Pros and cons of a Fuji GS645S

[dmarks]

I'm entertaining the thought of buying a Fuji GS645s and wondering

if any of you have some issues with this camera that you'd like to

share before I make my purchase.I'm not new to MF but I'm looking

for something light to carry with a very sharp lens.It'll be used

for landscape and environmental portrait photography.

Your help would be greatly apprieciated.

[mark_edward_seel]

There's not many cons. It's a great camera. It does have a

vertical format so you have to turn it on its side for landscapes.

The focusing spot on the rangefinder is a little small, and it can

be a little difficult to see the meter information in the viewfinder

sometimes. But the quality of the lens and the compactness of

the camera make for a great combination. I really enjoy mine.

[roger___3]

For pros, I think you've already named them - extremely sharp lens and lightweight and compact. I guess one more might be that there are two tripods holes so you can switch from vertical to horizontal without tilting the camera. I kept two quick release plates on mine most of the time switch quickly.

 

Beyond the obvious lack of interchangable lenses, I found the inability to set sutter speeds slower than one second to be a little limiting in low light with slower film. The controls are slightly cumbersome to change quickly unless you have very small hands. I had some modest success using polarizers and grad ND filters, but this is a disadvantage for any range finder.

 

I suppose that's the bulk of it. I lugged mine around in a day pack for many trips with no damage, but finally dropped it from chest height onto the unprotected area of the lens. It pretty much self-destructed. Until I feel wealthy enough to have a lot of cameras I probably won't replace it. I now use a Pentax 645 which is much more versitile, at the cost of a little more expense and bulk (but not much).

[dmarks]

Thanks for the answers Guys.

[steve_phillipps]

Overall a surprisingly excellent camera. Surpsrising because it is so cheap and so simple, yet produces beautiful results and very relaiably. The focussing is a little tricky if you're used to SLRs, and the shutter speed/aperture/focus rings are a bit fiddly. With all rangefinders you must keep an eye on the rangefinder to see that is always working properly, as if it gets out of whack (as they can do) you will have soft results. But overall - lightweight, cheap, reliable, great performance.

[jaroslav_ilnytskyi]

Don,

 

The pros are quite well known and already mentioned in previous posts. That is really a great camera.

 

Some cons, as for my likings:

 

1. RF spot is rather small and dim.

 

2. T exposure is very unconvenient to use. (Besides unconviniency there is also some shake given to the lens just before the exposure. This has nothing to do with shutter itself - this is part of T exposure mechanics. I found - either use a tripod or use a self timer when handholding, it can be set to 1/2 or 1/3 of full move which gives a couple of seconds before the shot).

 

3. The shutter and aperture rings on a lens are rattling. The lens elements are not but the filter mounted will. Just feel not solidly built after you hold 35mm rangefinders such as Yashica or Konica Auto S2, etc.

 

4. The shutter is not well sealed against dust, better to keep camera in a case, other wise a dust gathers on the lens elements adjacent to the shutter and aperture blades.

 

Well, that's enough. The point is that I love this camera! Just complaining that it doesn't feels in hands like Super Ikonta or Kodak duo!

 

Jaroslav.

[jim h1664876971]

We are talking about the folder here arent we? Nobody has mentioned how compact

this camera is for medium format. It will fit in a large pocket and is great for hiking.

[lindsay_robb]

Actually Jim you are thinking of the GS645. The GS645S has got a solid 60mm fixed lens.

 

Don

 

This is a fantastic little MF camera and is great for travelling. The lens is absolutely amazing! I have owned one for a year now but have decided to upgrade to an MF that might replace my 35mm system. However, I still don't think my new camera has as sharp a lens as my old Fuji!

 

I found the fact that it is in portrait mode when upright to be very helpful. I think most people are automatically inclined to shoot more horizontals but because the vertical shot is the first one you see when you bring the camera to your eye, I find I take many more vertical shots that I would have missed otherwise.

 

By the way, my Fuji GS645S is for sale on ebay and on photo.net for £350 (£25 less than what I paid for it a year ago).

[l_a_k_h_i_n_d_e_r]

A quirk of GS645S: you have to keep the film taut while loading it. Else, the danger of film not engaged and simply missing the shots does exist. But that is easily taken care of by simply pressing with one finger.

 

Also, the second tripod bracket is too flimsy. It is simply a hole in the plastic-- if I remember it correctly.

 

All in all, GS645 is a great camera. Particularly for Landscape stuff. I don't know what is environmental portrait photography. It is a lightweight camera. Although its metal bar in the front is a bit of a pain.

 

A great plus for Fuji GS645S: option of 120 or 220 roll. And the leaf shutter.

 

The rangefinder is of average quality. Please make sure you can like it.

[dmarks]

Thanks again for all the answers.I have one last question.Do you find the meter to be accurate???

[lindsay_robb]

My exposure was dead on. And I didn't find it difficult to load the film so that it was tight.

 

I also didn't find it difficult to focus. It is a little easier if you approximate the distance on the focusing ring rather than using the viewfinder.

[l_a_k_h_i_n_d_e_r]

Metering of any camera which is not TTL is generally a concern. I would not rely too much on it personally. The meter on Fuji GS645s is good. But not a TTL meter. And that is why sometimes I would shoot with the lens cover on, and would not know. A rangefinder with TTL metering helps in this a bit. I guess I am complaining about the nature of photography with a rangefinder. It is not specific to GS645s. Go for it. It has a very sharp lens. And that is what counts finally. With its leaf shutter I could take pictures even in low light. Something one would avoid in a camera with Focal shutter.