit...enough said, right?
 

4season

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Recommended tools might include:

Rubber cups for unscrewing lens beauty rings, optical cells (Japan Hobby Tool et al)
Miniature screwdrivers, particularly JIS-type (Vessel et al)
Lens cleaning fluid, or if there are greasy spots, sensor cleaning fluid
Misc: Lens tissue, cotton swabs and/or microfiber cloth.

If you've never cleaned a rangefinder before, be extra careful, as you may be dealing with front-surface mirrors, and in some cases, frame indicators which are painted or vacuum-deposited, and these are easily damaged.

Although I was very fond of Fujifilm's pro cameras when they were new, I hesitate to purchase them at 2023 prices, partly because I don't think they were built to last. But if sufficiently cheap, it might be worth the gamble.
 

GregY

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There is a plethora of these cameras on Ebay. In the end, the lens is the heart of the camera. There's maybe $100 difference between one with such issues and one without issues. Fungus often etches the lens. If I were set on this camera (and they do have some great features), I'd buy a top notch one.
Chuckroast, I've had nothing but good results from sellers in Japan. Often there are many photos, the shipping is fast and modest in price or free. I have no doubt that the descriptions use some form of auto-translation....but it's pretty easy to sort the cameras by issues or lack of. The biggest advantage is the huge supply of cameras in Japan. Over the years, I've bought a number of cameras and lenses both on ebay and in person, on visits to Japan. I much prefer this to the KEH sales model where you have a good return policy, but a general grading and no photos of the actual item you're buying.
Fuji and others have made some great cameras. I've been especially fond of Plaubel Makinas and the terrific mechanical GW/GSW Fuji, but always hesitant about the electronic versions like this Fuji 645, or the new Mamiya 6, and Hasselblad/Bessa Xpan which could turn into very expensive irreparable bricks.
 
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chuckroast

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Sound advice on every point. The Vessel stuff can be hard to find and/or pricey. JIS can be found here:

Moody Tool Fixed ESD JIS Set, 4 Pc 58-0405 | Zoro

Order Moody Tool Fixed ESD JIS Set, 4 Pc, 58-0405 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.
www.zoro.com
 

OAPOli

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I've worked on a GS645W and removing the top cover or the lens cells is like most other cameras. Watch out for the sync cable, and the conical bezel is likely glued on and easily marred.

Haze and/or fungus can be a crap shoot. Sometimes it wipes off trivially, sometimes it is etched on.
 

GregY

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manfrominternet, out of general interest, why would you choose this one with the given issues, over any one of the ones without viewfinder haze or fungus on the lens?
 

RalphLambrecht

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clean fungus with damp(not wet) with 3% hydrogen peroxide(H2O2) then clean with alcohol.
 

drg3rd

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I bought a Fujica GS645 from Japan a couple months ago that was supposed to be pristine with new bellows. After I shot a roll with it, I found that there was some sort of light leak. The seller offered to refund the cost of repair if I wanted to send it to my local repair guy. I debated for a bit, but finally decided that it would get really messy if I sent it for repair and it couldn't be fixed. I ended up just sending it back. The seller refunded my money and I found another for a similar price that has worked flawlessly ... so far.

I'd recommend looking for another.
 
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manfrominternet

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GregY said:
manfrominternet, out of general interest, why would you choose this one with the given issues, over any one of the ones without viewfinder haze or fungus on the lens?
Click to expand...

Good question! I want this one only because the seller also includes the impossible-to-find Fuji GS lens hood, and the rest of the camera looks literally flawless… like right off the assembly line flawless.
 
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manfrominternet

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If I bought this camera, I’d try to fix it myself. I’ve taken apart a glued, haze-infected Bronica PG lens, took apart the lens elements, cleaned, and reglued the lens elements, making sure the elements were stacked perfectly straight.

This was some time ago, and I’ve never dealt with fungus so I’d be a bit leery of trying to fix even more that I don’t know.

That said, I’d like to know if any of you know of anyone who can fix or service this camera. If you can, please let me know!

Many thanks to all you guys
 

BrianShaw

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Have you thought of using such a camera without the fixes? I’ve never had fungus on lenses but not sure how much it really affects the image. Hazy viewfinder… who really needs too much viewfinder clarity????
 

OAPOli

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Did you separate a cemented doublet and re-cemented it? If so that's an advanced repair and I'm sure many would like to know how it was done.

Bill @Mamiya_Repair services the GS645 series. They have a pretty complex shutter linkage.
 

GregY

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manfrominternet said:
Good question! I want this one only because the seller also includes the impossible-to-find Fuji GS lens hood, and the rest of the camera looks literally flawless… like right off the assembly line flawless.
Click to expand...

Thanks ..... BTW there are 5 GS lens hoods on Ebay at the moment. I'm just skeptical about the odds of cleanly removing the fungus. It's one of those things that isn't reliant on skill. How's one to know if the lens surface has been etched by the fungus?
 

Kodachromeguy

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If a repair person can remove the fungus, the coating may be etched. I do not know if the glass gets etched. But so what? Maybe you will see a bit more flare in some circumstances. A hood will mitigate that most of the time.
 

GregY

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Kodachromeguy said:
If a repair person can remove the fungus, the coating may be etched. I do not know if the glass gets etched. But so what? Maybe you will see a bit more flare in some circumstances. A hood will mitigate that most of the time.
Click to expand...

Maybe. I hope it works out for the OP. Given the number of examples of that camera, i'd still prefer to buy one without the isssues.....but to each his own.
 

xya

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I had both, GS and GA cameras. The GS is very nice, but in my opinion it's too frail to be called a professional camera, There are several weak points: the bellows are prone to leaks. The shutter/aperture system is less sturdy than on other professional cameras and the exposure system is not easily readable under all circumstances. You should not try to fold the camera before the film is advanced (and the shutter is cocked) and the focus is set to infinity. It might damage the system. But, nevertheless, the system might be damaged even if one does so.

I have made a page about it https://www.120folder.com/fuji_gs645.htm It seems as if experienced repairmen can do a lot on this camera, as it was the case with mine.

And yes @manfrominternet, I would like more information...
 

maltfalc

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that much fungus should just wipe off with a microfiber lens cloth, but i doubt you'd notice any loss of image quality if you just used it as-is. as long as you don't store it somewhere humid it won't get any worse. don't waste your time trying to sterilize it with uv or any other nonsense.
 
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manfrominternet

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It's so funny that I was on your site just a few days ago! Love it! I was specifically looking at the Iskra, Iskra-II, Zeiss Super-Ikonta IV, and Konica Pearl IV. The only folder that I do have is the latest one made - the Fuji GF670/Voigtlander Bessa III.

Anyway, despite my really liking the Fuji GS645 folder, I'm actually looking to get the non-folding Fuji GS645S, with the 65mm, f/4 lens (the one with the cow bar).
 

Randy Stewart

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The unique lens hood for the GS645 isn't rare. It's just hugely overprices and a pain in the ass to use. Unhappily, you must have one to mount filters on this camera. If the choice is (1) lens hood, or (2) fungus repair plus any other issue for which these cameras are well known, I'd skip this camera and buy another, then buy a lens hood if you really need it. Any repair is going to cost a lot more than a GS645 lens hood. I've owned two GS645 cameras, first one stolen. Both needed a bellows replacement. One was done by Fuji USA and the other by CameraWiz. Neither do that today.

As for buying a GS645S instead of a GS645, I's counsel against doing that. If you find one truly minty, then you still have to baby it to avoid damaging the focus helicoil threads. A large percentage of the used ones out there have some sort of that damage. Any roughness or sticking in the focus movement, or any looseness to the lens, and that is a "no buy" for sure. Unless you can walk into the store and examine the camera at point of sale, they just are not worth the time and effort to hunt down a good one. (My legal office used to be next to the biggest local camera, and my stress release was to go over and shoot the bull with the guys, check out the new intake, etc. I must have handled a dozen GS645S units over several years, 1985-1990. The majority of them had damaged focus mounts.)
 

guangong

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The bellows on mine leaked so much light that shining a flashlight from back of camera made bellows shine like a galaxy. What was Fuji thinking when selecting that material for camera bellows.
 

Randy Stewart

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guangong said:
The bellows on mine leaked so much light that shining a flashlight from back of camera made bellows shine like a galaxy. What was Fuji thinking when selecting that material for camera bellows.
Click to expand...

From the GS645 on, Fuji seemed to be experimenting with use of appropriate plastics to lighten the weight of its cameras and (probably) reduce the cost of manufacturing external parts. Sometimes, that didn't work out so well. For example, the near universal use of plastic foam for light seals from the 1970s on, most of which turned to black, sticky goo years later. Same for the plastic leatherette used on the exterior of "everyready" camera cases by Nikon and Canon, which dried out, and literally disintegrated, even sitting new in the box. The original GS645 bellows is made of stiffened ribs (paper I think, like most) covered by thin black plastic sheeting. That plastic cover dried and started cracking open at the cover folds about 10 years later. I had my first GS645 bellows replace by Fuji USA. They used an all-leather bellows covered replacement, as did CameraWiz when they did the same for my second GS645.
 
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