View Full Version : Fuji GF670 limited run of 5000 for USA
retrography
02-23-2010, 14:21
I haven't seen this mentioned but Fujifilm USA announced they would be selling the GF670 later this year. There is conflicting information but it appears it will go on sale around April with an MSRP of $2195. Color listed are black and silver though they only had silver on display at PMA. It was also stated these would be limited to 5000.
Every time I happen across a photo or news item/write up about this camera I think I want one. That price is good too.
Isn't this the same camera as the Voigtlander Bessa III 667?
jonmanjiro
02-23-2010, 16:03
I haven't seen this mentioned but Fujifilm USA announced they would be selling the GF670 later this year. There is conflicting information but it appears it will go on sale around April with an MSRP of $2195. Color listed are black and silver though they only had silver on display at PMA. It was also stated these would be limited to 5000.
Pretty sure that 5,000 figure is the total production figure, not the number allotted for the USA. A shop in Tokyo has one of these on display with a sticker beside it saying that its a limited production item of 5,000 units.
John NYC
02-24-2010, 04:35
Isn't this the same camera as the Voigtlander Bessa III 667?
Yes. Different branding, but same camera exactly.
I'm confused then. These things have been available for something like 6 months, right? Why are they announcing this like it's news now?
I'm confused then. These things have been available for something like 6 months, right? Why are they announcing this like it's news now?
Cosina got a head start of a year on international markets - Fuji may only export them now.
But to my impression it is just the same camera (for the good or bad) as the Bessa III for pretty much the same price (KenR thinks otherwise though). So we can now chose from two identical cameras ... hmmm
[I am still waiting for this camera to come out with 65mm lens and 0.7m close focuse :angel:]
Pickett Wilson
02-24-2010, 06:13
Maybe they've got a bunch of them that didn't sell and are trying to create a stir in the U.S. to move them?
Yeah, I'd love this folder, but not for 2Gs. Instead I'll enjoy my GW690II and hopefully my new GSW690 for less than $400 for both.
Yes. Different branding, but same camera exactly.
I understand the comment about the same camera "exactly" until the lens is examined.
I was told by what I considered a reliable source, that the Fuji is equipped with the Fuji EBC (Electron Beam Coated) lens, and the Bessa is equipped with a Heliar by CV (Cosina Voightland)???
Anybody have an answer on this. My preference would surely be the Fuji lens, primarily based on my use of the EBC lenses and no experience with the Heliar. I know the Heliar is spoken of highly, however.
I'm confused then. These things have been available for something like 6 months, right? Why are they announcing this like it's news now?
I think it's to coordinate with the discontinuance of their 400 ISO black and white Neopan film, which otherwise might have been used with this camera :)
I understand the comment about the same camera "exactly" until the lens is examined.
I was told by what I considered a reliable source, that the Fuji is equipped with the Fuji EBC (Electron Beam Coated) lens, and the Bessa is equipped with a Heliar by CV (Cosina Voightland)???
Anybody have an answer on this. My preference would surely be the Fuji lens, primarily based on my use of the EBC lenses and no experience with the Heliar. I know the Heliar is spoken of highly, however.
I'm guessing that they are exactly the same lens with the same coatings.
Jamie123
02-24-2010, 22:08
I understand the comment about the same camera "exactly" until the lens is examined.
I was told by what I considered a reliable source, that the Fuji is equipped with the Fuji EBC (Electron Beam Coated) lens, and the Bessa is equipped with a Heliar by CV (Cosina Voightland)???
Anybody have an answer on this. My preference would surely be the Fuji lens, primarily based on my use of the EBC lenses and no experience with the Heliar. I know the Heliar is spoken of highly, however.
It's just the name on the lens that's different.
the lenses are the same. it's a planar type, not a heliar.
afaik, fuji approached cosina, not the other way around.
the lenses are the same. it's a planar type, not a heliar.
afaik, fuji approached cosina, not the other way around.
Thanks, and by the comment that Fuji approached Cosina, can it be presumed that Cosina built the camera and used a Fuji EBC lens, or is it that Cosina built and provided camera and lens under contract to Fuji?
Jamie123
02-25-2010, 13:18
Thanks, and by the comment that Fuji approached Cosina, can it be presumed that Cosina built the camera and used a Fuji EBC lens, or is it that Cosina built and provided camera and lens under contract to Fuji?
From what I've read the camera is produced start to finish by Cosina and they only approached Fuji for marketing reasons.
But does it really matter? The lens is what it is and there are quite few tests and sample pictures around by now. I'm sure the coating is compliant with Fuji's guidelines for EBC lenses or else they wouldn't write it on the lens. Both Fuji and Cosina are Japanese companies that make some very good lenses.
jonmanjiro
03-01-2010, 02:47
It was also stated these would be limited to 5000.
That's what is written on the big poster I spotted at Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku today.
限定5000台!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4397439741_1f5cc555f6_o.jpg
jonmanjiro
03-01-2010, 03:50
I should be going on a photo trip to Miyako island at the end of the month. One of the benefits is getting to shoot with the GF670. I got to play with it in the store yesterday and I didn't catch if it has an AEL or not. If not it definitely needs that. I would love this camera for $500 and consider it for $1200, but at the price it's at I would never buy it. The camera is nice and light, but the same time it doesn't feel solid like the other Fuji MF RFs. It definitely feels like a large Bessa, which I think is unfortunate for the price.
I'd love to visit Miyako-jima some time! Have a great trip. The Bessa branded version has AE, so I guess the Fuji branded GF670 does to.
Edit: I didn't catch the "L" after the "AE" the first time round. The GF670 has AE and AEL.
jonmanjiro
03-01-2010, 03:57
> I am wondering if it has AE Lock.
Half press the shutter button .... according to this (http://fujifilm.jp/personal/filmcamera/mediumformat/gf670/specs.html).
The camera is available for pre-order at b&h for $1899 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/678957-REG/Fujifilm_16019089_GF670_Rangefinder_Folding_Camera .html), which is a little better than the MSRP quoted.
/
Steve Bellayr
03-01-2010, 05:05
pre-order $1900 USA
Jamie123
03-01-2010, 05:29
Wow, Fuji must be the distributor for their version so it doesn't get wrung through the Gandy price fixing...
That's a bit out of line, IMO. Stephen's price for the Bessa III was/is very competitive.
Naturally, Fuji will be the distributor of their camera and since the GF670 is a higher volume production run than the Bessa it also makes sense that it's cheaper.
chris00nj
03-01-2010, 06:35
Wow, Fuji must be the distributor for their version so it doesn't get wrung through the Gandy price fixing...
Harsh indeed. Gandy isn't "Big Camera" (ala Big Oil). It's hard to "price fix" when a) you don't have to buy it and b) there are alternatives available, like a vast used market of medium format equipment.
The Bessa III are priced too high, people will purchase alternatives. Goods are price at what the market will bear. Right now, 50-60 year old Bessa IIs sell for about $1000 on eBay when they are in nice working order. It's hard to say that a new Bessa with all the bells and whistles should be less than that.
They'll sell at $2200 for those willing to pay the money, and then they'll drop the price. If they immediately started selling them for $1400, then they lose $800 on the people who would have paid $2200 for it anyway. All companies do this. Apple and the iphone come to mind.
Cosina isn't Goldman Sachs with government infused capital. They need to make a profit to stay afloat and design new gear.
Jamie123
03-01-2010, 21:00
I thought Mr. Gandy was the official importer and US distributor for Cosnia Voigtlander products?
"CameraQuest is a Voigtlander USA distributor"
He's a distributor, not the distributor. The Voigtländer homepage shows at least one other distributor for the US (Photo Village in NYC). And then there's still the possibility of doing grey imports.
From what I've read the camera is produced start to finish by Cosina and they only approached Fuji for marketing reasons.
But does it really matter? The lens is what it is and there are quite few tests and sample pictures around by now. I'm sure the coating is compliant with Fuji's guidelines for EBC lenses or else they wouldn't write it on the lens. Both Fuji and Cosina are Japanese companies that make some very good lenses.
it's a fuji camera made by cosina. the zeiss ikon is similarly a carl zeiss camera made by cosina.
i don't think any of this matters a lot, only in passing. i rate fuji lenses more than cosina, at least. mostly because they have a consistent look, a very good one at that. voigtlander lenses are all over the place as far as that goes, plus they use misleading lens names. it's a little off putting. not that i don't want an early bessa r2a and 35mm skopar pii. ;)
Pickett Wilson
03-01-2010, 22:41
As far as I can tell, the Fuji is no more a "Fuji" than a Zeiss Ikon a "Zeiss" or the Nikon FM10 a "Nikon." Their names are on the camera, but it's all Cosina. The Fuji and the Bessa III are exactly the same camera. Perhaps they thought there were a few more bucks to be lifted from well-heeled Americans.
According to this blog comment (not exactly a reliable source, I know), Fujifilm are making more than 5000, as just Japanese pre-orders exceeded that:
http://travel67.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/fujifilm-gf670/
Not good news for collectors, as it makes their camera somewhat more common, but great for film shooter all round I think.
jonmanjiro
03-07-2010, 02:40
According to this blog comment (not exactly a reliable source, I know), Fujifilm are making more than 5000, as just Japanese pre-orders exceeded that:
http://travel67.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/fujifilm-gf670/
Not good news for collectors, as it makes their camera somewhat more common, but great for film shooter all round I think.
This blog comment was made nine months ago in June 2009.
I think the posters *currently* on display at Yodobashi Camera would be a more reliable and up to date source of information. Those posters say its a limited production of 5,000 cameras.
Pickett Wilson
03-07-2010, 02:42
"According to this blog comment (not exactly a reliable source, I know), Fujifilm are making more than 5000, as just Japanese pre-orders exceeded that"
My understanding is that they actually didn't sell as well as expected, rather than they didn't make enough. Can't you still buy cameras from the original batch?
jonmanjiro
03-07-2010, 02:59
As much as I hate to say it, I think Fuji is going to find it tough selling 5,000 of these.
jonmanjiro
03-07-2010, 23:01
I think that these are last year's posters referring to the Black launched in 2009.
Oops, my bad. You're right.
Fujifilm's announcement about the black GF670 says its a limited version of 5,000 units (http://www.fujifilm.co.jp/corporate/news/articleffnr_0250.html), but Fujifilm's announcement about the silver GF670 does not mention production numbers. (http://www.fujifilm.co.jp/corporate/news/articleffnr_0365.html)
Thanks, and by the comment that Fuji approached Cosina, can it be presumed that Cosina built the camera and used a Fuji EBC lens, or is it that Cosina built and provided camera and lens under contract to Fuji?
Cosina makes lenses for other brands including the highly regarded Nikkor 45/2.8P.
jonmanjiro
03-07-2010, 23:24
Cosina makes lenses for other brands including the highly regarded Nikkor 45/2.8P.
I'm pretty sure the Nikkor 45/2.8P was manufactured by Tochigi Nikon.
Not that that changes anything though, as Cosina is very capable of making top quality lenses.
jonmanjiro
03-10-2010, 19:08
Just got back from speaking to the Fujifilm rep at the CP+ Expo (http://www.cpplus.jp/en/visitor/index.html) (equivalent of Photokina in Japan) currently being held here in Yokohama!
He said:
* limited run of 5,000 is for both black and silver versions combined
* around 3,000 blacks have sold so far
* Bessa version and Fujifilm version are identical
* the lens in both is a Fujinon lens (surprised me, but that's what he said)
Of course it makes the "Heliar" naming a complete farce.
That it is no Heliar was already obvious from the element count, and with Cosina naming almost everything Heliar, it is no surprise to see a double Gauss Fujinon branded that way - given their liberal nomenclature, I would not even be surprised at a Cosina Heliar ashtray edition...
Sevo
jonmanjiro
03-15-2010, 23:57
Why surprised? As I said, Fujinon is a Fuji group company and unless the quantities are too low for them to bother designing a lens or pricing is not competitive, why throw the money to Cosina instead of giving them lenses to put into the camera at assembly? Of course it makes the "Heliar" naming a complete farce.
The 5000 figure is confusing of course. When they announced the GF670 last year the number 5000 was quoted, so how come this now includes silver too?
As they made the body I fully expected that Cosina also made the lens, so it was a surprise to learn that Fujinon actually did. Both companies are capable of making great lenses.
As for the confusing 5,000 figure, I expect its a case of revised expectations to match shifting goal posts.
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