GF670W Bessa III W

[Tom A]

From the "Occupy Vancouver" site. I have no idea what they are protesting here!
Bessa 667W, Tmax 2-400 in Adox MQ for 8.5 min.

[Tom A]

Zephyr, our friends cat who lodges with us when they travel. he likes the stairs to the darkroom as he can be eyelevel with anyone passing by!
Bessa 667W at 1/30 and f4.5. Tmax 2-400 in Adox MQ for 8.5 min.

[Tom A]

Yokohama, Japan a couple of weeks ago. Took the Bessa 667W along as a "large M2". Interestingly enough, it created quite a stir among camera afficinados there. Only the Fuji Wide is sold there (and that is in chrome). Had a steady stream of people trying to read the name tag on it.
Kodak Tmax 2-400 in HC 110, 1:60, 12.5 min.

[samuelphoto]

Best I can tell the GF670W is not available from US dealers. If I'm wrong about this, please let me know who carries it. I have the GF670 with the 80mm lens and it is great for things like waist-up portraits and so on. I've found that friends love to have their picture taken with such a funky looking camera. Of course I offer them prints of the shots. The other thing I like about it is its portability. I travel A LOT and, if your a MF/Fuji lens nut like me, it is a real treat. So now I want to check out the W, but not at $2600 mind you.

[chris00nj]

Steve gandy sells them. There is a link above that still works.

I think there is a decent market for a more portable MF wide, but $3K is steep

[RattyMouse]

Saw this in the shops the other day. About $3300. Amazingly expensive.

[whitecat]

Definitely too expensive.

[kram]

Guys, consider the price of a new 55mm f4.5 lens for 6x6 or 6x7, how much new?
O.K. It could be a little cheaper, but not much.

[Tom A]

It is not cheap by any means - but it is a brand new camera with top-of-the line specs. Have you priced a Rolliewide lately? Or even a Hasselblad 500CM in as new condition with a 50mm lens in similar condition.
I have the 667W and find it well worth the investment. Superb optics, easy handling and the best finder in a 120 Rf ever!

[kzphoto]

Does the lens come off? What's that little switch above the beauty plate on the lens board?

[Tom A]

The lens is fixed. The switch is the on/off switch for the metering and camera functions.

[paulhart]

Originally Posted by Tom A

I have the 667W and find it well worth the investment. Superb optics, easy handling and the best finder in a 120 Rf ever!

I also have the 667W and agree with Tom about the finder. Big, clear, bright, free of distortion, clear frames, simple exposure info. This camera may be expensive, but it's worth the money.

[celluloidprop]

I do hope that Fuji starts importing the GF670W directly, as they have the GF670. That would cut the price almost in half if things follow suit.

[Leigh Youdale]

To Celluloidprop - I refer you to Tom's earlier post and suggest a dash of realism here. My three Rolleiflex cost $1500, $2500 and $3500. The lowest cost one is standard focal length and was practically given away from an estate sale. Half of that cost went on a CLA. The others worked well enough as received not to need that. All three cameras are over 50 years of age.
You're dreaming if you think a new 667W will come down to half the present cost under any scenario you imagine.

Originally Posted by Tom A

It is not cheap by any means - but it is a brand new camera with top-of-the line specs. Have you priced a Rolliewide lately? Or even a Hasselblad 500CM in as new condition with a 50mm lens in similar condition.
I have the 667W and find it well worth the investment. Superb optics, easy handling and the best finder in a 120 Rf ever!

[celluloidprop]

Ah, I misremembered Cameraquest's pricing on a Bessa III - the difference a bit more than 25% buying a GF670 via B&H. I believe the Bessa III was even more prior to Fuji importing the GF670.

In which case a GF670W via B&H will probably be ~$2250 - if, as I said, things follow suit. A healthy savings of $750 - or almost two hundred rolls of Portra.

[ssmc]

Originally Posted by celluloidprop

I do hope that Fuji starts importing the GF670W directly, as they have the GF670. That would cut the price almost in half if things follow suit.

+1 and I would get one, no sweat; since virtually all my film shooting is B&W, not being able to close the folder without removing the filter (or the filter in a hood) first was a deal-breaker for me.

Since B&H, Adorama and Badger have the folding Fuji GF670 listed for $1664, if the wide version came in at about 2k or so I think they would have a hit on their hands (though I gotta say the Bessa version in black looks sweeet...). I understand the limited production nature of the camera but I fail to see how the wider, fixed lens should command a 33% price premium over the folder.

My "fantasy" version would also be switchable to 6x4.5 which would give it an almost normal FOV and 16 shots to a roll but I know I'm only dreaming

[Tom A]

The more I use the Bessa 667W - the more I like it! The lens is superb, sharp and with a nice contrast to it - not too edgy but just enough "snap" to make the negs pop. The AE works better than my brain - 99% of all shots are done with the AE - the odd one I do over-ride which is very easy and quick.
A friend gave me 5 rolls of Kodak +X 220 and I took them to Texas last week. Vancouver does not have enough light at the moment for +X!!!
We happened to get to Fredricksburg, Texas as the Texas VW Bug show was on - about 500 bugs in every shape gathered.
+X, processed in Pyrocat HD, semi stand development for 40 min (agitation at 10/20/30 min).

[Tom A]

OK, most lenses are good stopped down to f11 or f16. The Bessa 667W is razor sharp at f4.5 too!
This is Mailee at Junior's in Round Rock, Texas. 1/15s and f4.5. Tmax 2-400 in Pyrocat HD, semi stand development.

[sem]

Hi Tom,

I like the results! Was it handheld or do use a tripod?

Kind regards

[Tom A]

I rarely use a tripod - I know that sometimes I should, but when traveling it becomes yet another piece of equipment that one has to drag around. The Bessa III and 667W are so soft in the release that I can handhold it at 1/4 sec with reasonable success.
In my past I shot a lot of large format and 120 with slow films - industrial photography and I learned to hate tripods with a vengeance. Fights with airlines about the bulk of them, dragging them around on sites etc - so when I stopped doing that I decided that a/ no tripods, except for macro work and b/only black and white and c/no clients/art directors to contend with.

[sem]

Thanks Tom!
With the Plaubel 1/30 works with risk. Sometimes 1/15
So very impressive, very nice shot.
Kind regards

[paulhart]

Both are Voigtlander Bessa III 667W with FP4+, scanned with a Nikon Coolscan 9000ED.

[IMG]
2012-05-26 at 10-16-15 by Hart from Golborne, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]
2012-05-26 at 12-46-49 by Hart from Golborne, on Flickr[/IMG]

[trog]

I'm so pleased with my Bessa III 667W that I'm seriously considering selling-off all my Hassey gear and adding the Bessa III folder to my MF kit.

[louisb]

Just been reading through this thread as I have a growing interest in the GF670W for health reasons.

I'm currently using a Hass SWC, 500CM and Fuji GW690III.

I'm also now suffering quite seriously from hip joint and back problems. I just don't know how much longer I can cope with hauling the weight of these cameras.

The GW690 is a dream of a camera when it comes to image. The results are just spectacular. But I find it a heavy beast. The SWC is also capable of fantastic results but the 6x6 perspective is somewhat limiting. It does very well for some subject but not for others.

You can see where I am coming from - if the optics on the GF670W are anywhere near as good as the 690 then I'd probably benefit from less weight and bulk but it would mean saying goodbye to the SWC.

Or should I sell the 690 and just haul around the SWC?

Any opinions?

I mainly do urban landscapes with the occasional foray into the English countryside.

LouisB

[sem]

Hi louis,

I once had a swc and now a plaubel 670! Like the 6x7 more, so if I where you, I would buy 670W and test it, then sell the gear I don´t need any more.
Kind regards