One tip - grab a medium blue flash gel, cut to size, place it over the viewfinder. Tah-dah! 10x eaiser to focus the GW rangefinder. Another great video sir!
This is a great tip for the Fuji medium format series. I don't need a blue flash gel over my GSW690iii but I used this technique on my Fuji GS645S. The 645 has a terrible viewfinder. I would add one more tip is to buy a Nikon dg-2 magnifier eyepiece. This is a great piece of equipment, especially for the Fuji 645 and 690
I was commissioned to do a photobook back in the Late 80s. It was a large 14"x11" 160 page format and begged for something bigger than my Nikons. I met with the Fuji Rep who showed me some amazing new cameras. First, he showed me The Fujica GW690 and GSW690 rangefinders. WONDERFUL ergonomic cameras that were surprisingly light and well balanced. He then floored me with what he had in the next custom case: A Fuji G617. I bought one of each for my book project. A year later, the guys at the printing press in Portland Oregon asked me what equipment I used because of how crisp and saturated the Fujichromes were that I supplied for the book. The 6x9 chromes were particularly sharp and a joy to see in the final result This was in around 1985 or 86. I have one of the 6x9 cameras to this day. Enjoy your new Fuji!!
Also perfect for shooting infrared handheld. F5.6 at 1/60 with R72 filter. (Assuming sunny 16 conditions) Hefty enough to minimize camera shake. Love the checkered grip. Just so solid.
As someone with both of these, the GA645ZI is a killer travel camera for someone who loves film and medium format. Otherwise the 6x9 is my favorite tool.
This video is great and it also made me smile a lot. The reason is that a few years ago now I bought a Fuji GW690III (one up from yours) without ever having handled one. When it arrived and I took the 'Texas Leica' out of the packaging I nearly fell over lifting it up. My instant reaction was 'this is going straight back on eBay', so it sat around unloved and unused for a few weeks. Finally, I figured, 'well, I'll just put a film through it to check it is OK', which I did. I then got the negs back from being processed and scanned them and... WOW! The sharpness, the colour draw, the width of the scans: I realised this was an incredible camera and for a long time my Hasselblad 500 and SWC just sat unloved and unused. The lens is an absolute beauty and I think one reason for the sharpness of the negs is the film transport which keeps the film nice and flat. That was a long time ago and sadly I no longer shoot film, only digital. Fuji digital, for reasons which should be obvious.
One of my favorite cameras; easier than lugging around the RB when out on the street. Have it in my computer bag just in case I see something when I'm commuting; rarer these days though. Absolute tank of a camera though. HP5 pushed 2 stops solves most low light situations.
I've had the GW690III and GSW690III for a few years now. While quirky, those 6x9 slides are really hard to beat. Simple mechanical cameras that are perfect for landscape and urban photography. Love the channel!
I have a Fuji gw 690 I and I love it. It is actually a super early version with bulb mode instead of T. Plus it was cheaper than the II and the III. I think these cameras are super underrated.
I've had my GW690 II for almost a year now and I've taken my best photos with it. Absolutely love this camera because it makes me want to go out and use it. And the drum scan results I've gotten out of the 6x9 negatives are ridiculously sharp. Been using it to try and get panoramic shots ever since I found Nick's channel since it's the closest I could get for a reasonable price!
I made a video a while back showing how I made 35mm panorama with this camera which I think you might enjoy. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xNyM8am0aiQ.html
I feel you! Been shooting a GM670 ( wanted a few more negatives and I prefer the format ) for a year and half now and while it's a brick I've never had so much pleasure shooting. The Fuji lenses are just insanely sharp and full of character.
I love how some people think mechanical stuff will last forever because they have no electronics, and yet some people think electronic stuff will do the same for the reverse reason.
I got the 3rd version in 6x8, GW680III. Got it by mistake 😅 I wanted the 690 but I got too excited on eBay and didn't notice the 8/9 difference. I've kept the camera though as it is in mint condition.
I always wondered what you would think about the GW690, happy to see you have one now! I have a GW690 I, and it's by far my favorite camera. My gut tells me this camera series will gain a lot more traction in the next years. If you have steady hands, you can go to 1/30th easily. Because there is no mirror going up and down there is minimal shake.
yeah I find that too in terms of shutter speeds (especially on my TLR), I can handle speeds down to ~1/10th if I'm shooting close to a standard lens and I'm not too tired and 1/30th is easy on either my TLR or my 35mm SLR. Really depends on how comfortable you are doing handheld ig.
The GW690 II (or III) is an incredible camera. I can also recommend trying to take some infrared pictures with it (Rollei Infrared, 720nm filter, expose at iso 15).
When I first started researching the GW690 I thought “Nick Carver would love this camera!” There’s a few 3D printed brackets you can purchase to run 35mm film through the 690 to shoot panoramas as well! Would be awesome to see what you come up with!
The GW690 is is my next camera. I wanted that wider aspect ratio in medium format thanks to your 6x17 videos. I am not ready to purchase one of those so the GW is my next best thing.
As someone who has a GW690iii and a GA645, I really enjoyed your thoughts on these two excellent cameras. I think you make a great point when referring to the GW690 as an all-in-one camera - covering 6x6 6x7 and 6x9. I hadn’t thought of it this way before. I think you’ve inspired me to consider cropping!
I picked up a GW690 i (with T mode, not B) and love it! Took it to Yukon in September and ran a bunch of Kodak Gold 200 through it, and nearly swooned with joy when I saw the results. Some of my best photos of the year! I just got back from Vancouver Island, running 3 rolls of Gold 200 through it, and can't wait to get the negatives back. I love the whole MMM concept (Metal, Mechanical, Manual) and no batteries. It makes me think about all the aspects of exposure, which keeps me from getting too snap happy. I try not to think about it in terms of cost per photo, but rather cost per roll, knowing I'm going to get fewer, but typically better photos.
I went for the GL690 with its swappable lenses of which I have three. I also use it for panoramic shooting beyond 1:3 using 35mm film in it, I sometimes even use it for "sprocket" photography letting the sprocket holes be part of the image 🙂
Hi Nick. I had a GW690 Mk.I up until the point I was on a night shoot and was talking to my wife as I went to lock the camera onto the tripod. Fatally distracted, the Arca Swiss locking screw snugged up tight and I took my supporting hand off the camera. Weirdly, time slowed to 1/4 speed as my eyes informed my brain that the lens tilting suddenly downwards was not supposed to be in the script. In comic, cartoon style, I thrashed arms and hands desperately at the Fuji, making fleeting contact, which unhelpfully only served to simply propel it faster still towards its date with the unforgiving road. The first impact caused the back to fly open, followed by the film pressure plate pinging away like an empty ammo clip from an M1 Garand. Funny what you think about in the midst of 'why is this happening to me'. Anyway, after exhausting every profanity I could hurl pointlessly at the done deal I gathered up the body, loaded it into my impromptu hearse and drove respectfully slowly home. My repair guy pronounced Mr Fuji DOA. I informed my contents insurer and posted a claim for the £500 purchase cost. I provided every proof necessary, plus some 'for sale' alternatives I was interested in. To my heart-stopping amazement, the insurer said they couldn't authorise a straight replacement as my agreement was 'new for old'. So, they said the nearest medium format equivalent they could provide on that 'new for old' basis was a medium format digital Fuji and would I be happy with a 'body only' settlement of a tad under £3,000. I reiterated my original cash outlay, that it was an analogue camera (not digital) but they stuck to their guns and said I'd have to accept six times the claim value or nothing. With a clear conscience I banked the cash and now have a lovely GL690 with the 100mm f3.5 lens. Glass is removable on these as they have a Canon FD type breech lock mount and a shutter curtain in case you want to change focal lengths mid-roll. It's all brass too, unlike my GW690. Both are great cameras but it's the GL I personally prefer. Look forward to your Texas Leica adventures going forwards!
Love the video, I face with a similar issue, if I have a camera I cant concentrate on hanging out with family/friends, its either I am hunting for a shot or just enjoying the moment.
Hi Nick, I’m also selling my GA645Zi and keeping my GS645W because it suits my style with its wide lens and manual control. The Zi is less robust and I felt it needed to be handled with care. Good luck with your sale.
Sold mine in early 2020 to upgrade to a Horseman VH 6x9 to gain the flexibility of a view camera and LG lenses. Although I'm super happy with my VH, I regret selling my 690II ever since. Have to find another one soon.
I've had both - the Fuji GA645 pro and the Fuji GW690. The "square peg in 'my' round hole" analogy you gave is totally right. Both have great qualities but I found that my Fuji GA645 was great for quick shots but would miss focus and the Fuji GW690 was FANTASTIC when you had the time to slowly focus on a subject (and hefty - also, wasn't a fan of having to change film all the time)...I found the FUJI GF670 to fit better for my combined style of shooting, though I would say it leans more towards the GW690 if you were to put both the GA645 and the GW690 on extremes of a spectrum. Anyway, they're all great cameras but really depends on what you're looking for. Okay, now I'm going to go on ebay and buy back a GW690II since I miss it and it's definitely going up in price after this video (thanks, Nicholas).
That is a very informative and entertaining video! I have this question - now with a bit of a distance added, what would be the minimum shutter speed you can confidently hand-hold it?
Nice dog! The big Fuji is awesome. The shots of detritus are A+ stuff, very moving. I recommend you look at a Horseman 985, it's THE 120 landscape camera. An all metal folding flatbed field camera, with a wider array of small light lenses, viewfinder & rangefinder, square, ideal format, 6x9, & Polaroid interchangeable backs. Ground glass with 45 degree prism. (I have two complete sets in mint condition I want to sell btw, probably go with KEH.)
John The Horseman is a nice camera, but if you're going to go through the hassle of messing with a flatbed camera, why not go to a Linhof Master Technica? The beauty of the Fuji is its SIMPLICITY.
Congratulations! An excellent camera and very nice sample pictures. I had bought the Fujica G690 back in the late 80s and kept it till the early 2000s because the negative had big size, film was still quite cheap and 6x9 has the same width by height ratio as a 35mm camera. The Fujica was a much older model with interchangeable lenses of 65, 100 and 150mm and ended up being an angular block made of metal. We called it "the Brick" or the "Texas Leica" because it was - compared to my old Leica M3- obscenely big. Like almost everything in Texas... ;)
My GW690II is definitely my favourite medium format camera in my collection. There’s just something about the shooting experience and the way the photos come out on that large negative. Wow.
Of all the too many cameras I’ve had and sold the GW69 is a huge regret. Loved it and it took my most lucrative photos excepting for a few 4”x5”s back in the days when money could be made as well as thrown away! Sans RU-vid too 😂 I’ve just looked at 3 of my favourite transparencies (Velvia and Ektachrome) and they are so clear with such wonderful tonality. That big negative definitely justifies the size of the camera.
Your comparison of the II and the III are the same way I feel about the Mamiya 645 Super and Pro models. There is something so right about the angular design and knobby grips! Great review. You made the right choice!
Well, about time you went for the GW690. I did that about 4 years ago for exactly the same reasons. The GW690 is my easy to pack point and shoot MF camera when I don’t want to take my Pentax 6x7, lenses and tripod out. I love the 6x9 format - it puts 645 to shame and is just shy of LF without all the hassle of LF. The leaf shutter lens is tack sharp and contrasty. The biggest drawback is the F5.6 lens is too damn slow, making it a challenge without a tripod. But it’s still well worth the effort.
Great video and awesome camera. There’s also the GL690 that came before the GW’s, I just made a video about it on my channel. Love that 6x9 format, cheers.
I have the version 1 of the 690. I love it as well. I sometimes forget it’s there and when I grab it and run a roll through it, I’m always wondering why I don’t shoot it more often. I do love the images I get from it. The lens is tac sharp too. Some of the photographs I’ve gotten from it almost look surreal
I have the version I simply because doesn’t have the retractable hood which stops me from mounting 77mm filters and feel like changing the shutter and aperture is easier because the grips are exposed rather than mounted under the cover which makes changing shutter and aperture some what tricky on version II, anyway love this camera, very underrated and still well priced! Nice vid!
❤❤❤-yes!!! Within the first ~20 seconds of the side by side comparison, I fell more and more in love with my new barely-usedTexas Leica. Thanks for the video buddy!
Great video, I like the way you emphasise how the camera has to fit the person's personality/needs. I have the GW690 Model 1, awesome camera. I also have the "point and shoot" Mamiya 7ii ... the good side is that it gets the exposure right every time, but the bad news is that it has a non-standard battery (4LR44 alkali or CR1 lithium) which always seems to be flat when I go to load the camera!
Great camera this GW690II, I've mainly used it for model work but I shoot landscapes and architecture with it as well. Film is expensive but hey, what stupid things would we do with our money otherwise? 😁 One tip maybe, ... don't forget to take the lens cap off ... I managed to shoot several blank frames with it, coming from reflex camera's.
Loved using the GW690 while it lasted (about 25 rolls). The shutter on mine just died this morning, and there doesn't seem to be anyone around still repairing them.
Thank you Nick for the Video..I have been looking at the Mamiya 6 or 7 and never thought to look at Fuji. But you convinced me Dude. I really like the prices too much better these the Mamiya’s. They are nice cameras too. Thank you…Cheers
The GW690 was my first medium format camera and the lens on that bad boy is so sharp. Almost... too sharp? Shooting with Tri-X on it almost had a digital edge to it. Details galore. It's one of my favorite cameras of all time. Sadly, it flew out of my backpack that had a badly shut zipper while I was running after my bus in winter and it smashed onto the concrete. The glass was fine and it still worked but the aperture was stuck at F5.6. I really need to buy a new one.
I would love to see an updated video about your scanning process (especially software wise). Did anything change since you did the Silverfast tutorial, or is that still what you use?
Over the years, I primarily used a Pentax 67 system. For its weight and bulk, I now find that system less practical for my photography, although I'm not selling it off yet. From time to time, I looked hard at the GW series from Fuji, mainly the 680 (6x8cm versions), but I never bought because it doesn't do anything I cannot do (and a lot more) with the Pentax 67. More recently, I bought a GS645Zi because the 67 system is becomes less physically manageable for me. The Fuji GW and GSW models are outstanding cameras if you can live with the fixed lenses. I spent 20 years shooting landscapes with 35mm SLR on tripod, because that's what I had. I never used the full 2x3 ratio 35mm image, so the 690 format of the GW he has here is not as attractive for me as the 6x7 or 6x8cm versions of the camera.
one of these has been staring me in the face at the local antique store, along with a mamiya 645. been wanting to jump into medium format but having trouble picking between them. this may have pushed me over the edge, however. cheers brother
I agree with you, that the second generation is the best one. I sold the GW690 of a friend that needed quick money (so: for a good price) without many research. I found out that 6x9 was just not working for me and that I would like it a bit wider. So last year I bought a GSW680 III I found out that it had some nice features on top of my GW690: a built in lens hood and a shutter release lock. The II combines this features with the great looks of the first generation. Unfortunately the 6x8 was only in the third generation.
Welcome to the GW690 fold! Its such an amazing camera. I made some videos on my channel when I first got it. Take a look if you want but I will tell you that I absolutely love this camera! I have the model III but the Model II is great too. All of the mare amazing.
Awesome!! I hunger big time for somebody to talk about this camera. I have a GSW 690 first edition (The S means its a wider 65 mm lens for anybody that isn't familiar) and it is a pristine camera. I bought it way before film cameras started getting popular again and just love it to death. I do even better with it after taking your precision metering course, which is the prime reason why I took that course. I look forward to any other content you might put out about this camera.
Great Video Nick! I learn a lot from your videos!!! Your awesome. I actually purchased a GW690 in great condition, was surprised at the sharpness in the images. I would have preferred the GW690II, but my budget could only afford the 1st addition.
OK. Another interesting video. I have to thank you (I think...not sure yet) for highlighting this camera. Can't believe I never heard of it. I've got a 6x7 format, 6.45, a few 6x6s, a few 35mm, and a 6x9 from Russia. Never heard of the fuji. I did some research on the camera, looked at some images, and BAM, just like that I ordered one. But it checks so many boxes. So, thanks...
Fuji made quite a good complementary 645 and 6x9 series. Back in 2014 for $400 one could get either (645 was the GA non zoom) and I chose the GW 690 for rugged mechanical nature and format displacement. That thing can burn film, as the ease to shoot is almost of a 35mm "...6x9 Medium format really ain't cheap". Now just consider each frame is half of a 4x5", and 4x5" color is eye watering nowadays. On the other hand, it's great with B&W!
A few years back I contemplated buying a 690, I just didn't see any good enough reviews to dissuade me one way other or the other. Just didn't pull the trigger. With your review, I just might.
This is not how lenses work. With such a massive and heavily camera and a leaf shutter you can easily shoot 1/60th handheld and at least 1/30th if not more. It’s a 40mm equivalent so they’re might be some slight shake in the image at 1/30th but nothing image breaking. If you have your technique down.
good decision.... Texas Leica is awesome camera but very big and not that travel friendly... I use it as my go to infrared camera.... Dremel the lens hood away to get much better user experience...
I started with a Mamiya TLR. It didn’t make sense to go 6x4.5 so I figured I may as well go big or go home. Picked up a Mamiya Universal for $10. Cleaned it up, got a 100mm lens and a 6x9 back. The negatives are insane. Big, contrasty. Best film camera results I have ever gotten. The ergonomics are terrible. But that is another story.
A fuji rangefinder is my next gear purchase. Thanks for the video. Still trying to figure out what model to stalk on ebay. I know i want that extra 10mm of reach.
Keep in mind that the shutter on GW690 is a Leaf shutter? That means you should be able to handle hold it below 125 since it won't have things like shutter slap!!! Oh and try 2.39 to 1 over 2 to 1 (2.39 is proper scope aspect ratio)
Literally just. shot my first test roll with my GA645Zi. I wanted it to take along with my 4x5 for quick shots of things I didn't want to waste 4x5 film on. Ive been using 35 but I thought this would give me a little extra.
I can see why you made the choice between those two. I wonder if the market price will triple now, the way it does whenever Willem releases a video using a new (used) camera? I waited over a year to for the price to come back down for a used Mamiya 645 Pro TL after you made a "with a glass" video featuring it. Cheers, Nick!
Love this! Great choice, Nick! I've been eying the GWs as well, but then the wider GWS version (I'm more a wide angle person). In the end I've picked up an entirely different format, but so much fun to use: the Konica Genba Kantoku, a real gem. Perfect for taking all these photographs of my home life that otherwise wouldn't be taken. I think I've taken at least as many photos of my kids in the past couple of weeks as in the entire year before I had this little camera. Enjoy the Fuji, I'm looking forward to see what you will do with it!
I have them both, my favoriet to take on holiday. Zi for city and 69 for landscapes. But indeed the Zi you must be careful for the datacable, mine is having problems
I had the wide angle version of this camera and loved it! But I didn't shoot with it much... I did like the 2x3 aspect ratio probably because was used to 35mm.
