p.1 #2 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
You're probably right; Fuji is the coolest. Fuji (Fujica, Fujicolor, Fujifilm, Fuji Photo Film) has made an incredible variety of film cameras. Also, 'disc' and cine cameras, projectors and viewers, plus the largest variety of single-use (disposable) cameras, of any brand.
I currently have Fuji cameras in 110, APS, 35mm 1/2 frame, 35mm full frame, and 35mm crop pano. Before switching to digital, I used a GW670II and GSW690II a lot (and a bit of GS645S Wide 60). Plus, I used Fuji LF lenses on a Shen Hao 4x5 field camera (Fujinon-SW 90/8, -W 150/5.6 EBC Copal 0, -A 240/9 EBC).
I can't think of any other manufacturer that has made so many variations (except, Kodak).
p.1 #3 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Depends on what you mean by coolest. If you mean producing the most cameras covering many film formats then most likely…but I found Fuji could not hold a candle against my Olympus kit with their great cameras ( viewfinders to die for ) and their amazingly small lenses. Still shoot with their lenses adapted to my Sony cameras.
p.1 #4 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
jcolwell wrote:
You're probably right; Fuji is the coolest. Fuji (Fujica, Fujicolor, Fujifilm, Fuji Photo Film) has made an incredible variety of film cameras. Also, 'disc' and cine cameras, projectors and viewers, plus the largest variety of single-use (disposable) cameras, of any brand.
I currently have Fuji cameras in 110, APS, 35mm 1/2 frame, 35mm full frame, and 35mm crop pano. Before switching to digital, I used a GW670II and GSW690II a lot (and a bit of GS645S Wide 60). Plus, I used Fuji LF lenses on a Shen Hao 4x5 field camera (Fujinon-SW 90/8, -W 150/5.6 EBC Copal 0, -A 240/9 EBC).
I can't think of any other manufacturer that has made so many variations (except, Kodak)....Show more →
Yeah, that’s the thing. It seems back in the day no matter the film format, Fuji had lots of options.
I’m curious to try one of their half frame cameras. I have a few already but still…. Which one do you have and would you recommend it?
They also made a boat load of 110 cameras, and I happen to have a boat load of 110 film. . But no idea which one is the one to get.
p.1 #5 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
chez wrote:
Depends on what you mean by coolest. If you mean producing the most cameras covering many film formats then most likely…but I found Fuji could not hold a candle against my Olympus kit with their great cameras ( viewfinders to die for ) and their amazingly small lenses. Still shoot with their lenses adapted to my Sony cameras.
The lenses for my PenFT 1/2 frame are stunning. I have no experience w Fuji 35mm slrs but did enjoy my Olympus when I had them.
Fuji does make incredible glass, judging by my experience with their P&S cameras, GWs, and the Hasselblads that they made for Hasselblad - H series as well as the Xpans.
p.1 #6 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Desmolicious wrote:
...I’m curious to try one of their half frame cameras. I have a few already but still…. Which one do you have and would you recommend it?
I'd suggest the Fujica Rapid S2. It has a totally solid build, and an unusually long and lean asthetic. Mine is shown below, alongside my Oly Pen-EE S half-frame. I haven't shot either with film, but they're higher on my to-do list than 110.
p.1 #7 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Desmolicious wrote:
...They also made a boat load of 110 cameras, and I happen to have a boat load of 110 film. . But no idea which one is the one to get.
Fuji's 'pocket flash' and 'pocket zoom' series both have some interesting options for 110.
p.1 #8 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
jcolwell wrote:
I'd suggest the Fujica Rapid S2. It has a totally solid build, and an unusually long and lean asthetic. Mine is shown below, alongside my Oly Pen-EE S half-frame. I haven't shot either with film, but they're higher on my to-do list than 110.
p.1 #11 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
I think they are the most innovative in terms of different body designs. Huge range of film and digital cameras with different designs, of which many have become classic. X-Pan, X-Pro, X100, GW/GSW, X-T - that's a hell of a heritage.
p.1 #12 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Other than Fujifilm I have never had or used a Fuji camera - neither film nor digital. For film it was simply that I got good cameras of other brands earlier making me not to consider any Fuji-branded film camera. For digital - off-topic here but still want to mention - I never vested in due to lack of full-frame format which is my preferred format in digital. Most interesting is IMO Fuji's current digital "medium-format" with the GFX series.
p.1 #13 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
I think the Fujinon EBC 50mm f/1.4 that came attached to my Fujica st801 is one awesome cool lens. It is radioactive but the rendering is out of hand. When developing rolls and scanning without knowing which camera is which roll, it is easy to spot the Fujinon 50mm. There was some sort of magical coating in those lenses that produce wonderful colors and beautiful contrast B&W. I think its cool and its my only native Fuji lens.
p.1 #14 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Fujifilm reached peak coolness in 2001 when the very brand itself was featured in a movie scene with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt that was, ironically, shot on Kodak Vision 250D.
p.1 #15 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Fuji were not cool IMO. Leica Ms, a classic Nikon F series, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and later the Olympus OMs were cool. I would also rate Alpa (although perhaps too rare to be cool). Somehow as good as Canon are I am not sure any are cool, perhaps the F-1. One time, Pentax Spotmatics were cool.
p.1 #16 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Robin Smith wrote:
Fuji were not cool IMO. Leica Ms, a classic Nikon F series, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and later the Olympus OMs were cool. I would also rate Alpa (although perhaps too rare to be cool). Somehow as good as Canon are I am not sure any are cool, perhaps the F-1. One time, Pentax Spotmatics were cool.
Leica until the Nikon Fs, and then Canon with EOS. Maybe not 'coolest', but dominant.
Canon F1NEW was/is a great camera (holding one right now), but it was overshadowed by the Nikon F. Nikon dominated and listened to their customers and kept the F mount into the AF age while Canon chucked the FD mount for the clean-sheet EOS. Nikon F4s was the pinacle of cool for film cameras- uhm, sexy beasts. The Canon T90 came in on the FD-EOS boundry, and Canon went whole hog for the 'melted' look.
I think that you could make an argument that Fuji is the coolest now, but Sony is just so dominant in tech.
p.1 #17 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Fujifilm in the 90s was Art Wolfe shooting Velvia through a Canon EOS1. His mug was all over the magazines and his prints were in the brand new REI flagship store when it opened in '96. Some mountain creature with lush rich saturated green flora behind it.
All the cool cats shooting rock stars shot Kodak E100 or TriX.
As an American back then I never knew who shot all of those wild medium format fixed lens Fuji cameras but I really wanted one all the same. The Fuji 645zi or whatever it was called. Seemed so exotic and powerful for me on my instant Raman budget.
I didn't know anyone rich enough to own a Leica or Hassy back then.
p.1 #18 · Was Fuji the coolest film camera manufacturer?
Robin Smith wrote:
Fuji were not cool IMO. Leica Ms, a classic Nikon F series, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and later the Olympus OMs were cool. I would also rate Alpa (although perhaps too rare to be cool). Somehow as good as Canon are I am not sure any are cool, perhaps the F-1. One time, Pentax Spotmatics were cool.
I think you are missing the gist of the conversation. Fuji is the coolest because they covered the most film bases. Not because they had one cool camera.
. But no idea which one is the one to get.
