Fotoman & Gaoersi anyone

[peter_n]

So the rangefinder is worth buying?

 

[felix5616]

yes i would buy the rangefinder, especially with longer lenses, for accurate focusing when you can't use the ground glass.

 

[peter_n]

It may not be useful for me. I have the 617 with a 110mm lens. Don't have the ground glass either.

 

[Papercut]

this thread is going to ruin me ... as i have a serious case of gear lust for a Fotoman / Alpa in "just" a 6x9 format with a moderate wide angle lens. you guys are evil! ;-)

 

[peter_n]

Well, I bet the Alpa is expensive but the Fotoman is around $900 new right? You should keep your eye on the photo.net MF classifieds, I picked up my Fotoman 617 (latest version) there for $800 used with three rolls of film through it. I just needed to buy a lens to fit the cone.

 

[Papercut]

good idea! ... commencing accumulation of pennies and obsessive haunting of photo.net classifieds now! 😀

 

[peter_n]

I found mine totally by luck. I just happened to log into the forum about 30 mins. after the seller posted. I shot back an email immediately but apparently the seller's internet connection went faulty much to the chagrin of several other very interested buyers. Long story short I was apparently the first. 🙂

The only problem was the cone was for a very expensive Schneider lens (seller kept his) and it took me several months to find one at what I thought was a decent price. That's the one downside with buying used, you are stuck with what the previous buyer was using if they keep the lens. There is not much of a market for used Fotoman cones and they are about $400 per. It is great if you are already an MF user and you have a lens that the camera can take, but buying used can definitely limit your choices...

 

[Soeren]

I take no responsibility in any financial troubles caused by this thread (except my own) 😀
I must be blind since I didn't notice it was still alive untill now.
Hmm How much would a Fotomann 6X9 with lenscone and a reasonable lens(used?) set me back?
Kind regards

 

[peter_n]

With a Horseman back, probably under $2K.

 

[Papercut]

under $2K certainly beats the stratospheric prices of an Alpa, but it's still a tidy pile of pennies! ;-)