FUJI GW 690III: THE TOKYO LEICA

I take the big 6x9 Fuji out to see how it fares shooting the megalopolis. Also, my thoughts on the medium format range finder and the pleasant surprise regarding low light shooting.
Animations by Craig Mederios / crgmdrs
Thanks again for watching!

[@mahdimanesh4221]

Very nicely framed shorts! I love all of them 👌😎 makes me want to look for a GW in case I cannot find the GF670 I am looking for 😅

[@worfbe]

I was blown away ! Such beautiful pictures, so crisp and coloured. Amazing stuff, Andrew !!!

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks a lot! Yeah this camera has so much potential, I was blown away too when I got back the negs!

[@Antron89]

Not sure what I like more : the photos or the videography.

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you! Yeah sometimes I have a hard time focusing cause I start getting carried away with the video shots haha.

[@richardg6109]

Beautifully done video, Andrew. The footage going up the elevator was very cool. Fantastic shots as well! Nothing wrong with another cityscape. Thanks, again.

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you! Yeah that was a fun shot! Yeah there are actually a few more I didn't even include haha.

[@weisserth]

Depth of field depends on size of image circle the lens renders on the film, focus length, aperture, subject distance. The crop factor for 6x9 compared to 35mm "full frame" is 0.43x.

[@ACatCalledBaudelaire]

This was the first video I watched of yours, Andrew, and it's still great after all these years. I hope you're well and that maybe we'll all get to see some more videos from you some day soon.

[@hudwa]

Man... these shots just blow me away. Bravo, seriously. I love your video work too. You've got a great sense of color and timing. Keep it up!!

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks man!

[@hoggif]

Lovely photos! I'm so wanting to buy a Fuji (or two to get wide angle as well as normal :) Medium format quality is always so nice (with the price tag of large film too).

[@Raevenswood]

The best thing about these fixed lens cameras is almost all the R&D went into making the best possible lens for the camera. Since they weren't making multiple different lenses for the system they had plenty of time to get it right with the one they were fitting to the body. With the old Yashica fixed lens rangefinders the ads used to read something like "buy the lens get the camera body free". This sentiment seems to apply to most of these fixed lens cameras, from the cheap yashica's all the way to the super exotics like the makina 670 the lenses are fantastic.

[@Definitely_not_Andrew_Yoshiaki]

The shots and photos you got at Yotsuya just brought a nostalgic tear to my eye, I graduated from the uni with the church you can see in 2:17. Some of the most interesting and fun years of my life, I still miss it and feel awkward feeling nostalgic about a place I graduated three years ago now ahaha. I hope I’ll stumble into you one day in Tokyo once the quarantine is over for a tad, awesome video as always :)

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

College days.... I miss them too! Yeah I'm always out and about with a camera in my hand. I love meeting other photographers and going for photowalks!

[@Definitely_not_Andrew_Yoshiaki]

@@CLOCKCOUNTRY indeed.. oh boy Japanese college experiences are something else, even now as a grad student lol. That sounds awesome actually, been missing doing photo walks with my contemporaries 😭👌🏼 maybe we can do something of the sort if you have time, I’m always snapping away around seibu Ikebukuro line ahaha

[@dherring44]

Another great video 👍. Awesome photos 😊. When are you gonna make a q&a video? I’d be interested 😀

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Oh I like this idea! Maybe once I get a few more subs I'll do it. That said the weather is getting pretty bad these days....

[@Nekojitablog]

Nice cityscapes! My favorite is the one with the man looking through the observatory window and all the lines and shadows pointing to him. I’ve not shot film since Covid started. I was going to a lab in Shinjuku (Camera no Kitamura) but Shinjuku is not a safe place now so I don’t know where I can process the rolls. I wish we can shoot together one day!

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Hey! I get my rolls developed in Koenji where I live. It's really busy in Koenji too these days and yeah it doesn't feel that safe. That said I have to ride the trains into work everyday so stopping by and dropping off a roll seems okay. Also I think the guys who work there prefer that I come by. Either way yeah once this stuff clears up it would be fun to do a meet up sometime with all the fellow Tokyo shooters!

[@mmatiasautio]

Awesome shots and video! Subscribed 😃 I really like your nickname, the Tokyo Leica. I have the older version of this, Fujica G690, and it’s also great! I got it from Japan when I lived there. Hope to be back one day, would be cool to go out on a photo walk!

[@inkaststudio]

I recently purchased "The Tokyo Leica" lol still haven't processed a roll but very excited to use this beast when the lockdown eases up in Toronto

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

It's such a fun camera to use and the results, are crazy. I love it so far!

[@vangstr]

The shot of the wheel @ 7:02 was spectacular!

[@timothyhyde4565]

What Lamography film did you. use? Marvelous photographs.

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks! I believe this was the Lomography color negative 400 and 800 iso film.

[@imajinest7379]

Just started shooting film again and I am dying to get one of these! Nice shots

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

It's a great camera! They are getting more expensive though.

[@davegball]

Beautiful photos. Hi from Singapore.

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you! 😃

[@KetKet127]

Dude, awesome video.

[@shutterslaps4938]

Nice work on the video 🙏 like the layback feel 👌

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks 🔥

[@byok.lighting]

Good shots, good eye for composition!

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you!

[@murza56]

Thanks for your work! Any adjustments on post production or straight out of camera?

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you! I always do some adjustments in Lightroom after scanning. I have a video about editing some of the images from this camera here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWLMlYN9icetgMk

[@linjicakonikon7666]

Excellent work!

[@MrGoldBallz]

Very nice my bro! I’ve got my eyes on the gw670

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks man! Do it, they seem to be only getting more expensive!

[@mattstone6167]

Cool channel, great taste in cameras!

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks a lot!

[@russellrabanal]

Love the nickname. And man, one day I’ll be back. 😌🤞

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

The TOKYO Leica! Take the title back! haha.

[@HBV1322]

Cool

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks!

[@john_murch]

Great sunset cityscape shots from the Bunkyo CC. There are still good views to be found if you know where to look. This is Tokyo...:)

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Yes! Never gets old right?!

[@Nekojitablog]

Hi John!😬 I’m Tengu from my wife’s account

[@john_murch]

@@Nekojitablog Hi Tengu! What's up?...:)

[@user-ew4uo1dl5m]

great work!!!! dear I want to make a question: I am undecided between this gw690 and the gl690...I don't know which is better!!! don't you feel limitated with a fixed lens? I am afraid to feel that I don't know.... an advise

[@andrewbright6691]

Another very cool video

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks again!

[@synlfo7828]

Never really understood why the fuji was called the Texas Leica. If anything it should have been the mamiya 7. It's head and shoulders above the fuji in pretty much every aspect, quality wise the mamiya is closer to the Leica. Although size I would say is smaller than the fuji

[@echosalvaje]

Keep this up and we won't think we need to fly over anymore.....😜

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks, but nothing beats the real thing! :)

[@c.millare]

dope shots and subbed!

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you and thanks for the sub!

[@alejandrobarrientos1081]

Quick question, at minute 5:56, was that a handheld shot you got? That looks so nice. I'm on the fence on getting one of these, so if that was a handheld shot, I'm booking it to eBay.

[@tyrorion]

So, one should get a Medium Format film camera to take snapshots of a street light?

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Haha, Hell Yeah.

[@davidrothschild8913]

Those cityscapes were lush, beautiful work. Are you metering or sunny16?

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you! I often rely on sunny 16 or an app on my phone, just depends on the situation and how confident I'm feeling at the time.

[@louiscouture1931]

best 690 video out there. Gorgeous pictures. I have the GSW makes me want to also get the GW. How do you scan? These are so clean!

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you! I actually use the dreaded Epson v600. I made a video about how I scan! It's on my channel.

[@PhilKnall]

now I want to buy it again...

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

DO IT!!!!

[@lucianocontenta640]

the differences betwen mamiya7II a nd fuji 69III also the lens?

[@augustonabike2658]

I love the cityscape photos from the observation deck. Reminded me of some Naoya Hatakeyama. The pictures are incredible but 8 shots per roll... I feel like I'd worry too much over each picture.

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thank you. Also thanks for the reference. I had seen his 'explosion' pictures before but not the cityscapes. What an awesome photographer! Big time inspiration! For this video I kinda went crazy and once I got on the deck I just kept shooting, but after I got every thing developed and paid the fee the reality hit. It's expensive and I don't think I will take this camera out unless I'm really in the mood and I have some kind of plan.

[@larsgibbon3327]

Love the photos. I have a 6x7 camera and thinking about the GW690. Have you tried shooting portraiture with it?

[@M4NNHEIM]

Wow, okay, SUBSCRIBED

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks a lot! Comments like this really keep me going!

[@Narsuitus]

Thanks for the video. Instead of shooting cityscapes with the Fuji GW 690iii with a normal lens, I use the Fuji GSW 690iii with a wide-angle lens. Love it. Plus, even though my "Texas Leica" is huge compared to my German 35mm Leica, it is much smaller and easier to transport than my American 4x5 inch view camera.

[@goldenhourkodak]

Cant decide between this and a Pentax 67 (already have a Mamiya RB67 which I love but I want something a bit more portable)

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

This is a great option for portability. It's big, but not as big as those!

[@SparkleBoom2023]

I wish you would’ve given us the cost and how you came about this camera🖤

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

I mentioned in my first impressions video that I picked it up from Film Camera Tokyo. It was under 60,000 yen, but It has a slight issue with the advance lever, it works fine but I guess some people would not like it because it returns slow. It ended up being a good deal for me!

[@pcls-tech]

i really want that camera so bad :)

[@cyrfung]

The X-Pro bodies look just like this camera

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

I guess they have something they want to stick with :)

[@RocketinExile]

Outstanding work. How’d you meter?

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks! I use a phone app or sunny 16.

[@RocketinExile]

@@CLOCKCOUNTRY Thank you

[@chumleyk]

Finally, someone who is calling out the borderline appropriatively racist 'Texas Leica' nickname that all the sheep people give it, that totally undermines the Japanese effort and origination of it. The nickname completely erases Japan. Mind boggles. Personally, I call it Godzilla's Leica.

[@christophermcconnell2853]

"Godzilla"

[@NorbiWhitney]

I was seriously wondering how you’d justify the nickname. I initially thought “Tokyo” version would be tiny and compact, but huge and sprawling definitely works too 😆 The lighting texture at 5:16 is so beautiful. I’m not sure which I prefer between that and he empty subway. 2 totally different vibes but both great.

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

Thanks Norbi! I actually have a great book called "Small Tokyo". It kind of expands on that idea of huge and sprawling but small and compact, which makes a case for city spaces like this to be unmeasurable. Combine this with the multi-layer surface and the constant construction, this city is hard to define at times. I guess mostly I wanted to try to take something back for the Japanese made 6x9 and see if it sticks. Maybe someday haha.

[@nobraidps]

I cant make up my mind about this camera. I want it bad xD

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

I say go for it now, its still a good deal and if you decide to sell it later I'm sure its value will stay consistent.

[@nobraidps]

@@CLOCKCOUNTRY how did you meter your shots?

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

@@nobraidps I use my phone or sunny 16.

[@nobraidps]

@@CLOCKCOUNTRY thanks 👍 now seriously considering buying one, eBay be dammed for its temptations 😅

[@CLOCKCOUNTRY]

@@nobraidps haha!

[@joeomalley5980]

Gesticulating is irritating !!!