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

Matus Kalisky · Sep 22, 2008

First of all - it is important that it comes out at all. Now I just hope it will be priced reasonably (under 1000 euro) and that it is designed for users and not for collectors. Than I will find it even on on the moon. A conference in Japan would also be a feasible solution

Arthurwg · Sep 22, 2008

Why?

This may seem like an obvious question, and I may be a dunce for asking, but WHY do you want this camera? Can it do anything that a Mamiya 6 or 7 can't do? Not to mention all the other wonderful MF cameras available? Perhaps that's why it's not for sale in the USA: No need for it.

david b · Sep 22, 2008

First, it is a brand new range finder, made to travel small and light

Second, it has a fuji lens, which we all know are top quality

Third, it is a brand spanking new range finder

Fourth, it is a way for me to show Fuji that I still love film

Fifth, and most importanly, I love new cameras.

eclarke · Sep 22, 2008

Arthurwg said:
This may seem like an obvious question, and I may be a dunce for asking, but WHY do you want this camera? Can it do anything that a Mamiya 6 or 7 can't do? Not to mention all the other wonderful MF cameras available? Perhaps that's why it's not for sale in the USA: No need for it.

I think it will go in a coat pocket...EC

Soeren · Sep 22, 2008

Arthurwg said:
This may seem like an obvious question, and I may be a dunce for asking, but WHY do you want this camera? Can it do anything that a Mamiya 6 or 7 can't do? Not to mention all the other wonderful MF cameras available? Perhaps that's why it's not for sale in the USA: No need for it.

Its not for sale outside Japan............ under the Fuji brand. That does not mean it wont be sold outside Japan as Voigtländer, as stated many times before.
Kind regards

GGardner · Sep 22, 2008

Arthurwg said:
This may seem like an obvious question, and I may be a dunce for asking, but WHY do you want this camera? Can it do anything that a Mamiya 6 or 7 can't do?

People are hoping that it will be substantially lower in price than the Mamiya 7. Hardly anyone would buy it if it were the same price as the Mamiya.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 22, 2008

Many people like the classic folding medium format cameras, because they offer medium format quality in a small package that can fit in a coat or a briefcase pocket. A new folder can offer modern attractions like modern optics and coatings, a new shutter, less squinty viewfinder, an internal meter, 120/220 frame counter instead of the red window, more rigid construction, and superior film flatness, in more or less the same compact package as the models from the 1950s.

MF rangefinders like the Mamiya 6 and 7 are great cameras, but aren't as compact as a folder.

Matus Kalisky · Sep 23, 2008

I only wish they would came out with a bit wider lens like 60 - 70 mm (somewhere around 35mm in small format) and maybe on top of that a model with say 120 mm lens. Would not that be a nice combination?

Arthurwg · Sep 23, 2008

Zeiss Ikon Folder

I believe you can take pretty good pictures with a Zeiss Ikon folder. Tons of those around at modest prices. I've owned several. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a cool new camera (as well as old ones). I believe I've got about 40 cameras at the moment. But I can't get too excited about the Fuji.

Soeren · Sep 24, 2008

Arthurwg said:
I believe you can take pretty good pictures with a Zeiss Ikon folder. Tons of those around at modest prices. I've owned several. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a cool new camera (as well as old ones). I believe I've got about 40 cameras at the moment. But I can't get too excited about the Fuji.

Yes you can but those are pretty old cameras with the quirks that follows and many don't have a CRF.
And as stated more than once before.
The Fuji is a modern compact rangefinder camera with a modern lens, it fits in a pocket, makes 6X7 negs/slides and its new, hopefully with a long livespan. Is there a need for it? Will it sell? Look at the prices asked for used Plaubel Makina 67. Or look at the closest competition, the Mamiya 7II. A system camera with interchangeable lenses yes, but at another price and that one still sells.
Kind regards

ath · Sep 24, 2008

The camera will be called "Bessa III" in the rest of the world.

Fresh from Photokina:
2nd pic from the Fuji booth, next to it was the Fuji version; 1st pic from the voigtländer booth; the guy there had some informations:
120 and 220
Dual format: 6x6 and 6x7 via curtains (maybe this is only a masking of the 6x7? No details)
Expected to be available spring 2009, no price available.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 24, 2008

Post #25--

David A. Goldfarb said:
Available in the US as the Voigtländer Bessa III? I'd go for that.

ath said:
The camera will be called "Bessa III" in the rest of the world.

Yes, thank you, thank you.

tim_walls · Sep 24, 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]?

As the first person who called it, I'd just like to say - Go Me!

I could well be in the market for this if the price is sensible...

Lee L · Sep 24, 2008

So shall we change the entirely speculative and wrong thread title to something reflecting reality?

I propose: "Great News - Fuji GF670 to be available outside Japan as Cosina Bessa III"

Lee

Chazzy · Sep 24, 2008

ath said:
The camera will be called "Bessa III" in the rest of the world.

Fresh from Photokina:
1st pic from the Fuji booth, next to it was the Fuji version; 2nd pic from the voigtländer booth; the guy there had some informations:
120 and 220
Dual format: 6x6 and 6x7 via curtains (maybe this is only a masking of the 6x7? No details)
Expected to be available spring 2009, no price available.

And the lens is a Heliar. Hurrah! But I can't tell how focusing is accomplished. On the Bessa II there was a focusing dial on the top plate with depth of field markings, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 24, 2008

Just 'cause they call it a "Heliar" don't mean it's a Heliar, though it would be nice if it were.

david b · Sep 24, 2008

very good news indeed

Chazzy · Sep 24, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
Just 'cause they call it a "Heliar" don't mean it's a Heliar, though it would be nice if it were.

Yes, I cringe at the way that Cosina has misused the classic names of lens formulas with lenses for the 35mm rangefinders.

TheFlyingCamera · Sep 24, 2008

Looking at the posted image, there appears to be a thumb-ridge on the left-hand side of the lens (right-hand side as you face the lens) to turn the focusing ring. Which makes me question the ergonomics - although an 80mm lens is not very long and does not protrude far from the body when open, it is still far enough away that I would have preferred some kind of focusing dial on the body instead.

Chazzy · Sep 24, 2008

Lee L said:
So shall we change the entirely speculative and wrong thread title to something reflecting reality?

I propose: "Great News - Fuji GF670 to be available outside Japan as Cosina Bessa III"

Lee

Yes, that's exactly what the title of the thread should be.

ath · Sep 24, 2008

Here is a pic of the Fuji Version. There is a focusing tab at the front.

Frank Szabo · Sep 24, 2008

Had a Bessa II years ago and wish now I still had it.

This might make a suitable substitute but ... would still rather have the 6X9 format of the Bessa

Frank Szabo · Sep 24, 2008

david b said:
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.

That's what Fuji wants you to do, David. Your anger and that of many others will sell the hell out of these cameras.

Chazzy · Sep 24, 2008

Do you think that the dial on the right is for shutter speeds for a focal plane shutter? Maybe the shutter speeds aren't on the lens.

david b · Sep 24, 2008

http://www.flickr.com/groups/voigtlander667/

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