Fuji GX680 III

[shawn]

First time out with the Fuji GX680 III. As it is a monster, finding a relatively easy way to transport it was important. The camera fits well in the bottom of a Lowepro Fastpack 250. A model I or II might not due to the bulge of the battery pack on the side. The III can use the battery pack or it can be powered by CR123As in the base of the camera.





Lenses fit in the top section putting them side by side and film/meter and such can fit in the front of the top. This rig is around 25 pounds or so not including a tripod.




I'm currently printing a holder to keep them from moving around.



This is a camera meant for a tripod, make sure it is strong. The camera has two mounting points for a tripod (3/8" and 1/4") so I used one of these ARCA plates.




Once I had the camera on the tripod I just carried it around on my shoulder. I have a brace that fits into my ARCA B1 that prevents it from moving around when it is carrying a heavy camera.




This is the first time I've really ever felt it was needed.

I went to a local park for some test shots. Two rolls and used the 65, 100 and SF190 along with movements as needed and different apertures. It is a gray overcast day so the light was flat/boring. As a test I wasn't too concerned about it.

Camera is very fun to use and the rotating back was great. First roll i confused me as it gave a warning beep after one of my shots. I thought it was the exposure warning (more than +/- 2 stops off). Turns out it gives you a warning beep when you have 1 shot left on the roll.

Film is processing now and I will hopefully be able to scan something lattr tonight.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

A neck strap?! Now that gave me a chuckle!
Looking forward to seeing what The Beast can do...

 

[shawn]

Yeah, I put the strap on to see what it is like. You can actually shoot that way as it basically just swings the film back into your stomach and holds there pretty well. Except for all the weight. 🙂 I doubt I'll do much of that. Mostly to have the strap to make sure it doesn't fall when moving to/from the tripod. May end up taking it off though as the buckle can rubs against the bag bellow.

Film is drying. The last frame on both rolls has a little burn on one side so not sure what they is about. I had one frame that was totally black and outside of the borders too so again not sure what happened there. Frame spacing looks good and the shutters look consistent when I changed shutter/aperture combos on successive shots. I did end up with a slight developing error on one frame as the tape on the roll was touching another frame slightly so it impacted development in that location. Don't think it ended up imprinting the film with shutter/aperture so I may have had something set wrong on the film back.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Yeah, I put the strap on to see what it is like. You can actually shoot that way as it basically just swings the film back into your stomach and holds there pretty well. Except for all the weight. 🙂 I doubt I'll do much of that. Mostly to have the strap to make sure it doesn't fall when moving to/from the tripod. May end up taking it off though as the buckle can rubs against the bag bellow.

Film is drying. The last frame on both rolls has a little burn on one side so not sure what they is about. I had one frame that was totally black and outside of the borders too so again not sure what happened there. Frame spacing looks good and the shutters look consistent when I changed shutter/aperture combos on successive shots. I did end up with a slight developing error on one frame as the tape on the roll was touching another frame slightly so it impacted development in that location. Don't think it ended up imprinting the film with shutter/aperture so I may have had something set wrong on the film back.

There's a lot going on inside one of those. Let's hope it's all working correctly!
And yes, I use a neck strap for the same reasons with my Rollei 6006, not quite the size of The Beast, but not a walkin' around camera, either.

 

[shawn]

Some test shots...

This was just to see how much I could reduce the bellows focus distance from the stairs to the ball by using some tilt. Without tilt it was 4mm of movement, with tilt it was 2mm. Focused at the midpoint and at f16 with the 100mm.

SF190 at F8

SF190 at F11

 

[shawn]

100mm maxed out the rise and needed to tilt the camera a little more too.

65mm

100mm f8

 

[shawn]

SF190mm F11

SF190mm F16

Unfortunately the blacked out frame was the F8 shot from this sequence. Wanted that one to see the soft focus at distance.

If anyone wants to see the full resolution versions they are here. There is no sharpening applied to any of the images. Be warned... they are *large*. I scanned them on my S1R in High Resolution Mode.

Lens holder finished printing. May make an add on to the side to hold my light meter, there is enough room in the backpack.

 

[trix4ever]

I've often thought of getting one of these for the movements, then realise my Linhof Technika 5x4 outfit weighs about half...
I have used the linhof handheld, doubt I'd do that with the Fuji.
Still interested to read your experience.

 

[shawn]

If one wanted to shoot handheld, I think the way to go would be with two smaller straps connecting to the straps of a backpack/suspendors. That would move the weight to your shoulder and be much more manageable.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

If one wanted to shoot handheld, I think the way to go would be with two smaller straps connecting to the straps of a backpack/suspendors. That would move the weight to your shoulder and be much more manageable.

Or consider a monopod? They're a very underrated solution for shooting with bulky and heavy medium format cameras. None of the weight and bulk (and annoyance to others) of a tripod, while providing at least one shutter speed lower for semi-hand-held shooting. As easy to move about with as a hand-held camera, and the whole rig can be toted on your shoulder, set up and ready to go. Perhaps a little less intimidating to subjects, as well, though anyone would be justified if they ran screaming at the sight of an approaching GX680 😉.

 

[shawn]

I had one frame that was totally black and outside of the borders too so again not sure what happened there.

I figured out what happened here. Basically, user error and a little bit of a quirk on the GX680 III. I was using mirror lockup on most of these shots. On the GX680 I and II mirror lockup is a single shot thing. You lock up the mirror, take the shot and it resets back to normal. On the GX680 III if you flip the switch for mirror lockup it returns to the locked up state (with the lens shutter closed) after taking the shot. If you turn the camera off while the mirror is locked up it stays locked up and the lens shutter is closed. To lower the mirror you have to flip the switch back down which lowers the mirror and opens the shutter. The pictures before the burned one I was definitely using mirror lock up with the 100mm. I'm sure I turned off the camera but didn't realize the mirror stayed locked up. When I moved to take the next shot I changed to the 190mm which of course meant I burned the film with no lens on and continued to burn it while the lens was on with the shutter open before I turned the camera on again.

I definitely had a time where I had moved to a new location and when I went to frame the image wasn't seeing anything through the camera because the mirror was locked up and it took me a couple of seconds to figure out what was going on.

 

[shawn]

Or consider a monopod? They're a very underrated solution for shooting with bulky and heavy medium format cameras. None of the weight and bulk (and annoyance to others) of a tripod, while providing at least one shutter speed lower for semi-hand-held shooting. As easy to move about with as a hand-held camera, and the whole rig can be toted on your shoulder, set up and ready to go. Perhaps a little less intimidating to subjects, as well, though anyone would be justified if they ran screaming at the sight of an approaching GX680 😉.

I have a very heavy duty monopod that might work pretty well for this. Of course that just adds more weight too. 🙂

The video I linked to of the guys shooting handheld seemed to have the opposite reaction to running for the hills. Many wanted to see what the camera was all about. They weren't subtle at all as another guy was holding the lighting.

I had several curious watchers at the park yesterday. Nobody asked about it though.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

I figured out what happened here. Basically, user error and a little bit of a quirk on the GX680 III. I was using mirror lockup on most of these shots. On the GX680 I and II mirror lockup is a single shot thing. You lock up the mirror, take the shot and it resets back to normal. On the GX680 III if you flip the switch for mirror lockup it returns to the locked up state (with the lens shutter closed) after taking the shot. If you turn the camera off while the mirror is locked up it stays locked up and the lens shutter is closed. To lower the mirror you have to flip the switch back down which lowers the mirror and opens the shutter. The pictures before the burned one I was definitely using mirror lock up with the 100mm. I'm sure I turned off the camera but didn't realize the mirror stayed locked up. When I moved to take the next shot I changed to the 190mm which of course meant I burned the film with no lens on and continued to burn it while the lens was on with the shutter open before I turned the camera on again.

I definitely had a time where I had moved to a new location and when I went to frame the image wasn't seeing anything through the camera because the mirror was locked up and it took me a couple of seconds to figure out what was going on.

Glad to hear that this was user error, and not a defect. Similar nonsense goes on with later Bronicas, I think. Or at least with my ETRSi. Of course, as I'm sure you know, remembering a camera's quirks becomes second nature after you've messed up a few times. What large format shooter didn't remember to remove the dark slide (several times!) when first starting out?

 

[shawn]

Me too, I had been wondering if maybe the shutter in that lens had stuck open. The camera never threw an exposure warning though so I figured it had to be something else. Glad to figure it out.

Would be hard to forget the dark slide on the Fuji. If it is in when you turn it on it beeps at you and flashes on the film back.

 

[shawn]

Found a really nice ARCA compatible plate for the GX680.

The additional legs lets the camera stand upright on a table without being wobbly like it is with a regular plate.

 

[shawn]

Found an inexpensive earlier film back for the GX680. The earlier backs don't have the imprinting and are not multi-format but are still compatible with the GX680III. The early backs have a built in lithium battery to power the memory of the back when it isn't connected to a camera. Those batteries die after a few years. The back will work without the battery but if the back removed from the camera (and possibly if it is rotated on the camera) it will forget what frame it is shooting on. That will screw up spacing enough that you might loose a frame at the end of the roll. The back opens up pretty easily though and swapping the battery out is easy, I just finished on this one.

The later backs use (2) CR2 batteries for memory and to run the motor drive if you load film in the back without it being on the camera.