The Fuji GX680 is most likely one of the biggest (if not the biggest) medium format camera you’ve never shot with — or even heard of. If that piqued your curiosity, Kyle McDougall shares what the experience is like in the video above, along with some of his sample snaps!
For the unfamiliar, the Fuji GX680 system of cameras was designed for portrait, still life and product photography in the studio. It uses 120 and 220 films and produces 6×8 format images. The first model was introduced in 1986 and the system was officially discontinued in April 2010.
According to McDougall, he shot with a Fuji GX680II for a month to help answer any questions curious photographers like us may have. He covered both the features he loved and some of the issues he had with it. As a fully featured 6×8 medium format film camera, it’s easy to see where its appeal lies. However, it’s also obvious how the size and weight can be limiting for most photographers. This is especially the case in an age when cameras are getting more and more compact.
Still, he concludes that while it’s not going to be a fit for everyone, it can be a wonderful tool for the right people. With the exceptional image quality that medium format film still holds, there’s definitely some truth to this.
To those who have already shot with the Fuji GX680, what are your favorite features? What kind/s of photography projects did you shoot with it? Tell us about it in the comments below!
I had one in ‘92 through’95. Amazing camera. I was young and under the illusion in using it for the landscape. The images were unsurpassed. I equipped it with the finder. Mounted it on a Gitzo Studex Tripod with the largest Arca Swiss Monoball. You guessed it. A few visits to the Chiropractor and I was done! The GX680 weighed in at 11 pounds. I was game for awhile but traded it for a Pentax 67. A little lighter. All in all good memories.
The least fun you’ll ever have shooting
Still using it today! Even took it to a metal festival hand held :D It’s an assault rifle of a camera, lenses are second to none!
Easy! My product shots for many catalogs and department stores required perfect vertical lines while photographing with a slight to medium vertical offset! The front shift does that beautifully. The forward tilt at the same time allows the depth of field to increase from a few inches to infinity. Also in architecture images that vertical shift allows to photograph tall buildings and most homes by cutting out either sky or foreground. Scenery can be sharp from front to back with the lens wide open. It allows to use shorter shutter speeds freezing wind blown scenery. The only type of camera… Read more »
Why, we’re in a digital world ?? If you NEED a medium format, try the Hasselblad digital, a minimum of 100mpx