nicolas_mortazavi Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Hi ! i've discovered the range finder this sunday....putting the hand on a leica M7...very strange. from some month i want to go to the medium or large format. after going to window shop, i've found some great things (like the fujica 690)... and i've got some questions (better to ask to people who don't have stake to sell me the camera :) - what is the issue with the counter ??? the fujica 690 is the only camera where i see seller or people in forum talking about the counter... is it a fragile (forgot the english word....easy breakable ?) camera ??? bcz on my digital in some month i took more than 20 000 shots...i will not do the same with the RF i'm agree but i will not buy a camera which could die soon ^^ - what is the big difference between a classic and old G690 (and so if it's old -> big counter probably), and GWS mark I or II... does all this camera are fragile ?? is it big difference in quality of image ? In fact i'm thinking between this fujica 690 [but the talk about counter make me fear] and mamiya super press.... probably not the same kind of work... i would like to done street shots and portrait....and i've got no clue of what is the better ^^ difficult time :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick_wilson2 Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 There are 700 questions on photo.net and you will find most things there! Click on the 'Fuji Rangefinder' link on the right. Much less clutter than some other topics! I guess you have gone to some rangefinder sites and might have picked up something more, but from memory the main issue with the 'odometer' is the noise it makes, rather than weakness. Supposedly it can be disconnected. The counter is ostensibly to show when the lens needs servicing. The manual says 5000 exposures (ie 500 on counter). It will stop working at 10 000 if not serviced (according to the manual!). Assuming one can get it serviced these days! Despite the plastic exterior the big Fuji rangefinders are solid and perform. If you go to www.dantestella.com and click through to 'photography', there are a couple of pages at least on the big Fuji r/f, including the evolution of the models. I have a GSW690III and it is great for what it does. It is huge for a r/f, but so are the negs. Blows the pants off 35mm. More expensive than earlier incarnations, but probably not much optical benefit. If you go for a 'Fujica' one rather than a 'Fuji' one (ie early enough), it might not have the counter anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_evans4 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 <p>All the fixed-lens cameras have the odometer; none of the interchangeable-lens cameras have it.</p><p>For the interchangeable-lens cameras, by far the best single information source is <a href="http://www.artbig.com/">artbig.com</a>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolas_mortazavi Posted April 12, 2007 Author Share Posted April 12, 2007 thank, i will try to find what is serviced on this link site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_evans4 Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 <p><em>on my digital in some month i took more than 20 000 shots...i will not do the same with the RF i'm agree but i will not buy a camera which could die soon</em></p><p>I rather wish you and a lot of other people did take 20,000 shots per month on these cameras: it would surely cheer up the film industry.</p><p>These cameras are tough. However, some have been very heavily used: <a href="http://camerapedia.org/wiki/Fujica_GW690#Fixed_lens.2C_and_reliability">thirty thousand exposures per year</a>, that kind of thing. With that degree of use, even these cameras can and do wear out.</p><p>It's hard to find "shelf queen" examples of these cameras, but not hard to find examples that don't seem to have been used much.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forum_shopper Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 The only "issue" with the counter is that it is there: it allows a way to estimate how much use a camera has had, and a way for sellers to tout "low miles". In short, God help us if Leicas had such counters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markplawchan Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Why would a Leica even need a counter? and how high would it (have to) go? 25 exposures (or so)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alvin_hear Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 </p>I have found <a href="http://members.aol.com/dcolucci">this site </a>to be a great resource. There is a page on <a href="http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/fuji670.htm"> the 6x7 and 6x9 Fuji's </a> and this page on the <a href="http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/fujirf.htm">645 Fuji's</a></p>Good luck, Alvin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perry_cas Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 I was talking to my service guy yesterday about the counters on the Fuji. he says they can be reset, giving an inaccurate view of age and use. He also says that there are no parts available. I am still interested in a 690 with a 65mm. Any Comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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