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

[David A. Goldfarb]

About the same for me. I bought the New F-1 around 1983, and since then the only camera I've bought for myself new was a Nikon Coolpix 990 around 2001 that I bought with some grant money mainly for photographing documents in libraries. I'm still using both of them. I e-mailed Stephen Gandy to get on the list for the 667.

 

[Peter Black]

No hint of this promising launch so far on the Robert White website in the UK, although they are a major Voigtlander supplier and may even be the official UK importer? Hmmm ............

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/photokina-2008-Fujifilm-GF670-Professional-kommt-aktualisiert

These shots show the black Voigtländer Bessa III. Functionally the same camera as the Fuji GF670.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

That's great. I skimmed the responses, and they have the same tone as the responses on RFF.

 

[Andy K]

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_fdih7jzkae.html

 

[Peter Black]

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_fdih7jzkae.html

And I see that their distribution partner for the UK is Sangers, but they don't seem to want a web presence :confused:

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_partnerimausland_e_onav.html

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/photokina-2008-Fujifilm-GF670-Professional-kommt-aktualisiert

These shots show the black Voigtländer Bessa III. Functionally the same camera as the Fuji GF670.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

Looks like it also borrowed a few things from the Fuji GS 645 design.

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

High resolution views of the Bessa III

http://www.voigtlander.com/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_fdih7jzkae.html

They have uploaded higher resolution images (looks like raytracing to me...) of the Bessa III. I think it is now definitely clear that the exposure meter is beside the rangefinder window.

Note where the 66/67 switch is located: inside the camera, on the focal plane area. So no switching from 66 to 67 midroll.

No optical diagram of the "Heliar" (6 in 4 groups) yet.

 

[david b]

Very sweet.

 

[Lee L]

looks like raytracing to me...[/QUO...Not "perfect" enough to be ray traced. Lee

 

[Andy K]

I like the strap lugs being on one side. Very retro.

 

[JBrunner]

Collapsible round studio reflector and softbox showing in the lens reflections. Too many finish imperfections, removed sticker marks, screw and metal edges with wear and tool marks showing, etc. Not "perfect" enough to be ray traced.

Lee

I agree. It looks to me like a digital image with moire on the highlights and some serious over sharpening that plays up every edge in an unflattering way.

The camera however, looks very promising. I hope I can afford one. I'm stoked. (Or chuffed? Is that the right expression?)

 

[Lee L]

The camera looks very promising. I hope I can afford one.

Same here. I'm also with Andy K on the side lugs. I carry every camera that I can that way, in the nook of my left elbow, strap worn like a bandolier. That way it gets a bit of protection, is a bit more discrete, and doesn't swing out into nearby objects when you lean over.

Lee

 

[Rob Archer]

This looks what I've been looking for for a while, although I'll probably wait to hear how others get on with it. I'd also wonder If they'll bring out a wider-lens version (?)

Rob

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

Sorry, I'm late to the party and just didn't make it through all 17 pages of this thread.... From what I read it appears the model available in the US does not yet have a selling price? Is that right? Thanks. Shawn

 

[Andy K]

Shawn, the camera will not be for sale until early 2009. There is no price anywhere yet.

 

[Lee L]

Sorry, I'm late to the party and just didn't make it through all 17 pages of this thread.... From what I read it appears the model available in the US does not yet have a selling price? Is that right? Thanks. Shawn

Correct. Not even sure of import terms, distributors, etc. as far as I'm aware. Steve Gandy at cameraquest.com seems to think that he'll be stocking and is taking pre-orders, refundable, and price not known.

Lee

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

Thanks, Lee!

 

[JPD]

So, that's a Heliar lens for us?

No, just the name, not the lens. It's probably a double-gauss design.

I don't like Cosinas "misuse" of Voigtländer names. Who knows what will come next? A disposable camera with a simple plastic meniscus "Apo-Lanthar"?

Aside from that, I'm sure the new Bessa III is an excellent camera.

 

[MattKing]

I'm glad to see what appears to be a pc flash synch socket, although I'm somewhat surprised to see it on the body.

Matt

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

It's an electronically controlled leaf shutter, so the shutter speed dial and PC sync are on the body.

Now what I wonder about is how the focus and rangefinder coupling all work. There is a focus lever on the lens, if I'm not mistaken. The Bessa II has a knob on the body to move the front standard back and forth, and this is mechanically coupled to the rangefinder. This camera seems to have a very different arrangement.

 

[Samuel Hotton]

Its a Planar design I believe.
Sam

 

[Q.G.]

They call it a Heliar, which (if not just a badge stuck on it for marketing reasons) would make it a triplet derivative, rather than a double-Gauss type (like the Planars).
It would indeed be interesting to see what it really is.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

I like the strap lugs being on one side. Very retro.

Again, history has proved that Leitz was right with ,among other items, the LEICA M5 lug system...

Philippe

 

[Mick Fagan]

After having a think about this with the latest pictures, I do think that this camera has a real lot in common with the Fuji GS645 folding range finder.

I had one of these from early 1984 for a couple of years, it was a brilliant little camera, I just had a problem with printing landscape negatives that were orientated into the vertical format on the film, it really a was pain having to stand at the side of the enlarger to compose. Plus it was a pain to hold the camera sideways, to shoot a landscape.

It was equipped with a set of side lugs for the carry strap, sat beautifully under the arm out of the weather and sight. The focusing lever on this new camera on the lens is possibly the same component as the one on the GS645.

In fact apart from a few details, notably a winding knob, instead of a lever on the top. The internal construction flaps which are appropriate for the 6x6 & 6x7 format changing thingy, it looks remarkably like the GS645.

I would think the basis of this new camera, would have been done with as much proven and existing design work as possible.

The more I see as we are drip fed information, the more I think the design is in thinking with what the minimum requirement I believe one needs in a medium format folder.

I just hope the lens, is up to the task!

Mick.

Ps:- regarding camera lugs on the side for hanging either around the neck or under the arm. My late father in-law had a 127 folder of German origin, with this feature. Whether it was a military special I don't know, but he was a photographer at the Russian front with these.