Fuji 690?

[Texsport]

How much use is the 180mm?

In theory it might be good for long portraits, but what else?

Thanks.

Texsport

 

[sevo]

How much use is the 180mm?

In theory it might be good for long portraits, but what else?

Good question. I don't have it, but I do have the Mamiya Press 150mm and it does not get enough use to warrant purchasing a even longer lens - long lenses and rangefinders aren't really the best match, even less so in medium format where DOF is more limited.

 

[Calzone]

I had a G690 BL for maybe a year and loved it. I loved the lenses and the images they made. The 65mm was probably one of the finest optics I've ever used, Leica, Konica, Nikon, Zeiss, Canon and Pentax included. The negatives and even better, chromes are without peer.
As for the rarity of the cameras and lenses, I looked for two months and assembled a nice 3 lens kit: 65mm, 100mm and 150mm. I got a user body and some great lenses, so it just takes looking. These, I think, are more common in the western Pacific since I've seen a few come from Australia (that's also where I had mine shipped from) and Singapore. I got the body with the 100mm lens and found the others afterwards. Simply one of the best systems out there. Bloated, yes but for that kind of adaptability with the range of lenses, it's the only player in that game short of using a large format field camera or a Crown Graphic with a few lenses. Then there goes the convenience out the window unless the camera has a rollfilm back.
I only wound up selling it because I was using 35mm and digital so much more for work and school that the 6x9 needed to find a new home.

I recently bought a complete G690BL kit with the 65/8.0, 100/3.5 and 150/5.6 for $1,500.00. All the glass has ribbed metal focusing rings, but the 65/8.0 VF'er has dotted lines for a later GM670 (6x7).

Cal