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The joy of Fuji 6x8

biggles3

Well-Known Member
I love my old X-T1 and X-Pro but it is the Fuji glass I really love. This passion started many years ago when I bought a couple of their 6x8 cameras and a large set of lenses. The GX680III and IIIS are wonderful cameras - if hernia inducing - but as always with Fujifilm, the lenses are truly exceptional. Thankfully 120 film is still about although I have attached Ixpress digital backs to the 680s albeit with a severe crop.

I've attached a piccie showing my 2 big Fujis - the one in the front has a stunning wide-angle - the GXM 50mm - along with a bespoke carrying handle; the one to the rear has the GXM 100-200mm with rail and the AE Finder which is the heaviest camera combination I've ever had to lug around. With this one, I have to use a fluid-damped video tripod which adds further to the weight of the kit - but the results make it worth it.



Fuji GX680 handle rev


There's still life in the old technologies...
 
I notice that you have your 50mm on the III, and the other lenses on the S. I understood that the 50mm doesn't allow for movements whereas the other lenses do. Do you use movements for your photography or is there something about the III that makes it better for the 50?
 
The 50mm due to the bellows did not allow much or any movement with the 50mm at so-called infinity... It really did not reach a true infinity focus with this lens, either. One of the reasons some people did not like it. In the studio it was great and or on Interiors, as the lens is extended when focusing those distances, and so fried the bellows and allowed movements.

The original RB67 also had this issue and many people machined the back to allow the focus depth to be decreased and so actually reach a sharp infinity even wide open.
 
I notice that you have your 50mm on the III, and the other lenses on the S. I understood that the 50mm doesn't allow for movements whereas the other lenses do. Do you use movements for your photography or is there something about the III that makes it better for the 50?
Hi Bruce62,
I often use the front movements available on the III for minor corrections or alterations of perspective and the only issue with the 50mm is that it has a smaller image circle than most of the other lenses so vignetting can occur. However, with such a wide-angled lens, I've never seen the need to alter perspective and so will happily use it with the IIIS or the III. With the 100-200, I would never risk using the movements on the III as all that weight (over 2kg) would run the risk of distorting the mount so I always use it with its supporting rail - a heavy beast on its own - and usually on the IIIS. As for the piccie, that day I was shooting mostly with the zoom so the IIIS was monopolised and I used the III with the 50m and 115mm.
 
I feel the same about my Hasselblad 500c. Light leaks and all, it sure takes a lovely photo.
You are quite right - a classic beauty that never seems to tire, accompanied by some superb lenses.

I bought one of the new (then) Hasselblad kits - the H1 with 80mm plus the 50-110mm zoom - and really enjoyed using it but found the top speed too limiting as I was often shooting outside rather than in the studio and so stayed with the Contax 645 and the smaller format. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the glass - on a par with the classic V-system glass (such as personal favourites, the 40mm f4 and 180mm f4) - and then I remembered that the H-system lenses are made by Fuji which explains the quality being on a par with the Zeiss classics. I know a lot of people who are still using their 500Cs - most have undergone about 3 services and they just keep on giving... Marvellous!
 
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