Fujica GS645W: The 645 wide angle lens compact camera

Fujica GS645

Fujica GS645 cameras are medium-format compact cameras manufactured in Japan in the early 1980s. They are all renowned for the quality of their lenses.

These cameras operate mechanically for film advance and shutter release. The light meter, however, requires a battery to function.

They are available in three versions:

Fujica GS645 75mm F3.4
Fujica GS645S 60mm F4
Fujica GS645W 45mm F5.6

All three cameras have a viewfinder with parallax correction, but only the first two models are equipped with a rangefinder.

The W model does without one due to the consistently large depth of field offered by its lens (wide angle and maximum aperture of only f/5.6).

Review Fujica GS645W F5.6

Among bellows cameras, the Pentacon Six and Pentax 645, this Fujica is the easiest medium-format camera I know of to use and manipulate.

It’s easy to carry and lightweight thanks to its polycabornate structure, which keeps its weight down.

The film loads almost as easily as on a 35mm camera.

You’ll notice that the camera’s « natural » orientation is portrait.

A very good optic

The Fujinon EBC 45mm F5.6 is an excellent lens. It’s very sharp.

Perhaps even too sharp for me. I would have preferred a lens with a bit more character, like the Soviet Mir-26B.

My copy has suffered a bit: it no longer has parallax correction or a light meter.

Limitations

This W version is designed for landscape photography.

So, if like me you enjoy photographing flowers or simply taking close-ups, this isn’t the right camera for you. The minimum focusing distance is 1 meter for a wide-angle lens.

For this type of photography in medium format, you’ll need to opt for a bulky medium format SLR.

Similarly, don’t expect to take handheld night photos with this f/5.6 aperture.