... or, properly subtitled "What the *beep* was I thinking?!?".
Rather than side-track other threads, I thought I'd collect my adventures with this particular monochromatic elephant in a separate thread.
I've been intrigued by the concept of the GX680 since I first saw one-- medium format, but actual, honest-to-goodness large format style movements, and the lenses have a reputation for exceptional clarity and sharpness. The more I read, the more interested I became-- except they use a proprietary no-longer-made battery, and they weigh about the same as a VW Beetle.
After seeing a story by another user who had built their own battery pack, I'm browsing the Bay of Fleas, and I find an example with remarkably good appearance, but it's labeled "untested"-- usually a red flag. The seller (Japan, of course) didn't have a battery, so couldn't test. Well, I saved it in my watch list to think about for later.
Half an hour later, I get an offer for 15% off. At this point, the shipping is nearly as much as the camera, and I've determined there are a couple of low-cost options for a battery pack, and KEH has some inexpensive lenses. A few clicks later, and I was being assured that a camera would be en route to me soon, and a lens classed as "UG" by KEH, along with an actual factory DC power supply (well, it's AC -> DC), would also be here posthaste. Or haste-post.
Two days later, I had the lens and power supply. Power supply puts out 8.13v, lens had some minor scuff marks on the glass that cleaned off with little effort. "UG" my *bleeep*! Calling this thing "BGN" would have been under rating it.
The next day, the camera entered DHL's system, and apparently via wormhole, appeared at my doorstep 48 hours later. That's an average of 150 mph, so perhaps Lewis Hamilton delivered it after being crowned WDC again.
The good: The camera is in remarkably clean condition. The power supply works great. Once powered, all systems seem to work, the only thing left is to run an actual roll of film through. Tried running just backing paper, but instead received a lesson in how long it takes for the film back to spool the backing paper from one spool to another (~ 15 seconds).
The bad: No battery pack-- but I knew that. The bellows have some pinholes, and generally feel... un-supple. Doesn't handle movements gracefully. Can repair, but might be better off replacing. The film back battery is dead, but I expected that, and have a replacement on order. The LED light on the film back is also DOA-- but that may just be because the on-board battery is kerphut.
The weird: Researching the camera, there are 3 models. The Mk I, with the brownish label, the unmarked front standard, the twist knob instead of a lever for focus lock, and the red bar for horizontal vs. vertical. The model II, with the gray label, the "GX680 II" label on the front bar, the lever lock, and the "knives" in the viewfinder that switch between horizontal and vertical. Then there's the model III... and this isn't that one.
Instead, I have a gray label, unmarked front bar, twist-lock on focus rail, and the switching rails that flip between vertical and horizontal. So it appears to be the main body of a GX680 II, with the front assembly from a GX680 I. Still works though, so no complaints.
Next up-- build a better battery pack. Thingiverse has a design for an 18650-based battery pack (they're lithium-ion rechargeables that put out around 3.7v-- so two of them should be pretty close to the 7.2v the camera expects from the original NiCd battery pack): https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3400814
The beast in question:
Rather than side-track other threads, I thought I'd collect my adventures with this particular monochromatic elephant in a separate thread.
I've been intrigued by the concept of the GX680 since I first saw one-- medium format, but actual, honest-to-goodness large format style movements, and the lenses have a reputation for exceptional clarity and sharpness. The more I read, the more interested I became-- except they use a proprietary no-longer-made battery, and they weigh about the same as a VW Beetle.
After seeing a story by another user who had built their own battery pack, I'm browsing the Bay of Fleas, and I find an example with remarkably good appearance, but it's labeled "untested"-- usually a red flag. The seller (Japan, of course) didn't have a battery, so couldn't test. Well, I saved it in my watch list to think about for later.
Half an hour later, I get an offer for 15% off. At this point, the shipping is nearly as much as the camera, and I've determined there are a couple of low-cost options for a battery pack, and KEH has some inexpensive lenses. A few clicks later, and I was being assured that a camera would be en route to me soon, and a lens classed as "UG" by KEH, along with an actual factory DC power supply (well, it's AC -> DC), would also be here posthaste. Or haste-post.
Two days later, I had the lens and power supply. Power supply puts out 8.13v, lens had some minor scuff marks on the glass that cleaned off with little effort. "UG" my *bleeep*! Calling this thing "BGN" would have been under rating it.
The next day, the camera entered DHL's system, and apparently via wormhole, appeared at my doorstep 48 hours later. That's an average of 150 mph, so perhaps Lewis Hamilton delivered it after being crowned WDC again.
The good: The camera is in remarkably clean condition. The power supply works great. Once powered, all systems seem to work, the only thing left is to run an actual roll of film through. Tried running just backing paper, but instead received a lesson in how long it takes for the film back to spool the backing paper from one spool to another (~ 15 seconds).
The bad: No battery pack-- but I knew that. The bellows have some pinholes, and generally feel... un-supple. Doesn't handle movements gracefully. Can repair, but might be better off replacing. The film back battery is dead, but I expected that, and have a replacement on order. The LED light on the film back is also DOA-- but that may just be because the on-board battery is kerphut.
The weird: Researching the camera, there are 3 models. The Mk I, with the brownish label, the unmarked front standard, the twist knob instead of a lever for focus lock, and the red bar for horizontal vs. vertical. The model II, with the gray label, the "GX680 II" label on the front bar, the lever lock, and the "knives" in the viewfinder that switch between horizontal and vertical. Then there's the model III... and this isn't that one.
Instead, I have a gray label, unmarked front bar, twist-lock on focus rail, and the switching rails that flip between vertical and horizontal. So it appears to be the main body of a GX680 II, with the front assembly from a GX680 I. Still works though, so no complaints.
Next up-- build a better battery pack. Thingiverse has a design for an 18650-based battery pack (they're lithium-ion rechargeables that put out around 3.7v-- so two of them should be pretty close to the 7.2v the camera expects from the original NiCd battery pack): https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3400814
The beast in question:
