Description: With a zoom lens encompassing the standard-to-wide angle range, the Fujifilm GA645 Zi Professional is the perfect medium format camera for weddings and landscape shots. In addition, the GA645 Zi Professional incorporates Fujifilm's unique Barcode System, which automates all initial settings. The GA645 Zi also combines hybrid AF and AE, providing professional photographers with an easy-to-use sophisticated medium format camera.
Summary: I read a whole load of reviews before I bought this camera, and I have read a lot of conflicting views about it, so I thought I'd have my two pennies.
Overall I am very satisfied after my first three rolls of Provia. The zoom range is limited but useful, and the lens is great - that's a given. The viewfinder is quite nice. The metering is as accurate as everyone says it is - not just good, but precisely bob on for slide film. Of course, it's not a mind reader, so the usual centre weighted rules apply. The autofocus is very good - nearly as good as any autofocus rangefinder I have used, including the Contax G1 and 2, and my Nikon 35ti, which is amazing considering the format. It doesn't always get it right, but it is very good. The flash is also pretty much perfect - a bit like using a Vivitar 385 with a little unexposure dialled in. Of course, it's on the camera, and there's not much you can do about that, but beats my Nikon 35ti for flash exposure, and you can sych al the way to the highest shutter speed. Handling is nice, but sometimes it can be a bit slow to do a simple thing like setting exposure compensation, compared to a camera with a dedicated dial, but I have't had it long, and I'm sure I will get quicker at using it. I had no problems loading film, and found it very easy and quick to do. Long and short of it is, I will be keeping this camera, and using it a lot...
Strengths: Mostly described above:
Lens
Meter
Size
Zoom
Autofocus
Speed
Flash
Old fashioned cable release socket
Well thought out features
Weaknesses: Within its limitations, not much.
A larger zoom range would be nice, but that would compromise the size and the quality
Slightly better autofocus would be nice, but it's already very good
It would be better if it metered from within the filter thread, in order to take care of filter factors automatically
Modal controls make it slightly slower to access some features
I'm not a great fan of the default portrait aspect, but I can see why it's been designed that way - I might buy a bracket for tripod use in lanscape
Summary: I bought this camera last month and was not sure how my results will come out I took some picutes on Back Bay in Boston and some at Newport RI. I set the exposure comp. to +0.5. all my results came out beautiful, very sharp corner to corner nicely expose I love it. This camera is great give you 16 exposure every time on 120 easy to carry great for travel.
Strengths: light wt
very sharp results
excellent light meter
Results will kick any 35 mm camera output....
Summary: A nice camera to use, simple uncluttered. If you wish to photograph landscapes and mountains this camera is ideal to slip in to a ski jacket pocket. I have used this camera whilst skiing. The image quality is what you expect from this format, clear and sharp. I have also used it to ttake portraits, it does however mean that you need to be in the face of the subject, this can be off putting for the sitter. Ok for groups.
Strengths: Compact , light and simple not a lot to go wrong with it.
Weaknesses: Due to the metereing system you have to manualy compensate if you attached a filter to the lens.
Summary: Overall the camera is a very good value for the money. I like the auto focus in medium format camera. The lens is very good, contrasty and sharp. Fuji is know for there fine lens. I love the auto paralex and zoom correcetion lines in the fiewfinder.
Strengths: lightweight, autofocus, can be had for a good price in the used market. will make a good back-up camera and travel camera.
Weaknesses: The lens zoom range and the lens is to max apature is to small.
Similar Products Used: fuji 645 floding model in the 1980s, pentax 645 slr.
Customer Service: sucks pretty bad, the people I spoke with in the Newjersy did not have a clue or give a dam.
Rating Reviewed by: BRUNO CATALUCCI(Unregistered User)
(Expert)
Review Date July 19, 2003
Overall Rating 4 of 5
Value Rating 4 of 5
Used product for 1 to 3 months
Visitors rate this review 3.10 of 5,
1 votes
Review 5 of 33
Price Paid:
$1100.00
from IL TELEMETRO MILANO
Summary: Very confortable to use,perhaps the most confortable medium format at all. Light, quiet,with a very accurate exposure,expecially with fill-in flash, gives you superb results with little efforts. I hate to leave my camera choose for me so i use extensively the diaphragm priority and the manual mode, but my wife use it as a point and shoot in program mode and the results are pretty good.I like the clarity of the exposure info and the brightness and precision of the viewfinder image. Ergonomy is excellent with all the controls in the right place so you can set all functions keeping the eye in the finder. The lens is very sharp but lacks at least one stop of brightness.
It isn't a real zoom, it's more like having two fixed focal lengths, but for the size, it's enough.
Within its limitations i think it's a very pleasant camera, and it's a real joy to use. It's not a close portrait camera but since the lens is well correct from distortion, at the closest focus distance you can obtain head and chest portraits.
Data printing on the neg is very useful giving you full information on the shot.
The flash is great for fill-in shots but recharges slowly. The AF works well,is not very fast but works even in low light.
The leaf shutter is relatively quiet and vibration-free, there is no mirror so you can handle speeds down to 1/30 without a tripod (depending on the focal length)
If you can live with a normal focal length this camera delivers optimum performances.
Strengths: Solid,well-built,light,ergonomic,all in one medium format camera.
Exposure and lens quality.
Very confortable to use.
Weaknesses: Slow lens
CR2 batteries (expensive)
Minimal focusing distance a bit too high(1 meter)
Pricey!
Similar Products Used: rolleiflex 3,5F planar
Fuji gs645s rangefinder
Konica Hexar AF
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