Author Topic: Fuji GX680iii (Read 25339 times)

LT · « **on:** March 20, 2011, 09:02:23 AM »

I'm thinking of getting one of these beasties:

but I can't find any detailed reviews anywhere. Dan Burke's review on Luminous Landscapes is great but it doesn't really get into the nitty gritty about battery life, availability, charge times etc. Does anyone have first hand or know of any decent reviews of this behemoth that the googlebots can't see?

It's a sort of poorpersons flexbody.

L.

Karl · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2011, 10:23:16 AM »

http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/cameras/film-cameras/medium-format/fujifilm/PRD_84531_3107crx.aspx

Good review from a ChicagoTribune photographer

LT · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2011, 10:26:07 AM »

thanks Karl.

I've just found this too:

http://www.fujigx680.com/

Sometimes I cant see for looking

LT · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2011, 10:33:25 AM »

and this one - very good review http://www.thewsreviews.com/2011/01/fujifilm-gx680iii.html

jojonas~ · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2011, 11:09:26 AM »

massive! 6x8, huh? first I heard of that format - I think.

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2011, 12:09:18 PM »

Whoah!

What do these suckers go for? Does this mean you ain't going digital after all?

LT · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2011, 06:47:23 PM »

they can be very reasonable if you know someone in Japan

Fedo · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2011, 07:38:04 PM »

Its a big beast, I hop youve got lots of room! Have you seen one next to an RZ67?

Nigel · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2011, 08:16:23 PM »

My god! Does that come with its own trolley?

Francois · « **Reply #9 on:** March 20, 2011, 08:28:20 PM »

I think you actually need a forklift to transport it

Lucky it's not like this monster from Peter Gowland

For those who need to know, it weighed in at 35 lbs and was never used...

astrobeck · « **Reply #10 on:** March 20, 2011, 08:32:29 PM »

Francois, this is the strangest photo I've ever seen!

Leon, are you going to go shirtless??

Lawrie · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2011, 10:39:46 AM »

Hey Leon,

I am green with envy! I had an option on one a few years ago but I didn't move smartly enough - someone beat me and I've always regretted it. Although I recall it being large and heavy, it felt very well balanced. The finish was of an exceptionally high standard and I am sure the optics were in the same league. A very desirable piece of kit indeed. What lenses are you planning to get?

If you go for it I look forward to hearing all about it! (Oh and by the way, you would be able to cancel your gym contract - lugging the beast around should keep you fit!)

Good luck,

Lawrie.

LT · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2011, 01:55:24 PM »

I'll only be getting one if the price is right. I think the 1st and 2nd model had to have dedicated proprietary batteries, but the later version (mk III) will take readily available cells. Lawrie - I'll take whatever lens I can get with it ... My ideal would be an 80mm or somewhere around there - normal to slightly wide suits my eye best.

here's a youtube clip for the uninitiated:

フジフィルム GX680III

Francois · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2011, 02:16:29 PM »

Quote from: astrobeck on March 20, 2011, 08:32:29 PM

Francois, this is the strangest photo I've ever seen!

Actually, the camera is an 8x10 TLR...
Not actually the most discrete camera in the world... but image quality must be one of a kind!

Andrea. · « **Reply #14 on:** March 21, 2011, 03:36:54 PM »

Nice camera athough it seem to have all the complications of a pixel camera but uses film. All those electronics to go wrong!
There is a chap on the island here that has two of these - un-used in original boxes. Now i know why!

LT · « **Reply #15 on:** March 21, 2011, 04:03:37 PM »

it's all about the movements Andrea.

Suzi Livingstone · « **Reply #16 on:** March 21, 2011, 04:21:27 PM »

You'll get backache! Best let me look after it for you

Andrea. · « **Reply #17 on:** March 21, 2011, 06:01:47 PM »

Quote from: leon taylor on March 21, 2011, 04:03:37 PM

it's all about the movements Andrea.

Leon, surely you just need a roll of gaffer tape, rubber tube and sticky back plastic!

LT · « **Reply #18 on:** March 21, 2011, 06:11:01 PM »

or - maybe one of these would be more fitting ...

the horseman Medium Format Field Camera. A bit more me I think:

Andrea. · « **Reply #19 on:** March 21, 2011, 08:22:41 PM »

and
http://www.linhof.de/master_technika_classic_e.html

original_ann · « **Reply #20 on:** March 21, 2011, 08:44:03 PM »

Wow, what an intriguing camera! (Poor man's flexbody? SIGN ME UP!). I love this line in one of the reviews:
The Fujifilm GX680 is ten pounds of pure awesomeness. - oh yes, yes I do believe it is.

Matthew · « **Reply #21 on:** March 22, 2011, 01:13:48 AM »

Quote from: Fedo on March 20, 2011, 07:38:04 PM

Its a big beast, I hop youve got lots of room! Have you seen one next to an RZ67?

Excellent photo. I've never seen an RZ67 in person, but every time I hear it mentioned people talk about how big it is. Funny.

Here's my Hasselblad 500 + 150mm on the film back for my GX680:

To think that they take the same film, and the negative is only 2cm bigger, does make the Fuji seem a bit absurd. But the rotating back means that nothing is lost to cropping (assuming one doesn't want a square negative) and movements do make a big difference. The Fuji's the camera I carry that 10% of the time when I really want the best possible results.

For everything else, there's Hasselblad.

LT · « **Reply #22 on:** March 22, 2011, 11:10:37 AM »

the whole battery thing scared me too much to commit to the Behemoth GX680. I've grabbed this instead! wide and standard lens, roll film back, RF & GG, front and rear movements, solid shell - a mini linhof! Cant wait to get my hands on it ::::

Mojave · « **Reply #23 on:** March 22, 2011, 01:13:49 PM »

That is beautiful Leon!!!

I did a search for Linhof on eBay and found a camera selling for 500K U.S. At least the shipping is cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Franken-Leica-Linhof-Stereo-M6-Winder-Mini-II-Zeiss-rig-/120691205229?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item1c19c1a46d#ht_500wt_1156

LT · « **Reply #24 on:** March 22, 2011, 05:15:57 PM »

it's not an actual Linhof - it's a horseman, but it looks like a little linhof.

That thing you've found, Erin is the funniest ebay auction I've seen - ever. It looks like one of Francoises ccontraptions!

Mojave · « **Reply #25 on:** March 22, 2011, 05:50:15 PM »

Quote from: leon taylor on March 22, 2011, 05:15:57 PM

it's not an actual Linhof - it's a horseman, but it looks like a little linhof.

That thing you've found, Erin is the funniest ebay auction I've seen - ever. It looks like one of Francoises ccontraptions!

Got it! Im going to go to ebay to check out Horseman now. I wonder if I'll find a million dollar baby on this search.

And Francois, I wonder if you might get a cool half mil for one of your contraptions on eBay.

Andrea. · « **Reply #26 on:** March 22, 2011, 08:07:31 PM »

Nice catch Leon.
Can you get roll-film backs for 4x5 cameras??

Francois · « **Reply #27 on:** March 22, 2011, 08:15:39 PM »

Quote from: Mojave on March 22, 2011, 05:50:15 PM

And Francois, I wonder if you might get a cool half mil for one of your contraptions on eBay.

That, I doubt it... but I'd settle for a trade-in

Jeff Warden · « **Reply #28 on:** March 22, 2011, 09:25:38 PM »

Congrats Leon! Looking forward to the pics

Jeff

LT · « **Reply #29 on:** March 22, 2011, 09:28:56 PM »

Andrea - you can get roll film backs for 4x5, so I suppose I could have got one of those, but I'd have needed to get new lenses etc. to get the focal lengths I usually use ... and getting a dedicated MF field camera seemed like more fun.

Lawrie · « **Reply #30 on:** March 24, 2011, 05:54:35 AM »

Well done Leon! The Fuji looks great but nothing can beat a good old mechanical camera. Looks as though you found a gem. Enjoy!

Regards,

Lawrie.

mijonju · « **Reply #31 on:** March 24, 2011, 06:20:56 PM »

"They have one for sale here in Toronto, Canada at the moment!! for $2000
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/pho/2277724875.html

Francois · « **Reply #32 on:** March 24, 2011, 09:34:44 PM »

Everything photographic is expensive in Canada...
Everybody wants an arm and a leg for anything that has a lens on it no matter if it's good or bad.

Phil Bebbington · « **Reply #33 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:37:30 PM »

Leon, I now have a huge guilt thing going on! Okay, I'll use it

Love your purchase.

Ed Wenn · « **Reply #34 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:55:13 PM »

Druid, the Horseman looks just the ticket. Bravo. Will you have it on Sunday?

LT · « **Reply #35 on:** March 26, 2011, 07:13:22 AM »

Phil - no worries. Just make sure it sees a little action now and then to keep it keen.

Ed - sadly not. It's still a few thousand miles away.

Skorj · « **Reply #36 on:** March 26, 2011, 09:14:49 AM »

Quote from: leon taylor on March 26, 2011, 07:13:22 AM

Ed - sadly not. It's still a few thousand miles away.

Its a bit closer now though...

LT · « **Reply #37 on:** March 26, 2011, 10:04:43 AM »

Yes! good news Skj

But seeing it on my screen is killing me ......

Karl · « **Reply #38 on:** March 26, 2011, 10:34:54 AM »

lurvely, look forward to seeing what it can do!

LT · « **Reply #39 on:** March 30, 2011, 06:43:06 PM »

Quote from: Francois on March 20, 2011, 08:28:20 PM

Lucky it's not like this monster from Peter Gowland

Was peter gowland a drag-queen Lady Diana impersonator?

Francois · « **Reply #40 on:** March 30, 2011, 09:04:11 PM »

I don't know but he worked for both Popular Photography and Playboy... two good magazine with one of them more captivating than the other

tkmedia · « **Reply #41 on:** December 07, 2012, 07:36:44 AM »

zombie thread...

I borrowed one of these a couple of months ago while compiling my article on the system.
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Fuji_GX680

The battery issue is imo not too significant. The first two cameras can also take 6xAA but the holder didn't seem to be too common. Many have modified the later AA battery holder to fit on the first two cameras. The person I borrowed the camera from is not too knowledgeable with electronics but made a modified alkaline battery packs himself. He did ask a battery shop to replace the cells in his dead rechargeable nicad pack.

The film back holder is big because of all the fancy motorized electronics, LCD, etc. It has automatic film loading (do not have to align start mark) and automatic advance. The first two film holders do have that odd soldered battery.

jojonas~ · « **Reply #42 on:** December 07, 2012, 03:36:20 PM »

nice one, tk!

I've noticed one of these on the local auctionsite. put up for ~550€ but no takers. it was tempting!

tkmedia · « **Reply #43 on:** December 09, 2012, 04:22:07 AM »

550€? I have seen model I's in the past for even less $550! Body, lens and film back.

Author Topic: Fuji GX680iii (Read 25339 times)

astrobeck

Lawrie

Matthew

Lawrie