Fuji GF670 demo model on Photokina

Very nice indeed, and tempting, too!

"80 mm/f3.5 (4 groups 6 elements)" So... not a Heliar formula lens, which would be 3 groups 5 elements (pos/neg, neg, neg/pos). Perhaps a Planar type?
 
I was at Photokina on Tuesday and saw the 6x7 folder at the Voightlander booth. It had the Bessa III name and a Heliar 80/3.5 lens as I recall......Really a classy looking piece of gear!
 
I cannot see how it could be switchable on on a roll.

If you started out as 6x7 (10 photos) and switched to 6x6 for a few you wouldn't have enough length of film for any more than ten photos plus a little bit of blank film.

My guess is that you need to decide before loading the film whether you want 6x7 or 6x6.

Since it's a 6x7 camera it seems perverse to mask down to 6x6, although maybe that's marketing and an attempt to resonate with the Fuji/Hasselblad X-pan.
 
It doesn't seem perverse at all, it's actually quite nice - they are unlikely to make two versions of this due to little demand and I for one don't like 6x7 - preferring 6x6.
 
It adds some versatility I guess at minimum cost. Especially if the 6x6 framelines are always on, I couldn't see a selector switch.

I suppose with 6x6 you never have to turn the camera for a 'vertical' photo.
 
Doug said:
Very nice indeed, and tempting, too!

"80 mm/f3.5 (4 groups 6 elements)" So... not a Heliar formula lens, which would be 3 groups 5 elements (pos/neg, neg, neg/pos). Perhaps a Planar type?
Click to expand...

My bet is on a classical symmetrical type. Easier to keep small and with nicer wide-angle characteristics. A Plasmat for example. Fuji has used a Plasmat design with the 60mm on the 645 and possibly on the MF SLR 680. Though based on symmetrical designs a modern Planar 80 mm even on f3.5 would be larger I think. The older Planar designs are more or less symmetrical.

It could still be a Tessar based design though but with 6 elements. There have been different 5 element designs like the Heliar, the Ross Xpress and 6 element designs like the Leitz Hektor (3 groups). But my bet is on a classical symmetrical type.

The Nikkor 80 mm f.2.8 also had 6 elements in 4 groups but is a stop faster. It looks bigger on that camera than the Heliar on the Fuji. Could not find a lens diagram on that one.

Ernst Dinkla
 
ClaremontPhoto said:
I cannot see how it could be switchable on on a roll.

If you started out as 6x7 (10 photos) and switched to 6x6 for a few you wouldn't have enough length of film for any more than ten photos plus a little bit of blank film.

My guess is that you need to decide before loading the film whether you want 6x7 or 6x6.

Since it's a 6x7 camera it seems perverse to mask down to 6x6, although maybe that's marketing and an attempt to resonate with the Fuji/Hasselblad X-pan.
Click to expand...

Someone mentioned curtains for the frame size switch as said by a Fuji booth member. I have no idea whether it is done before loading or possible while loaded. I guess the curtain mechanism can switch the framelines too.

If they actually take the old Linhof Ideal format of 72x56 (or my ideal format 79x53 🙂 then there is some difference to a 56x56 frame. If it stays below 70 mm then I do not see a reason to make that switch possible, for the same price they could have extended the frame size to 79 mm and skip the 6x6 size 🙂

Ernst Dinkla
 
Rangefinder base ?

Rangefinder base ?

The rangefinder design intrigues me. I'm not sure where the second window of the rangefinder is. If it is the round one at the left then I measure approx 53 mm base length in the pictures. If it is the clear rectangle in the rangefinder illumination window it is a lot less = 38 mm approx. The last seems unlikely given the 80 mm f3.5 lens. Magnifying on such a small base asks for more precision in the rangefinder construction which isn't easy on a folder and makes it harder to shoot with both eyes open. If I recall it correctly 37 mm is the plain base for all the 35 mm single window view/rangefinder Bessas from Cosina with varying magnification factors per model. So I presume the silicon cell is placed in the illumination window and the round one is the actual second rangefinder window. With 53 mm base and 1:1 ratio it is about equal to the Iskra rangefinder (55 mm 1:1) that doesn't have the extra light. That one shoots excellent with both eyes open. Many MF rangefinders suffer a bit of a limited rangefinder base, it also restricts the shortest focusing distance. Anyone seen the shortest distance on the lens scale ?

Ernst Dinkla

www.pigment-print.com
 
"If it is the clear rectangle in the rangefinder illumination window it is a lot less = 38 mm approx"

I think thats it though. Looks like every other RF Cosina and Fuji make. Round window - could it be a light meter? Sort of like in a small CV hot shoe meter?
 
The RF window is within the frame line illumination window. Relative to the VF the RF window looks to be located to furthest side of the frame illumination window. The round window to the left of the illuminator window is probably for the light meter.

Image viewed from the front.
 
Last edited:
Solinar said:
The RF window is within the frame line illumination window. Relative to the VF the RF window looks to be located to furthest side of the frame illumination window. The round window to the left of the illuminator window is probably for the light meter.

Image viewed from the front.
Click to expand...

Thank you both for the information.

Too much compromises for my taste. Stephen Gandy writes "by FAR the best RF/VF ever put in a folding RF" but I doubt that. At least the best Polaroid Pathfinders had a wider physical rangefinder base at 1:1, the Konica Pearl IV 645 about 50 mm and 1:1, my Iskra has 55 mm 1:1. Talking about cameras 0f 40 to 50 years back. There have been many comments on the limited rangfinder base of both the Mamiya 7 and the Bronica 645 so this isn't a new issue.

Next what I like to know is what the actual 6x7 frame size is.


Ernst Dinkla

www.pigment-print.com
 
Solinar's take appears correct. The round meter window is thus pretty close to the lens's centerline. Regarding the rangefinder baseline, I'm thinking it will have to be a 1:1 viewfinder or close to that for the effective baseline to be sufficient.

I wonder whether the framelines in the viewfinder will switch along with the format? That would be great but unlikely.
 
Well, Stephen's comment may have more to do with the brightness of the finder and RF patch, and eye relief, than the effective baselength. If indeed the RF patch is a sharply delineated patch such as the Cosina-made Bessa Rs have, then I'd agree with him. I can't think of any folder with a rangefinder patch like that.
 
It's interesting that you can switch between the 6x6 and 67 formats. That'll certainly increase the number of potential buyers. I would have been satisfied with 67, but there are lots of square folks out there.

Also, the "667" model number is a fun by-product of the multiple formats. Almost evil, but not quite ...
 
KoNickon said:
Well, Stephen's comment may have more to do with the brightness of the finder and RF patch, and eye relief, than the effective baselength. If indeed the RF patch is a sharply delineated patch such as the Cosina-made Bessa Rs have, then I'd agree with him. I can't think of any folder with a rangefinder patch like that.
Click to expand...

That must be it but does it help in focusing accuracy on the film ?

Ernst Dinkla
 
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