Sad Fuji News/Happy Voigtländer News -GF670 in Japan only -Bessa III elsewhere!

david b · Sep 17, 2008

From a Fuji press release for Photokina:

"The FUJIFILM GF670 Professional medium-format camera, developed jointly by Fujifilm and Cosina will also be displayed at Photokina 2008 as a reference exhibit (the camera will be marketed under the FUJIFILM brand in Japan only)."

I need someone to get me one of these cameras.

Barry S · Sep 17, 2008

Undoubtedly, they'll be on eBay hours after they go on sale. It'd probably be worth it to be a mule and bring a dozen back to the states.

keithwms · Sep 17, 2008

Dirk! Oh Dirk! When will we see these on the megaperls site?

Jeff Kubach · Sep 17, 2008

Good looking camera, I would love to have one.

Jeff

david b · Sep 17, 2008

I am so frickin' pissed right now.

I have a friend in Japan and I just emailed him.

Hopefully it won't be limited edition.

tim_walls · Sep 17, 2008

Does that sentence mean what we think it means?

I mean, couldn't it also imply 'outside of Japan it will be marketed under a different brand' [e.g. Cosina or Voigtländer]?

david b · Sep 17, 2008

Do you mean like the Xpan?

Fuji TX-1 and TX-2 in Japan and Hasselblad everywhere else?

I guess it could be read that way?

DaveOttawa · Sep 17, 2008

tim_walls said:
Does that sentence mean what we think it means?

I mean, couldn't it also imply 'outside of Japan it will be marketed under a different brand' [e.g. Cosina or Voigtländer]?

Or maybe under the name Hassleblad - it's happended before with Fuji designs
Oh, david b beat me to it!

JBrunner · Sep 17, 2008

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

tim_walls · Sep 17, 2008

david b said:
Do you mean like the Xpan?

Fuji TX-1 and TX-2 in Japan and Hasselblad everywhere else?

I guess it could be read that way?

I just don't see the point in saying "the camera will be marketed under the FUJIFILM brand in Japan only" otherwise. It would be far easier to say "the camera will be marketed in Japan only."

Of course, the problem with reading too much into semantics is it's probably a translation, but nevertheless...

aparat · Sep 17, 2008

The English version has a rather ambiguous syntax. As others have pointed out, this could mean that the camera would be distributed outside of Japan under a different name (e.g., Cosina). That would be the most logical reading of this syntax.

AutumnJazz · Sep 17, 2008

NO I WANTED THIS CAMERA!

BradS · Sep 17, 2008

geez guys...settle down! It is a global market place. The world is flat - remember?

Where do you think all those Nikon lenses that B&H sell without the USA warranty come from? Where do you think all the Fujinon LF lenses that Badger sell come from?

If it can find any market here in the US at all, somebody will import it. Get a grip!

jmooney · Sep 17, 2008

Since it's a Cosina I wonder if Cameraquest might carry them....

IloveTLRs · Sep 17, 2008

It's not "Very Sad" for everyone. People outside Japan will be able to buy them, just like the Natura.

If I may go out on a limb, with the current atrocious state of film in America would it really be that surprising if Fuji doesn't market this new camera in the US?

elekm · Sep 17, 2008

This looks like Fuji and Cosina "borrowed" some ideas from Voigtlander. The lens standard looks reminiscent of the Bessa, as does the top deck. I wonder if it's focus by dial -- like the Voigtlander Bessa 6x9.

In the end, it doesn't matter, as long as it delivers the goods. Very classic looking, no matter who designed it or what it borrows from the past.

John Koehrer · Sep 17, 2008

Focusing ring's around the lens in the 1st pic.

elekm · Sep 17, 2008

Nope, not focus by dial. I took a closer look at the photos.

Venchka · Sep 17, 2008

Matsuiya Store? Good reputation and fair prices.

The Natura camera and film was markted in Japan only. How many of those cameras are in the USA? Probably the majority.

It would seem that they have left themselves open to market the camera under another name or names outside Japan.

Stop fussing about how/where you have to buy it. Applaud Fuji for making it.

spark · Sep 18, 2008

Absolutely right, be glad it's coming. Never mind where the line starts to buy one. Any info as to the expected price?

Phillip P. Dimor · Sep 18, 2008

I'm used to Fuji producing all sorts of neat things I can't find here. Eh well, i'm glad they're making one in the first place.

Soeren · Sep 18, 2008

Any thing on the lens design?
Estimated price?
If its going to be labeled as a Voigtländer in the rest of the world I don't care, it's just a name and I can't see why they would restrict the market to Japan only letting the perils of free enterprice make money on a grey market elsewhere.

Steve Smith · Sep 18, 2008

I don't know if anyone has noticed but there are planes and boats and trains which may sometimes be used to transport people and/or items from one part of our planet to another part.

If you want one, if they do actually exist and are for sale in Japan, you can get one.

Rather than being sad news, as the thread title suggests, the very existence of this, a new 6x7 rangefinder film camera, is good news indeed.

Steve.

jp80874 · Sep 18, 2008

It is very common for a manufacturer to try a new product out in the home market. This gives them the opportunity to test acceptance and work out the bugs, if any, where they have the most trained people and the shortest distance to ship repairs. This is considered a normal step in a new product launch. If any improvements are needed they come out in the world wide launch version, which hopefully has fewer recalls.
John Powers

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 18, 2008

Available in the US as the Voigtländer Bessa III? I'd go for that. Otherwise, I have no problem buying things from Japan, if that's where they're sold. We've got the internet, credit cards, global shipping--no big deal.

Sad Fuji News/Happy Voigtländer News -GF670 in Japan only -Bessa III elsewhere!

david b

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