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

[sanking]

Claire,

You got me.

How does one distinguish between a real geek and a wannabe geek?

Sandy King

What a crock...he is no geek! Wannab yes...geek no.

 

[Lee L]

Claire,

You got me.

How does one distinguish between a real geek and a wannabe geek?

Sandy King

A real geek would have scripted his sig to update after election day.


Lee

 

[sanking]

Huum!!! What is a sig?

Sandy King

A real geek would have scripted his sig to update after election day.


Lee

 

[Lee L]

Huum!!! What is a sig?

Sandy King

signature, text automatically attached to a post or to email, as in:

~
Got Hope

VOTE!

Sorry, I must be a geek.

Lee

 

[jd callow]

A real geek would have scripted his sig to update after election day.


Lee

I've been outed.

 

[Barry S]

jd-- I think you're pretty close with that price range. There are just so many goodies out there in the $2000-$3000 range that you'd have to be a photographicus geekus maximus to drop that kind of coin. Or a retired salaryman. I think Fuji designed and meant to sell this to only the retired salarymen.

 

[firecracker]

I think Fuji designed and meant to sell this to only the retired salarymen.

Well, not so much any more in Japan, I guess because the economy and the economy is sinking so fast and the interest rate in the bank is so low, almost always close to zero for at least a decade...

To me, for 2-3k, I bet people will consider buying high-end digital video cameras instead.

 

[Loris Medici]

Sandy, 8-10x is serious enlargement. Do you believe a folder camera can achieve that much "reliably"? Reliable = most of 8-10x enlargements (>= 75%?) giving satisfactory results.

I'm concerned about the rigidity of the lens standard, for instance...

BTW, to me satisfactory enlargement = things intended to look sharp while shooting, should look sharp in the print after enlargement, to 20/20 vision from 25cm. (Yes a pretty high expectation, is it too much?)

Regards,
Loris.

My impression is that the Bessa III is aimed at photographers who need to travel light and still want a very high quality negative that will enlarge up to about 8-10X, or in the 20X24" range
...

 

[sanking]

Loris,

I have the same concern about the rigidity of the lens standard. That is certainly a major issue with vintage folders. And equally important is the mechanism for holding the film flat, which is also poor in vintage folders.

However, Fuji did manage to solve these problems to a great extent in their 6X4.5 line of folders so perhaps with modern materials and engineering they can be solved in a slightly larger camera.

In any event, 8-10X is what I expect since I can get it now with both the Mamiya 7 and Fuji GW690III.

Sandy

Sandy, 8-10x is serious enlargement. Do you believe a folder camera can achieve that much "reliably"? Reliable = most of 8-10x enlargements (>= 75%?) giving satisfactory results.

I'm concerned about the rigidity of the lens standard, for instance...

BTW, to me satisfactory enlargement = things intended to look sharp while shooting, should look sharp in the print after enlargement, to 20/20 vision from 25cm. (Yes a pretty high expectation, is it too much?)

Regards,
Loris.

 

[Loris Medici]

...And equally important is the mechanism for holding the film flat, which is also poor in vintage folders....

Indeed. On the other hand, with MF cameras I developed a habit of winding / advancing film right before taking the shot which I think is quite helpful in preventing film sagging. So, this is a secondary concern to me...

...However, Fuji did manage to solve these problems to a great extent in their 6X4.5 line of folders so perhaps with modern materials and engineering they can be solved in a slightly larger camera...

I hope so. Anyway, I won't act for buying this camera before seeing some samples (and reviews) from reliable others... (If it comes with a reasonable price tag of course!)

Regards,
Loris.

 

[Chazzy]

At a thousand dollars, I think they would have sold a bunch of them. At $2400, I have my doubts.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Thus far I have saved US$1010 since the original announcement, dollar by dollar. I was prepared to eventually spend up to about US$1400. But that's pretty much the red-line outer limit. Beyond that I just can't do it. US$2400 isn't even in the ballpark, even when discounted down to street price. No one is going to discount the MSRP for this camera by US$1000. So if this report is true, I'm forced to fold my cards right now. Game over.

Damn.

So it appears then that my fall-back plan is about to come into play. A variable-contrast cold light head for my D5 enlarger is sounding *reeeal* good right about now...

Ken

 

[flatulent1]

$2400... How do I get hold of $2400... I'm no good at saving money, I just spend it on frivolous things, like food, rent... I don't have $1000 worth of crap I can unload, let alone 2.4x that amount... Damn. Just my luck, even if I do manage to pinch pennies long enough to get one, put in the order, receive camera, lose my job, can't afford film...

 

[keithwms]

Hmm, that price. Wonderful camera, I am sure, but.... that price puts it squarely against the superb Mamiya RFs.

Well, I wish them luck.

 

[sanking]

Just about exactly in the price range I predicted.

Sorry to be so right on this one.

Sandy King

 

[ntenny]

Ack! Japanese-market prices on electronics are often significantly higher than US ones, I've noticed---but not by a factor of two!

This is really disappointing. This camera is pretty much what I'd get if I spec'd out my perfect camera---OK, I might have gone to 6x9---and I was hoping that it would come out at a price where I could justify it sometime as a big indulgence. At $2400, even $1800-$2000, there's just no way.

Well, time to look that much harder at a really good vintage folding RF, I guess.

-NT

 

[jon koss]

Ack! Japanese-market prices on electronics are often significantly higher than US ones, I've noticed---but not by a factor of two!
...

Just as a bit of a humorous aside, the first time I went to China I brought plenty of extra money to scoop up a couple of d*g*t*l cameras at the local bargain prices. At the first opportunity I asked my host the best place to purchase this kind of camera. He turned to his colleagues and there was furious debate for a few moments. Finally there was consensus and he turned to me and said: "New York!"

True story, really.

Jon

 

[JMC1969]

Are they waiting for PMA to release the full disclosure of the Voigtlander version?

 

[david b]

The British Journal of Photography says no agreement has been made between Fuji and Cosina/Voigtlander

 

[Daniel Larsen]

I guess now the only Voigtlander folder I am going to have is an eventual Perkeo IIIe to go along with my Zeiss Mess-Ikonta and Super Ikonta III...

 

[firecracker]

The fuji GF670 is priced 218,000yen at yodobashi.com:
http://www.yodobashi.com/ec/product/100000001001085682/index.html

I think right now 1USD=89yen or so.

 

[Andy K]

If it really is going to cost upwards of £1650.00 then I'm out. A fixed lens folder simply isn't worth that much.

I think Fuji may well have shot themselves in the foot.

 

[Matus Kalisky]

German Voigtlaender website states that the camera should be available April/May. No statement about the price or final specs ...

But if the price is really going to be around 2500 euro that gives more peace to my mind as I will soon spend all the money I have saved for this camera on a 3 week trip to New Zealand

 

[eclarke]

Hmm, that price. Wonderful camera, I am sure, but.... that price puts it squarely against the superb Mamiya RFs.

Well, I wish them luck.

I agree, my M7II with the 65mm is terrific. This camera is almost as big and I don't have to unfold my Mamiya..EC

 

[jd callow]

I agree, my M7II with the 65mm is terrific. This camera is almost as big and I don't have to unfold my Mamiya..EC

The bulk of 7II sales are body + 80mm. If i were only interested in the normal lens for the 7II and planed on using it as a travel camera and point & shoot on steroids -- think Doctor or Lawyer -- the Fuji would look pretty good if not preferential.