Thinking about a Fuji 645 camera

[chuckroast]

I have a GA645Zi that has been pretty much flawless for the 25 years or so I've owned it. EXCEPT ... it eventually developed the dreaded partially dead back door LCD problem they all do, sooner or later because of the flex PC circuit board that wraps around the hinge and into the back.

This isn't complete a showstopper, because you can see exposure info inside the viewfinder, but it does make setting ASA and selecting 120/220 a bit harder.

Fototech in Warsaw has figured out how to fix these with newly minted flex PC circuits but it's an expensive repair. You have to get it there and back and they have to move all the parts off your old bad flex to the new one. All in from the US, it was around $500.

But it's 100% worth it if you like these cameras. I have 11x14 prints taken from negs on that camera that are indistinguishable from Hasselblad images. The lens - albeit a small range zoom - is superb. It's the ultimate travel camera: small, very high quality, and very quiet. You can do "serious" shooting manually, or put it in full auto to have a 120/220 point and shoot.

Here's are some scans of prints made from negative produced on that camera:

https://www.tundraware.com/Photography/Gallery/Silver/media/large/20191230-1-15-LoggedIn.jpg
https://www.tundraware.com/Photography/Gallery/Silver/media/large/20230921-1-10-Nailed_It.jpg

These cameras still sell in the range of $1000-$1500 range used. I bought mine new, gray market, for not a whole lot more than that. So putting $500 into it to get another 20 years out of the camera seemed like a reasonable investment.

 

[MTGseattle]

I always thought the GA645zi was a neat concept. A "Pro" point and shoot.

@GregY I currently have 2 dead Mamiya 6mf. It's a long story, and I don't want to clutter the OP's thread with a tale of woe.

I don't think there's a ready parts supply for any of the medium format rangefinders from the 80's-90's. The people who can reliably service them are few and far between also.
If I were itching to get one(of any brand) these days, I'm honestly not sure where I would land. The vertical 645 bothers me, so that rules out quite a few.
In 120/220, I like the square which rules out a few more. Knowing what I do (and sitting on 2 dead ones), I'd probably wait a bit and source a really clean possibly recently serviced Mamiya 6/6mf again.
I don't know how scarce or inflated price the Bronica RF645 has become, but I owned one for a couple of years. The lenses are really good, and the camera is small and compact. It is vertical 645 though.

 

[brian steinberger]

I always thought the GA645zi was a neat concept. A "Pro" point and shoot.

@GregY I currently have 2 dead Mamiya 6mf. It's a long story, and I don't want to clutter the OP's thread with a tale of woe.

I don't think there's a ready parts supply for any of the medium format rangefinders from the 80's-90's. The people who can reliably service them are few and far between also.
If I were itching to get one(of any brand) these days, I'm honestly not sure where I would land. The vertical 645 bothers me, so that rules out quite a few.
In 120/220, I like the square which rules out a few more. Knowing what I do (and sitting on 2 dead ones), I'd probably wait a bit and source a really clean possibly recently serviced Mamiya 6/6mf again.
I don't know how scarce or inflated price the Bronica RF645 has become, but I owned one for a couple of years. The lenses are really good, and the camera is small and compact. It is vertical 645 though.

Bob at Precision Camera Works in TX could fix those Mamiya 6s right up. He has lots of parts.

 

[Dali]

I had a GS645S, (the non-bellows one with the "roll bar" around the lens) back in the '90's.
Sweet camera, sharp contrasty lens, accurate meter for chromes.
I always felt that it was a bit fragile, but never had any problems with it.
Sold it to buy a Hassy 500C/M.

Consider yourself lucky. Mine developed the infamous rangefinder freeze and got trouble with the meter. Yes, the whole camera does not feel very sturdy but the lens is superb!

 

[Radost]

How are those cameras from the same people who made the GWS690iii? By far the sturdiest camera I have. Alway on the bottom of my backpack being banged around and always work.

 

[MTGseattle]

The big Fuji rangefinders are just a special breed.

@brian steinberger I'm aware. He's fixed a different 6 and a 7II for me before. I should just ship them to him, they're not doing me any good sitting here.

 

[GLS]

How are those cameras from the same people who made the GWS690iii? By far the sturdiest camera I have. Alway on the bottom of my backpack being banged around and always work.

No electronics to fail, for one thing.

 

[destroya]

I have a ZI and used it for many years as my walk around MF camera. small enough (barely) to fit in cargo shorts pocket. but alas mid roll about 4 months ago, the LCD died is predictable death. so im on the fence as to fix it or not. I have a mamiya 6 and I dont consider them similar cameras. I use the ZI as a 35mm replacement, while the mamiya is a dedicated serious shooting camera FOR ME. so the ZI sits while I decade on the $500 repair cost. But the results from it are amazing

the fujis 645's are great. but over the years I have reservations about how well they can and will hold up. I was thinking of getting a manual focus model as I much prefer manual focusing (even though I have never missed focus on a ZI shot) but the prices are still high. its funny. 10 years ago I shot 95% MF gear, now days its 35mm and 4x5 with 120 shot in a roll film back in the 4x5. my MF cameras are getting lonely!

john

 

[chuckroast]

I have a ZI and used it for many years as my walk around MF camera. small enough (barely) to fit in cargo shorts pocket. but alas mid roll about 4 months ago, the LCD died is predictable death. so im on the fence as to fix it or not. I have a mamiya 6 and I dont consider them similar cameras. I use the ZI as a 35mm replacement, while the mamiya is a dedicated serious shooting camera FOR ME. so the ZI sits while I decade on the $500 repair cost. But the results from it are amazing

the fujis 645's are great. but over the years I have reservations about how well they can and will hold up. I was thinking of getting a manual focus model as I much prefer manual focusing (even though I have never missed focus on a ZI shot) but the prices are still high. its funny. 10 years ago I shot 95% MF gear, now days its 35mm and 4x5 with 120 shot in a roll film back in the 4x5. my MF cameras are getting lonely!

john

Fototech in Warsaw did a great job on my Zi but you should contact them before shipping because the customs paperwork has to be filled out a certain way or you get a very nasty duty bill.

They manufactured their own replacement flex printed circuit, but the majority of the work is moving the parts from the original to the new one. They tell me they expect the repair to last at least as long as the original.

I got 20+ years out of mine before it had a problem. I figure paying $500 for another 20 years is money well spent. These cameras have held their value remarkably well. Used ones are selling for north of $1000.

In any case, I love having mine back in full form. It's a wonderful travel and wandering around camera with an absolutely first rate lens.

 

[Mark J]

Consider yourself lucky. Mine developed the infamous rangefinder freeze and got trouble with the meter. Yes, the whole camera does not feel very sturdy but the lens is superb!

I was unlucky in a different way. Mine had a lens that was poor in one corner !

 

[yurihuta]

Fototech in Warsaw did a great job on my Zi but you should contact them before shipping because the customs paperwork has to be filled out a certain way or you get a very nasty duty bill.

They manufactured their own replacement flex printed circuit, but the majority of the work is moving the parts from the original to the new one. They tell me they expect the repair to last at least as long as the original.

I got 20+ years out of mine before it had a problem. I figure paying $500 for another 20 years is money well spent. These cameras have held their value remarkably well. Used ones are selling for north of $1000.

In any case, I love having mine back in full form. It's a wonderful travel and wandering around camera with an absolutely first rate lens.

Did you send your 645zi from the USA? I am planning to do that - send in my soon to arrive 645zi to them - and they said to declare the value at $20. Did that not allow you to purchase insurance for the shipment?

 

[chuckroast]

Did you send your 645zi from the USA? I am planning to do that - send in my soon to arrive 645zi to them - and they said to declare the value at $20. Did that not allow you to purchase insurance for the shipment?

Yes, I sent it from the USA via US Postal Service international shipping.


You need to follow their instructions. If you declare the actual value, then you will be liable for the huge tariff/duty that Poland inflicts.

It does mean shipping without insurance, as I recall, which is a risk.

 

[yurihuta]

Yes, I sent it from the USA via US Postal Service international shipping.


You need to follow their instructions. If you declare the actual value, then you will be liable for the huge tariff/duty that Poland inflicts.

It does mean shipping without insurance, as I recall, which is a risk.

Thank you!