Multi-Shot with a Fuji GX680

[Chris Gahran]

I am considering buying into a GX680 system to get swings and tilts. I hope to test a camera and lens soon.

There were three models produced over the years and I have read what I believe is contradictory information about the mirror lock-up process.

I have read Model 1 cycles the mirror up/down after the mirror lock-up is engaged and I've also read the mirror stays up until lock-up is disengaged. I've read the same about Models 2 and 3. I believe having the mirror not cycle up/down during multi-shot would improve image quality.

Is anyone using a GX680 with a CF multi-shot back and can tell me which Model leaves the mirror up until the lock-up is disengaged? Thanks...

[NickT]

Chris he hasn't been around for a while, but Paul Fawley has really good knowledge of the Fujis: fawley@mac.com

Tell him I said hi!

[bdp]

I'm sure current owners of Fujis would be in a better position than me to answer, but I owned a vIII several years ago with a Sinar multishot back and unfortunately you can't stop the mirror flipping down then back up between exposures. This made multishot unusable because of the massive mirror and the vibrations it caused. It was only really designed for film, so they probably didn't think of this being a problem when they designed the camera. Maybe HB backs can do multishot with a long exposure and a blacked out studio, I'm not sure, but my Sinar and Jenoptik backs couldn't.

Ben

[NickT]

Ben From memory there is a version that lets the mirror go up and stay up or perhaps a special cable was needed.

Chris have you searched the flexframe archives? The answer will be there somewhere.

[bdp]

Hmm, yes, it may have been a limitation of my digital back and how it fired the camera between exposures. Hopefully Hasselblad backs work differently.

However for me I could lock the mirror up, and then after each exposure it would flip down again as the camera 'wound' the non-existent film back, then it would flip back up and stay up until the next exposure. So it was technically 'staying up' i.e. returning to mirror up mode after each exposure, the only problem was it was flipping down during the shutter cocking and winding procedure, which is what created the vibration.

I think the definition of what constitutes the mirror 'staying up' is up for debate. I would take it to mean it NEVER goes down, even during cocking/winding after an exposure, but Fuji seems to think it means it locks back up again after an exposure if you were in mirror up mode before that exposure was taken. I was fooled by this and wasted my money buying that camera. Although the tilt/shift was nice.

Ben

PS Hope my memory is not too foggy on this and I have it wrong....!

[Chris Gahran]

Nick,

Paul said it's been "13 years or more since I used one!". He said the mirror did drop then return to the up position even when it was "locked-up".

That's how a 555ELD works but it's my understanding the GX680 mirror makes a harder slap because it's much larger.

Paul said "On a steady tripod we rarely had a problem with shake on multi shot. Great cameras if a little imprecise with the movements".

He offered no suggestions for attaining swings and tilts with a CF back.

[NickT]

Hi Chris
I still have a suspicion that there is a way to get the mirror to go up and stay up!

Thant being said when I used to use a 503CW the mirror slap and motor caused quite a bit of vibration so I used to extend the flash delay setting (to maybe 5 seconds?) to give the camera a chance to settle.

[guvnah]

I've been using 680's for most of my 20 year career and love this camera system.  I've used a pair of 680 III cameras with a 384, a 528 & a cf39ms. I usually have more problems with my product moving than with camera vibration/movement . I have them mounted on heavy studio mono stands and use a long (6 second) delay between captures.  1 in 4 multi shots fail and 1/2 of my micro step (16 on the 528) captures fail.  As stated earlier, the mirror lock up feature really doesn't lock up. 

[guvnah]

Also,  these old cameras are finiky.  One will shoot from the camera and the other will not & I can't figure out why.