Pentax 6X7 / Fuji GW670

cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

Pentax 6x7 - +SLR, +interchangeable lenses, +finders, -heavy, -1/30 sec sync

Fuji GW690 - +lighter, +slightly larger negative, +syncs at all speeds, -fixed
lens and everything else, -rangefinder parallax

Lens performance - you couldn't tell them apart.

Bob G

HY" wrote in message
...
cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

The negative size with both cameras is basically identical but otherwise
these are very different cameras. The GW670 III is a rangefinder camera with
a fixed lens (90mm, F3.5). It syncs at all shutter speeds and has a hot
shoe. Maximum shutter speed is 1/500. Film winding is a two-step procedure.
The Pentax 6x7/67/67II is an SLR that accepts multiple lenses. Pentax makes
about 19 different lenses for it including a macro lens, a shift lens, and a
leaf shutter lens and ranging in focal length from 35mm to 1000mm though
lenses longer than 300 are so large and heavy that you need a caddy to carry
them around and home equity loan to buy some of them. With the 165mm leaf
shutter lens the camera syncs at any shutter speed, the others sync at 1/30
second. It takes a PC cord (i.e. no hot shoe). Maximum shutter speed is
1/1000.

The Fuji weighs about 51 ounces with lens, the Pentax weighs about 60 ounces
without lens but the Pentax lenses longer than the 135mm range from large
and heavy to extremely large and heavy. There wouldn't be a huge difference
in weight if you compared the Fuji and the Pentax with one lens in the 90mm
to 135mm range (about a 30oz difference) but there would be a big difference
in carrying-around weight between the Fuji and the Pentax with say three or
more lenses, especially if one were longer than 135mm.

Lens comparisons are difficult because there are so many Pentax lenses but
in general the Pentax lenses are outstanding as is the single Fuji lens .

The Pentax system is a very good system for almost all types of photography
unless you need interchangeable backs (e.g. for weddings) or unless you do a
lot of flash photography (because of the slow sync speed with most of the
lenses and because the flash that Pentax recommends with the 67 is the 400T,
which is big and heavy). It's o.k. for occasional flash usage but there
certainly are other medium format cameras that would be better if you do a
lot of flash photography. The Fuji is not well suited to specialized types
of photography such as macro work, architectural work, and (obviously)
anything requiring a lens longer than 90mm. The Pentax can be hand-held with
the shorter lfocal length lenses and faster shutter speeds but it's more
commonly used on a tripod. The Fuji is more susceptible of being hand-held.

There are a lot of other detail differences that you can find by looking at
web sites, especially in the case of the Pentax depending on which
viewfinder the camera has, but these are IMHO the major ones that would
affect a buying decision. I assume you know that Pentax today makes only the
67II, the 67 has been discontinued though they are readily available on the
used market.

HY" wrote in message
...
cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

for camera pros/cons, check out Danny Gonzalez's great hands-on pro's
comments at http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/gindex.html

see also mf/pentax67.html includes some lens tests etc.

hth bobm
--
************************************************** *********************
* Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 *
********************Standard Disclaimers Apply*************************

"HY" wrote in message
...
cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

IMO the Pentax 105mm f2.4 is one of the finest standard lenses i've ever
used.

--
Martin Francis http://www.sixbysix.co.uk
"Go not to Usenet for counsel, for it will say both no, and yes, and
no, and yes...."

I use a GSW690, which is similar to the GSW670. A friend uses a Pentax 67.
We're both pretty happy. The Fuji lens is outstanding, but you are limited
to the normal lens. The Pentax has interchangeable lenses, most of which
are very fine. People regularly comment on the sharpness and detail in the
pictures my friend takes. The Pentax is an SLR, and the Fuji a rangefinder.
I think the Pentax viewfinder is a lot better. The Fuji viewfinder is fine,
but I think the rangefinder window is too small, and the the lens shows up
in the lower right corner of the 6X9 version. The Fuji has a parallax
correcting bright frame that generally works well. The Pentax is, well, an
SLR. The Fuji has a built in bubble level, which I find very handy. The
shutters on both make considerable noise, but the Pentax is a bit louder.
Pentax mirror slap is a factor, but you can use the self timer to avoid any
problems. They both take about the same level of effort to load and unload
the film. The main problem with the Pentax is weight - which is still not
too bad. Both cameras are best used on a tripod, but the Fuji may be a bit
easier to hand hold. (Both can be successfully hand held.) The Pentax has
a through the lens meter available. The Fuji is strictly manual. The
Pentax can be adapted for macro work with macro lenses, extension tubes, or
bellows. The Fuji can not. The Fuji is a quite a bit less expensive.

"HY" wrote in message
...
cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

Norman Worth said:

Pentax mirror slap is a factor, but you can use the self timer to avoid
any
problems.

There is no self timer on the Pentax. I think you mean mirror lock up.

"Norman Worth" wrote in message
.net...
I use a GSW690, which is similar to the GSW670. A friend uses a Pentax
67.
We're both pretty happy. The Fuji lens is outstanding, but you are
limited
to the normal lens. The Pentax has interchangeable lenses, most of which
are very fine. People regularly comment on the sharpness and detail in
the
pictures my friend takes. The Pentax is an SLR, and the Fuji a
rangefinder.
I think the Pentax viewfinder is a lot better. The Fuji viewfinder is
fine,
but I think the rangefinder window is too small, and the the lens shows up
in the lower right corner of the 6X9 version. The Fuji has a parallax
correcting bright frame that generally works well. The Pentax is, well,
an
SLR. The Fuji has a built in bubble level, which I find very handy. The
shutters on both make considerable noise, but the Pentax is a bit louder.
Pentax mirror slap is a factor, but you can use the self timer to avoid
any
problems. They both take about the same level of effort to load and unload
the film. The main problem with the Pentax is weight - which is still not
too bad. Both cameras are best used on a tripod, but the Fuji may be a
bit
easier to hand hold. (Both can be successfully hand held.) The Pentax
has
a through the lens meter available. The Fuji is strictly manual. The
Pentax can be adapted for macro work with macro lenses, extension tubes,
or
bellows. The Fuji can not. The Fuji is a quite a bit less expensive.

"HY" wrote in message
...
cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

On Fri, 4 Jun 2004, Mike wrote:

HY" wrote in message
...
cons and pros ?
lot of flash photography. The Fuji is not well suited to specialized types
of photography such as macro work, architectural work, and (obviously)

i use the GW690III (the 90mm lens in this case is wide angle) and i'd say
quite well suited for specialized types of photography: landscape
(lightweight, mechanical, fast working, can be handheld, good when
hiking), photo-journalism (fast focussing, outstanding results for whole
magazine pages) and some kinds of architecture (depends on how you work -
i mount it vertically and use it as if it had a built in shift (crop the
foreground in tha lab).

i am very satisfied with that camera but must admit that i use a 6x6
system (psix) with 50, 80, 120mm lenses for other purposes. and i decided
very conscious for a range-finder with fixed lens. so i am not disappinted
by it's limitations.

berko

"HY" wrote in message ...
cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?

I own both (GW690III in that case)
Fuji lens is way better, but I like the contrast on the P67 more.
Fuji's contrast seems to be exagerated while P67 looks more natural.

J.

Not having one, I can't be sure. I think the Model II (newer) one does have
a timer, and the mirror flips up at the start of the time and avoids the
associated vibration. You are right though: mirror lock up (one way of the
other) is the key.
"Vladamir30" wrote in message
.com...
Norman Worth said:

Pentax mirror slap is a factor, but you can use the self timer to avoid
any
problems.

There is no self timer on the Pentax. I think you mean mirror lock up.

"Norman Worth" wrote in message
.net...
I use a GSW690, which is similar to the GSW670. A friend uses a Pentax
67.
We're both pretty happy. The Fuji lens is outstanding, but you are
limited
to the normal lens. The Pentax has interchangeable lenses, most of
which
are very fine. People regularly comment on the sharpness and detail in
the
pictures my friend takes. The Pentax is an SLR, and the Fuji a
rangefinder.
I think the Pentax viewfinder is a lot better. The Fuji viewfinder is
fine,
but I think the rangefinder window is too small, and the the lens shows
up
in the lower right corner of the 6X9 version. The Fuji has a parallax
correcting bright frame that generally works well. The Pentax is, well,
an
SLR. The Fuji has a built in bubble level, which I find very handy.
The
shutters on both make considerable noise, but the Pentax is a bit
louder.
Pentax mirror slap is a factor, but you can use the self timer to avoid
any
problems. They both take about the same level of effort to load and
unload
the film. The main problem with the Pentax is weight - which is still
not
too bad. Both cameras are best used on a tripod, but the Fuji may be a
bit
easier to hand hold. (Both can be successfully hand held.) The Pentax
has
a through the lens meter available. The Fuji is strictly manual. The
Pentax can be adapted for macro work with macro lenses, extension tubes,
or
bellows. The Fuji can not. The Fuji is a quite a bit less expensive.

"HY" wrote in message
...
cons and pros ?

lens quality comparison ?