Fuji GL690 + 180mm Lens?

[JChrome]

I recently travelled through India and Sri Lanka with my GW690 mkiii (fixed 90mm lens for those who don't know). I really wished I would have had a longer lens with me.

This made me look seriously at the 180mm and the interchangeable lens bodies for traveling in the future. I've read great reviews of the lens but no real reviews of it in the field.

Oftentimes, longer lenses are more difficult on rangefinders because the focus cannot be as fine. For those who have this lens, do you find focusing it is hard? Do you love using it? Do you ever use the external viewfinder?

 

[raid]

I used to own a 180. It is too heavy for hauling around with you on trips.

 

[JChrome]

Edit: I saw some figures on another site that were incorrect. I checked the manual and here are the right figures:

The GW690 mkiii is 1460 grams.

The GL690 is 1140 grams (just the body).

100mm normal lens is 605 grams.

180mm is 1025 grams.

So the GL body and 180mm combo would be hefty...

What about the usage though? Do you guys use the external VF more?

 

[Spanik]

I have the lens and didn't yet use it. Depends a bit on what you want from it I guess. It is more a very short tele than a real tele. And the extra viewfinder doesn't make it any easier. The heft in itself isn't a real problem, the combination is balanced, the camera isn't soo small and slipery you fear of letting it go.

So far I only went a single day out with the 690 and a 50/65/100/180. I can tell you I will never do this again (used only the 50 and 65 that day). I'm used to a Mamiya 645 and 4 lenses but this was way, way over the limit. Combined with the slowness of the lenses and extra finders it isn't a combination for traveling in my opinion.

Edit: I saw some figures on another site that were incorrect. I checked the manual and here are the right figures:

The GW690 mkiii is 1460 grams.

The GL690 is 1140 grams (just the body).

100mm normal lens is 605 grams.

180mm is 1025 grams.

So the GL body and 180mm combo would be hefty...

A single GL690 and a lens is heavier than the fixed lens GW690. But once you take a second lens along it is lighter than a second GWS690.

 

[JChrome]

I like the look of 75/80mm (35mm equiv.) lenses. I used to love my 160mm on my pentax 67 so I know I'll like the 180 on the 690.

Spanik, can you take some shots and see if it's hard to focus with?

 

[raid]

I have only the AE 100 lens, which is awesome.

 

[Spanik]

I like the look of 75/80mm (35mm equiv.) lenses. I used to love my 160mm on my pentax 67 so I know I'll like the 180 on the 690.

Spanik, can you take some shots and see if it's hard to focus with?

I had the 100AE on the camera but I'll take the 180 out as well. Only problem is that I don't develop myself. So I wait to have a few films before I go to a lab. If you can wait...

 

[Abbazz]

I recently travelled through India and Sri Lanka with my GW690 mkiii (fixed 90mm lens for those who don't know). I really wished I would have had a longer lens with me.

This made me look seriously at the 180mm and the interchangeable lens bodies for traveling in the future. I've read great reviews of the lens but no real reviews of it in the field.

Oftentimes, longer lenses are more difficult on rangefinders because the focus cannot be as fine. For those who have this lens, do you find focusing it is hard? Do you love using it? Do you ever use the external viewfinder?

See my post on the otheer thread: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2436887&postcount=62

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[Dante_Stella]

I have used the 180 for a long, long time. The minimum focusing distance and heavy and ponderous focusing do not make it a people lens; it is more a landscape lens, and not a very long one at that. It is significantly longer and heavier than the 100mm. Unless there is something you really need a 75mm equivalent lens to do, you might as well crop. The 100mm has massive resolution.

Dante

 

[Dante_Stella]

And as much as this might be a weird suggestion, have you considered a Pentax 6x7 for tele work? You need to stick to high shutter speeds, but it is much easier to focus a P67 with a tele than a GL690. And those lenses are much lighter and closer-focusing.

Dante

 

[JChrome]

And as much as this might be a weird suggestion, have you considered a Pentax 6x7 for tele work? You need to stick to high shutter speeds, but it is much easier to focus a P67 with a tele than a GL690. And those lenses are much lighter and closer-focusing.

Dante

Thanks Dante.

I've gone through two P67's and love them. In fact, I have the 165 LS F4 sitting on my shelf with no body to use.

Some of my favorite shots were taken with this lens.

For example:

Tele-work with a rangefinder seems utopian to me. Very hard to accomplish due to viewfinders and fine focus. A lot of people chat on here about the Mamiya 7 with the 150mm and how it is hard to nail the focus. I love the portability of the RF but also want more telephoto shots because of the look. Wide angle is just so common these days, I wanted a challenge with the 180mm. Also, B&H has a nice one bundled with a viewfinder for $499 so my interest was piqued. This would be great for travel (and I am hot on the heels of a great trip to India and Sri Lanka so GAS was pumping through my veins).

In the end, I realized I will be traveling less and shooting around the hometown more. So the next gear I am investing in will be 4x5 field cameras. A Chamonix 4x5 F1 is on order along with a Nikkor 300mm . The goal is to shoot more shots in the same manner as the one above. Set up the shot with buildings in the background and a subject well out of focus. Then I need to start printing (never been in the dark room before and am highly interested in learning about the dart arts there).

BTW - I am an avid reader of your articles. I haven't seen anything with Large Format. Did you ever shoot much with the format?

 

[Calzone]

Jeremy,

I own both GL690 and GM670 bodies. The GM670 has a VF'er of higher maginfication than the GL690, and I find it is well suited for use withe the Fuji 150/5.6 I own. Furthermore no external VF'ers are required, and parallex compensating framelines for 150mm are shown with the 100mm frames in both bodies at all times, except when close focusing, meaning I think under two meters the 150mm frames disappear. Understand that the 100mm can close focus to 1 meter.

Both my blackslides work reliably, and this is not often the case if you want to perform lens changing. My approach is to carry two Fuji's as I seldom change lenses in the street. If you want to enlarge your arms and thicken your neck where your neck gets kinda monsterous and disproportional like a footbal player I suggest carrying two rigged Fuji's is for you.

The 150/5.6 is a Sonar formula and in 6x7 is about 70mm FOV. In 6x9 the 150mm is about a 60mm (like a long normal). In this reguard paired with a 100/3.5 which has a 40mm FOV in 6x9 I can see great utility of shooting a 40-70 FOV Fugi long-short pair. Also a 40mm FOV and 60mm FOV is available with just a GL690 body and the 100/3.5 and 150/5.6.

I'm lucky in that I have a Fuji rear lens cap that allows me to carry my GL690 and two lenses if desired. The hood for the 100/3.5 effectively can be shared on my 150/5.6, and the 150/5.6 is only slightly longer than the 100/3.5. I find the 100/3.5, a Tessar formula, to be a particularly nice lens with ultra smooth bokeh when shot wide open and close focused. The 150mm really hits its stride not for close focusing, but with distant shots where compression of space is its strong point.

BTW the 150/5.6 is a very rare lens. As you know I'm a lucky guy. I do not find the 150 hard to focus, especially on the GM670 (higher magnification VF'er), but I could see having difficulties with the 180.

Dante's post about using a Pentax 67 for long lenses is a great suggestion. Understand that I also own a Pentax 67II with AE prism. I find the Fuji's are easier to load than my Pentax if that matters to you.

Cal

 

[JChrome]

Jeremy,

I find the Fuji's are easier to load than my Pentax if that matters to you.

Cal

Without question, the Fuji's are easier to load than the Pentax. Why they made it so difficult to load the P67 I will never know. I used to have to tilt the camera in all sorts of directions when I couldn't get it right, and this was after using it for a few years.

The GM670 with 150mm is also a nice suggestion. I really love the Fuji's, there's just so much to enjoy about them. You're lucky you have such a great collection of gear. Given enough time though, I'm sure a 150mm will come along on the 'bay or craigslist.

I'm going to give it all up though. Sell of much of my Medium Format collection and dive headfirst into large format. I went from 35mm to MF and loved the sea-change. I think I'll equally love the change to LF. New territories and new challenges to explore .

 

[Calzone]

Without question, the Fuji's are easier to load than the Pentax. Why they made it so difficult to load the P67 I will never know. I used to have to tilt the camera in all sorts of directions when I couldn't get it right, and this was after using it for a few years.

The GM670 with 150mm is also a nice suggestion. I really love the Fuji's, there's just so much to enjoy about them. You're lucky you have such a great collection of gear. Given enough time though, I'm sure a 150mm will come along on the 'bay or craigslist.

I'm going to give it all up though. Sell of much of my Medium Format collection and dive headfirst into large format. I went from 35mm to MF and loved the sea-change. I think I'll equally love the change to LF. New territories and new challenges to explore .

Jeremy,

It's all good. The only problem for me is that LF can get even more crazy and even more expensive. For me it only makes sense to make the jump to 8x10 because I would want to contact print.

Christian once said of my 6x9 negatives, "That with negatives like these you don't need a 4X5." Basically I am able to approach 4x5 quality, resolution, and tonality by shooting 120.

Also now that I'm printing digitally my Monochrom image captures I'm finding that not all of my images really need to be printed big. I remain loyal to medium format due to loving the gear I acquired, and also for economics. If I went into large format I'd likely get an Ebony 8x10. Also know that I tend to like to shoot a lot, and that is why I still shoot 135.

My approach is to thoughtfully think about only buying gear I will use and keep over a long time line, and this is how I now own so much great gear. YMMV.

Cal

 

[JChrome]

Jeremy,

It's all good. The only problem for me is that LF can get even more crazy and even more expensive. For me it only makes sense to make the jump to 8x10 because I would want to contact print.

Christian once said of my 6x9 negatives, "That with negatives like these you don't need a 4X5." Basically I am able to approach 4x5 quality, resolution, and tonality by shooting 120.

4x5 is a tad bit larger than double the size of 6x9. Of course theres not a very large gap between them in terms of resolution, tonality etc. But the 4x5 cameras with their movements and lenses seem to be the biggest draw.

The amazing thing is that you can have 6x9 cameras that do approach 4x5 in terms of quality and they come in such wonderfully convenient packages. I'd love the same for 4x5.

Also now that I'm printing digitally my Monochrom image captures I'm finding that not all of my images really need to be printed big. I remain loyal to medium format due to loving the gear I acquired, and also for economics. If I went into large format I'd likely get an Ebony 8x10. Also know that I tend to like to shoot a lot, and that is why I still shoot 135.

My approach is to thoughtfully think about only buying gear I will use and keep over a long time line, and this is how I now own so much great gear. YMMV.

Cal

While I try not focus on my gear, its hard not to really love it. There are cameras I will never sell (the Rolleiflex and Nikon F3) because they were gifts and I am really attached to them.

But my collection cannot get larger. My wife has a "camera in, camera out" policy. So bidding adieu to one is bittersweet, getting another can be fun. Luckily for me, I usually find good deals on the purchase.

 

[Dante_Stella]

Calzone, the Pentax is not so bad if you seat the supply reel before taking the paper band off. But I agree - that extra film flatness really slows down loading (I bet that back in the day, most of these probably lived on 220). The GW690iii was the apex of easy Fuji loading.

Dante

 

[Calzone]

Calzone, the Pentax is not so bad if you seat the supply reel before taking the paper band off. But I agree - that extra film flatness really slows down loading (I bet that back in the day, most of these probably lived on 220). The GW690iii was the apex of easy Fuji loading.

Dante

Dante,

I bought the last 50 rolls of Tri-X 320 in 220 at Adorama. B&H was already sold out. Wish 220 was still available. Sob...

Cal

 

[Calzone]

But the 4x5 cameras with their movements and lenses seem to be the biggest draw.

The amazing thing is that you can have 6x9 cameras that do approach 4x5 in terms of quality and they come in such wonderfully convenient packages. I'd love the same for 4x5.

Jeremy,

Since you like and favor the 21mm FOV you need to consider a Plaubel 69W ProShift. This 120/220 camera offers movements and utilizes a Schnieder 47/5.6 Super Agulon large format lens graphted to a Mamiya press back that has the fastest loading of any 120/220 camera I own. Of course this camera utilizes a leaf shutter.

The movements are limited, but very useful. This is a step towards large format in many ways without the bulk, weight and slower shooting. The VF'er telescopes with any camera shift which is a very cool feature, and the focus has very handy detents at 2 meters and three meters.

Also know that I also shoot a Leica MD-2 rigged with a 21/3.4 Super Elmar and Zeiss 21mm finder.

Cal

 

[JChrome]

The Plaubel 69W is an awesome looking rig. And I do enjoy the 21mm FOV.... But, I want to head in the longer lens direction (really why I asked about the 180mm and the GL690).

I mainly need the 4x5 for a project I am looking to start on. My brother (a professor of photography) keeps telling me I need to make prints and have projects as opposed to aimlessly shooting people in the street on 6x9 and post it on my blog with a 500k file. Of course, I will always want to aimlessly shoot people regardless of what others think.

But going slow with 4x5 and taking on this project will help me grow photographically.

 

[Calzone]

Jeremy,

Projects are a good idea to focus one's work, and I understand. Best of luck.

Cal