GW690 gas

[Ezzie]

The forefather compared ro an M


Texas Leica & Leica by Eirik0304, on Flickr

Yes it is big, but surprisingly light. Fantastic lens.

 

[Texsport]

A Nikon F 5 is much, much heavier!

Texsport

 

[GaryLH]

The Texas Leica is going to be big, heavy and one of the loudest cameras I have ever owned. Could start a stampede lol.... The noise is not the shutter itself, but something else that is part of the shutter release path. That 6x9 negative is to die for though.

I would looks at other folding 6x9 cameras like Zeiss super ikonta C w/ Tessar or russion version of the C or Voitlander Bessa II w/ Heliar, etc. if u find a Bessa II in good condition, it is hard to beat.

Gary

 

[Alpsman]

But beware! As soon as ya own the GW 690 ya want to get hands on a GSW 690.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

I just got a s/hand GW690 III. Damn, it's a big bug*er but has the reputation of being capable of producing fine negs.

 

[Texsport]

I'd recommend getting the older, lens exchangeable model Fujicas.

That way you could shoot 6X7 or 6X9, depending on desired framing and lenses. You could even get a 6X8 if you try hard.

I generally shoot 6X9 with 50,65, and 100mm lenses + 6X7 using 100, 150, and 180mm Fujinon lenses.

Quite a frexible plan.

A Fujica C690BL is lighter than all my Rittreck 66, Nikon F4, Nikon F5, and Canon EOS3 cameras.

Texsport

 

[Texsport]

Can't imagine why anyone in his right mind would want one of these behemoths. 😉

Well, teamed with fine grained film, the image quality of a 6X9 is stunning, and superior to any tiny camera!

Still hoping that CineStill 50D in 120 becomes a reality. Then, another quantum leap in image quality would occur.

Texsport

 

[CliveC]

Just got a GW690II in the mail from Japan and I've tested and it seems fine. One little thing: when you advance the shutter without film, is there a mechanism that is supposed to stop the advance after the second wind? Mine keeps going. The first wind feels heavier (cocks the shutter I assume) with subsequent winds being light.

Any shooting tips?

 

[Pherdinand]

hi
I got the same GW model. Indeed, without film the winding goes on and on.
Also, you cannot release shutter without film, unless you open the backdoor.

Mine doesn't have that large pimple above the viewfinder window, though. What's that??

 

[Pherdinand]

about shooting tips: no not really. The camera is so simple and free of glitches that there's no need for special tips, tricks or workarounds.

I drop my lens cap quite easily off the lens so be careful with that (might be just mine, though).

 

[Addy101]

Must be the earthquakes in Groningen :angel:

The lenscap (and filterring) is a standard 67mm one, any generic one will work. I've got a filter on mine when I'm photographing as otherwise I'll keep forgetting to take the lenscap off. But that isn't unique to the GW690 series, but generic to rangefinders - or, to be more precise, me with rangefinders :bang:

The wind thing is normal as is the the won't fire without film. It is a fun camera, so, enjoy it.

 

[Prest_400]

hi
Mine doesn't have that large pimple above the viewfinder window, though. What's that??

Seems like a glued on bubble level. Some people did that to the older models.

The level on my GW690III seems duller than usual, the liquid being dark green instead of the neon green it has to be. It's still a bubble within liquid, but it's harder to see.

The lens cap falling... is it the original slip on? Many people complained about it. I have no problems with a generic 67mm cap.
The nice idea behind the slip on is that you remove and deploy the hood in a single action.

As of leaving on the cap. I took a first frame that way once, but unwilling to waste that frame I reloaded the roll. I think the GW's have no way to let you do a double exposure so no ability to reexpose. (Maybe that's why it's not popular around Lomographers 😀)

Tips. Not any specially. Load the film as recommended in the manual (keeping the tension), be aware of the quirky T mode, and little else.

 

[JChrome]

You're going to fall in love 🙂.

Some other things-
1) significant vignetting at the fastest aperture.
2) you can't silence the camera by removing the film counter. That's a myth that's been touted as fact from here to Timbuktu.
3) the T setting is awkward and a bad
replacement for the B.
4) after having the GW690 III, I kinda wish I had the earlier, interchangeable lens version. The 180mm lens for the G just makes me salivate. Tele lenses on a Medium Format Rangefinder are a unicorn. That'll be my next purchase.
5) a Great Walk around camera. It's light and simple and there's no other lenses to carry. It is big. People talk about being inconspicuous in street photography but I don't mind carrying it around.

I enjoy mine so much I'm amazed more people don't want one 🙂

 

[Alpsman]

Because of forgetting the lenscap: I put a red sticker with the word "Deckel" (cap) on the right side of the viewfinder window. When my eye comes close to the viewfinderwindow it gets attracted by the red sticker & my brain starts to think if the cap is off.

 

[CliveC]

I probably won't have the lenscap issue, mine didn't come with one. 🙂
And yes, that is a bubble level that a previous owner glued on. I think I may remove it though, since it catches on any bag I put it in (speaking of which, it won't fit in most of my bags. It'll fit in a Billingham Hadley Pro only without the insert.

 

[kuzano]

many issues...

many issues...

Thank you for all your comments. Just to stir things a bit further, what do people think about GS645 (the original with bellows and 75mm f3.4 lens). I've read that its a finicky camera with bellows issues, but haven't really found anything about the optics and how it is in use. I wonder if that could be a compromise with regards size / weight of the the GW690.

Edit: of course I'd have to forget about my aversion to the vertical composition then though, but lets say I would 🙂

Had four. Bought them cheap (CHEAP!) with bad bellows and had the bellows replaced by Frank Marshman. That is the only way to buy them.

They were only in production for one year, as a result of the synthetic bellows material.

Now, they are hugely over priced on the market and with no mention of a bellows replacement or documentation of such. I can hardly believe that ANY original bellows has survived this long.

Also found that the shutter often tanks during extreme cold shooting. According to Frank, that's a no fix item... just don't shoot them in extreme cold.

Frank also has a fix he does on the folding shutter linkage which was a poor design and broke often.

Now, I think I still have one around here somewhere..... If your still interested??

Oh yes, if you want the best 645 that Fuji made. Just get the GA645Zi. Wonderful camera all around, best of all the 645 models.

I do shoot and highly recommend all the Fujica G models and the GW and GSW models.

Here is a link to a post on dbase from the fellow I bought my GSW690III from. This is the one to get.

http://www.pbase.com/neonhighways/inbox

 

[raid]

My G690 has a lens that is sharper than the Zeiss Planar on my Rolleiflex TLR. I used this combo for several years during travel. Try the Fuji. It is a great camera.

 

[JChrome]

I'd recommend getting the older, lens exchangeable model Fujicas. That way you could shoot 6X7 or 6X9, depending on desired framing and lenses. You could even get a 6X8 if you try hard. I generally shoot 6X9 with 50,65, and 100mm lenses + 6X7 using 100, 150, and 180mm Fujinon lenses. Quite a frexible plan. A Fujica C690BL is lighter than all my Rittreck 66, Nikon F4, Nikon F5, and Canon EOS3 cameras. Texsport

Can you tell me why you like the 180 on 6x7 so much and not on the 6x9? I know there would be a crop factor so an extra amount of zoom involved. There also would be little/no vignetting at the faster apertures on 6x7. But other than that, any benefit?

 

[Texsport]

No special benefit for the 180 on 670 over 690.

It has more to do with my framing and use tendencies than anything.

Also, I often carry several cameras loaded and ready to go, and my 50 and 65mm lenses are most logical on the larger negative 690.(looking for wide coverage).

With a short tele like the 180, I generally have a single subject which can better fill a 6X7 frame than a 6X9. Additionally, I had my 6X6 cameras (Pentacon Six and Norita 66)with 160 , 180,and 240mm lenses before the Fugi 670 and 690. I probably learned a preference and visualization for a squarer format from the 6X6. Actually, that's a question I should study!

Given the right situation, I could use the 180 on 6X9, but it would likely be a single situation - not the norm for my shooting. Maybe a distant landscape feature???

I've tended to categorize the uses of different lenses by subject and most frequent use.

I shoot a lot of environmental portraits on 6X9 with 65, 90, and 100mm, and always use 6X9, or wider format for landscapes.




Texsport

 

[JChrome]

Thanks for the info. What do you think about the 180? Is it worth it? Difficult to use or focus? I know it's heavy but not much else.