Fuji 6x9 in Munich, Germany

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Rauti

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Hi folks,

I'm Moritz from Munich, Germany and I fell in love with Fuji's idea of having a huge negative in a relatively small camera. I desperately want a Fuji GW690.

I've photographed with Canon DSLRs, Pentax SLRs and a Rolleiflex TLR.
As I have no experiences with rangerfinder-cameras, especially with medium-format-rangefinders, I want to check out a real Fuji GW before placing a bid on ebay. First of all because of the sheer size of that Texas-Leica and secondly because of the viewing-system.

I'm spoiled regarding viewfinders due to my Pentax ME or even the 7D, and not so happy with Fuji's recent release of the ProX1.
Hopefully a lot of rangerfinder-viewfinders are a lot better for judging focus, composition etc.

Does anyone can help me out with a Fuji GW690 here in Munich?
Maybe we could do a short photography-tour and a beer afterwards.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,

Moritz
 
Im sure thats very helpful to the OP. not sure what motivates some comments.

There are many to be found on ebay and i think a good conditioned copy can be found for $400usd or so if you look routinely and have some patience. Good luck!
Tony
 
Welcome to the forum!

I have a GSW690; the wide version with the 65mm lens. I recently shot a couple of rolls and was reminded just how good this format is. I'm also not in your area, but good luck with your pursuit! 🙂
 
Like Literiter and OP I've been thinking of snapping up one of these. There's a Japanese seller on the *Bay by the name 'astrosmith22'. He usually has a couple of these on sale. The going rate for the II model seems to be in the range of £350 and the III model a couple of hundreds more. The rarer 65mm model is a bit more expensive. Of course one should add up postage charges and whatever taxes (VAT in EU) might be applicable.

For me the Fuji 6x9 would primarily be a landscape camera where the large negative would allow for better scans and larger prints and maybe a tiny bit more tonality as well.
 
I love my GSW690, but it is BIG and HEAVY. And you are changing film every 8 shots as there is no 220 B&W film. I carried it last year on a hiking vacation in some California national parks, and by the end of the day it felt like it weighed a ton (US or metric - you get the idea). But the results are just amazing. Virtually grain free enlargements that have a wonderful quality to them - this is the "medium format advantage" that others speak and write about. So I use it a lot where the relatively slow lens (f/5.6) doesn't matter and where the distances involved are not that great. I bought mine from KEH in "bargain" condition - means that it is not pretty, but works fine.
 
I'm not sure what the options are in Munich, but most professional rental places (used to) have these. Perhaps the OP can rent one for a weekend to get his hands on one, and get a feel for it. There is nothing like shooting a few rolls of film to decide if you like something or not.
 
Hi Moritz,

sorry, I don't live in Munich and I don't even own a 6x9 Fuji. In case you cannot find a camera in your vicinity... one way to have a first-hand look at one would be your local used camera fair ("Kamerabörse"), where you can usually see one or two of them. But the next one in Munich is in November, which is still a bit down the road. Or you could order from a dealer in Germany and make use of the 14 days return privilege if you don't like it? Or stop by Gerard Wiener's shop (the legendary camera repair man, Landwehrstr. 12), it seems he always has some older medium format camera gear to sell in his shop, maybe also a Fuji 6x9? Good luck and keep us informed on the outcome...

John
 
I have Fuji GW690 (the III). I want to sell it. I will also be passing through Munich in 3 weeks. If you have patience/interest you could inspect it personally.
(sorry for the out of classifieds deal, he asked for it 🙂 )
 
I never really grasped the rant about 6X9

I never really grasped the rant about 6X9

granted, 6X6 and 6X7 is more readily available, and Fuji did also make a 6X8 in the big rangefinder.

But 6X9 has to be the ideal format....

Especially if you started out in 35mm. How can someone who probably shot a lot of 35 (135) film call 6X9 "boring"?

It's the same aspect ratio as most have used for years, plus add the element of quality that MF provide. Once I found 6X9, coupled with Mamiya Sekor press and eventually Fuji EBC lenses, I never shot another MF format. 24X36mm and 6X9 CM are both 3:2 aspect ratio. Even 6X4.5 is far too petite for me.

And now with scanning and digital intervening, even the old rant about enlargers not handling it are moot.

Please, if you shot 35mm for any time at all, growing into photography, why would you not naturally shoot 6X9?

PFA!!!
 
I have a GSW690III, and will sell it in the next future. Gathers dust since I switched to M9. Live 300 km from Munich....
 
Moritz, GW690 is not a small camera 😀

If you want compact, find a well-kept 6x9 folder (Welta, Balda, Franka, or more "elite" pack like Zeiss Ikonta or Certo) which would still be cheaper than the Fuji.

Have it CLA'd and you're in for big surprise on how beautiful those negatives from these old cameras are.
 
I say just get one - you won't be sorry 🙂

My 690 was not only my 1st medium format camera, it was also my 1st rangefinder. I just shot a magazine cover with it that looks awesome. There's not a negative I look at from this thing that makes me regret getting it.

There are some down sides, sure. It's big & heavy (as others have said). It's not the most comfortable camera to carry around all day & unless you have big hands, shooting with it for a long period of time can be a bit uncomfortable. You only get 8 shots from a 120 roll, so you'll feel like you're constantly reloading the thing - and I'm sure others are more adept at speedy reloads, but I always feel like I'm Captain Fiddly when it comes time to pop in another roll of film.

Like I said though ... I never regret having or using it. My digital-loving friends laugh and say "look at the giant film camera" like I'm out of medieval times ... but when they see the images, the laughing turns to gasps of wonder.

(at least at the quality of the negative ... not necessarily the quality of my shooting lol)
 
small update.

Met a nice person, bought a Fuji GW690 in like-new condition, was very happy, shot 1,5 rolls of film, the camera strap disintegrated, the camera fell, viewfinder smashed into a million pieces, tears, found a professional repair company in germany, waited 2 months for the spare parts from japan, waited another month, paid alot of money, got it back - just to realise it doesn't work properly.

Need some help:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2035458#post2035458

Thank you!

cheers

moritz
 
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