Is the Fuji GF670W really worth the price?

L_E_Miller · Feb 11, 2018

I'm in the market for a 6x7 rangefinder so the GF670 and GF670W have been coming up a lot but honestly I'm shocked at the prices. The folding version is sold at/over what it was sold new for and the fixed lens is selling at 2,500 USD.

No doubt they are slick looking cameras. Fuji nailed the look for their last hurrah on their G series MF rangefinders.

But is there really any reason other than aesthetics that one would want to pay 2,500 for a GF when you can get a low-shutter GW670III for 1,000 or less?

I understand the perks of buying something newer for security in that it will work, but that seems like a pretty big gap to breach.

But should I be considering it? Clearly people think its worth the money.

phaedrus · Feb 11, 2018

L_E_Miller said:
But is there really any reason other than aesthetics that one would want to pay 2,500 for a GF when you can get a low-shutter GW670III for 1,000 or less?

I‘d choose the Texas Leica over the folder. The bellows will fail, eventually.

sepiareverb · Feb 11, 2018

I have the 670W. The lens is really, really good. On par with the Schneider in my Rollei FW. Shoots 6x6 squares or 6x7 frames. Super simple operation. None of which matters much I would guess.

An item no longer made that is in low supply.

Swordman · Feb 12, 2018

I guess you pay for having a newer, slicker design, but the gw690 is inherently more reliable (by not having bellows), is fully mechanical (no battery operated shutter to worry about) and gives a bigger negative.

Pioneer · Feb 12, 2018

Yep.

Great lens
Portable design.
Terrific viewfinder with parallax correction.
6x7 or 6x6 format at your command.
Silent shutter.
Aperture priority auto exposure.

You will not find a better folder for any price. Of course, if you don't care about the portability then probably not.

Is it worth it to you? Don't know. It is your money not mine.

RattyMouse · Feb 12, 2018

L_E_Miller said:
I'm in the market for a 6x7 rangefinder so the GF670 and GF670W have been coming up a lot but honestly I'm shocked at the prices. The folding version is sold at/over what it was sold new for and the fixed lens is selling at 2,500 USD.

No doubt they are slick looking cameras. Fuji nailed the look for their last hurrah on their G series MF rangefinders.

But is there really any reason other than aesthetics that one would want to pay 2,500 for a GF when you can get a low-shutter GW670III for 1,000 or less?

I understand the perks of buying something newer for security in that it will work, but that seems like a pretty big gap to breach.

But should I be considering it? Clearly people think its worth the money.

The GF670W is a fully modern camera in every sense of the word. The viewfinder is spectacular. The rangefinder patch is massive in size. The camera is (IMO) significantly smaller than the older mechanical Fuji rangefinders. I used to have a GSW690 and it was much larger in my mind. The shutter is so quiet that there is no situation at all where I would worry about it disturbing someone. I would fire it in the quietest environment. It is so quiet that Fuji put a light on the camera to let you know it actually fired!

This is my second most expensive camera purchase but for me, it was very cheap because I will simply never sell it. I will shoot this camera until either it or I die. It is that good.

I also have the GF670 and will never, ever part with it.

RattyMouse · Feb 12, 2018

phaedrus said:
I‘d choose the Texas Leica over the folder. The bellows will fail, eventually.

Bellows can be replaced.

sepiareverb · Feb 12, 2018

I’d forgotten the silent shutter. Actually nearly completely silent.

Bellows will eventually fail? Something will eventually fail on everything. Not an issue.

guangong · Feb 12, 2018

Pioneer said:
Yep.

Great lens
Portable design.
Terrific viewfinder with parallax correction.
6x7 or 6x6 format at your command.
Silent shutter.
Aperture priority auto exposure.

You will not find a better folder for any price. Of course, if you don't care about the portability then probably not.

Is it worth it to you? Don't know. It is your money not mine.

Pioneer is right on all points. Also, great automatic parallex corrected viewfinder. My only complaint is that the shutter is too quiet and gives no sensual response when released. At least, a Rollei tlr can be heard in a quiet environment. Is it worth the money? Pioneer and I think so, but it’s your decision.

RattyMouse · Feb 12, 2018

guangong said:
Pioneer is right on all points. Also, great automatic parallex corrected viewfinder. My only complaint is that the shutter is too quiet and gives no sensual response when released. At least, a Rollei tlr can be heard in a quiet environment. Is it worth the money? Pioneer and I think so, but it’s your decision.

For the GF670W, there is a sensual response to the shutter; the LED light.

For the GF670, there is no way to detect the shutter has been fired. For some reason Fujifilm did not include the light on this model.

Pioneer · Feb 12, 2018

sepiareverb said:
I’d forgotten the silent shutter. Actually nearly completely silent.

Bellows will eventually fail? Something will eventually fail on everything. Not an issue.

I do agree. I own pre-WWII folding cameras still equipped with the original bellows and working fine.

No reason for a bellows to fail before any other part unless it was built from sub standard material (which is not the case with this camera) or the owner abuses it.

Besides, of all the parts on a modern camera, this is probably the one that is easiest to replace if you had to.

guangong · Feb 12, 2018

RattyMouse said:
For the GF670W, there is a sensual response to the shutter; the LED light.

For the GF670, there is no way to detect the shutter has been fired. For some reason Fujifilm did not include the light on this model.

The LED light is not the same thing as the shutter mechanism. Nonetheless, this is a camera that I like and use.

RattyMouse · Feb 12, 2018

guangong said:
The LED light is not the same thing as the shutter mechanism. Nonetheless, this is a camera that I like and use.

The LED is a sensory indicator that the shutter has fired. It's a different sense to be sure, but the eyes are still a sense. I'd much rather have a 100% quiet camera with an LED than one where i can hear the shutter.

warden · Feb 12, 2018

Can you close the GF670 when there is a filter or two attached to the lens? Is there an accessory hood for the lens?

These both look like outstanding cameras. The price is right for cameras with these features and the Fuji name, IMO. I'd enjoy trying that wide angle version.

RattyMouse · Feb 12, 2018

jawarden said:
Can you close the GF670 when there is a filter or two attached to the lens? Is there an accessory hood for the lens?

These both look like outstanding cameras. The price is right for cameras with these features and the Fuji name, IMO. I'd enjoy trying that wide angle version.

No, you cannot close the camera with a filter on it. There is an accessory hood and that can take the filter. The hood pops off easily so closing the camera is not a big deal. Further, the lens must be set to infinity in order for the camera to close. That becomes second nature after about 1 full day with the camera. You just adjust to infinity as you bring it down from your eye.

Both are excellent. It's hard for me to choose a favorite.

NortheastPhotographic · Feb 12, 2018

phaedrus said:
I‘d choose the Texas Leica over the folder. The bellows will fail, eventually.

I always roll my eyes at this because what kind of timeline are we working with here? 5 years? 10 years? Most likely at minimum 15-25 years before you'd have a problem with the bellows. So if you're saying that I might have to source a new bellows around the year 2038, I don't really see this as a serious drawback. Especially when you consider that parts fail on older "Texas Leicas" as well. No the GF670 will not last forever, but neither will any other camera. If it suits the project you have in mind, buy it, shoot the hell out of it, move on.

RattyMouse · Feb 12, 2018

NortheastPhotographic said:
I always roll my eyes at this because what kind of timeline are we working with here? 5 years? 10 years? Most likely at minimum 15-25 years before you'd have a problem with the bellows. So if you're saying that I might have to source a new bellows around the year 2038, I don't really see this as a serious drawback. Especially when you consider that parts fail on older "Texas Leicas" as well. No the GF670 will not last forever, but neither will any other camera. If it suits the project you have in mind, buy it, shoot the hell out of it, move on.

I agree, it's a strange concern. I've shot 700 or more rolls of film through my GF670 in the past 5 years or so and it's been flawless. I can't imagine how many times I've opened and closed it during all that shooting. The bellows looks pretty much the same as when I bought it. I never even think to worry about the bellows. Best $1600 I ever spent.

MattKing · Feb 12, 2018

FWIW, the 40+ year old bellows on the Mamiya C330 I've owned since new is in great shape.
And the bellows on my 50+ year old Retina IIIc is apparently original and fully functional.
Bellows are not inherently a problem.

warden · Feb 12, 2018

RattyMouse said:
No, you cannot close the camera with a filter on it. There is an accessory hood and that can take the filter. The hood pops off easily so closing the camera is not a big deal. Further, the lens must be set to infinity in order for the camera to close. That becomes second nature after about 1 full day with the camera. You just adjust to infinity as you bring it down from your eye.

Both are excellent. It's hard for me to choose a favorite.

I have a Makina folder that requires the infinity thing too so I'm familiar. With the Makina you can leave accessories on the lens when folded, but then the lens cap falls off when you're walking down the street anyway so if it ain't one thing it's another. If I were to make the purchase again I might choose the Fujis over the Makinas just to get aperture priority with compensation, especially if the Fujis use ttl metering. I do miss that convenience when I use the Makina with a filter.

Alan Gales · Feb 12, 2018

MattKing said:
FWIW, the 40+ year old bellows on the Mamiya C330 I've owned since new is in great shape.
And the bellows on my 50+ year old Retina IIIc is apparently original and fully functional.
Bellows are not inherently a problem.

Yeah, the Fuji bellows will probably outlast the owner!

Svenedin · Feb 12, 2018

I have the GF670 and I love it. I also have a number of Zeiss Ikon folders so in fact all of my MF cameras have bellows. The GF670 has a very bright, clear viewfinder and is exceptionally easy to focus. It takes beautiful photographs and is easy to use. It is a slight nuisance to have to remove the filter before closing the camera -my Zeiss folders can close with a filter attached. If using different filters it is more convenient to have them ready mounted in different hoods as it is fiddly to mount and remove them from the hood. I have 3 hoods for that reason. Whether it is worth what is being asked on the second hand market I do not know -I bought mine new and it was not so expensive.

RattyMouse · Feb 12, 2018

jawarden said:
I have a Makina folder that requires the infinity thing too so I'm familiar. With the Makina you can leave accessories on the lens when folded, but then the lens cap falls off when you're walking down the street anyway so if it ain't one thing it's another. If I were to make the purchase again I might choose the Fujis over the Makinas just to get aperture priority with compensation, especially if the Fujis use ttl metering. I do miss that convenience when I use the Makina with a filter.

The Fuji does not have TTL metering. You have to adjust the exposure with the dial when using filters.

DREW WILEY · Feb 12, 2018

It just looked too fragile for the kinds of rough n tumble mtn weather I get into; and at the going price, I'd probably be afraid to even use it in those conditions. And frankly, when it comes to a rangefinder, I really prefer the extended rectangle of 6X9. So for a sixth the price, I got a nice Texas Leica that I don't need to be paranoid about.

nbagno · Feb 12, 2018

sepiareverb said:
I’d forgotten the silent shutter. Actually nearly completely silent.

Bellows will eventually fail? Something will eventually fail on everything. Not an issue.

It's quiet until you wind it.

RattyMouse · Feb 13, 2018

DREW WILEY said:
It just looked too fragile for the kinds of rough n tumble mtn weather I get into; and at the going price, I'd probably be afraid to even use it in those conditions. And frankly, when it comes to a rangefinder, I really prefer the extended rectangle of 6X9. So for a sixth the price, I got a nice Texas Leica that I don't need to be paranoid about.

I paid $1600 for my GF670. 1/6th of that is $266. You got a Texas Leica for that cheap?

My GF670 was my very first 6 x 7 camera and getting used to that aspect ratio was probably the most interesting part of owning that camera. I never really thought much about 6 x 7 and at first, always wished it was 6 x 9, because I did own a GSW690 for many years. I would never want to travel as much with a Texas Leica as I did with my two GF cameras. They are so compact, it's simply amazing. My typical travel bag was to have both GF670 & GF670W's in my bag and a Nikon FM2n w/20mm lens. 3 cameras, easily carried in a medium sized bag that I could carry for hours at a time comfortably.

Is the Fuji GF670W really worth the price?

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