[Leica] Fuji camera for the hiker

[TTAbrahams at shaw.ca (TnT Abrahamsson)]

 [Leica] Fuji camera for the hiker 
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=837754 This looks like 
the folder I wanted to carry in Nepal. Perhaps useful in Peru. Zeiss options 
are becoming a bit old to be reliable.CheersAlastair------------- Alastair,I 
did handle the Bessa III at Photokina. It is a nice "folder" -  
shades of the old Zeiss and Bessa's from the 50's. It has a finder/ 
rangefinder similar to that of the Bessa R3, which means it is about  
as good as it gets, particularly in a folding camera. The camera has  
Aperture Priority and also manual over ride for exposure. Focus is  
manual, on the lens mount with a clear rangefinder patch on the body's  
finder. You can switch format, not in midroll, but when you change  
film. There is a small round disc, visible when you open the back and  
it can be set to either 6x6 or 6x7. When you switch, the framelines in  
the finder corrects for the new format. It can also handle 220 film  
with a conventional sliding pressure plate and automatic reset of the  
counter for this type of film.
  It is a largish camera and with the curved front "plate" it would  
require a substantial pocket to carry it that way - but it did not  
feel "bulky". The folding mechanism is quite complex as you have to  
carry the information on not only exposure system, but also on the  
focussing. It felt very solid though. One of the features of the  
camera tat impressed me was the virtually inaudible shutter. It is  
quieter than a Rollei Twinlens. Just a faint whisper from  
electronically controlled shutter. It was so quiet that initially I  
thought is was a non working "dummy" - until I looked through the  
camera and realized that the shutter was opening and closing as I was  
triggering it! The release ( on the body) was very smooth and soft. I  
felt that with some training one could handhold it at 1/4 sec.
  I was told that "official" introduction would be March this year and  
that the Fuji 667 would be for the Japanese market and the Bessa III  
for export. No price was given at the time, but my guess would be in  
the $1800-2000 bracket with the current strength of the yen. Overall  
impression was that this is an impressive piece of equipment and the  
design is well thought out. I had no opportunity to try it out with  
film, but with a 6 element lens and Cosina/Fuji's knowledge in optical  
design, it should be more than satisfactory.

Bests to everybody,Tom A-----------------------------Tom 
AbrahamssonVancouver, BCCanadawww.rapidwinder.com