Turtle
Veteran
I agree with you Bob. Nothing toy like about the photos my Mamiya 7s have provided me every time I have pressed the shutter.
GREAT camera. I one could ask for more it would be build like a Nikon F6, but hey ho.
As for it being for Leica snobs... what other current 6x7 RF cameras were out there at the time... and what other light portable options existed with lens options?
GREAT camera. I one could ask for more it would be build like a Nikon F6, but hey ho.
As for it being for Leica snobs... what other current 6x7 RF cameras were out there at the time... and what other light portable options existed with lens options?
atlcruiser
Part Yeti
Sure I want one but I cant afford the cost when mamiya 7 does great on its own......
zhengpeng
Established
GF670 is very big even when folded. So I don't see any point choosing a GF670 over Mamiya7
Roberto V.
Le surrèalisme, c'est moi
Having used a Mamiya 7, I don't see any need for the Fuji. I still want to get another 7 with a 65mm in the future.
Dante
Digital Dragon Slayer
Maybe ...
Maybe ...
I voted "maybe." I like the idea of a 6x7 folder as a compliment to my 7II or as something I could toss in a bag and not worry about it getting banged up. That said ... the price couldn't be over $1000 new for me to buy it.
Sure, I've spent way more than $1000 on my 7II rig and my RZ rig. A folders non-interchangeable lens is what makes me say I wouldn't spend over $1000 new. That's just me.
As for the naysayers slamming the Mamiya 7(II) as a non-professional "toy" for "rich kids" you are way off base. It is neither a "toy" nor am I a "rich kid." It is by far one of the best travel cameras I've ever used. It's the only rangefinder I've owned and it performs on par with any high-quality, precision instrument ... if you know how to use it. The 7II has made me consider buying a 35mm rangefinder ... just not sure I would use it because I use my 120/220 film cameras way more than I use my 35mm SLRs.
I think there is a place for the Bessa III it just needs a better price point ... and by better I mean one around $1000. Just need them to mass produce it in a way that drives the price down. Just my 6x7 cents.
============== 1 Mar 2013 =====================
Recently decided to go back to shooting MF B&W Film for 99.5% of all my work. This is a personal decision which is driven by wanting to slow down and create stellar images from beautiful film. That said, I really wanted to have a MF camera with me at all times with minimal bulk. I love my Mamiya cameras and I'm keeping them for other work like portraiture. In the past I've found that when traveling there are times I've needed to switch quickly between my 80mm and 43mm on my Mamiya 7. My choices were to buy a second Mamiya 7II body OR get a Fuji GF670. The GF670, being a folder, fits my criteria of a camera with minimal bulk so I bit the bullet and got a GF670.
It's beautiful. Not having a place to set up my darkroom at the moment I've had to send my film out for developing so I've yet to see the first roll. I like the compactness (though it's not small) when folded and, though not as comfortable in my hand as my Mamiya 7II, I do like the way it feels in my hands. SO, though I still don't like the price point on the GF670 I felt its usefulness and design would fit well into my workflow. Now on to making money with the GF670 AND my Mamiya 7II!
Maybe ...
I voted "maybe." I like the idea of a 6x7 folder as a compliment to my 7II or as something I could toss in a bag and not worry about it getting banged up. That said ... the price couldn't be over $1000 new for me to buy it.
Sure, I've spent way more than $1000 on my 7II rig and my RZ rig. A folders non-interchangeable lens is what makes me say I wouldn't spend over $1000 new. That's just me.
As for the naysayers slamming the Mamiya 7(II) as a non-professional "toy" for "rich kids" you are way off base. It is neither a "toy" nor am I a "rich kid." It is by far one of the best travel cameras I've ever used. It's the only rangefinder I've owned and it performs on par with any high-quality, precision instrument ... if you know how to use it. The 7II has made me consider buying a 35mm rangefinder ... just not sure I would use it because I use my 120/220 film cameras way more than I use my 35mm SLRs.
I think there is a place for the Bessa III it just needs a better price point ... and by better I mean one around $1000. Just need them to mass produce it in a way that drives the price down. Just my 6x7 cents.
============== 1 Mar 2013 =====================
Recently decided to go back to shooting MF B&W Film for 99.5% of all my work. This is a personal decision which is driven by wanting to slow down and create stellar images from beautiful film. That said, I really wanted to have a MF camera with me at all times with minimal bulk. I love my Mamiya cameras and I'm keeping them for other work like portraiture. In the past I've found that when traveling there are times I've needed to switch quickly between my 80mm and 43mm on my Mamiya 7. My choices were to buy a second Mamiya 7II body OR get a Fuji GF670. The GF670, being a folder, fits my criteria of a camera with minimal bulk so I bit the bullet and got a GF670.
It's beautiful. Not having a place to set up my darkroom at the moment I've had to send my film out for developing so I've yet to see the first roll. I like the compactness (though it's not small) when folded and, though not as comfortable in my hand as my Mamiya 7II, I do like the way it feels in my hands. SO, though I still don't like the price point on the GF670 I felt its usefulness and design would fit well into my workflow. Now on to making money with the GF670 AND my Mamiya 7II!
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Sureño
Established
I don't see ANY good reason to change my beloved Mamiya 7 / 80mm for this gadget. Its one of the best cameras with one of the best lenses EVER made and I would change that because it uses belows? pfff..
not for me.
not for me.
kuzano
Veteran
Price... big issue for me....
Price... big issue for me....
As overpriced (my opinion) as the Mamiya 7 and lenses have always been for my purposes, the new Fuji Wide Folder is inordinately high priced. At least with the Mamiya 7 one gets lens choices. Furthermore, I suspect people are going to find that the new Fuji is not going to be "compact" relative to the Mamiya 7, with the exception of lens length.
Point one, I can drop back to the less expensive Fuji rangefinders and shoot 6X9 and crop, or not. (OK, no metering... is that worth the extra $2000 plus on the folder)
Point two, I can buy the GSW670 AND a GSW690 if i insist on both formats, both for around $2000 in excellent plus condition, and still have $600 to $1000 left over from the GF670W price. That money will buy one exceptional meter, plus change from that.
Not much point in buying both however as the body size is the same on the GSW670 and 690.
I'd more likely buy the GW690III and GSW690III and have the same $2000 expenditure (for both) and 65 and 90 focal lengths.
And, again, I do recognize the automation differences, but they just don't justify a $3000 camera in my estimation.
I love my Fuji's, but Fuji has been digging far too deep into buyers pockets with their last three major offerings. The GF670, the GF670W and the X100 fixed lens digital point and shoot.
Price... big issue for me....
As overpriced (my opinion) as the Mamiya 7 and lenses have always been for my purposes, the new Fuji Wide Folder is inordinately high priced. At least with the Mamiya 7 one gets lens choices. Furthermore, I suspect people are going to find that the new Fuji is not going to be "compact" relative to the Mamiya 7, with the exception of lens length.
Point one, I can drop back to the less expensive Fuji rangefinders and shoot 6X9 and crop, or not. (OK, no metering... is that worth the extra $2000 plus on the folder)
Point two, I can buy the GSW670 AND a GSW690 if i insist on both formats, both for around $2000 in excellent plus condition, and still have $600 to $1000 left over from the GF670W price. That money will buy one exceptional meter, plus change from that.
Not much point in buying both however as the body size is the same on the GSW670 and 690.
I'd more likely buy the GW690III and GSW690III and have the same $2000 expenditure (for both) and 65 and 90 focal lengths.
And, again, I do recognize the automation differences, but they just don't justify a $3000 camera in my estimation.
I love my Fuji's, but Fuji has been digging far too deep into buyers pockets with their last three major offerings. The GF670, the GF670W and the X100 fixed lens digital point and shoot.
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tlitody
Well-known
Now that Mamiya is owned by Phase One I wonder how long the Mamiya film cameras will remain in production. It may turn out to be a very smart move by Fuji to have restarted its meduim format film based cameras to keep demand for MF film alive. It's fuji who seem more committed to film than anyone else so they should be supported if at all possible.
I can see why the Mamiya 7II is a better option than the GF670 and given the choice I'd opt for a Mamiya. But if Mamiya cease production then I'm not so sure. And if fuji release a short tele version then I think I would defintely be looking at a GF670W and a short tele version in the abscence of Mamiya production. There would be little other choice except used cameras.
I can see why the Mamiya 7II is a better option than the GF670 and given the choice I'd opt for a Mamiya. But if Mamiya cease production then I'm not so sure. And if fuji release a short tele version then I think I would defintely be looking at a GF670W and a short tele version in the abscence of Mamiya production. There would be little other choice except used cameras.
Brian Puccio
Well-known
If anything, I'd look for a deal on a Fuji GSW690III on eBay or KEH.
Turtle
Veteran
No chance. My Mamiya 7IIs have interchangeable lenses!
hausen
Well-known
A lot of comments here about it being fixed lens. That is the reason I did buy my GF670. I really like the discipline of a fixed lens. Also my Mamiya 6 felt really fragile toward the end and I was happy to see it go.
thegman
Veteran
Agree, there is a pleasure to the fixed lens of Rolleiflex, GF670 etc. It's one less thing to worry about, one less thing to GAS over, one less thing to pack. I used to always want a "system" camera, but now I probably do have a slight hankering for built in lenses.
RObert Budding
D'oh!
No. My Mamiya 7 works fine.
RObert Budding
D'oh!
You could do the same thing with a Mamiya - just buy but one lens.
kram
Well-known
I fell for it any have just purchased a second hand GF670 (why when I am a Mamiya 7 owner?). 1) It was in mint condition, seller needed the cash and has (he said) put 1 film through it (maybe/maybe not). It was also at a good price (50% of new) complete with strap, case (mint) and hood (unused).
Initial impressions: bright finder, very fine clear frame lines. Smooooth focusing, click stops on aperture ring great - better than any autofocus Nikon lens, half way between Zeiss ZM and VC 35mm lens (made in the same factory). 6X6 and 6x7 selector can be changed with finger nail, no need for a coin. Front standard more solid than I expected from the reviews I have read. focuses to 0.9m rather than 1m on the Mamiya 7 (BIG DEAL, but good - would have liked 0.7m if possible
Final remark, the lens hood is really TINY!
Initial impressions: bright finder, very fine clear frame lines. Smooooth focusing, click stops on aperture ring great - better than any autofocus Nikon lens, half way between Zeiss ZM and VC 35mm lens (made in the same factory). 6X6 and 6x7 selector can be changed with finger nail, no need for a coin. Front standard more solid than I expected from the reviews I have read. focuses to 0.9m rather than 1m on the Mamiya 7 (BIG DEAL, but good - would have liked 0.7m if possible
Final remark, the lens hood is really TINY!
J. Borger
Well-known
Got the Fuji GF670 and sold my Mamiya 7II.
I prefer the Fuji/ Bessa on all major accounts: portability, cool looks of the camera, 6x6 and 6x7 option, quality of the viewfinder and last but not least the smooth way the lens of the Fuji/Bessa draws.
No regrets!!!
I prefer the Fuji/ Bessa on all major accounts: portability, cool looks of the camera, 6x6 and 6x7 option, quality of the viewfinder and last but not least the smooth way the lens of the Fuji/Bessa draws.
No regrets!!!
thegman
Veteran
Agree, the Mamiya 7 as a system camera is outstanding, and I wouldn't rule out getting one again. But the GF670 is so much more portable, stunning to look at, and the finder is great (like the other Bessas are).
kram
Well-known
Just got around to loading my first film into the GF670 (have nearly used up all my 35mm stock, so this is forcing me to start exposing my few rolls of 120). The shutter, as other people have stated IS AMAZINGLY QUIET, more so than the Mamiya 7 or a Minox 35GT. I am stunned by its quietness. So far I wish the front grip was more pronounced.
