Gaoresi 617 queries

[ashfaque]

Hello,

I want to try some panoramic film photography. So I'd be grateful if anyone here can kindly share their experiences. What are the factors/limitations I need to be aware of in relation to quality, framing technique, limitation, etc?

Will I be able to scan them on an Epson flat-bed scanner?

Also, please let me know the best bang-for-the-buck (, read cheapest,) lens I can get for. It would be even better if you can direct me to any webpage where all the compatible parts (film back, lens, adapters, etc,) are listed along with each compatible camera from the Gaoersi panoramic line (more specifically 612 and 617).

Can you please recommend any official/main/trustworthy seller? I noticed a few ebay sellers. But I don't know who to buy from. I should mention that I have zero Ebay experience.

Any information/suggestion is welcomed - i.e., treat me like a complete novice. Thanks in advance for your time and help. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

UPDATE: When replying, please consider the buyer to be in the US, as I'm not in UK now.

 

[thegman]

I had a Gaoersi 612 for a little bit, they're pretty rudimentary, but seem quite sturdy.

Any reasonably modern lens, stopped down to f/16 is going to be fairly decent, I don't think there is much point spending a lot here.

Depends on the scanner, pretty sure a V700 can do negatives that big, but not sure about the rest of them.

If the eBay seller has a lot of good feedback, I wouldn't fear using them, most of them are in Hong Kong, or mainland China which may mean a lot of import duty though.

 

[ashfaque]

I had a Gaoersi 612 for a little bit, they're pretty rudimentary, but seem quite sturdy.

Any reasonably modern lens, stopped down to f/16 is going to be fairly decent, I don't think there is much point spending a lot here.

Depends on the scanner, pretty sure a V700 can do negatives that big, but not sure about the rest of them.

If the eBay seller has a lot of good feedback, I wouldn't fear using them, most of them are in Hong Kong, or mainland China which may mean a lot of import duty though.

Thanks for your help, thegman. Can you (and others) please give me a list of compatible lens?

Re tax: I forgot to ask about it! Most likely, I will be asking my uncle to pay for it from Delaware. Does anybody know how much tax I'll have to pay if it's ordered from mainland China or Hind Kong?

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[stompyq]

I think it's important you establish what format you want. 617 or 612 since the lens choices will vary. For 612 any LF lens with a coverage of 4x5 (read any 4x5 large format lens) would do. However for 617 I would look for lenses that cover 5x7. Again most 4x5 lenses do this but not all (the schneider angulon for instance). Also your choice will depend on the focal length since if I remember you need to buy a cone that matches the focal length of the lens you'll be using

 

[ashfaque]

I think it's important you establish what format you want. 617 or 612 since the lens choices will vary. For 612 any LF lens with a coverage of 4x5 (read any 4x5 large format lens) would do. However for 617 I would look for lenses that cover 5x7. Again most 4x5 lenses do this but not all (the schneider angulon for instance). Also your choice will depend on the focal length since if I remember you need to buy a cone that matches the focal length of the lens you'll be using

Thanks a lot for your help, Pramodh. I didn't know about the lens variation thing. 🙂

Ideally speaking, (& assuming that) I can use Gaoersi 617 as a 612 when I want to, I'd prefer 617. However if it's too clumsy/heavy and accompanying tools (lenses, cones, viewfinder, film backs, etc) are too expensive compare to 612, I'd go for 612.

Perhaps a stupid question: can I use the 612 to take 6x6 or 6x7 photos?

Re. focal length: I'd be grateful if some of the experienced photographers can kindly suggest what would be best focal length by looking into my lame attempts to photography (flickr).

Best

 

[thegman]

Thanks for your help, thegman. Can you (and others) please give me a list of compatible lens?

Re tax: I forgot to ask about it! Most likely, I will be asking my uncle to pay for it from Delaware. Does anybody know how much tax I'll have to pay if it's ordered from mainland China or Hind Kong?

Bests,

Ashfaque

Import duty into the UK is the same for all countries except for the EU, where no tax is paid. Tax is the same as V.A.T., which is 20% at the moment, plus there are 'fees' from FedEx or whoever you use. It can add up to quite a lot on top of the camera.

I think with the Gaoersi, you cannot shoot 6x6 or 6x7, although I suppose there is no reason why you could not create a mask yourself for that. I'm not sure it's worth the effort though, as you end up with basically a scale focus 6x6 camera, which is pretty massive. You'd be better off getting 6x6 folder for < £100.

 

[f16sunshine]

I have a 612 and use a nikkor 4.5/75mm with it.
The nikkor is plenty sharp. The front element is quite exposed and difficult to filter properly otherwise... no complaints.
The V750 works fine for preview scanning using the marquee tool.
If I see something I really like I send it out.
No experience with the 617. These cameras are just big heavy rigid boxes.
They keep the film flat and there are a variety of Helicoids and viewfinders available for differnt FL's.

 

[Monz]

Ashfaque, if you are interested in a medium format panoramic camera, keep your eyes on Aperture, which has two shops in London. At present they have a Fuji 6x17 in stock:

http://www.apertureuk.com/Med-Photo/Fuji-GX617/Fuji-GX617.html

 

[sienarot]

Hi Ashfaque,

I can't speak on behalf of the 612 camera, but I have the 617 one. I quite like it, though I wish I used it more often. I am using a Fujinon 90mm f/8 lens on it, but before that I was using a Schneider SA 90mm f/8. Most 90mm f/8 lenses should have a large enough image circle to cover 5x7 and are both abundant and affordable. The Schneider I had was especially cheap since it came with a weird Polaroid shutter that can only be opened with a shutter cable, which isn't really that big of a deal for this camera since it's not very often you are using the ground glass to focus and compose. I ended up selling it for $150, which I believe is close to what I bought it for so you definitely have some cheap options.

If you end up getting a model with the shift, I suggest you keep an eye on the screw that locks it in place. I was shooting it in Mexico and the screw fell out. Unfortunately I didn't realize this until I had gotten home and developed the film and noticed light leaks on almost all my shots 🙁

Re: shooting multi formats, my 617 camera came with masks to do 612 and 6x9 so you're not restricted to just the one format, though like thegman suggested, there's no reason why you couldn't make your own masks for even smaller formats if you really wanted to. Carrying a 617 camera to shoot 6x6 or 6x7 is pretty overkill though haha

I don't have a film holder to do a strip of 617 in a single run, so I actually have to scan it in 2 halves and attach them in Photoshop. It's an extra step for me, but who cares? I'm shooting 617!

If you are in the market for one, I would suggest you sign up at the Large Format Photography forum as they do have a pretty active marketplace, though I believe you have to wait 30 days before you get access to it. However both 612 and 617 cameras of varying makes and prices do pop up on occasion and you may even want to put up a WTB to see if anyone will bite. That's actually where I got mine, so they're definitely out there on the used market. And there are a lot of UK members there, so it may even work out to your benefit.

 

[ashfaque]

Import duty into the UK is the same for all countries except for the EU, where no tax is paid. Tax is the same as V.A.T., which is 20% at the moment, plus there are 'fees' from FedEx or whoever you use. It can add up to quite a lot on top of the camera.

I think with the Gaoersi, you cannot shoot 6x6 or 6x7, although I suppose there is no reason why you could not create a mask yourself for that. I'm not sure it's worth the effort though, as you end up with basically a scale focus 6x6 camera, which is pretty massive. You'd be better off getting 6x6 folder for < £100.

Thanks again. I was referring to Delaware in USA.
Re 6x6 and 6x7: Thanks for clearing that up as well, thegman. 🙂

I have a 612 and use a nikkor 4.5/75mm with it.
The nikkor is plenty sharp. The front element is quite exposed and difficult to filter properly otherwise... no complaints.
The V750 works fine for preview scanning using the marquee tool.
If I see something I really like I send it out.
No experience with the 617. These cameras are just big heavy rigid boxes.
They keep the film flat and there are a variety of Helicoids and viewfinders available for differnt FL's.

Thanks for sharing your experience as well, Andy.

MonZ: I thought about Fuji 617, but at this moment that beauty is beyond my budget. 🙁 Thanks for the info though. I'll keep an eye, in case I get lucky. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[thegman]

Thanks again. I was referring to Delaware in USA.
Re 6x6 and 6x7: Thanks for clearing that up as well, thegman. 🙂

Ashfaque

OK, I assumed it would end up in the UK, as your profile on the side of your posts says you're in the UK.

Not sure what Delaware import duty is like, might be worth looking into.

Cheers

Garry

 

[kuzano]

Shoot 4X5 with a multi format 6X12 back

Shoot 4X5 with a multi format 6X12 back

I shoot 4X5 and use a multi format Dayi back which works fine. Lens choice becomes moot, using any lens that covers 4X5. Using a simple P&S camera with no movements. However, movements are possible if you use a fairly standard 4X5.

The Dayi back has multiple formats from 6X4.5 up for the 6X12. I have considered the Dayi back in multi format up to 617, but works with 5X7 cameras.

The 6x12 back is about $300 to $400. Versatile and light tight by my experience.

I just bought two of the TravelWide camera's on the Kickstarter program... $99 each, and my goal as a ready to go travel handheld kit is the Travelwide with the Schneider Angulon 90mm in Synchor Compur CLA'd by SK Grimes.

Package (when the travelwide becomes available):

Camera 4X5 90 MM with focus helical......$99
Lens and shutter CLA'd....... $250
New Dayi 6X12 multiformat 120 back $400 (I have the much less expensive Dayi 6X12 single format back)

Total $749.

Messenger bag carry

Have looked at dedicated camera's for Pano, like Fuji, and Gaeorsi, but just can't pull the trigger on a dedicated system. Love to take the back off and shoot some 4X5 on the same rig.

I scan on a v500 that does up to 120 roll format, but I have my 4X5's scanned by a lab about 100 miles away.

 

[ashfaque]

Thanks Garry

Thanks Garry

OK, I assumed it would end up in the UK, as your profile on the side of your posts says you're in the UK.

Not sure what Delaware import duty is like, might be worth looking into.

Cheers

Garry

I'm not sure where I will be in a few months time - it could be in Europe, Asia or NA, depending where I get a research posting. I'll update the original post to avoid any confusion. Thanks Garry. 🙂

 

[ashfaque]

Thanks Derrick

Thanks Derrick

I really appreciate that kindly shared your experiences, Derrick. I'll make a note of the warning regarding the screw issue. Could you please tell me the weight you have lug around? Do you always use it on a stationary mount? What about using it handheld? (My guess is it's too heavy, but still asking.)

Re the 6x7 and 6x6: I thought since I'm asking some basic question, I might as well ask one more, albeit silly one. 🙂

I'll become a member of LFP later today. Thanks for the suggestion. Oh, I'm not in UK at the moment. I'll tweak my original post about accordingly. 🙂

Best regards,

Ashfaque

 

[ashfaque]

I shoot 4X5 and use a multi format Dayi back which works fine. Lens choice becomes moot, using any lens that covers 4X5. Using a simple P&S camera with no movements. However, movements are possible if you use a fairly standard 4X5.

The Dayi back has multiple formats from 6X4.5 up for the 6X12. I have considered the Dayi back in multi format up to 617, but works with 5X7 cameras.

The 6x12 back is about $300 to $400. Versatile and light tight by my experience.

I just bought two of the TravelWide camera's on the Kickstarter program... $99 each, and my goal as a ready to go travel handheld kit is the Travelwide with the Schneider Angulon 90mm in Synchor Compur CLA'd by SK Grimes.

Package (when the travelwide becomes available):

Camera 4X5 90 MM with focus helical......$99
Lens and shutter CLA'd....... $250
New Dayi 6X12 multiformat 120 back $400 (I have the much less expensive Dayi 6X12 single format back)

Total $749.

Messenger bag carry

Have looked at dedicated camera's for Pano, like Fuji, and Gaeorsi, but just can't pull the trigger on a dedicated system. Love to take the back off and shoot some 4X5 on the same rig.

I scan on a v500 that does up to 120 roll format, but I have my 4X5's scanned by a lab about 100 miles away.

Thank a lot for the ideas and the information, kuzano. 🙂 What's the weight of a DaYi 4x5? I'm not sure if I can use 4x5 that frequently due to the cost? The price of sheet films, required chemical amount and required time, in combination, are quite expensive for me.

But I'll defnitely look into travelwide for more info. IIRC, I may have read about it few weeks ago. Thanks for that. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[ashfaque]

Thanks Kuzano

Thanks Kuzano

I shoot 4X5 and use a multi format Dayi back which works fine. Lens choice becomes moot, using any lens that covers 4X5. Using a simple P&S camera with no movements. However, movements are possible if you use a fairly standard 4X5.

The Dayi back has multiple formats from 6X4.5 up for the 6X12. I have considered the Dayi back in multi format up to 617, but works with 5X7 cameras.

The 6x12 back is about $300 to $400. Versatile and light tight by my experience.

I just bought two of the TravelWide camera's on the Kickstarter program... $99 each, and my goal as a ready to go travel handheld kit is the Travelwide with the Schneider Angulon 90mm in Synchor Compur CLA'd by SK Grimes.

Package (when the travelwide becomes available):

Camera 4X5 90 MM with focus helical......$99
Lens and shutter CLA'd....... $250
New Dayi 6X12 multiformat 120 back $400 (I have the much less expensive Dayi 6X12 single format back)

Total $749.

Messenger bag carry

Have looked at dedicated camera's for Pano, like Fuji, and Gaeorsi, but just can't pull the trigger on a dedicated system. Love to take the back off and shoot some 4X5 on the same rig.

I scan on a v500 that does up to 120 roll format, but I have my 4X5's scanned by a lab about 100 miles away.

Thank a lot for the ideas and the information, kuzano. 🙂 What's the weight of a DaYi 4x5? I'm not sure if I can use 4x5 that frequently due to the cost? The price of sheet films, required chemical amount and required time, in combination, are quite expensive for me.

But I'll defnitely look into travelwide for more info. IIRC, I may have read about it few weeks ago. Thanks for that. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[sienarot]

I really appreciate that kindly shared your experiences, Derrick. I'll make a note of the warning regarding the screw issue. Could you please tell me the weight you have lug around? Do you always use it on a stationary mount? What about using it handheld? (My guess is it's too heavy, but still asking.)

I just weighed it and it's 2.1kg/4.6lbs with the lens and viewfinder so it's definitely a beast of a camera! Here it is compared to my 5D


Gaoersi G617S vs Canon 5D by okay_banana!, on Flickr


Gaoersi G617S vs Canon 5D by okay_banana!, on Flickr

I've always used it handheld, so I can't comment on using it with a tripod.

 

[ashfaque]

That's a beautiful beast, Derrick! Thanks again for your help. 🙂

Bests,

Ashfaque

 

[roboflick]

another option is using a speed or crown graphic and a 90 mm lens, which are both cheap and easily available and cropping the image. you also have the ability to use 6 by 12 backs, but not a 6 by 17 back. I have made some nice panoramic images, by this method including a 40 by 20 inch cibachrome print of a velvia 4 by 5 inch slide.

Nik