Fuji GX680, P1 or Leaf backs with Kapture Group adapter

[BillOConnor]

I know there are people out there using this combination, I guess I'm surprised that there aren't more.
I guess if you come to a MFDB from 35mm and shoot that kind of picture, you might not be interested, but I come from
large-format and shooting ten images for a focus-stack with a Mamiya got old fast.
Having the swing/tilt, rise/fall/shift movements, and leaf shutters, on ALL lenses has been wonderful. I own six lenses from 65mm to 300mm and they all are very sharp.
My Mamiya 120 macro is very sharp, but the fall-off and barrel distortion! Yes I know they can be corrected, but I love not having to correct anything.
Keith's adapter works very well, takes a little getting used to, but WORKS.

[FredBGG]

I'll second that.

The Fuji gx680 is a brilliant camera.

Tilt and shift on all lenses from 50mm to 500mm including a zoom 11-200.

The camera also has some very nice features that make working with a DB much nicer than many other MF bodies.

The range of viewfinders being one of them.

The moving loup viewfinder is really the best for critical focusing.

Often dealers and manufacturers of MFD systems claim that the lenses are not sharp enough for digital.
That is totally misleading as the Fuji gx680 lenses are very sharp and clean lenses.

The GX680 really shines with film too. A nice well processed 6x8cm negative produces a look that the smaller sub 645 MFD Backs can't produce.

THe shallow depth of field and the look of the 180mm 3.2 when used full frame has a very nice look to it.

[gerald.d]

Thirded.

Nailed focus today on the eyes of my cat on a test/fun shot with the 210/5.6 wide open with an IQ180 using the magnifying loup finder.

It's a quirky system to be sure, but so, so rewarding

[EinstStein]

Oh yes, GX680 with film is so pretty. I won't use MFDB on it.
I wish I had a mule.

[siebel]

I bought my GX680 gear back in 1995 and have used it with Leaf DCB2, Phase H25, P25, P45+, P65+, Aptus 12 and IQ180(in that sequence of ownership) backs with great success. This is still my go-to kit for food and still-life, though I don't do much of this these days. All the images in the "food" section of my website were shot with it.
Love it!

Cheers,

[BillOConnor]

I don't have the moving loupe viewfinder but will probably get one, currently I use a sharp loupe on the groundglass. Often it makes me move focus just a tiny bit, but it turns out to be a significant amount when I print the image.

As big a camera as it is, even on smaller lightweight tripods, it produces sharp sharp images with lenses up to the 180mm.
By the time I get to the 300mm, especially outdoors, better bulk up in the tripod dept.

Here is an example of what a little swing can accomplish.

Bill O'Connor

Have a great weekend!

[FredBGG]

I bought my GX680 gear back in 1995........
Love it!

Cheers,

Nice photos.
Back in 1989 two guys from Fuji Europe asked if they could come by and show me a new camera system.
They showed up with a Fuji GX680. I had them come when I was shooting an editorial so I could shoot a few rolls with it.
I liked shooting with it right away.
I sent a couple of rolls straight to the lab for rush processing over lunch and a couple of random 13x19 prints.
I loved the results right away and bought the first GX680 sold in Europe. Still have it and it still works like day one.

Here is an example or two of what I do with the "mother of all MF" 





I still shoot commercially and for personal projects with the 680 and film.
Still shoot fashion/portraits with my good old 8x10 too. Both film and direct to paper.

Anyway to me the Fuji gx680 is the only MF camera that has optical qualities of large format film. Tilt Shift with every focal length as well as close focus or macro.

Today I think that just about anyone with a MFDB system should consider a 680 as their tilt shift machine and side kick to their MFD system.

It can be added to a $50,000 dollar MFD system for a small investment and integrated really well thanks to Kapture Groups adapters.

[FredBGG]

I don't have the moving loupe viewfinder but will probably get one, currently I use a sharp loupe on the groundglass.

Using a free standing loup on the ground glass is a bit risky. The focusing screen calibration is with 3 small screws. It's quite easy to damage
the mechanism. The nice thing about the Loup viewfinder is that the loup is suspended over the ground glass and does not touch it.

I have several and modified one with the stellar free standing Fuji loup that has the best and brightest optics of any loup I have used.

Here is one for sale:
http://losangeles.ebayclassifieds.com/photo-video/chatsworth/fuji-4x-power-loupe/?ad=6191013

I machined mine and fitted it to a gx680 loup viewfinder.

[FredBGG]

If anyone is interested in more info on the Gx680 system I have put together a nice package of manuals and system catalog/brochure.

PM you email and I'll put you on the file share to download the PDF files.