Dreaming of my Fuji…

January 29, 2022January 29, 2022Chris and Carol 2 Comments

The Fujica GW690 (large) medium-format film camera by Fuji. It’s the largest 120/220 roll film camera in my collection and let me tell you, it’s a beast! It boasts an EBC Fujinon f3.5 90mm fixed lens that goes far and above any other film camera I’ve ever used. Check out this unedited image below – the detail that can be captured on a 6x9cm frame of film is amazing.

I love the look of Neopan Acros 100 film and its ability to capture the finest details.

I love the statement – “Light Weight and Compact”. I’m not quite sure that 6x9cm is considered to be a large format camera but who am I to argue with the gang at Fuji Photo Film marketing.

If you’ve never heard about this camera I highly recommend you take a stroll through the various online selling sites and check out this wonderful camera. There are “millions” of them out there so it’s not a difficult camera to chase down. I don’t ever see myself selling this camera as I originally purchased it from Japan at a great price and I love using it (although it’s been a long time). Be sure to check out my previous posts about this camera in the links below. Thanks for stopping by and I hope I’ve encouraged you to take a peek at these online. – Chris

Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by and, while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, is this blog’s property and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.

every brick matters

September 22, 2021September 22, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Brick wall, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida

Fujica GW690 Professional 6×9, Fijifilm Neopan 100 Acros

Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.

Asahi Pentax 6×7 – one that got away*

August 23, 2021August 23, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

*Sold actually before I really got a chance to bond with it.

After chasing after a really nice Asahi Pentax 6×7 set I found myself in a familiar place. I had collected bit by bit a nice set in mint condition only to discover I was too hesitant to actually use it. So I sold it for way less than I should have and went with a Fujica GW690 with less features and a few more road miles on it. Turns out it was the right thing to do as I enjoy shooting these larger medium-format cameras as the quality of the images are simply awesome. My advice? The AP and Pentax 6×7 are awesome cameras packed with tons of features but if you just want to go big then check out the Fujica.

Fixed lens, no meter, just lots of detail packed into this beast.

A size comparison between a typical 35mm SLR and the Fujica 6×9.

Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island) post office on Fujifilm Acros 100. I couldn’t ask for any more detail and clarity.

Thanks for stopping by and have an awesome day!

Happy SUNday! – Classic Truck

July 11, 2021July 11, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

1951 model GMC truck. Centre Street, downtown Historic District, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida.

My focus was on the ‘GMC’.
Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros B&W film.
Fuji Photo Film Fujica GW690 medium format camera with Fujinon 90mm f3.5 lens.

Fujica GW690 Professional – medium format photography on a grand scale

November 16, 2019November 16, 2019Chris and Carol 3 Comments

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The Fujica GW690 Professional from Fuji Photo Film Company – November 1978. It’s a rather hefty medium format 120/220 roll film camera capable of producing images at an amazingly large 6 x 9 cm.

Loaded with Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros.

Its original list price was ¥143,500. The camera features a non-interchangeable EBC Fujinon 90mm f/3.5 lens (5 elements in 5 groups) and a Seiko #0 leaf shutter with settings for T, 1-1/500 second. It weighs “just” 1,430 grams. No batteries needed as there is no built-in exposure meter. Simply focus the easy to use rangefinder, meter via a handheld meter (or phone app), set your aperture and shutter speed and you’re good to go. By the way, this beast produces 8 super sharp images so you can eat through a roll of 120 film in a hurry.

Original sales brochure – 1978.

Released in 1985, the now Fuji GW690II in GOLD.

To see all of the cameras in this series please check out this wonderful site.

Images were taken with my Fujica. All of the images are as exposed and as scanned. No post-production, really-really.

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The Fujica GW690 and Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros are an almost perfect combination. There’s always plenty of these available via online auctions with a majority of them listed in Japan.

GOOD NEWS!

Fujifilm Acros II

Fujifilm Acros II Box

Yeah! Neopan is not dead!

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Daily ‘Fuji-Fix’ – the Fujica GW690… the Beast from the East

June 14, 2018Chris and Carol Leave a comment

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The Fujica GW690 Professional 6×9 120/220 roll film camera – 1970s tech never looked so good!

This beast will eat through film like it’s candy! 8 exposures from a roll of film but oh how pretty the pics are!

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Thanks for stopping by! A big thanks to the City of Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Florida for hardly changing since 1890!

Chris

The Hoyt Building – c1876

August 8, 2017August 8, 2017Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Built in late 1876 as a two story building with a ground floor grocery, the Hoyt Building is located along historic Centre Street in downtown Fernandina Beach. It was rebuilt after a minor fire in 1901 adding a third story. It is a vibrant part of this beautiful Victorian seaport town to this day.

The Hoyt Building c1876 – Centre Street, Fernandina Beach

Beautiful Victorian details have been preserved into “modern” Fernandina.

Images 1 and 2 above taken with Fujifilm X-A10 and Canon FD 24mm f2.8 lens

Fujica GW690 on Neopan Acros 100 film

Hoyt Building (far left) as seen in this late 1960s early 1970s image

The Hoyt Building (far left) shortly after adding the third story in 1901

Hope you enjoyed our little tour of this lovely town that time passed by.

Chris and Carol ^.^

Fujica GW690 from 1978

June 2, 2017June 2, 2017Chris and Carol 4 Comments

We acquired this beast early this year and fell in love with its capabilities. The only problem with it is that you only get 8 6x9cm images on a roll of 120 film. Talk about planning your shot!

Last camera to carry the Fujica name.

One of our favorite images from the first roll – far from perfect – the focus is a tad off but we love the shallow depth of field and the amazing tonal range of the Neopan Acros.

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The 6x9cm format is, in our opinion, nearly perfect for big time enlargements. This image by the way, is not cropped and hasn’t received post production.

If you want to go big in medium format, the Fujica GW690 and the Fuji GW690II and III are worth a look.

Chris

Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 & Fujica GW690

March 16, 2017Chris and Carol Leave a comment

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Testing our Fujica GW690 medium format camera and Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 film. Captures the details, grays, shadows and textures nicely on this 130 year old brick wall on Centre Street.

Processing: The Darkroom

Scanner: Canon CanoScan 9000F Mark II

Film: Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100

Camera: Fuji Photo Film Fujica GW690 ca.1978

First Pics! Fujica GW690

February 1, 2017June 24, 2017Chris and Carol 10 Comments

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We just got our first roll of film from our new Fujica processed with ‘The Darkroom’. They scanned the 6×9 negatives and zipped them to us. We couldn’t be any more pleased with the results.

As a refresher – this is the 1978 version of Fuji Photo Film’s GW690 medium format film camera. It is the last model to to be called ‘Fujica’. It looks great in this image and it is in very nice condition, but well worn from the thousands of rolls and exposures taken. It will settle in to a more quiet life with us as we can’t afford to buy and have processed 120 film and only get 8 exposures per roll. But we are super happy with it. Super sharp Fujinon 90mm lens transfers the image nicely to the 6×9 negative.

By the way… all of the images presented are direct scans from the negatives. No post production on our part – no crops or other messing with the images. Some I missed the correct exposure by a stop or two with my guesses. I was mostly shooting at 1/250 with 100 film at around f8 to f11. Neopan Acros is very forgiving.

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As you can see, we’ve presented 6 exposures vice 8… 1 other was a duplicate and exposure 8 wasn’t on the roll! I think I may have wound past the first frame. We believe the level of detail and contrast of the Fujinon lens is superb. Did we mention that we’re big fans of Fuji’s Acros? We also love the 6×9 format too. I would say that I was surprised at the shallow depth-of-field in the truck image – I focused on the ‘GMC’ logo and as you may be able to see, I missed spot on focus.

All of the images were taken along Centre Street, downtown historic district, Fernandina Beach – Amelia Island, Florida. The post office building is ca. 1911. The clock tower is ca. 1891. The ‘Pineapple Patch’ building is ca. 1880s. You get the point – for the U.S. it’s kinda old – for most of the rest of the world they’re kinda new. It’s all relative. ^.^

Thanks for your visit!

Chris and Carol

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

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