Fotoman & Gaoersi anyone

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Soeren

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Hi guys and gals
I wisited the websites of the above and just out of curiosity does anyone shoot Fotoman Dmax, 69 or 69S or the Gaoersi 45.
If so please comment.
Kind regards
 
I haven't used either of these, but thanks for posting the question; it prompted me to go check out the Fotoman website! I would love the 69-H as my future medium format camera...sort of a less astronomically priced Alpa! :)
 
Soeren I recently bought a Fotoman 617 and was stunned by the build quality. This is a beautifully made piece of kit. I'm sure the 69 would be the same. The company doesn't put serial nos. on their cameras any more as they provide a lifetime warranty.
 
Thanks for your replies. Hmm It seems Fotoman and Gaoersi may be out of business soon, apparantly no one uses them :)
Kind regards
 
keeds, me too ... i'm starting to save pennies, which is gonna take a while but still is obtainable in this lifetime, unlike an Alpa! :D
 
pfoto, i may be mistaken, but i think soeren was being a tad sarcastic since no one here on RFF has responded that they use cameras from either company...
 
Expanding the question to ALPA, how are you shooting with a "scalefocus" camera of that caliber. What are the strenght and weaknesses of them compared to e.g. Mamiya 7. Ofcource they are mostly for wideangle use but apart from that. For what kind of subjects do they lend themself
How does they differ from each other.
I once read the review on the Gaoersi 45 on Magnachrome and was tempted by it but it seems to me as a very specialist kind of camera.

kind regards
 
Dear Soeren,

I've only used a couple of Fotoman cameras, and can confirm that the build quality of later cameras is a great deal better than the earliest models. They are very well made, very basic cameras.

Alpas are almost equally basic but more versatile and even better made (understandably, given the prices!). Frances and I have the following lenses: 35/5.6 Apo-Grandagon (her favourite, on 6x9cm), 38/4.5 Biogon (my favourite, on 66x44mm), 47/5.6 and 58/5.6 Super Angulons.

Scale focusing is more than adequate, and as with any camera, you can use then for a wide variety of subjects: reportage, landscape, interiors, architecture, travel... For interiors and architecture the 12 S/WA (with shift) has obvious advantages. Also, of course, with an Alpa you can use a wide variety of backs and fiormats, all auto-spacing (no red window). We use Alpa (Linhof-derived) in 5x9cm and 70mm 6x7cm, and Mamiya in 66x44, 6x7cm and 6x8cm -- the latter electric advance. Film wind and shutter cocking are of course separate, unlike a Mamiya 7, but thanks to the ergonomics of the camera, this slows you down very little AND you can change backs for film or format.

Cheers,

Roger
 
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Dear Roger
I figured you'd chime in here now :) So versatility is the word? The modular system gives you an amount of different formats with basicly the same camera, not much different from some MF SLR systems but with the addition of wider lenses. So when shooting are you restricting yourselv to smaller appertures for a greater DOF to ensure sharp pics even if slightly missfocused? How does your shooting techniques differ from your MP/Bessa techniques?
kind regards
 
Papercut said:
pfoto, i may be mistaken, but i think soeren was being a tad sarcastic since no one here on RFF has responded that they use cameras from either company...
Click to expand...
Soeren said:
Quite right :D
Click to expand...
My apologies to both! :) I am using my 617, which is very basic as Roger points out. I picked mine up used (3 rolls through it) on photo.net and I use a Schneider 110/5.6 Super-Symmar XL on it. I think the concept of Gaoersi and Fotoman is basic simplicity and low price. The cameras can only do one thing, but they do it well. This approach really suits me as I want a panoramic that will make very high quality big prints, and I'm not interested in any other MF equipment. If you look at a Fotoman or Gaoersi against a Fuji or Linhof panoramic it is an attractive proposition because of the price and especially if you already have a MF lens. The Fotoman is versatile at the front end - it will mount a very wide variety of lenses. The downside is that for every lens you need a new cone and that's $400-$500 per. Mine came with a cone for the Schneider 110 so I bought that lens to put on it. These types of basic cameras work for me but they may not work for everyone. I needed an inexpensive way into panoramic and the Fotoman/Gaoersi provides that.
 
Threads like this make me positively ill with GAS... ;-)

I'm very glad to read Roger's thoughts on his ALPA and lenses, as my biggest question when contemplating this type of modular MF is what LF lens to put on the front. My needs (well, wants really) are quite simple: moderate wide angle to start as an all-around lens, but the choices are bewildering to someone unfamiliar with LF.
 
Soeren said:
Dear Roger
I figured you'd chime in here now :) So versatility is the word? The modular system gives you an amount of different formats with basicly the same camera, not much different from some MF SLR systems but with the addition of wider lenses. So when shooting are you restricting yourselv to smaller appertures for a greater DOF to ensure sharp pics even if slightly missfocused? How does your shooting techniques differ from your MP/Bessa techniques?
kind regards
Click to expand...
Dear Soeren,

The d-o-f of any of those lenses is sufficient that unless you are shooting below about 2m, guessing is more than adequate, even at full aperture. Also, scale focusing is a skill that improves rapidly with practice.

On the other hand, I don't use anything longer than 58mm, which is under 28mm equivalent on 6x8cm (the format I use with that lens). They have supplied longer lenses -- 80mm, 95mm, even 150mm -- but I'd be a lot less happy scale-focusing those. For 80mm and above I use other cameras, with coupled rangefinders.

The shooting technique can be the same for some subjects -- you really can use an Alpa incredibly fast -- though the 70mm back is a good idea if you're using a lot of film. I almost never use 70mm because of poor film choice and the inconvenience of development.

For other subjects, there's always a tripod and even a ground-glass back if you want one, though with her 12 S/WA Frances uses a graduated finder and guesstimation and finds it accurate enough.

Cheers,

R.
 
I have not got a chance to use a fotoman camera other then to just play with one at a product show at the yearly pingyao international photo festival but from what I saw, looked like great pieces of kit but with prices that made me wonder why you would get one of those when you can get a horseman 45fa for almost the same money but it is significantly more useful as a landscape camera.
 
Alpa has an updated version of their photographic calculations spreadsheet on their website. Part of it is a DOF calculator which allows you to compare the DOF of different focal lengths, subject distances or aperture values. It can give you a pretty good idea what can be achieved with "guesstimating" distances, or more specifically: the DOF range you can work in.

http://www.alpa.ch/index.php?path=news&detailpage=80
 
Dear Roger
Sorry for not getting back earlier, but Im attending an APUG meeting/cource at Vraa Highschool here in Denmark. Thank you for your explanation and comments on the subject. i think that fed my curiosity.
Kind regards
 
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Longer FLs and wider apertures will make the mamiya 7 stand out as the better option, but with wider lenses shorter FLs and more landscape subjects scale focusing is fine. I find this great for street shooting in Kabul as, depending on subject, I sometimes dont get time to focus (people look away or just look towards the camera in a very unusual way...often with more people turning and staring blankly - I have never experienced anything like it!). I just zone focus or if it is a specific subject I want to take a grab shot of without disturbing the subject/s, I guesstimate, set the focus and aperture and then turn and take the shot. There is rarely a chance for a second focused shot, btu with wider lenses focus is normally accurate enough.

Interchangeable backs is handy on teh Alpa, but the Fotoman 69 provides that.

Avotius, the horseman 54 FA is much larger, heavier and has more 'bits'. more flexible as a landscape camera, yes, but less flexible at other tasks I would say. not so good for street grab shots, requires greater space for carriage...heavier on the arms etc, use of 120 is far less convenient etc. I can certainly see the appeal of an Alpa or Fotoman 69 as they are super simple, fast to use, and in the case of the Fotoman 69 far smaller. The Fotoman 612 may be more than a used Horseman 54, but it is once again smaller, lighter and uses 120 film without additional fiddling/backs etc and so is faster to use. It takes very wide lenses with ease. Its pretty good handheld etc. Horse for courses as always!

My ideal camera to stand between LF and 35mm would be a Bronica RF6x8 with 35-150 lenses! The mamiya 7 goes down to 43 but is not nearly as wide as a 6x9 with a 35mm. I am sorely tempted by a very wide Fotoman 69S kit, but cost is the issue as the super wide LF lenses are not cheap and not that common used. but there is no doubt about it, I could make use of such a camere here that LF would be a royal pain in the butt to use. speed is key here, even if using a tripod! Dark cloths are not something i want to use. I sold my Fotoman 612 and wish I still had it with a 47mm attached for one particular shot! My mamiya 7 with 50mm is not close to the angle i need and a LF camera unsuitable entirely considering the environment...which is why I might bring my 5x7 out here with a 72/90mm in a few months :D
 
Fotoman

Fotoman

I have a fotoman 6x24. Very well made. I have the accessory rangefinder. Very easy to use but with longer lenses it is bulky.
 
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