Since it isn’t a SLR and doesn’t have a rangefinder patch, one has to use the distance reading to judge manual focus. Manual focus is awkward and difficult to get right. Since the lens extends every time the camera is turned on, I’m reluctant to induce the wear and tear just to check how many shots remain on a roll.
#Bronica rf645 shutter release iso
To see how many shots were taken on a roll, or the current iso setting, the camera has be turned on. When the power is off, none of the settings are visible. Fortunately the cr123a batteries are reasonably easy to come by. Without power the film can’t even be wound, so the roll is stuck in the camera until power is re-established. Nothing on the camera works without a battery. There is an AF lock button, so one can focus on a subject and recompose and expose for the final framing. Since the camera doesn’t have an AE lock this isn’t possible. One metering technique I often use in tricky lighting situations is to point the camera towards an area I want to be medium gray, lock the exposure, and then recenter to lock the focus and then recompose to shoot the desired composition. The following is a list of disadvantages the Fuji has when compared to other “typical” medium format cameras. Some of these could have probably been easily avoided while others may be necessary compromises to keep the size and weight down. Once the film is rolled a bit, closing the film door causes the camera to automatically wind the film to readiness. Small red buttons pop out the spools and the control dial advances the film in small controllable increments. It also has parallax correction and the frame edges seem quite accurate.īesides a quirk explained in the list of weaknesses, the ga645i is the easiest to load medium format film camera I’ve used.
The offset viewfinder is bright and large and easy to use with glasses. Accuracy is quite good but it is important to develop a habit of checking the focus distance (which is displayed in the viewfinder) to ensure that the camera is focused on the expected subject. While I prefer the tactile nature of fully manual cameras, the advantage of this auto setup comes into play when shooting in the rain since it can be used while holding an umbrella.Īutofocus is slow by today’s standards but not bothersome for static subjects. Mode changes and exposure compensation require a second hand but focusing, aperture or shutter speed changes, and shutter releasing can all be done with the right hand. One of the unique and desirable things about the ga645i is that it is a medium format film camera that can be shot one handed. Colours tend to really pop.ĭue to the wide-ish nature of the lens and a maximum aperture of only F4, bokeh isn’t often dominant however, despite the contrasty and sharp lens, it isn’t too fussy when it does appear.Ī bit of bokeh when shot close and wide open with Fujifilm 400h I haven’t noticed any light falloff or flare under average shooting conditions. The photos are sharp and perhaps more contrasty than with most cameras.
Wide open the max is only 1/400 but this speeds up to 1/700 at f11.Īs this is a non-technical review, there isn’t much to say about the image quality. The maximum shutter speed varies with aperture. The lens is fixed at 60mm (approximately 37mm equivalent in 35mm film terms) and opens up to f4. For Fuji branded films, the camera will automatically set the iso (a feature added for the ‘i’ versions). Film loading and winding is all automatic. There is an option to imprint the date-time and camera settings on the edge of the negative, outside of the frame (I’m not sure why this isn’t permanently on as it’s incredibly useful with no down side I can think of). The camera shoots a 645 frame, achieving 16 frames per roll (earlier iterations of the ga645 only had 15). When in ‘P’ mode the only necessary button to press is the shutter release. It features autofocus, auto-exposure, auto film winding and a built in pop-up flash. The ga645i is essentially a medium format point-and-shoot. The following is a record of my impressions. The quest for a medium format travel camera led me to pick up a Fujifilm ga645i and, after a year and a half of use, including during two trips to Japan, I’ve remained very happy with the choice.
0 kommentar(er)
