most portable 6x9

[bonk]

What are the lightest and smallest 6x9 cameras around that still have superb imagequality? I am looking for one with (semi)automatic exposure and one without. Any tips? I would appreciate some input about this market segement because I don't know anything about it. Are there cameras around with changeable lenses? I suppose light and small doesn't go well with SLR ?

 

[firecracker]

Well, the closest thing you can get is Fuji GSW690 or something. But it's RF not SLR. But to look for the smallest and lightest, you will have to go for a folder type, but you know folder cameras for 6x9 are pretty old and have no fancy features.

But I must say, Mamiya Press Universal, which is quite heavy and big, is good for shooting 6x9. It's robust and cheap. I have one, and I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[sanking]

What are the lightest and smallest 6x9 cameras around that still have superb imagequality? I am looking for one with (semi)automatic exposure and one without. Any tips? I would appreciate some input about this market segement because I don't know anything about it. Are there cameras around with changeable lenses? I suppose light and small doesn't go well with SLR ?

The only thing that comes close to what you want in 6X9 format, i.e. light and small with superb image quality, is a Fuji GW690III or GSW690III (or the slightly older II models). GW has 90mm lens, GSW a 65mm lens. But these cameras are completely manual. No auto-focus, auto-exposure. In fact, they don't even have built-in meters.

The GW and GSW series have fixed lenses.

If you can live with 6X4.5 format you might consider the Fuji GA645Zi. This is a relatively small auto-focus, auto-exposure camera with a variable focus 55mm - 90mm lens. Less weight and bulk than a Leica with three lenses and with the larger negative much better image quality.

None of the cameras mentioned above are still in production.

Sandy King

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you want a 6x9 SLR, then there's probably a Graflex to be had in that format, and I think Plaubel made such a thing, but light and small they ain't (well, Graflexes are surprisingly light, but bulky).

 

[highpeak]

In this format there is no small SLR, your best bet is a range finder as others suggested, or you can go with a Bessa II folder with a "APO-Lanthar" glass, but the lens is not interchangeable and it doesn't have semi auto exposure.

Or you can try less expensive Zeiss folder, a lot people say the image quality is super.

Alex W.

 

[ic-racer]

What are the lightest and smallest 6x9 cameras around that still have superb imagequality? I am looking for one with (semi)automatic exposure and one without. Any tips? I would appreciate some input about this market segement because I don't know anything about it. Are there cameras around with changeable lenses? I suppose light and small doesn't go well with SLR ?

I think the smallest and lightest would be some classic 6x9 "Folder." Many of these can give excellent images.

In terms of a more 'professional' camera, the very rare Horseman Convertible camera was bascially an adapter linking the flim back to the lens. It is the smallest and lightest 'pro' type 6x9 camera I can think of.

A lot of the other 6x9s out there are literally big and heavy. My 6x9 Horseman, with its rangefinder, battery handle & solenoid and rollfilm back is bigger and weighs more than my Horseman 4x5!

 

[Ole]

The lightest and smallest is almost certainly the KW "Patent Etui".

 

[ic-racer]

The lightest and smallest is almost certainly the KW "Patent Etui".

Of the classic 'folders' that one is certainly tiny. Even with the rollfilm back it is small. But I bet it weighs more than this fabulous Agfa Pioneer made of space age plastic! The 6x9 horseman really towers over it, but the negatives from the Agfa are within a millimeter in size of those from the 6x9 Horseman back.

 

[Larry.Manuel]

Zero Image 69?

website specs: 328 grams. Seems pretty wide angle; fl = 40mm. Coverage: 112 degrees diagonally. I bet the lens is incredibly resistant to flare, is easy to clean, weather resistant, not to mention requiring only small diameter filters. A one millimeter one should do nicely. No auto-exposure. Quiet, though.

 

[mw4]

I've been using a Moskva-5 Russian folding camera which will either go 6x6 or 6x9 if you can find one that still has it's 6x6 mask. Mine doesn't so it's always 6x9. Coupled rangefinder...got mine straight from the mother land. Not exactly zeiss glass but compact 6x9 in your coat pocket!

 

[sanking]

What are the lightest and smallest 6x9 cameras around that still have superb imagequality? I am looking for one with (semi)automatic exposure and one without. Any tips? I would appreciate some input about this market segement because I don't know anything about it. Are there cameras around with changeable lenses? I suppose light and small doesn't go well with SLR ?

Assuming that you are not absolutely wed to the idea of 6X9 format you might want to consider a 6X7 Mamiya 7 or 7II outfit. Mamiya 7II is an interchangeable lens system that gives truly outstanding quality. I own both a Mamiya 7II outfit and a Fuji GW690II camera and am very confident that a 6X7 negative made with the Mamiya 7II with 80mm lens will give equal or better print quality at the same size to a 6X9 negative made with Fuji GW690II. The slightly greater resolution of the Mamiya 7 lens makes up for the slightly larger negative of the Fuji. That is my experience, others are free to disagree.

Mamiya 7 lenses include wide angle lenses of 43mm, 50mm and 65mm, a normal 80mm, a 150mm, and a long 250mm (no rangefinder focus).

Sandy King

 

[Curt]

Busch 23.

 

[alannguyen]

i don't think this is a lightest , but could be one of the choice you make a custom graflex xl

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Busch 23.

The Busch 23 is ok if you put a graflock back on it.