OT:new Fuji MF camera

[butterflydream]

I miss my Mamiya 6 and 7 for their convenience of AE.
And I also miss my Voigtlader Perkeo for compactness.

From the picture it looks like aperture priority AE.
I think I would buy one, unless the price is ridiculously high.

When do they start to sell in the market?

[Ken Lee]

The lens reads 80mm, so it's probably (only) a 6x6. The shape seems to accord with that.

It looks as though they tried to implement the best features from a broad sampling of classic designs.

I would have preferred a 6x7 with a 100mm lens. Or better yet, 6x8.

I love my folders: they're the latest in 1950's technology.

[David A. Goldfarb]

"6x7" is engraved on top of the camera.

[Ken Lee]

6x7 ... Excellent !!

If the lens is good (it probably is very good) then I'll take one of these, a mile or two of TMY, a nice big COOLSCAN, and some PyroCat HD to wash it all down.

[Ken Lee]

A new 6x9 folder would have been nice, but this is tempting enough. I quite like 6x7. Meanwhile, here's my 6x9 folder. The front cell has to come of to get it to fold.

Helen, please tell us about that lens. Have you merely replaced the front element of the lens ? Is that the whole lens ?

I had one of those cameras for a while, and the Color Heliar was quite good.

[David Luttmann]

I had an email back from Fuji stating that there is no anticipated release date and that it may never see the light of day. Darn shame really as I'd love to play with that baby. I just wish it had a 65mm lens on it rather than 80mm.

[Jiri Vasina]

David, lack of any release date would be a terrible shame. I would also seriously consider getting that camera if it were available.

And I'd love it with the 80mm lens (or 75mm), not wider. Moderately wide is what I'd be most happy with...

[David Luttmann]

Jiri,

I just figured it would be a fun street camera. Definitely enough to strike up a conversation with people. OK.....how about 70mm.....that give me a 39mm equivalent. Can we go ahead with that

Here is how they replied:

"Dear Mr. Luttmann,

Thank you for contacting the FUJIFILM USA Helpdesk.

We wish to inform you that the new portable medium-format film camera
displayed at the recent PMA 2008 Show is a prototype and currently not
available. At this point in time, there is no additional information on
the technical specifications, pricing, or release date for this
prototype. "

[Jiri Vasina]

David, thanks for the info. Regarding the lens (or the camera as a whole at the moment), everything is just ideas and wishes.

I too would consider it a street camera, and therefore the wide-ish lens. But I've had a Pentax 6×7cm with a 55mm lens, which was too wide for street photography. All those times I've been thinking about adding a 75mm lens, but never managed to. In the end, I ended up having a Fuji 6×9 with the 90mm lens (and have tried the 65mm variant too). The wide one is generally too wide for street photos (although I really like this photo here, shot with Fuji GSW 690II).

But in the end, any good sharp and fast (f/4 or faster) lens in the range of 65-90mm on the camera would be acceptable. If the camera is available at all...

[neil poulsen]

Gosh, has 6x7 become large format? Russ

It's kind of funny. If you check EBay, 35mm has become large format.