Linhof 617 vs Fuji 617?

hi guys!

1. is there a comparative review of these cameras? can anyone

direct me to them? and what's the dif between the Linhof 617 & 617-

sIII?

 

2. how close can lenses on these cameras focus? can i make head-to-

toe people shots with them, like for a triple-page magazine

centerfold pull-out? will the 300mm lens on the fuji give me that?

 

3. can i use a 5.6/120 Rodenstock Macro Sironar on the Linhof 617?

it has the same mount size as the Linhof's 180mm APO Sironar option.

 

thank you very much in advance. may you all have great light. ;}

1.) The Fuji Gx617 has four interchangable lenses, a 90mm, a

105mm, a 180mm and a 300mm. I think the Linhof SIII has three

interchangable lenses: A 90mm, a 180 & A 300mm. there may

be a 72mm option forthe Linhof.<P>

Both the Fuji and the Linhof are superb machines with excelent

glass. For the wide angles lenses (72mm > 105mm) with either

camera a center weighted filter is needed to get even exposure

from center to edge.<P>

The biggest difference between the Linhof 617 and the Linhof

617 is that the earlier camera has a fixed non interchangable

lens, a 90mm. The SIII lets the user change lenses.<P>

2.) The Fuji G617 (a fixed lens camera) focuses down to about 3

meters it uses the 105mm Fujinon. The height angle of coverage

is comparable to a 100mm to 105mm lens on a more normal

medium format camera like the Hasselblad or Mamiya RZ.<P>

The 300mm is a short telephoto. A 6x17 format (an almost 3:1

ratio) image, assuming you are taling about a full bleed

centerfold) is going to be overkill. Assuming it is an 8.5 x 11

page, you are talking about an 11: 25.5 ratio, or just slightly

greater than 1;2. perhaps a 4x5, 8x10, or even a 6x12cm rollfilm

back on a 4x5 camera would be a better option., But yes,

oriented vertically, a 300mm lens on the Fuji GX617 isn't a bad

choice.<P>

3.) Not unless someone makes a custom built lens cone with a

helical focusing mount for you.<P>On the other hand, Keith

Canham says the 6x17cm rollfilm back for his 5x7 MQC camera

will be out very soon (finally). The Canham MQC camera plus

back will run you about $3600, This will give you the option of

using any lens you like and will have swings, tilts and shift

movements.

The Linhof 617SIII accepts 4 different lenses.

 

72mm 5.6 XL, 90mm 5,6 XL, 189mm 5.6 and the 250MM 5.6 TeleXenar.

 

Orher lenses do not fit.

"189mm"

 

180mm

As a personal preference, I would opt for the Linhof system.

As a professional who has shot about a thousand rolls of #220 over the Rocky Mountains (helicopter) for Eastman Kodak (Coloramas) I tried the Linhof, which is a fine machine. I purchased the Fuji 617. The Fuji is much faster to operate and adavance the film with four quick pumps of the film advance lever. Sharp. Well....when Kodak blew them up to six feet high, and eighteen feet wide, they were tack sharp. Don't get me wrong...I'm a Linhof owner and a big fan, but when I am hanging out the door of a helicopter over Silverton, Colorado...I want to shoot fast, operate fast. Just my 2 cents worth.

Richard Boulware - Denver.

Hi Eric

 

I would buy the 612 PC from Linhof because she has shift possibilitys. She would be my perfect holiday camera!

 

Good luck!

"612 PC from Linhof because she has shift possibilitys"

 

Not actually. You can not shift the lens or the film.

 

The PC designation in 612PC comes from the lens being mounted off center

on the film. With the finder on top of the camera you have the effect of lens

rise. Turning the camera upside down gives the effect of lens fall. The amount

of "rise fall" is not adjustable except by the height you position the camera.

There is no change when the camera is vertical.

 

The Technika 2000 with the 612 Techno Rollex back would allow for full

perspective correction with the camera in any position.

"for Eastman Kodak (Coloramas) I tried the Linhof"

 

Kodak purchased the first 2 617 Technoramas imported into the US in 1976.

Since then the camera has been replaced by 4 other versions. While handling

may be similar, it is not the same. Especially changed in handling is the film

transport. On the original versions it was knob wound. Later versions add a

lever to the knob.

I've added several camera reviews to my website recently, including one for Linhof 617SIII. Several points are compared between Linhof and Fuji models, along with my general impressions. Other reviews include Fuji GX680III and Contax 645:

 

www.dannyburk.com

 

Regards,

Danny

Ellis

 

What is the most cost effective way or mounting a (Canham) 617 back on my 54 Sinar p?

Dick,<P>First you'll need to get the 5x7 bellows and frame kit for

your P. The you'll have to get the frame modified to take the

canham back. Essentially the back has been designed to attach

to the frame via a

Graflock" type mechanism.

Eric, if you need a practical camera for shooting from a helicopter, now you know where to go, don't you..?

Nobody have told you yet that the Fuji viewfinder is less precise for composition than that of Linhof 617. That was one of the maine advantages of Linhof over Fuji appreciated by many photographers.

I have owned a Fuji G617 and a Linhof 671S. Image quality is excellent on both but the Linhof blows the Fuji away in build quality. The newer Fuji GX617 is even more fragile than the old G617 making the quality comparison to Linhof even more ridiculous.<div></div>

Granview Camera.. http://www.granview.com/6x17/6x17.html .. does make

custom built lens cones with a helical focusing mount for Both the Linhof and Fuji 6x17 cameras. They also make a device ("The Adapter") that provides a rise and fall function to go with thier cones.

guys, esp Ellis/ George/ Fred/ Richard,

 

 

thanks for the generous responses!

 

anyway, Ellis is right; 617 seems overkill for what i hoped to use it for (full-length portraits for magazines & panoramic macro food shots). yes, a 612 rollback on a standard 4x5 seems to be the best bet for now, while i'm just starting out.

 

i really just wanted the largest neg i could get without resorting to sheet film. i don't mind the slow pace of LF shoots -- i am a painting major, so even a 3-day prep time to perfect the light-and-color balance for a gigantic spectacular architectural shot seems so criminally easy, i feel like i'm cheating, hahaha! -- but i AM worried about sheet film. in my city of 14 million people, there is only ONE store stocking Kodak, and only 6105/6117 at that. no Readyloads. and Fuji over here doesn't even carry 4x5 at all. and polaroids aren't even an option for me, coz i'd have to order them by the case (30 boxes?), 3-4 months in advance, at a price about 20% above US SRP. my only roid-ish option is Fuji 100s.

 

but thanks also to Richard for the helicopter idea. i never thought of that: 617 is definitely cheaper and easier to manage in a helicopter than a Linhof Aerotechnika. and thanks to Fred for the Granview note. i'm visiting the site today.

Eric

 

I hope you noticed the Granview 6x12 while you were at the Granview site.. http://www.granview.com/6x12A.html ..It is exactly the camera you have described. Even to the helicopter use. These are very rugged cameras that were designed to be impervious to wind. Less than 3LBS. for the 6x12 and 4x5.

hello Richard,

i would like to know with which lenses and with which apertures you are shooting from helicopter. its a nice idea for me to use my technorama 617 for pics from air, but i allways thought the schneider lf lenses are not sharp enough to use them with full aperture....do you have experience with zhe 180 or 250mm schneider lense in this aspect? are they really sharp if you use them with 5,6 app.? if so...i will buy one for this use.................

thanks for answering....

rainer viertlböck

Isn't the 250mm lens for the Linhof a Tele Arton rather than a Tele Xenar? Linhof's website says so but it doesn't seem like the Tele Arton has a big enough image circle (158mm @ f/22) to cover 6x17. Anyone know the scoop on this?

250mm 5.6 Tele Arton S

The redesigned 250mm Tele Arton, designated the 250mm Tele Arton-S, is a slightly larger and heavier beast with an increased image circle of 190mm.