Owners of Fuji GX617: Thoughts? Description? Advice? Anecdotes?

Jeremy Mudd said:

FYI, one just popped up on eBay with the 180mm lens and viewfinder for $2000 BIN. Pretty good deal given what they've been selling for lately.

Jeremy

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Offer them $1800 and close the deal now.

I recently acquired a FUJI GX617 and trying to work out and learn all of the camera idiosyncrasies so I just got back around 8 rolls of film that I shot and viewed for the first time. What I noticed was that the left and right edge of the film negative on each frame was underexposed. I shot all photo with the 90mm lens without a center filter. I have since acquired one and have shot a couple of rolls but not sure if this is going to solve the problem or is the problem a camera issue and not operator issue (which is very possible operator issue) The two examples that are attached are low res scans and not edited for exposure or any other setting just stitched together. On the negative I just can't see a definable edge of 6 x17. So I'm reaching out to more experience Fuji GX617 user with this question.

Shot metered for center of picture
Lens 90mm No center filter
most of the shots shot @ f22
Is this a No center Filter issue or Mechanical issue or F stop / Shutter Issue

First - glad that you purchased the center ND filter. You really can't shoot the 90mm without it.

Ok, in both examples you can see the vignetting form the lack of filter, but those abrupt linear dark outer edges on the left and right don't appear to be caused by the lack of filter. Usually it's a gradual vignette circle that's 1-2 stops darker at the outer regions - not an abrupt drop off as seen here.

I'm not certain as to what's going on here. It's almost as if there's some sort of physical blockage of the light like an obstruction.

Jeremy

That looks like the effect of a mis-matched lens shade or perhaps an overly deep filter.

MattKing said:

That looks like the effect of a mis-matched lens shade or perhaps an overly deep filter.

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If it were a filter I would guess it would be a little more rounded of a black-out area, but I guess it could be some sort of square filter system out in front of the roo bar so - maybe? I only use 77mm screw on filters for mine but I have seen people cobble something together on a GX617 to put square Lee-type filters on there.

The mis-matched lens shade is something I didn't even consider but could be it. If a 180mm or 300mm shade was on a 90mm I could see it. I'd have to look at my 90mm and 105mm lenses to see if the shade is truly different for those two. I bet those are nearly the same, if not the same.

Jeremy

@Francis McQuaid

Did you check for the 2 possibilities that Matt posted above?

Jeremy

Arthurwg said:

How do they compare to the Linhof 6x17?

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my 2 cents

I had the Fuji w/ 105 (fixed)
then switched to the LInhof w/ 90SA
I much preferred the 90 focal length and the way the SA draws
Some subjects call for a center filter which I had
Never a problem hand holding the LIinhof in bright light while the Fuji was awkward

Epson flatbeds w/ trans attachment (several model out there) seem the way to go unless you get a 5x7 enlarger.

Ended up switching to 6x12:
six shots instead of 4
multiple film backs (for some cameras)
changeable lenses (for some cameras)
rise/fall (w/ some cameras)
4x5 enlarger