Fuji 690?

kuzano said:
There is a moving dark slide for changing lenses mid-roll and occasionally that slide is not working, so this is a key check point.
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Thanks, Kuzano.
As for the moving dark slide, is it difficult to repair a non-moving dark slide?
 
Jamie123 said:
A bit off topic but I just went to KEH's website to have a look at the fixed lens Fuji rangefinders and there's a "GSW690II 65 F5.6 GOLD WITH BURGUNDY SUEDE (67) MEDIUM FORMAT MANUAL FOCUS FIXED LENS CAMERA" and the condition is rated UG(LY).

Usually their rating is related to the amount of wear the camera has had but here it just seem to me like it's the general description of this camera 😀
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GOLD WITH BURGUNDY SUEDE already sounds UGLY to me.
 
I'm sure it's repairable, and my favorite guy....

I'm sure it's repairable, and my favorite guy....

raid said:
Thanks, Kuzano.
As for the moving dark slide, is it difficult to repair a non-moving dark slide?
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I've sent five of my Fuji's to Frank Marshman (Camera Wiz). Two of the early folders for new bellows and his mod to strengthen the shutter linkage (both chronic GS645 failure points). Sent two GA645Zi's to him and one big rangefinder.

I have no doubt he can fix the dark slide.

He is on the US Right Side. Harrisonburg VA. Fixing cameras since 1972.

Telephone: 1-800-471-8133; 540-434-8133

Very busy, if you can find an email, good luck on getting a response. He's never responded to my emails, but he either answers the phone, or comes to the phone when I call.

I don't hold this against him because he is good and reasonably priced. Works on his own schedule. Doesn't seem upset when I call him on work he is doing, but I am the least pushy person you will ever find. Nothing in my life is urgent.

He's the man.
 
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kuzano said:
I've sent five of my Fuji's to Frank Marshman (Camera Wiz). Two of the early folders for new bellows and his mod to strengthen the shutter linkage (both chronic GS645 failure points). Sent two GA645Zi's to him and one big rangefinder.

I have no doubt he can fix the dark slide.

He is on the US Right Side. Harrisonburg VA. Fixing cameras since 1972.

Telephone: 1-800-471-8133; 540-434-8133

Very busy, if you can find an email, good luck on getting a response. He's never responded to my emails, but he either answers the phone, or comes to the phone when I call.

I don't hold this against him because he is good and reasonably priced. Works on his own schedule. Doesn't seem upset when I call him on work he is doing, but I am the least pushy person you will ever find. Nothing in my life is urgent.

He's the man.
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Thanks a lot! Now I have the contact info of a repairman who may be able to repair the part.
 
Does not appear to be commemorative or anything.

Does not appear to be commemorative or anything.

Jamie123 said:
A bit off topic but I just went to KEH's website to have a look at the fixed lens Fuji rangefinders and there's a "GSW690II 65 F5.6 GOLD WITH BURGUNDY SUEDE (67) MEDIUM FORMAT MANUAL FOCUS FIXED LENS CAMERA" and the condition is rated UG(LY).

Usually their rating is related to the amount of wear the camera has had but here it just seem to me like it's the general description of this camera 😀
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I've seen about a half dozen of these Gold/Burgundy models on eBay in the last few months. I am not aware of any special or commemorative models, nor are they represented as such. Just seem to have popped out of nowhere about a year ago.
 
raid said:
Thanks a lot! Now I have the contact info of a repairman who may be able to repair the part.
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Raid,

Please PM me regarding your experience with Frank. I like to know if these referrals pan out, in order to feel good about posting them.
 
I bought from KEH a GW690III and a GSW690II, both in excellent condition. As I want to eventually purchase a Leica M9 (especially after reading Roger Hicks' superb review), I have been thinking of selling one or both of them. I love the 6x9cm format, however, and after reading this thread, I wonder if I would regret parting with the cameras! -George
 
Yes....

Yes....

gdmcclintock said:
I bought from KEH a GW690III and a GSW690II, both in excellent condition. As I want to eventually purchase a Leica M9 (especially after reading Roger Hicks' superb review), I have been thinking of selling one or both of them. I love the 6x9cm format, however, and after reading this thread, I wonder if I would regret parting with the cameras! -George
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Yes, You will absolutely regret selling either one of them. NO DOUBT.

In my highly regarded (self) opinion, the digital camera does not exist that can outshoot any of the Fuji rangefinder 690 EBC lenses, either the 65, 90, or the 100.

That said, Let me know if you decide to sell either one, and price. You can PM me.
 
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Will do, Kuzano.
I agree with you on the superbness of the Fuji 100mm 3.5 lens. It is my only Fuji lens. I have said it before, and I repeat it here; only the Fuji 100mm 3.5 appears to be sharper than the Zeiss Planar 80mm 2.8 on my Rolleiflex TLR.
 
I bought my Fujica GL690 with the 100mm F3.5 lens off Ebay for $450+shipping. It was in great shape, the previous owner obviously had used it quite a bit resulting in nicely brassed edges, albeit not excessively. The darkslide works, everything is in great shape actually. The shutters seem to fire fine, as I've gotten good results with few blown frames all due to my own fault of incorrectly guesstimating exposure.

I love it, wish the other lenses for this camera are a bit more common/cheaper, but otherwise I think it's a great buy!
 
gdmcclintock said:
I bought from KEH a GW690III and a GSW690II, both in excellent condition. As I want to eventually purchase a Leica M9 (especially after reading Roger Hicks' superb review), I have been thinking of selling one or both of them. I love the 6x9cm format, however, and after reading this thread, I wonder if I would regret parting with the cameras! -George
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hi George,how much is your price for the gw690III????
 
For those mainly interested in the 100mm lens, the best bargain is to buy a cheap Fuji G690 (the first model) with a damaged darkslide. The darkslide is used to protect the film when changing lenses, so you won't be able to do lens changes when there is film inside the camera (except by using a changing bag). But if you later acquire an additional lens, you will still be able to do lens changes between rolls. And don't forget that a 120 roll is only 8 exposures...

This trick won't work with the subsequent models (G690BL, GL690, GM670), as there is an interlock to prevent lens removal when the darkslide is open.

Cheers!

Abbazz
 
Thanks for clarifying

Thanks for clarifying

Abbazz said:
For those mainly interested in the 100mm lens, the best bargain is to buy a cheap Fuji G690 (the first model) with a damaged darkslide. The darkslide is used to protect the film when changing lenses, so you won't be able to do lens changes when there is film inside the camera (except by using a changing bag). But if you later acquire an additional lens, you will still be able to do lens changes between rolls. And don't forget that a 120 roll is only 8 exposures...

This trick won't work with the subsequent models (G690BL, GL690, GM670), as there is an interlock to prevent lens removal when the darkslide is open.

Cheers!

Abbazz
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I knew an interlock slipped in somewhere along the model line, but couldn't remember when. Thanks for the changing bag idea on the first model.

Also, there was a second shutter release added to the front of the body. I think that was the GL and GM models, if not mistaken.
 
kuzano said:
Thanks for the changing bag idea on the first model.
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You're welcome.

kuzano said:
Also, there was a second shutter release added to the front of the body. I think that was the GL and GM models, if not mistaken.
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Right, the front shutter release appeared on the GL690 in 1973. The kind of clever idea that turns out to be plain stupid!

Cheers!

Abbazz
 
Abbazz said:
For those mainly interested in the 100mm lens, the best bargain is to buy a cheap Fuji G690 (the first model) with a damaged darkslide. The darkslide is used to protect the film when changing lenses, so you won't be able to do lens changes when there is film inside the camera (except by using a changing bag). But if you later acquire an additional lens, you will still be able to do lens changes between rolls. And don't forget that a 120 roll is only 8 exposures...

This trick won't work with the subsequent models (G690BL, GL690, GM670), as there is an interlock to prevent lens removal when the darkslide is open.

Cheers!

Abbazz
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Abbazz,
I have a BL with working darkslide and a G on the way to me that has a nonworking darkslide. I should be OK then. I agree with you that with only 8 frames per roll, you might as well complete the roll and then change lenses. I only have the 100mm 3.5 AE for the BL and the 100mm 3.5 for the G.
 
Debusti Paolo said:
I think that 400€ for a minty gw6900III is a honest offert!!or not??
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From what I've seen recently on Fleabay, GW670III goes for around 550-750USD, GSW690III for around 800-1100USD and the GW690III in between the two. The GW680III was about the same as the GW690III. The price you posted seems quite reasonable.

The camera is large but not unwieldily. It is not silent that's for sure (thanks to the counter actuator). My only gripe about the camera is that the hood doesn't lock in the open position. I like the fact it hides and protects the shutter speed and aperture dial, but it sometimes (most times actually) falls back from the locked position unless you're shooting down.

The camera has a built in bubble level, has a sharp lens, doesn't depend on batteries and flash syncs at all shutter speeds (thanks to the leaf shutter). Actually the fact that it doesn't have interchangeable lenses has been a bonus for me; I don't have to lust for more lenses. 😀
 
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