GF670W Bessa III W

sem

sem

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Hi,
someone use this camera?
I am looking for some pics? Post them please! Many thanks!
Kind regards
 
I just came across this camera on a eBay listing by the head butler here. Lots of pictures in the listing. I didn't know that Voigtlander was coming out with a 6x7!
 
Thanks very much for the link! It is a beauty, in my eyes.
Someone use the camera? Show us some pictures please.
Kind regards
 
It came out just as everyone was gettiing very excited about the X100 release and seems to have been overlooked by everyone. I think RFFers are migrating to digital. Shame on them.
 
tlitody said:
It came out just as everyone was gettiing very excited about the X100 release and seems to have been overlooked by everyone. I think RFFers are migrating to digital. Shame on them.
Click to expand...

The even stranger thing is, that on a Range Finder Forum, there is more interest in a digital camera which is not a range finder, than a camera which *is* a range finder. But the X100 *looks* more like a range finder...
 
tlitody said:
It came out just as everyone was gettiing very excited about the X100 release and seems to have been overlooked by everyone. I think RFFers are migrating to digital. Shame on them.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of people got used to the prices on the second hand market and they're just not ready to pay this kind of money for a medium format rangefinder. The Bessa III was already a stretch but this one is quite a bit more expensive.

FWIW, I used to have a Bessa III and it was quite a nice camera. Viewfinder was excellent, exposure was spot on most of the times and the shutter was almost silent. In the end I sold it because I just didn't fall in love with the lens. Resolution was great but the ''bokeh'' didn't look too nice and there was some distortion at close focus distances which was bad for the kind of head and shoulder portraits I like to do.
 
DrTebi, thanks very much for the Link, very interesting.
I think, it would have been nice if the lens was collapsible? And it is like Jamie says, I like to get a feeling for a camera, because most of the shops around don t have them.
Jeamie123, what kind of camera do use for your kind of work?
Thanks a lot
kind regards
 
sem said:
Jeamie123, what kind of camera do use for your kind of work?
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For medium format I used to use a Hasselblad for a long time, then sold my kit when I got a DSLR and bought the Bessa III to keep as a light weight travel camera. Now that I sold the Bessa III I'm back to a Hasselblad kit. I really love the look I get with the lenses on the Hasselblad, the only thing I'm not completely in love with is the square frame. I might still get a Mamiya 7 at some point as a travel camera.

One thing to say, though, is that I didn't dislike the Bessa III at all. I wasn't actively planning on selling it but I got a good offer on it and decided to move on to something else.
 
The Wide 667 looks like a nice camera (as does the Bessa III), but they are just too expensive in my opinion. For 3000 USD you could get a complete Mamiya 6 kit with 3 lenses.

But then, I'm not a big fan of 6x7 format - for those that are, I suppose these cameras are heavenly.
 
Hi Jamie123, thanks for the Link. Might be a good idea to take one in hands.
I am not sure, what I want. Something light with diopter correction I think, my eyes are not so good this days, also thinking of a Mamiya 7 so I can have both wide and a bit tele.
Kind regards
sem
 
I have recently been in Germany and went to a couple of the "official" Voigtländer dealers. To my surprise, none of them had the Bessa III on display, they told me that it is such an unusual item, that they can only do a special order on it.

I really wanted to get it into my hands as well, since I have been trying to get a Plaubel Makina W67 for a while, but collectors prices are steep. The Bessa III W is very similar with a few "modern" advantages, in about the same price range.

By the way, the Makina's lens is collapsible, as opposed to the Bessa III W. I have the Makina 670 and love it, I find it ideal for travelling, especially when hiking--it's compact and light weight (considering it's a medium format camera), a built-in light meter that works, and a fantastic lens.
 
I agree that the GF670W is too expensive for many, if not most, potential buyers, though that's understandable given the tiny market.

FYI, both the GF670/Bessa III & the GF670W are switchable between 6x6 & 6x7.

sleepyhead said:
The Wide 667 looks like a nice camera (as does the Bessa III), but they are just too expensive in my opinion. For 3000 USD you could get a complete Mamiya 6 kit with 3 lenses.

But then, I'm not a big fan of 6x7 format - for those that are, I suppose these cameras are heavenly.
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Since the camera is all-Japanese, Germany's probably not the place to find it. Adorama & B&H both have the GF670 for "only" $1664. It's a mystery to me, but the Fuji version of the hood is actually cheaper than the Cosina Voigtlander version.

DrTebi said:
I have recently been in Germany and went to a couple of the "official" Voigtländer dealers. To my surprise, none of them had the Bessa III on display, they told me that it is such an unusual item, that they can only do a special order on it.
Click to expand...
 
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Jamie123 said:
For medium format I used to use a Hasselblad for a long time, then sold my kit when I got a DSLR and bought the Bessa III to keep as a light weight travel camera. Now that I sold the Bessa III I'm back to a Hasselblad kit. I really love the look I get with the lenses on the Hasselblad, the only thing I'm not completely in love with is the square frame. I might still get a Mamiya 7 at some point as a travel camera.

One thing to say, though, is that I didn't dislike the Bessa III at all. I wasn't actively planning on selling it but I got a good offer on it and decided to move on to something else.
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Jamie... two cameras that may replace your Hasselblad with a 6X7 frame and keep the SLR format.

Bronica GS1 is 6X7 AND I think the Zenza lenses have leaf shutter in lens.

Mamiya 67, although I suspect you know about that one.

I've always had great results with Bronica cams and Zenza lenses.
 
I have had and used the 667 for months. The optics are superb and I like the build but the bellows looks a little cheap. Fantastic viewfinder which reminds me of my Zeiss 35. I use a Rolleiflex FW which is a 10. I would rate this as a 7.5.
 
kuzano said:
Jamie... two cameras that may replace your Hasselblad with a 6X7 frame and keep the SLR format.

Bronica GS1 is 6X7 AND I think the Zenza lenses have leaf shutter in lens.

Mamiya 67, although I suspect you know about that one.

I've always had great results with Bronica cams and Zenza lenses.
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For me it's really all about the lenses with the Hasselblad. I really love that smoothness in tones.

I'm sure the Bronica is a capable camera but it just never appealed to me. I did consider the Mamiya RZ67 for a while as I really like this system but it's just such a beast.
It's really not a big issue. I don't actually dislike the square format, I'm just not in love with it. I think it's great sometimes and sometimes it doesn't quite work.
 
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