GF670 has Antique Metering!

[Denton]

I've been shooting the GF670 with BW film and don't have any complaints about the metering---however it's not what I expected.

The meter is a small window external to the lens path and external, apparently, to the rangefinder optics. In effect, it's like a clip on rangefinder meter for the old meterless cameras. It may have it's own optics, giving some credence to it's advertised "center weighted" description. I think it's interesting most folks are happy with the metering, and it's exposure compensation method is patterned off the Cosina Bessa's and the Zeiss Ikon, naturally.

The manual is less than accurate, labeling this small metering window as a "Rangefinder Window", which it certainly is not. Rangefinder patch is unaffected when this small window is obstructed, but metering dives!

Nevertheless, I'm quite happy with the camera. Seems like "antique metering" can be generally effective.But, I always carry a hand incident meter anyway.

Denton

 

[Keith]

Because the camera has a lens leaf shutter there's really no option.

My Bronica RF645 is exactly the same ... and seems very accurate also.

 

[Denton]

Well, I had assumed it was somehow metering off the viewfinder optics, although I'm unaware of any precedent for this type of metering. This will make metering off a greycard just a bit more difficult.

The shutter on this camera is almost silent. I don't think anyone would notice it's click at any time. Size is about same as my 5D with 85mm lens, but quite a bit lighter and more compact when folded.

D

 

[Fotohuis]

Because the camera has a lens leaf shutter there's really no option.

My Bronica RF645 is exactly the same ... and seems very accurate also.

Exactly how it is. But I have no complaints about the light metering. Only in extreme situations you have to correct which is also easy with the +2F -2F correction knob. Comparing with my Leica M7, which is metering TTL in regular conditions there is no difference.

And in weight, the interesting thing is that the C.V. Bessa III 667 is exactly 1000g which is also exactly the same weight then my M7 + Summicron 2,0/50mm.
Both cameras are perfectly for traveling and they are both pretty compact. In the C.V. I often use 100-400 iso films where in the M7 (Leica) 25-200 iso films.

 

[Jamie123]

There's nothing 'antique' about the metering at all. It's simply not TTL for the reason Keith explained. Also add the Mamiya 7 to the list of rangefinder cameras that don't have TTL metering.

that doesn't mean, however, that it cannot be center weighted. My Olympus mju-II P&S is also center weighted (or even 'spot') and there's no TTL either (as it also has a leaf shutter). I also don't know why you would think 'metering off the viewfinder optics' (however you'd want to achieve that) would yield a better result. The viewfinder is an approximation of the actual frame captured by the camera and the meter window is simply another approximation.

As Fotohuis said, the meter works quite well. I sold the camera after a year but during that time the only incorrect exposures I ever had was when I was being an idiot (like shooting a subject against a bright white wall and not dialing in exposure comp.

 

[sevo]

Well, I had assumed it was somehow metering off the viewfinder optics,

What do you hope that to be good for? Overall, it has no benefit except for reducing the number of front windows by one, but that is a purely aesthetic matter. As the most significant disadvantage the extra split mirror absorbs light, dimming the finder. And while you can get around meter/finder parallax by placing it internal, the more relevant meter/lens parallax can only be reduced by placing the meter eye closer to the lens than the (wide base) finder can be.

If any, my gripes with the GF670 would be that they omitted placing the cell inside the filter ring - that is the spot with the least meter/lens parallax and it accounts for filter use as well.

 

[batterytypehah!]

Now, now. I think you're coming down a little too hard on the OP, folks. Fuji did exactly that (meter incorporated into VF) in the GS645 (both folder and rigid), maybe other models, too.

 

[chrism]

I've been shooting the GF670 with BW film and don't have any complaints about the metering---however it's not what I expected.

And what did you expect? Given the leaf shutter, the only option might have been to put the metering cell inside the filter ring, which would make a difference of convenience only when using a filter with an exposure factor. Putting the meter cell in the viewfinder can't make any difference that I can see; it still ain't TTL. Otherwise it is impossible to do TTL metering with a leaf shutter.

I'm afraid I have to conclude that you didn't do your due diligence of research before purchase, but since you have no complaints about the meter's performance, neither of us should get upset.

The use of film, folding cameras, fixed focal lengths are all antique. It is, in part, why we like them. Don't complain, revel in it!🙂

Chris
Who has some Tri-X exposed in a Bessa III drying as I type in a Honeywell Kleen-Dri.