Choices for wide angle 6x9

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loneranger

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I am looking for a light weight, reliable and relatively affordable 6x9 rangefinder with moderately wide angle lens (65-80mm). The only affordalbe 6x9 wide angle I know of is the fuji 690sw which is cheap but for my needs, too big and bulky. Are there any wide angle 6x9 folders out there that fit the bill?
I have the bessa II which I love but sometimes wish I had a little wider lens.
 
There are not that many - if it must be 6x9, and smaller than a Fuji GSW690, you may be down to nothing more than the Brooks Plaubel Veriwide (not really affordable at roughly three times the going rate of the GSW) and the original Plaubel Makina II or III with the 73mm Orthar lens (mine at least is a very poor performer, with a IQ which is not even up to 35mm wide/panoramic disposables).

Personally I'd recommend the Fujis, regardless of size - that is the only affordable option which delivers high image quality. If you need less size and even better image quality, money is no matter and you can accept 6x7, get a Makina W67 or the new and coming Fuji/Bessa...
 
in 6x9 Fuji maybe your best bet. Outside of the ones mentioned already 2x3 press style cameras such as Linhof Super Technica or Crown Graphics with a 6x9 roll film back.

On the Brooks Veriwide, first version used a 6x10 film back if I remember correctly. The second version had the 6x9 back.

Gary
 
There are the Mamiya Press cameras with 50 and 63mm interchangeable wide angle lenses and 6x7 and 6x9 interchangeable backs, but the kit is not small!
 
The Brooks Veriwide and the Graflex XLSW use the same lenses.
The XLSW is compact and light.
I find it to be a wonderful camera for the 6x9, 6x7 and 6x6 formats.The price for such a camera is not high. I estimate at $450-$600.
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I have had the fuji 690sw, and sold it everytime usually for being to big....I just wish there was something wide but the size of my bessa II.
Raid, the graflex sounds intriguing, I'll check it out
 
FrankS said:
There are the Mamiya Press cameras with 50 and 63mm interchangeable wide angle lenses and 6x7 and 6x9 interchangeable backs, but the kit is not small!
Click to expand...

Wow, someone besides me touting the Mamiya Press cameras. They are good, but not small and light for sure. The 65mm lens is small, but the 50mm is kind of large and heavy. And of course the Super Press 23 although not a folder, does have bellows. :D :D

But I understand you pain. Having developed a back problem that hasn't gone away completely yet, I sure understand the desire for smaller and lighter anything. It has given me a new appreciation for folders in MF, and 9x12 in LF. I have found non-zoom lenses are a welcome return to my roots. :p
 
Why build a 6x9 FOLDER with a WA lens? Diminished rigidity/precision is inevitable (more critical with WAs) so rigid bodies make more sense. Make a WA folder solid, and it's as bulky and heavy as a rigid body: cf 'baby' Linhof.

Unfortunately it's a case of 'good, compact or affordable -- choose any one or (at most) two'.

Cheers,

R.
 
You can't gain much in compactness by folding WA lenses in any case - none of the types you'd use in a rangefinder has a significant amount of air between lens and film which you could fold into...
 
JSU said:
The original Brooks Veriwide 100 is a 6 x 10 cm camera but it is not with an interchangeable back, it is a fixed film chamber like a folder, which contributes to its compact size. The 47mm SA is superb, and only available with the F-8.0 version, it is very, very wide. The updated Brooks Veriwide is usually seen with the 47/8 SA but a few later cameras came with the 47/5.6 SA. The updated version does have an interchangeable 6 x 9 back.

Neither version has a rangefinder, only a VF.
Click to expand...

I use the XLSW with a SA 47mm/8 and with three backs: 6x6, 6x7, and 6x9. It is a compact camera without any whistles, but it is very functional and it has a nice lens on it. Many years ago, I paid about $330 for the XLSW with SA 47mm 8 and three backs.

These days, each back can cost over $100. My set-up may cost $1200.
 
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Google Mosculon and you'll see a Moskva based DIY with a 90 6.8 Angulon. If you find a 6x9 Nettra or Ikonta body, work gets even easier. This looks a bit longer than you want (65 to 80) but is very flat. It does not have a RF, but you could attach an aux RF or go without depending on what you shoot. If you need shorter, others have used a 65 Super Angulon, but your weight goes up.
 
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