Fuji to discontinue the GF670

[Pioneer]

There is presently a thread on APUG regarding a repair that Fuji USA could not do because of insufficient parts.

Even though the GF670 was most certainly a limited edition run of cameras for Fuji it does seem odd that they are already experiencing difficulty servicing these cameras.

 

[kuzano]

A dozen here...... maybe a few more.

A dozen here...... maybe a few more.

Looky Looky:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Film-Photography-/69323/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=Fujifilm+GF670

And I would have owned one, absolutely except for:

Wrong format... don't like 6X7, must have 6X9 for the 2:3 form factor.

Too Expensive. I just can't spend that kind of money on a camera. Certainly not when I can get the right format in a $500 (even less) camera. The big and bulky "Texas Leica" in GL690-100mm f3.5"

I would have found a way to justify the money in a 6X9 version.

Certainly looks nice though, but since even my GS645 folder was not truly pocketable, I don't think I'll ever have one.

More for you guys, like the dozen on eBay right now.

IN FACT, GET THIS GUY!....

If you flip over to the sold listings on that eBay search above, you will be fortified to know that about 25 of these sold in the last 60 days, and can see what people are paying for them.

So, they're not going away. I suspect they will be changing hands regularly for some time to come. Don't rush out and pay too much for one.

Fujifilm has simply decided to no longer be participating. It appears they exceeded the demand. It's that simple. Fuji is not stupid. If demand comes back, so will Fujifilm.

 

[aoresteen]

I was hoping that they would come out with a 6x9 version but they never did. You can crop 6x9 to 6x7 but it's hard to stretch 6x7 to 6x9.

No great loss - buy a used one or get a Bessa from the Head Bartender.

 

[Black]

I think it's time for them to change their name from Fujifilm to just Fuji ... they seem to be distancing themselves from analog imaging at an ever increasing rate. 😱

This x ∞.
________

 

[moreorless]

I was hoping that they would come out with a 6x9 version but they never did. You can crop 6x9 to 6x7 but it's hard to stretch 6x7 to 6x9.

No great loss - buy a used one or get a Bessa from the Head Bartender.

Your likely talking a slower lens to get a similar size though and the Fuji being F3.5 rather than the Makina's F/2.8 was already a negative for many.

If they went wider then I think a 6x12 design would actually make more sense, more of a market there as you don't have many cheap options and a slow lens isn't as much of an issue since your aiming more at landscape/architecture or at least wider scenes in general.

 

[Dante_Stella]

For Tony, the issue is more that the bigger the bellows, the harder to maintain the alignment over time (if you own a Moscow-5, you probably know this). The GS645 design that became the GF670 is not great; look at all the GS645 folders on Ebay with obviously misaligned front standards.

And Moreorless, a 6x12 camera is not that great for architectural unless it has shift - and that will never be with any folder except a Linhof or Speed Graphic.

Dante

 

[moreorless]

For Tony, the issue is more that the bigger the bellows, the harder to maintain the alignment over time (if you own a Moscow-5, you probably know this). The GS645 design that became the GF670 is not great; look at all the GS645 folders on Ebay with obviously misaligned front standards.

And Moreorless, a 6x12 camera is not that great for architectural unless it has shift - and that will never be with any folder except a Linhof or Speed Graphic.

Dante

I would imagine something more akin to the wide version of the Fuji, I'd expect most users would want a pretty wide lens fixed at that aspect.

 

[Dante_Stella]

I would imagine something more akin to the wide version of the Fuji, I'd expect most users would want a pretty wide lens fixed at that aspect.

Except that 6x12 cameras do not have what you might think of as "wide" lenses. My Silvestri has a 58mm (quite a big lens), and Fuji's 6x17 cameras are way worse. The problem is that little symmetrical wides don't have a lot of coverage. The 47mm SA, for example, would not do bigger than just under 6x10. Look at the Xpan, too. It's wide lens is 30mm, not exactly a wide lens for 24x36. Not tiny, either.

Dante

 

[Corran]

If you like wide get a Schneider 38mm XL for your 6x12 camera 😀

 

[Prest_400]

f2.8 on a 6x9... That must be beastly.
The fuji GW690 has a f3.5 and the lens is quite big, 2.8 would make it even bigger. There is an ~1.5" chamber between the focal plane and the rear element, so the camera could have a collapsible lens akin to a Mamiya 6.
If my GW690 could switch between 6x9 and 6x7 it would be great.
Texas Leica.

Sometimes I wonder why Leica never pursued manufacturing a MF Rangefinder. Something like a 6x6 Mamiya 6 with leica style. There aren't many Standard 120 RFs.

 

[1joel1]

The Plaubels were 2.8s as were many of the Rolleis. Of course, they were 6x7 and 6x6, but a 208 on a 6x9 souldn't be that big at all imho

Joel

 

[Dante_Stella]

The Plaubels were 2.8s as were many of the Rolleis. Of course, they were 6x7 and 6x6, but a 208 on a 6x9 souldn't be that big at all imho Joel

There must be some deeper issue with 6x9 - possibly being related to issues of alignment, size/cost of a 2.8 lens that would cover adequately, etc. Even Fuji declined to go faster than 2.8 on fixed-body 6x9s. In addition, the classic 6x9 lens is a 100-105mm f/3.5 Tessar. So possibly also just convention.

Dante

 

[Spanik]

I'm afraid that 6x9 and 2.8 and folder makes a very uneasy combination. Lens get large and heavy while at the same time the distance/bellow becomes larger. Not an easy combination to keep light nd aligned. The Mamiya press 100/2.8 is one of the few 6x9's I know and it is a good deal larger than the f/3.5.

 

[kram]

The Rodenstock heligon 80mm f2.8 I had was not too large (size 0 shutter) and covered 6x9. This is quite and old lens. Put a aspherical lens element in a 80mm f2.8 ( hell lets make it a full stop faster than the gf670 and go for f2.4).
Look at the size of the fuji 55mm f4.5 compaired to the Mamiya 7 50mm f4.5 it is smaller. 6x9 with 80mm with f2.4/f2.8 close focus of 85cm, same body as the gf670, I would buy one.