jhbeckman

I took one of these along to Scotland, though for 8x10 scenics, not for panoramas. The camera is light, easy to use, and has a good lens. You'll get a lot more negative to chop out a panoramic from than with a 35mm.

 

There are a bunch of things I didn't particularly like: the meter is pretty crappy; the built in flash is really pretty dreadful; the autofocus doesn't always focus on what you tell it to, so you have to check the LED distance readout in the viewfinder pretty religiously; the framing is oriented vertically (portrait orientation), which seems sort of goofy (though inevitable with a rangefinder 6x4.5) for a camera with a wide angle lens, so landscape portraits have to be taken with it rotated up 90 degrees (you can't do the more natural down rotation because it's own shadow interferes with the meter); it's not as easy to compose with a rangefinder (the lens intrudes in the lower right hand corner of the viewfinder).

 

I'd give some thought to using a fuji GSW690. The negative is twice as big, and it is oriented horizontally. I gather a lot of folks use this camera precisely to make nice panoramics.

 

The drawbacks are that it is a pretty big camera, when you get right down to it; a lot bigger than the 645, certainly. You don't have a crappy meter, but that's because you don't have a meter at all. The focus area is bright, but not all that big. You only get 8 shots from a roll of 120; if you're bracketing, that's not a lot of shots. As with other wide-angle rangefinders, the lens obscures the lower right corner of the viewfinder, making composition more difficult.

 

another to consider: the Mamiya 7II. It has an optional device for taking 35mm double width panoramas. Or you can just chop from the 6x7 negative on 120 or 220 roll film. The meter is supposed to be pretty good. It's also a rangefinder, but unlike the others, it has interchangeable lenses (probably less of an issue for your purposes).

 

If you have the facilities to get prints made from 6x9's negatives, on balance I'd think about trying the the GSW690. You can get around the polarizer filter issue by making your judgment off the camera and then placing it on in the same orientation; graduated density filters are out of the question.

 

If those filter issues are killers for you, than I'd seriously think about the Pentax 67. Still a lot of negative to chop from.

 

good luck

The only way to focus is the distance readout; there is no way to tell if something is really in focus is by seeing what the distance is and using the DOF tables.

 

I don't find this aspect so terrible, actually. I have, for my own part, two complaints the camera: the camera doesn't always focus on what you tell it to (you really have to check the readout and eyeball the difference if you are using autofocus), and the meter is pretty dreadful.

1) The Kancamangus is great, and there are scenic vista parking spots with lovely views. There are also some nice spots on the Saco River not too far past the ranger HQ heading away from Conway on the Kancamangus.

 

North of North Conway, there's a cog railway that takes you to the top of Mt. Washington, though I can't remember when it closes up operations. Photographically speaking, it offers lovely views as I recall, but it probably lurches too much to take advantage of them. It also makes a stop partway up to take on more water, but I don't think they let you get out; I can't remember for sure.

 

Other than ascending by the railway once, all my other times at the top of Mt. Washington were done by foot. I'd have to rank it as a fairly rugged climb. There's a road to the top -- i'm not sure what the dates are when it's open -- but I don't know what kind of views it offers, never having been on it. If the weather's nice and the road is open, it's terrific at the top. You can also do short hikes to other nearby peaks that don't have collections of bunker-like concrete buildings on them.

 

There's also a state ski area up there (NH has a bunch of them, or at least it used to), I think called Cannon Mtn. They have a gondola, which I think they run all year. There should be nice views from the top.

 

I went to college in NH, and I used to do a lot of hiking. With few exceptions, I had terrific weather when I was in the Whites, but I was lucky. I don't in any way want to sound patronizing, but if you're going up in those mountains, be really, really prepared.

 

2) I don't remember any particularly distinguished eateries in North Conway. My two strongest New Hampshire restaurant recommendations are down near the seacoast, about two hours south of Conway. If you are down that way, think about going to Newicks in Dover Point -- it can be a little tricky to find (it is near the old bridge which runs from Dover Point (Durham)to Newington) -- but it is one of the earth's most fantastic lobster-shack type places; trust me, it is genuinely great. And if you want something upscale, there's a restaurant in Portsmouth set up in an old tug on the Pisquataway (or however it is spelled) River; I can't remember what it's called, but it's a first rate place.

 

No good suggestions on places to stay; sorry

Sorry, Pete -- both in NYC

Lens and Repro is good. Fotocare is good. Both carry the camera. L&R may bee a little less expensive

Mark -- I'd like to e-mail you to discuss your impressions and thoughts, but an e-mail address the MF Digest has for you didn't work. If you would be kind enough to e-mail at john.beckman@nyu.edu with your proper address, I'd be interested in talking with you about the contax. Thanks

I use the Sekonic L-508. It's a good device. Information in the viewfinder would admittedly have been a nice touch, but I honestly doubt you will find removing it from your eye and looking at the readout too burdensome.

Anyone know the difference between the Fuji GA645 and GA645i? Thanks

This question is right on the button -- if Fuji had only offered their current 6x7 in the same choice of lenses as their 6x9, life would be a lot easier.

 

I was looking for a medium format camera for landscape photography and was most interested in the 6x7 format (I have enjoyed working with the Fuji 6x9 wide angle, but I ultimately decided that I preferred something closer to 8x10 dimensions, and preferred something larger than 6x4.5). It's irksome and puzzling that Fuji does not have a wide angle version of this camera.

 

The Mamiya seems like a very fine camera, and they have a rebate going on now, but I was honestly hoping to get off cheaper.

 

Anyway, I think I am ultimately going to end up with the 645wi or 645zi.

 

Like Lance, I am curious to hear what conclusions others came to.