Fuji GA645

[jamxo]

After realising I rarely use it, I sold my Bronica ETRS and replaced it with the above Fuji with the 60mm F4 lens. I had a play around with this camera last week and really liked the feel of it.

How is it to shoot? Have I mad a wise purchase? Any negatives or peculiarities to avoid?

I anxiously await the post!
J.

 

[yclinn]

It's really a big PS camera with exellent lens and metering accuracy
I carry it with my M system. It works great.

 

[cmedin]

I have one, and I agree, it's a big point&shoot with a great meter. 🙂

Usually I run mine in Av (aperture priority) mode, and it really is a superb camera. Easy to handhold at slow speeds (probably in great part due to the leaf shutter), great metering (I just wish it had TTL since I forget to compensate for filters at time), and a viewfinder that's unbelievably good.

 

[fbf]

Just got myself a 645zi. I can't wait to see what this baby can do.

 

[DougK]

I had a lot of fun shooting with it when I owned one. I think you'll enjoy it.

 

[Tuolumne]

Just got myself a 645zi. I can't wait to see what this baby can do.

The 645zi is an amazing camera. Real medium format quality in a very small and light weight package. You can shave with the photos from that lens, they are sooo sharp. It's a carry everywhere medium format point-and-shoot camera, if you want to use it that way. Awesome landscape photos.

/T

 

[fbf]

Thank you for the info, T. Actually one of the reasons I bought this camera is because you and some other members here gave this little medium format p&s so much credit. 😀

 

[satbunny]

I have one and it is a great point and shoot MF camera..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tzunder/tags/ga645zi/

 

[Tuolumne]

Thank you for the info, T. Actually one of the reasons I bought this camera is because you and some other members here gave this little medium format p&s so much credit. 😀

Let us know how you like it after the shakedown cruise.

/T

 

[tripod]

I think there's room on this forum for civil disagreement, so I'll venture this: I can't understand the draw of a medium format P+S. If I'm disposed to use a P+S type camera, 35mm would do fine. If I'm serious enough to use medium format, I want to be more involved (focus, aperture, shutter speed, film wind on) than with a P+S. That's just me. I'm not saying it's not a good camera for someone else.

 

[Tuolumne]

It's so simple it CAN be used as a P&S. But that's not all it's good for. You can also use it to compose some seriously beautiful images. I was just saying it is simple enough to use as a P&S if you so choose. And the images you get back are well worth it. Some shots of my duaghter and grandson are head and shoulders better than what I could do with any 35mm camera, or a digital P&S.

/T

 

[tripod]

No doubt MF pics are better than 35 or digi. Is the GA645 easy to use in manual modes? I know with most 35mm P+S, manual operations are a pain.

 

[Tuolumne]

I mostly use it in Program mode, but Aperture priority is very straight forward. I can't remember how it is in full manual mode, since I rarely use it that way. I also almost always use auto-focus. It's fast and accurate.

/T

 

[tripod]

Good. I'm glad you have a camera that you enjoy using. The exposure automation on a Bronica RF645 makes sense to me while an auto focus auto wind MF camera doesn't float MY boat. Not yet anyway. Maybe once I get older and my eyesight begins to fail. How noisy is the auto focus and auto wind?

 

[sooner]

I used to own the GA645 and now pine for a GA645zi. I miss the quality and ease of use. I don't think it's fair to attack the GA645 for being usable as a p&s. Control and quality are two separate issues. Tripod's only issue seems to be a preference to have more control, whereas everyone else seems to be saying the quality is really terrific--not mutually exclusive concepts. Perhaps another unfair comparison would be to say I bought my GA645 for under $400, so I got MF quality at the price of a p&s. In any case, post some pics!

 

[Tuolumne]

Good. I'm glad you have a camera that you enjoy using. The exposure automation on a Bronica RF645 makes sense to me while an auto focus auto wind MF camera doesn't float MY boat. Not yet anyway. Maybe once I get older and my eyesight begins to fail. How noisy is the auto focus and auto wind?

I don't remember the autofocus mechanism making any noise, and the shutter is a leaf shutter in the lens, so it doesn't make much noise either. The only noise is the whirr of the motor drive advancing the film after exposure. BTW, did I mention that the camera fully auto sets itself from the bar codes on Fuji film? That is very cool. It also micro imprints all of the exposure information between negatives, not on the negatives. Also very cool. And you can use the auto fim advance to load the film onto the spool at the beginning. It just makes using MF a snap. Oh yes, I'm told the built-in flash works very well, but I've never used it myself.

Oh yes, one more thing. Using 220 film you get 33 exposures per roll, just shy of what a 35mm camera gives you. What's not to like about MF quality with a camera that rivals the best 35mm ones, but with a MF negative and an incredibly sharp zoom lens?

/T

 

[satbunny]

I enjoy using my GA645zi as a P&S but it also works fine in auto exposure mode.
Totally manual is not quite worth using.

Now I am talking of the "zi" and the thread is about the fixed lens 645, so here are some caveats:
The 'zi' doesn't focus very close.. the zoom is not fast.. it works well at a measured pace.. but when it works it works.

Of course the advantage of MF for P&S is the same as for anything else.. the lovely big negs..

I must admit I'd also be happy with a fully manual MF RF like the Bronica, but the weight is also an issue and the GA645(zi) are beautifully light whilst still convincing as a real camera. But for MF RF manual I'd actually love a 6x7 camera like the Mamiya 7II.

Hey.. I may trade in for just that!

 

[jamxo]

So the camera arrived this morning, in minty condition (in a faux velvet cause) and I have to say, this camera feels SO nice.

I really like the vertical viewfinder, it means if i shoot a roll of portraits they read almost like a story. It seems to focus to about 0.8m. Really nice weight and ergonomics.

Hope to shoot a couple of rolls over the weekend so will post my results in this thread as I get them.

Awesome camera.

(p.s. the camera does have fully manual controlls for nearly everything if you want them - and if you can afford a mamiya 6/7 it seems to be a good alternative. Got mine for about £200.)

 

[yclinn]

jaxmo:
You can also check the total shot indicator to see how many times the shutter had been released.

 

[cmedin]

BTW, did I mention that the camera fully auto sets itself from the bar codes on Fuji film? That is very cool. It also micro imprints all of the exposure information between negatives, not on the negatives. Also very cool.

Are you talking about the ZI here?

Just wanted to clarify something. The GA645/GA645w does not read the barcodes; only the 'i' models do.

Also, unless I'm completely mistaken, I believe my GA645 imprints the exposure data below the neg, not between frames.

As for the 'point & shoot' part -- mine stays in aperture priority mode since I like DOF control. I don't see this as a sin; most people who tout the wonders of 'manual exposure' just fiddle with the dials until the meter says OK which is just more labor to arrive at the same result.