I actually also have a Fuji GW690III (along with a Fuji GF670) and I readily admit that the optics are absolutely fantastic with both! The only issue is that both are fixed lenses. I typically carry around both Fuji cameras in a bag and thats pushing it a bit in the weight department a bit.
I suspect that the GA645ZI (or GS645) would be a lot better to carry around in my bag with my GF670 than the GW690III. But there you have it - even the weight of the GF670 + GW690III is too much for me to bear.
That's why I worry if the camera - say Nikon F6 - is too heavy.
If a Nikon F6 + a Nikon 28mm/35mm/50mm/and 85mm combo is too heavy bordering on medium format, I really do wonder if the Zeiss Ikon ZM equivalent might be better after all?
With respect, I think the comparisons you're trying to make are little bit like comparing apples and Hondas
Let's see if I can distill the essence of the question
- You want portability/light weight
- You want best image quality
- You want lens choice or a zoom
Now - and this is my opinion only - I'd argue that none of the cameras you've mentioned really meet those criteria, they're all compromises:
- The Nikon is heavy and will be limited by format size
- The Zeiss meets most of the criteria but is limited by format size
- The GA690/GF670 lack lens flexibility
- The GA645Zi meets all criteria except that the zoom range is limited and the format is still fairly small (ignoring the LCD issue)
In my mind, there is at least one other option to consider. One that I have owned in the past, own now, and have shot a ton of stuff on: A "Baby" 2x3 Graphic in any of its incarnations (Speed, Century, etc.) as long as it has a Graflok back and is in decent condition. (I would ignore the condition focal plane shutter on the Speed model because it's more-or-less useless. It was designed for photojournalist and sports shooters of the day, where the top speeds of the leaf shutters were considered inadequate and/or you wanted to use a shutterless barrel lens.)
This camera meets ALL the conditions above:
- The camera is relatively light and lenses are similarly small/light. That camera with a 3 lens kit will weigh in well below what an F6 with a bag full of lenses does.
- With the Graflok back you can shoot 2x3 sheet film or 120 roll film, both of which are still very much available. If I'm not mistaken there are even modern rollfilm backs newer than the Graflex RH series that this normally takes that fit into the Graflok adapter. Both Linhof and Mamiya RB come to mind as possibilities. I shoot with late model RHs though and no issues.
- Lenses are widely available that are tack sharp, contrasty, and hold detail very well. Accessories are also widely available. There's even a guy on Etsy that is making brand new lens boards for these and the 4x5 Graphics.
This camera does have limited bellows draw, but there are very good true telephotos available for this, the most common being Schneider 180mm f/5.5 lenses. The 101mm f/4.5 Ektar in the Supermatic shutter was one of the "normal" lenses made for this camera and it's just stupid sharp. I shoot 80% of what I do on that camera with that lens. I've also got an old 65mm f/8 Super Angulon I use with it. It's a little dim to focus but works very well.
The camera usually comes with a Kalart viewfinder and the are often dirty. It's easy enough to take the cover off, clean the viewing ports and GENTLY wipe the mirrors clean. So you can use it as a viewfinder camera if you like, though I don't know how the Kalart works with lenses other than the default 101mm. There are rail stops and scales you likely could add if you wanted it to mean something for other lenses.
For the record, these cameras are NOT real field cameras. They have very limited movements, but for outdoor shooting, for the most part, that's a non-issue. I wouldn't try to do table top work with them. Then again, we're comparing this against cameras that have NO movements
Anyway, I am a HUGE fan of this camera. Among the 15 or 20 different cameras I have (and use all them, BTW), this camera probably gets the most use. The entire system is relatively light. 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 film is a transcendent format. It's small enough for the gear to be reasonably weight, but it approaches 4x5 in final image quality, With the Graflok back, you can shoot sheets or rolls which means both monochrome and color is within your grasp.
And oh, those lenses. They're cheap on eBay. Yeah, sometimes you have to get the shutters CLAed and you have to make sure you get a lens that doesn't have fog, fungus or separation in it - which is easy to do considering how many compatible lenses are out there.
So ... that's at least an option for you. Portable, larger format, many lenses and accessories available. The price is usually very reasonable, but you do have to take into account that you'll spend money on CLAs on some of these older lenses. Something to think about anyway.
Here's an example shot on my Baby Speed with that 101mm Ektar ...
