Fujifilm GA645 Zi
When one of these big units comes into the shop as stock there isn't that much you can do. go through all the features, check condition, seals and pop a blank roll through it. With all tickety boo I get to run a test roll to prove it.
Of late the photography mojo has left me, it had been months since I had finished a roll or found any inspiration. The idea of whacking out 16 moderately interesting frames in short time should have been a problem but I managed 15 in 1 ½ hours in the middle of a storm! That is problem number one for me, I can imagine film can go through this like a bag of sweets in child's hands. Only 15 I hear you say? That was me, post read up tells me getting that start line spot on is vital for that.
Normally at this point I would waffle on about how I like manual control over everything like an anorak, however given my doldrums I found it a blessing. Dodging downpours, forcing myself to look for something passable as a picture it was nice to have something to lift some of the weight from my shoulders. I have read a few reviews, lists of cons are interesting.
It is big – what did you expect, it is MF! Fairly compact that given.
It is ugly – There are many far worse, I don't mind it all.
Not enough manual features – It does what it says on the tin! Well!
Yes, it did what it was designed for. It focus well, sharp images from an average speed lens. Metered very well, on my lightroom curve all but one just clipped the blacks and fell a fraction short of clipping white. I got good shadow details, and the nice viewfinder kept me fairly straight and honest, that said, I did in my usual fashion fall for parallax error! All around it fills it's brief more than adequately. I was surprisingly impressed and almost enjoyed myself, I did get wet though.
