645 camera - advice needed

[benlees]

Because I missed getting that Pentax I had a chance to rethink- sometimes good, sometimes bad- and ended up buying a Fuji GA645 (v.2) with a faulty flash for less than $300CDN. It seems to be a great camera. I was a little nervous about the AF but it seems to work well. Also, it is very comfortable to use and is quite a nice shape- not cumbersome to have around your neck.

In manual the focusing is by zones 0.7m, 1.5m, etc. Works well, though.

 

[Doug]

At first the Fuji GA645Zi seems attractive for the zoom, but then you find that its zoom is slooowww... only f/4.5 at the 55mm end, and going to f/6.9 at 90mm. That's what has stopped my interest in this otherwise neat rig. I do have the GA645Wi with the 45mm f/4 and that's about as slow a lens as I can put up with for my projects.

Also, the cool Bronica RF645's lenses are f/4 for the 45 and 65, and f/4.5 for the 100 and 135 (if you can find/afford one!). I don't use the external 45mm viewfinder, going with the whole RF window, but then having dedicated 45mm framelines (compensating for both parallax and field size) is one reason I carry the GA645Wi. I do admit it's a relief to use the Bronica for the abilty to see just where the focus is...

More lens speed and lens choices in a 645 SLR of course, but more bulk too. Even the compact Pentax 645 when fitted with the 45-80mm zoom gets pretty bulky. The zooms are generally f/4.5, but the primes are faster, mostly f/2.8 which can be useful.

Ruvy, you might like to try a Fuji GS645S or GA645 (both with the 60mm lens) and see how you like it. The GS is very small and light, and an all-manual RF camera. The GA is a giant point'n'shoot with its own charms... Or a used Bronica RF645 with the 65mm would be great too. Have fun!

 

[FallisPhoto]

I have a rolleiflex e2 that I like a lot ut sometime I feel its not convenient enough to use (like on travel and such). I want to buy a 645 mf camera and thought that fuji ga645zi is a good option but in 35 equivalency (diagonally calculated) its only 34mm wide in less than 60mm long... same +/- goes for the bronica but it has slower lenses and with three lenses if one can find all it gets rather expensive. In terms of 35mm I want to b able to get as wide as 24 or 28 mm wide and 90mm long... any ideas about options I don't know?

Yep. Here's an idea. Get something bigger instead. I got a 645 Pentax and almost never used it, simply because there isn't enough difference between a 645 and a 35mm with high resolution film and good glass to make a fuss about.

 

[aizan]

at what print size? 6x9? it's a different story when you get to even 8x12.