Topic: Review - Fuji GW690 "The Texas Leica"

[SLVR]

I recently had the chance to swap cameras for a day and got my hands on a Fuji GW690. This is a MF camera that I've been lusting for on and off for about a year. I'm really glad to have had a chance to shoot with it. I only had about 2 hours with the camera and crushed through a roll of Agfa Scala 200 that was souped afterward in Rodinal 1:50.

Initial impressions - Plastic. The camera feels very light and plasticy for its size. Lens focus is smooth and the grip is large and accessible. Shutter speed and aperture controls are located on the lens barrel also and are in a weird configuration that could be problematic for someone with fat fingers. Both shutter speed and aperture rings are side by side with tabs that seem just a little too narrow to manipulate just one parameter at a time. It also doesn't help that the tabs are somewhat recessed in a groove in the lens itself. The lens hood must be extended in order to access the controls. I found switching around controls to be awkward and not very quick or ergonomic. Rangefinder patch is bright enough. The edges aren't defined as a Leica M so it can be hard sometimes to find the patch in the viewfinder. On a bright day that I was shooting I didn't have any problems focussing, but in low light this could be another story. Granted, how low would the light get with an F3.5 lens. The camera is also meterless so I had to carry around a handheld meter.

Image Quality - Great sharpness and detail from this lens. This is where the Leica part of "Texas Leica" stands. The lens does exhibit 3D pop, even wide open. I'm not sure exactly how much of this is just because of the bigger neg size but for my needs the quality is more than enough for web, and surely leaves a lot of potential for cropping and enlargements. I did shoot the lens with a BW film so I can't comment personally on color of the lens but I've seen some wonderful results around from this camera with color film.

Ergonomics - The camera is light, and feels good in the hand with a small handgrip. Shooting with it is very similar to a leica except for shutter speed and aperture controls. There is a shutter release located on the front of the camera that includes a lock. I initially got tripped up with the lock because when disengaged there is a little red dot that goes with it. It kind of messes with your brain a little because it has the "red means go" type of thought process. Film advance lever is big and I couldn't help but think "canoe paddle" every time I advanced the film. It's a double stroke so you get to enjoy advancing this monstrosity not once, but twice. Focus is quick and once exposure is set the camera is a fast shooter. But setting exposure quickly without practice or tiny hands is this camera's downfall.

What do I like about this camera? I love the lens quality and familiarity to a real leica rangefinder. Since I shoot mostly RF I was quick to adapt to the camera as my normal street habits took over (sunny 16, shadow compensation, pre exposing). I like the weight as I felt no fatigue after shooting with it after the 2 hour period. The lightness also lets you throw it around much easier which again makes it a quick shooter.

What don't I like? The plasticy feel of everything. For those who know me, I HATE plastic. I like something that feels durable and I'm not sure that I get that feeling from the GW690, even though I've heard that they are built extremely well. I hate the shutter sound. This camera is not stealth. Even though you might say to me, "oh but it has a leaf shutter, they are so stealth!" I will say No. The GW690 has some weird spring mechanism inside the body that some say is attached to its shutter counter. It makes this huge "CLICK, SPROOOING" sound when the shutter is released. Just about every subject I shot that day looked up at me, even every single person on their phone in the first photo. Also the shutter and aperture controls are strange but I think with some practice, could be better. Lastly the F3.5 lens doesn't wow me. Bokeh and OOF areas are nice but I like the speed of my 105 2.4 or even my 80 2.8's

The GW690 is a great camera for someone looking for an affordable, every day carry 6x9 rangefinder. I would have no problem daily carrying this camera. It's light and maneuverable, and is capable of being a quick shooter with practice. You get a lot of looks with it since it's basically "clown camera" sized, but it's fairly unobtrusive and people aren't intimidated by it. If the plastic gets to you, there's also the older variants that are made of metal to give you the peace of mind you desire.

[Fluminian]

Great article and images, TinTin. I too have been lusting for the camera for some time, but
after reading from elsewhere about the shutter sound (not shutter, I know) and the plasticy
feel about it I've decided to to keep shooting my GA645 Pro and forget about GW690.

[Francois]

Fuji must be the king of the odd format rangefinder. If memory serves me well, they made some 645, 67, 68, 69, 614 and possibly 617 format cameras.

6x9 is the exact same aspect ratio as 35mm. So that probably contributed a lot to the comfy feeling it gave you.
the 6x7 format was originally geared towards editorial photographers as it can fill an 8x10 print without any cropping.

[Andrej K]

Nice review - and good timing - I've just got myself the wide version, so I might add a word or two about that once I start using it.

[mcduff]

I have lusted after that camera for a while too and have its "half-frame" little brother - one of the gs645 babies. They are very plasticy as well. But in defense of plastic tintin, the fuji I have weighs about the same as one of my metal SLRs so it is an awesome "kicking around" 120 camera. I am sure that 690 would weigh a crapload more if carved from steel. That camera has the rep of being quite durable. If the camera-wiki article can be believed one of the target users of it was the tour industry for making group portraits. While the use of such a sexy beast for that purpose seems like overkill, it sounds like they held up in a demanding, heavy use (50-100 rolls a day) environment.

I normally don't defend "plastic" haha. But some cameras that I really like (the fuji 645 stuff, the minox and clones, the XA series) are made of the bloody stuff. If it is built in manner that respects the medium, and uses it to give us something new, I can cut it some slack ;-)

[Francois]

For me, there are three types of plastics: the good, the bad and the ugly.

When it's good, it's really good... a bit like on my Nikon.
When it's worse than a Holga, then I start to cringe.

[SLVR]

Lets put it this way, there's more metal on an XA than there is in the whole of the 690.

I used to be sold on plastic, but since becoming a leica snob (lol) and buying into metal MF cameras plastic cameras don't feel "right" anymore. I used to shoot with an XA2, XA, LCA+, UWS, and Holga, but not so much anymore. Shooting with the UWS is very weird as it's no heavier than the roll of film that goes inside of it, there's something to be said for heft. My LCA+ feels solid constructionwise, but I'm on my second version as the first version's top plastic cover cracked and was on the verge of breaking off.

I don't doubt that the 690 could outperform all of those non pro toy cameras Ive listed in the durability test. I've been told that the 690s are built like plastic tanks and Id believe it. But the touch points and operation of a camera are equally important to me.

[Francois]

I actually think camera operation is the number one thing that can ruin a great lens.
Having been a "self thought designer" for a long time, I know just too well that bad ergonomics can ruin a fantastic design.
Just look at that citrus juicer from Philippe Stark. It's a gorgeous object. A fantastic piece of sculpture. It looks fantastic on a countertop... but that's about it. When you use it, you have no place to hold on to it, since it's on only three legs it's tippy, doesn't always drip in the glass, the legs are easy to break and the polished aluminum tarnishes under the citric acid's influence.

It's the same with a camera. Leicas have a really simple form follows function design. They have surprisingly good ergonomics and are a charm to use.
It's a pretty tough benchmark to compare anything against.

[SLVR]

I can see this thread going OT quickly but I herald my M5 to have better ergonomics than all other M's. The position of the shutter speed control and viewfinder arrangement allows you to shoot without having to take your eye away from the VF which is nice. Practicewise, thats another story. But maybe for another thread? I want to do a video review of the M5 so that can be next.

Thinking of cameras that I liked the ergonomics of the Canonet 28 comes to mind. No stupid awkwardly placed focus tab like the QL17, and the shutter speed priority of the lens made it quick and simple to adjust. Overall good size, small without being too small. I liked the 28 but favoured the 17 since according to google its "better". My mistake because the QL17 isn't as good as the 28 in practice.

The 690 is quirky, and the lens is decent. A lot of people out there are drawn to that. Lose the sproing sound and the 690 would be a near perfect camera.

[Hungry Mike]

Having just used McD's GS645W on a trip to western Canada I can attest that it is nice and not too heavy. In fact I passed my beloved Pen FT off to my wife while I used the Fuji.

I hear what Tintin is saying about plastic but it is definitely not sub-Holga plastic. Though largely plastic, the body is remarkably durable. I'm not a super gentle camera guy so it withstood my handling and I think this camera travelled well. It isn't a rangefinder but I did find that it was easy to use and controls were in logical locations (once I reoriented by brain to use a viewfinder camera). It reminded me of the Trip 35. Definitely quirky but I think they have a nice charm. While I haven't developed the photos from it (I'm way behind) some of my favourite photos of McDuff's come from that camera.

Edit: My own real complaint with the GS645W is that the lens is a little on the slow side at f5.4.

[mcduff]

Ya I have not shot a lot with the fuji lately but a big percentage of my faves do come from it, Mike. I am glad u agree ;-)

I like a lot of what Francois said including the good the bad and the ugly. (For the cinephiles out there we will forget for a moment that there is no "good" in that film haha. ) I like the old adage that form should follow function. It is an old saying BTW, going back to architect Louis Sullivan in the 1890's. I don't really mind plastic if it is giving me more than it is taking away. Frankly it is usually the stuff that comes with the plastic ( like electronics that i question the durability of and stupid design assumptions about how lazy I am) that can bug me more than the plastic.

There are some plastic cameras that are quite exquisite. I really do think the XA series and the minox (and clones) are lovely. They may not be drool worthy but were an elegant and affordable solution. And I think that the fuji 120 line - while quirky - were really built using the materials in a good way.

Sure I love metal cameras. Most of the time I am shooting with them. But a solidly built plastic camera can be great in my book.

[tkmedia]

If the camera-wiki article can be believed one of the target users of it was the tour industry for making group portraits.

They would also often use half length 120 rolls for 4 exposures on 6x9.

Lose the sproing sound and the 690 would be a near perfect camera.

I do recall reading about folks modifying them ages ago. So not impossible!

[Ezzie]

I have the G690BL with the 100/3.5 lens. Same camera more or less, but has interchangeable lenses. It does however not have the plastic covers the later versions have. It is all metal. I quite like it. The controls on the lens are even closer together. You can either like it or lump it. One good thing though is that you can grip both rings and turn them at the same time. Why would you want to? To change either shutter speed or aperture to suit your needs without changing EV. I find it quite useful. It is also very quiet. No mechanism to count the number of rolls through the camera, just the sound of the leaf shutter firing.

The lens is just spectacular. Easily the sharpest medium format lens I have at the moment. My Kowa lenses were in the same league, but I have tired of their mechanical tantrums and rid myself of them. Maybe not the most contrasty lens, but sharp edge to edge, little or no distortion, no noticeable fall-off.

Here the Texas version is compared to a regular Leica.

Texas Leica & Leica by Eirik0304, on Flickr

[hookstrapped]

Nice.  I've been thinking of getting a 680 with a 100mm lens for a change of pace from my Mamiya 6 with its 50mm lens.

Is the shutter as loud as everyone says?  (I understand it's not the shutter as much as the rather pointless lifetime counter -- I wonder if there's a way to disable that along with the noise it produces).

[mcduff]

Please get one and post a photo of it beside the rollei 35!!