Fuji GSW690III - Things to look for when buying ...

I have been reading a bunch about the Fuji GSW690III and am hoping to buy one if I can find a nice one. For anyone who has (or had) one, what are the issues that I should look out for? I see some posted online that have cracks in the plastic or some corrosion on the strap mounts. That makes me nervous, but I'm sure there are other things to look for. Any help would be appreciated.

I too have been casually looking at them for a while. I look forward to the replies.

Cosmetic wear is inevitable with many examples of pro medium format camera, so you'd need to average that into context with other factors (is the camera working great otherwise, are the cracks few and minor, is the corrosion just surface or are the lugs actually rusted thru). More or less the same judgement you'd apply evaluating 35mm or other cameras.

 

Re the big Fujis in particular: these are simple cameras, so you're looking at the same three key points as you would a smaller format mechanical unmetered rangefinder. You'd want to ask about and get assurances that the rangefinder is working accurately and visibly, the lens shutter is accurate and reliable, and the film advance is working well with good frame spacing (some production runs had a nylon film counter gear that can strip, messing with the advance). If buying from a Japanese dealer especially, you should also confirm there is no fungus in either the lens or viewfinder. Also note these were primarily sold to and used in Japan by commercial tourism companies: many such domestic examples have seen a hard life from rough sloppy operators. If at all possible, look for a seller in your own country (outside Japan they were purchased far more often by amateur enthusiasts and less harsh professionals).

 

These Fujis in general do have some quirks to be aware of. Some won't fire the shutter without film loaded, if you want to test the shutter you need to open the back. The film advance takes one and a half strokes to wind: don't forget the second stroke, and make a habit of winding slowly firmly and deliberately (winding too fast can result in light leaks on the finished roll if you remove it in bright light). You can also get leaks from sloppy loading: maintain some tension on the new roll as you load the leader so the film pack stays nice and tight. The back door latch is fiddly and impatient users can put a lot of wear on it: check it works OK and isn't chewed up from people poking it with keys or other prying objects.

 

The rangefinder patch is rather small and kinda dim indoors: this is common even with other 6x9 RFs like Mamiya Press, as long as it works accurately and is visible in bright light its normal. Some models of large Fuji have a mechanical aspect of the rangefinder that gets gummy and stuck with age (a pin in groove type of connection between lens and viewfinder): if the RF doesn't seem to be moving, this might need some exercise to get going again (work the focus ring repeatedly, if no joy get it relubed by a repair tech). There no traditional "bulb" setting: long exposures use the 18th century "T" system (once started, the only way to end the exposure is by turning the shutter ring to another speed). Finally its disappointingly loud for a leaf shutter camera: the shutter itself is quiet, but the release button is connected to a noisy spring-loaded odometer mechanism that shifts usage numbers on the baseplate with every exposure. (That there is an odometer at all is your tipoff these things were mostly made for users that would beat the hell out of them enough to need a servicing reminder.)

Edited May 29, 2020 by orsetto

Thanks for that detailed overview. I have also read that you can't really rely on the odometer. Apparently they are very easy to turn back. Not sure how much people actually do that, but I guess if the overall condition doesn't seem to match a low odometer reading, then that could be suspected.

I have been reading a bunch about the Fuji GSW690III and am hoping to buy one if I can find a nice one. For anyone who has (or had) one, what are the issues that I should look out for? I see some posted online that have cracks in the plastic or some corrosion on the strap mounts. That makes me nervous, but I'm sure there are other things to look for. Any help would be appreciated.

 

I have an Fuji GW 670 III and I like it a lot. I did buy mine from Japan on Ebay and mine is in great shape. I must've got lucky. I'm not a professional so the noisy shutter or using the RF indoors doesn't bother me . I use it outdoors for landscapes and the 6X7 neg is great. And it's light in weight for the size of the neg you get.