school me on the ga645zi (input request)

emraphoto · 07-27-2010

i have been eyeing up the fuji rangefinders as of late. i had always loved the idea but couldn't come to terms with the vertical format (or so i thought) and therefore never tried one out. in fact i have never even held one.

so, i have some questions. in particular about the ga645zi.

how fast is the autofocus? i realize it isn't going to be a d3/e3/1dmkIII or nothing but lets say in relation to perhaps a contax g or hexar af (which i found to be STUPID fast). does the lens remain in the position you focused on or reset?

can someone give me a quick rundown of the manual focus process? i have heard it is 'fiddly'. if used in manual focus and aperture priority is there any shutter lag?

this may seem a silly question but how useable is the camera in a horizontal framing capacity? is it just something you need to 'get used to' or are there genuine difficulties?

i have also pondered the ga645i (i am quite happy with 1 focal length)... any thoughts on the two compared?

and lastly, if i may, WHERE CAN I FIND A BLACK 645zi?!?!?!

thank you very much for your thoughts.

dfatty · 07-27-2010

i recently got a ZI, in black

) i had to wait a while until a black one showed up on ebay, and as far as i can tell i paid a slight premium for it.

with regard to focus, i find it to be very quick. i haven't used a contax or hexar, but i use canon dslrs regularly and haven't felt like the AF on the ZI is a problem. i just put through my first roll using AF and haven't tried manual focus yet, so i can't comment on that.

like dan, i like the native vertical because it helps see things differently. i've had no problems at all shooting horizontal, the camera is light and easy to hold because it's so big.

i'm actually still waiting for my first roll to come back from developing, hopefully all of my horizontal shots aren't messed up and my shots out of focus, lol.

djonesii · 07-27-2010

I have had both the GA645 and the 645Zi, they seem to focus way faster than any point and shoot that I have used. I would say faster than my contax G1, but that is my memory speaking ..... I use it in the studio all the time, and I have never had low light focus issues.

For my style of work, there is nothing quite like film, and I shoot both medium and large format black and white. This has been a great tool for me, the lens is exceptional.

I have read the manual, and know how to zone focus with it, but I never really bother. I have shot some street with it in that mode, but I find a coupled range finder more practical.

Dave

emraphoto · 07-27-2010

i have eyed up the ga645 Dan. still pondering...

i like the idea of being forced to see a little differently and it might work out that vertical will sit well with me. i find being outside my 'comfort zone' leads to better work but that's a discussion for another day.