Help! Fuji GW670lll problem

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paperchampion

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Hi all.. I need some advice if you will.

I have recently become the proud owner of a Fuji GW670lll in near perfect condition, and I'm having a problem with 'T' function or bulb setting as it's more commonly known.

I bought a basic Hama cable release (http://photovideo.com.au/images/5311.jpg) which screws straight into the top of the shutter button. It works fine when the shutter speed is set to anything from 1/500 to a second.

When I set the speed to 'T' and press the cable release the shutter will open and remain open but seemingly the only way to get the shutter to close again is to wind the camera onto the next shot - pressing the cable release again does nothing.

I can usually do this without moving the camera at all but it does of course defeat the object of using a shutter release cable in the first place.

any help or advice on this would be greatly appreciated. (oh and I picked it up from ebay and it arrived without the manual)
 
Fuji has an unusual "T" function...

Fuji has an unusual "T" function...

That's the way the "T" function works on the GS645 variations of the Fuji camera's. "T" opens the shutter and winding on closes it, which, in my mind, always made the T function unusable.

Perhaps it was that way also on the big rangefinders. Actually, I am kind of surprised you have a T function, since the lenses for the G690 and G690bl do not have T. I just looked on my G690.
 
That is the supposed behaviour - Fuji did away with the B setting from the interchangeable lens G690 series and replaced it with that very odd T variant, supposedly to protect the shutter against destruction in case of an accidental wind-on while open.
 
is it just me or does that seem ridiculous though? !! it's very disappointing if that is the case. of course it's my own fault for not researching it well enough before I bought but they may as well have just left off the T setting altogether. very frustrating! If anyone does know of a way around this I would appreciate the info!
 
Yes, that's how the T setting works. The shutter will also close if you turn the shutter speed ring away from T. You can cover the lens with a hat or lenscap so that camera movement will not record on film during (either of) the switching off T process.
 
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I totally agree that a B setting would be more convenient, but it is worthwhile putting up with the T inconvenience. The camera/lens delivers great night time shots (as well as normal day time shots.)
 
paperchampion said:
is it just me or does that seem ridiculous though? !! it's very disappointing if that is the case. of course it's my own fault for not researching it well enough before I bought but they may as well have just left off the T setting altogether. very frustrating! If anyone does know of a way around this I would appreciate the info!
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Why does this seem ridiculous or disappointing??? This the the way most large format shutters work. I do not understand the concern. The T setting works without a cable release.
 
Beemermark said:
Why does this seem ridiculous or disappointing??? This the the way most large format shutters work.
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As a matter of fact, large format shutters usually do have proper B and T (a few odd ones lack it, but for quite different reasons). But you cannot exercise nearly as much shutter-shattering force with the tiny finger tip lever of a standalone shutter as with a heavy two stroke thumb lever like on the Fujis, which might explain why the G(S)W shutters needed extra protection for a feature that is not significantly error prone on a LF camera.
 
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Beemermark said:
Why does this seem ridiculous or disappointing??? This the the way most large format shutters work. I do not understand the concern. The T setting works without a cable release.
Click to expand...

I'm relatively new to shooting medium format and was unaware of this feature. It's disappointing for the obvious reason of when I'm shooting exposures over a second I have to manually close the shutter by winding the film on and risking camera shake and ruining the exposure in doing so. I wrongly assumed a professional medium format camera would have a regular bulb setting as standard.
 
not having a B setting is kind of ridiculous. i remember reading something esoteric about the shutter mechanism being more durable. the B setting on this type of shutter tends to wear out, apparently. look on the bright side: you get to wear a hat when you shoot with this camera. i think a nice stetson would do the trick. the lens cap will get the job done, just not in style. long exposures will not be affected by a little camera shake at the end of the exposure, btw. you can also close the shutter by turning the ring off the T setting.
 
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