buying a used ga645zi

[BenJT]

Hey guys. I'm interested in this camera, but I have noticed that a good amount of them have the rear LCD crap the bed over time. I have also noticed that ones with faulty rear lcd's go for way cheaper then ones with properly working ones. My question is, is the rear LCD essential? If the info is displayed elsewhere, or easy to figure out without the rear LCD, I would rather save a lot of money and buy one of the faulty ones. Any other things to look for? I have heard a few people say that theirs was loud and some say theirs is quiet.

 

[ZInnerEye]

Viewer displays essential information

Viewer displays essential information

I have a 645Zi and the LCD has failed. However essential information is displayed on the periphery of the viewer when depressing the shutter button half way.

 

[DrTebi]

I was looking for a GA645i (similar in many aspects to the 645zi), and eventually decided to buy one from Adorama. I liked the return policy, and figured if anything is wrong with the camera, I can return it with no questions asked.

Mine arrived in much better condition as expected--it was practically new.

I just wanted to throw this in here so you can consider another source for a 645zi. Last time I checked, Adorama had a few 645zi cameras available.

 

[Spanik]

The one realy important info on the back is the iso value. As long as you can see (and thus set) that one there shouldn't be a problem. But if that is gone you can forget the internal metering.

EDIT: unless someone knows a workaround. I'd like to hear it then as I'd sleep a lot better about mine then.

 

[sevo]

Does the back actually contain processors or storage that affects the ISO setting? I think it only is the display and switches. If so, you can still photograph with Fuji films, if you had set it to Auto (barcode) ISO before the LCD went dim - the Fuji barcode (and reader) is on the film side and would not be directly affected by back issues.

 

[BenJT]

Thanks guys. One other question I have, is how close is the actual image on the negative to the 4:5 ratio? I know that with the 6x7 cameras, 6x7 is just rounded off, and the image is actually very close to the 4:5 ratio. The reason I'm asking is because I want my next camera to get me as close to that ratio without cropping a whole lot.

 

[sevo]

Thanks guys. One other question I have, is how close is the actual image on the negative to the 4:5 ratio?

Not at all, but neither is it supposed to. 4.5x6 is a 3:4 ratio.

 

[emjo]

You can actually set ISO without the display: Select ISO then turn the wheel clockwise (as seen from above) "a lot", this will set the ISO to AUTO. Use AUTO if the film is coded, else turn the wheel counter clockwise bump by bump. The first bump sets 25 then come 32, 40, 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600. The counter stops at 1600 and does not restart at the AUTO setting.

Apart from that, the LCD serves for setting the date and also selects auto or manual focus. I have no idea if these can be set if the LCD cable is cut, I imagine the switch information travels in the same cable, so probably not.

 

[BenJT]

Not at all, but neither is it supposed to. 4.5x6 is a 3:4 ratio.

Gotcha, I knew it was a 3:4 aspect ratio, just didn't know if the actual image size was a little closer to 4:5.

 

[sevo]

Gotcha, I knew it was a 3:4 aspect ratio, just didn't know if the actual image size was a little closer to 4:5.

No - there is no variation to (modern) 645, it is firmly defined to be 56×41.5mm, i.e. the 4:3 crop from 6x6, which is width limited to 56mm.

There is quite a bit of variation to 6x7 and 6x8, as these formats are not derived from the original 120 backing paper markings, and there even are some minor variations of 6x9. But the traditional 120 formats (6x6 and 6x9/6x4.5) are determined by the markings, so there can be no variation to their spacing, at the very best camera makers used more or less of the margin between frames.

But as 645 had been extinct for decades before the Mamiya 645 triggered the renaissance of the format, the definition had been in a single hand in fairly recent times and no similar quirks have slipped in.