I was going to ask you about your medium format gear Austin. Are most of your recent posts here with the GF?Originally Posted by austin granger
Thanks,
Dave
I was going to ask you about your medium format gear Austin. Are most of your recent posts here with the GF?
Thanks,
Dave
Dave, Yes, the recent stuff is from the GF, though honestly, I think you'd be hard pressed to distinguish any difference between those pictures and ones made with my Yashica Mat. I'm of the opinion that just about any decent medium format camera is capable of being plenty good, or at least, capable of technically surpassing my own shoddy techniques. Anyway though, yeah, with my poor Yashica Mat starting to show signs of imminent death, I decided to splurge and buy myself a new (!) camera. So, one less Triumph Bonneville later, I received the GF. I've had my eye on it for a long time now. I realize that for the money I could have bought a load of great used gear, but I didn't want a load of used gear; I just wanted a simple, small, quality medium format camera, and I think the Fuji is definitely that.
Off the top of my head, the pros:
It's size. I know 'small' is a relative term here, but I think it's safe to say that most of those reading this would find the GF positively tiny. With it folded up, you could slip it into your pocket, if you had a pretty big pocket. It's fairly light too, so light that when I received the box, I almost thought they'd forgotten to put it in! That said, it somehow manages to feel quite solid and well put together.
The viewfinder! I have to put an exclamation point on that, because the GF has a truly glorious viewfinder. Giant, clear and bright, it's a joy to look through. I'm actually excited for dark winter to come on so I can fully utilize the awesomeness that is this viewfinder.
The simplicity. You couldn't get much simpler without going to an 35mm auto-focus point and shoot. In fact, it kind of reminds me of my Olympus Stylus Epic (remember those-the clam-shell ones?) in that it's so straightforward and well laid out, it practically disappears. I can't think of a higher compliment.
The shutter. People often talk about the quietness of the Mamiya 7's shutter. I've owned a Mamiya 7, and let me tell you, while I don't want to disparage that fine camera, the GF's shutter makes the Mamiya's sound like a Pentax 67's. It's really that smooth, that quiet.
What else? Well, the ability to switch between 6x6 and 6x7 is pretty cool, though I'm kind of into squares at the moment.
As far as negatives go, the first thing that comes to mind is the filter system, which is a little funky. Basically, there are two options: you can screw filters onto the lens and then screw a lens shade onto that, BUT, if you do, then you can't close the camera without removing them. Alternately, you can get smaller filters which screw into the special little Fuji lens shade, which is then clipped onto the front of the lens. Using the lens shade itself is straightforward, though again, you have to take it off and on to close the camera. Where things get weird is when you want to use a small filter with the lens hood. If you want to go this route, you must first unscrew this tiny metal ring in the lens shade, and then screw the filter onto that, then screw the filter/ring back into the shade, and then clip the lens shade on in front of the lens. Sound convoluted? Well, it is, and doing all that (good luck if you have big hands) without getting fingerprints on the filters is tough. Luckily for me, I don't use filters a whole lot so it's not too big of a deal.
Time will tell if this next thing is a negative, but I do wonder about how the mechanism for opening and closing the camera will hold up after thousands of repetitions. As I mentioned, the GF does seem very well made, but the possibility of this bit failing does weigh on my mind a little.
Oh, there's no self-timer, which I don't use very much, but it would have been nice. I have one of those external wind-up ones that I tested on the GF and it works fine.
I find the ergonomics to be wonderful, but I could also see some people being put off by them. They do take a little getting used to. The right hand holds the camera a bit like a sandwich (fingers and thumb straight and parallel)-very differently that something with a right hand grip, and certainly differently than the cradling of a TLR like a Yashica Mat. The focusing is done with the left thumb, by way of a little hump on the focus ring. As I said, all this takes some getting used to, but after maybe ten rolls now, it feels right to me.
That's all I can think of for now. I apologize if this seems a bit scattershot, but I didn't set off to write a camera review.If anyone has any specific questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them.
-Austin
I forgot to mention that it has bellows! How cool is that?
I've seen a guy post many of shot from a Voigtländer Bessa III. Same thing basically but possibly a different lens I think. You won't be disappointed. It looks like the ultimate in easy to carry around MF camera to me.I forgot to mention that it has bellows! How cool is that?
Last week-end we hiked up to the glacier on Brandywine mountain near Whistler.
Mamiya 7 TMY-2 Tmax Developer
Where we are going
Where we are coming from
First pause on the way
Cheers,
Luc
Field # ShenHao XPO45 - Monorail # Sinar P, F2[CENTER]6x6 # Minolta 1965 Autocord, 6x9 # Kodak 1946 Medalist II
Nice, luc. The Canadian Rockies are #1 on my list of places to visit.
Thanks Austin, I really appreciate the detailed review of the GF! I also appreciate the fact that your outstanding vision and execution are completely independent of the gear you use. Thank you very much for your contributions to this forum.
Dave
PS Sorry about the Triumph. The GF would seem perfect to have along on the bike!
I've had 2 Fuji folders, I can vouch for just about everything Austin says. I've also had a C330, 3 Rolleis, 3 Yashicas, 2 Ricohs, assorted Weltas and KWs and the like, and still have complete Mamiya RB and Praktisix systems. The Fuji is the only one I can carry in a pocket all day, and perhaps only the Mamiyas could reliably produce sharper photos (but try carrying an RB in your pocket). The Praktisix with a Biometar can produce sharp hotos, just not reliably. Never had a Hasselblad, so I can't compare with those.Dave, Yes, the recent stuff is from the GF, though honestly, I think you'd be hard pressed to distinguish any difference between those pictures and ones made with my Yashica Mat. I'm of the opinion that just about any decent medium format camera is capable of being plenty good, or at least, capable of technically surpassing my own shoddy techniques. Anyway though, yeah, with my poor Yashica Mat starting to show signs of imminent death, I decided to splurge and buy myself a new (!) camera. So, one less Triumph Bonneville later, I received the GF. I've had my eye on it for a long time now. I realize that for the money I could have bought a load of great used gear, but I didn't want a load of used gear; I just wanted a simple, small, quality medium format camera, and I think the Fuji is definitely that.
Off the top of my head, the pros:
It's size. I know 'small' is a relative term here, but I think it's safe to say that most of those reading this would find the GF positively tiny. With it folded up, you could slip it into your pocket, if you had a pretty big pocket. It's fairly light too, so light that when I received the box, I almost thought they'd forgotten to put it in! That said, it somehow manages to feel quite solid and well put together.
The viewfinder! I have to put an exclamation point on that, because the GF has a truly glorious viewfinder. Giant, clear and bright, it's a joy to look through. I'm actually excited for dark winter to come on so I can fully utilize the awesomeness that is this viewfinder.
The simplicity. You couldn't get much simpler without going to an 35mm auto-focus point and shoot. In fact, it kind of reminds me of my Olympus Stylus Epic (remember those-the clam-shell ones?) in that it's so straightforward and well laid out, it practically disappears. I can't think of a higher compliment.
The shutter. People often talk about the quietness of the Mamiya 7's shutter. I've owned a Mamiya 7, and let me tell you, while I don't want to disparage that fine camera, the GF's shutter makes the Mamiya's sound like a Pentax 67's. It's really that smooth, that quiet.
What else? Well, the ability to switch between 6x6 and 6x7 is pretty cool, though I'm kind of into squares at the moment.
As far as negatives go, the first thing that comes to mind is the filter system, which is a little funky. Basically, there are two options: you can screw filters onto the lens and then screw a lens shade onto that, BUT, if you do, then you can't close the camera without removing them. Alternately, you can get smaller filters which screw into the special little Fuji lens shade, which is then clipped onto the front of the lens. Using the lens shade itself is straightforward, though again, you have to take it off and on to close the camera. Where things get weird is when you want to use a small filter with the lens hood. If you want to go this route, you must first unscrew this tiny metal ring in the lens shade, and then screw the filter onto that, then screw the filter/ring back into the shade, and then clip the lens shade on in front of the lens. Sound convoluted? Well, it is, and doing all that (good luck if you have big hands) without getting fingerprints on the filters is tough. Luckily for me, I don't use filters a whole lot so it's not too big of a deal.
Time will tell if this next thing is a negative, but I do wonder about how the mechanism for opening and closing the camera will hold up after thousands of repetitions. As I mentioned, the GF does seem very well made, but the possibility of this bit failing does weigh on my mind a little.
Oh, there's no self-timer, which I don't use very much, but it would have been nice. I have one of those external wind-up ones that I tested on the GF and it works fine.
I find the ergonomics to be wonderful, but I could also see some people being put off by them. They do take a little getting used to. The right hand holds the camera a bit like a sandwich (fingers and thumb straight and parallel)-very differently that something with a right hand grip, and certainly differently than the cradling of a TLR like a Yashica Mat. The focusing is done with the left thumb, by way of a little hump on the focus ring. As I said, all this takes some getting used to, but after maybe ten rolls now, it feels right to me.
That's all I can think of for now. I apologize if this seems a bit scattershot, but I didn't set off to write a camera review.
-Austin
A little "decisive moment" of my own (if I may be so bold).
Nikon 8008s, Kodachrome
Jonathan
With a really cheap adapter, you can put your Pentacon Six-mount lenses on either a Mamiya 645 or a Pentax 645. The latter provides focus confirmation, too (in the N and NII models). You lose the auto aperture, which should be no real hardship for a large-format photographer. I have made many portraits using a Pentax 645 and a Carl Zeiss Jena 180mm f/2.8 MC-Sonnar. That is a very effective combination. The 200/4 Pentax 67 lens (which is a Sonnar/Ernostar design) is quite decent and maybe sharper at f/4, but the CZJ produces a lovely look.
There are three lenses in the P6 mount that really make dealing with the funky mount worth the effort: The Arsat 30mm fisheye, the Arsat 55mm shift lens, and the CZJ Sonnar (really, four lenses--the 300/4 Sonnar is as good as the 180). The Biometars are good, and are nearly identical in plan to the five-element modified double-gauss Planar and even to the Xenotar (though the later versions of the latter are the best of the three, in my view). But lenses just as good in more convenient mounts make it not so valuable unless one is really committed to the mount. The late Schneider Xenotar 80/2.8 for the Exakta 66 (same mount) is as good as any medium-format normal lens ever made.
My Exakta 66 does not do well with smooth film--the frame-tracking wheel slips on the film and overlaps result. Modifications are available from Baier, but they don't solve the problem, only provide a workaround for the symptoms. Mine sits in a place of honor on the shelf. My Kiev 60 can only be described as craptastic, but both the '94 and the '00 examples I have have been solidly reliable. And the later one has a remarkably accurate shutter--the earlier one is half a stop to a stop too slow. Their prisms are much better than the Pentacon prisms in that they are brighter and invade the edges of the view not at all. I have an adapter that allows me to mount a Kiev 60 prism on the Exakta 66 and Pentacon Six, also made by Baier. That provides (uncoupled) TTL metering in addition to the better view.
But I get tired of the square at times and then a 6x6 camera becomes a 645 camera. So, I mostly use the Pentax 6x7 when I shoot rollfilm.
I passed on an Ebay auction for a CZJ 180/2.8 Sonnar that had been modified for the Pentax 6x7 mount. That one sold in vigorous bidding for well over $500.
None of these are any competition in light weight and unobtrusiveness for either the Mamiya 7 or the Fuji rangefinders and folder, or even for my lovely old Rolleiflex. I have photographed a lot of weddings with Mamiya TLRs, too. But if given the opportunity, I prefer SLRs.
Rick "who sometimes enjoys overcoming the mechanical odds, but these days just wants stuff to work" Denney
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