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My review of the Fujica G617, a panoramic behemoth

Fujica G617

The Fujica G617 panoramic film camera is a creature of its own kind, standing like a relic from an era when images were crafted slowly and thoughtfully. Made famous by legendary JOSEF KOUDELKA in his project Shooting Holy Land, these gigantic medium format film cameras are as cool as they are unique. And I just happened to have bought one!

Fujica G617 – LOMO400
Fujica G617 – LOMO400

As a medium-format film camera, it boasts the ability to capture a 6x17cm negative, which is about as close as you’ll get to the wide, immersive experience of modern-day panoramic landscapes on film. But there’s nothing “modern” about this beast, and that’s where its true charm lies.

Build and feel

When you pick up the G617, the first thing that strikes you is its heft. We’re not talking about your typical 35mm or even a standard medium format—this is a tank. It even has two cold shoes for accessories on its left hand side.

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First produced in 1983, the camera’s construction is typical for the design language of Fujifilms cameras at the time. Very 80’s brutalism. Sturdy and raw, wrapped in metal and leather that feels like it’s built to withstand the elements. It really does look like something out of an old sci-fi movie set.

Yet, the design is surprisingly straightforward: a viewfinder for framing, and on the lens, a focus scale, a shutter dial, and an aperture ring. No frills. No distractions, and no light meter!

The G617 weighs in above 2 kg. It’s heavy! And the fact that Fujifilm decided to put a “roll cage” just makes it appear all the more crazy! A cool little detail is that on the front top bar of the roll cage there’s a small level gauge, and corresponding is a small cutout at the bottom of the viewfinder so you can see the horizontal level while framing. Pretty neat.

I also got a hold of the lens hood. I paid 179 USD for a piece of 40 year old plastic. It looks super dope – So I guess it was kind of worth it!

This camera looks amazing with its lenshood and center ND filter attached.
This camera looks amazing with its lenshood and center ND filter attached.

No doubt that Fujifilm created this camera for purists who want to dive into the mechanics of capturing broad panoramic light without the bells and whistles.

Optical performance

The G617 is a fixed lens camera. And what a lens! – The Fujinon 105mm f/8 is actually a large format lens. (It has to cover an image circle of 17cm in diameter!) It’s sharp, it’s contrasty, and it has an incredible depth of field, allowing you to capture vast, sweeping vistas with pinpoint detail from foreground to horizon.

Aperture ranges from f/8 to f/45. Close focus is 3 meters, but stopped down to f/45 and put at closest focus setting everything from 1.5 meters will be in focus.

The shutter mechanism is actually built into the lens and you have to reload the shutter after each frame on the front of the lens. You can actually fire the shutter both from the camera shutter button (of which there are actually two.

On the front right of the camera or in conjunction with the winder mechanism) or on the lens itself, meaning that you can do multiple exposures by simply shooting the first frame by using the camera shutter button, omitting the film advance, then reloading the shutter and firing again on the lens itself. Quite fancy!

Fujica G617 – LOMO400

You quickly find that the 105mm is the sweet spot for panoramas, offering just enough compression to bring distant mountains closer but wide enough to capture a massive scene. Shooting at f/8 or f/11, the lens shines, with minimal distortion and edge-to-edge clarity that makes the G617 perfect for those large, dramatic landscapes.

It has a stop of light falloff near the edges of the frame. Something that Fujifilm sought to eliminate by offering a 2x center ND filter. I got this filter already sitting on the camera when I bought it, but if you decide to buy a camera and it isn’t included just be aware that it is sold for crazy amounts on eBay. Using this filter means that the lens lets in one stop less light on every aperture stop, so remember to adjust for that in your metering if you decide to go for this camera.

Handling a 6x17cm negative is someting else from what I’ve yet tried. As far as medium format goes, it doesn’t get much bigger than this (except for the crazy 6×24 cameras. Just ask David Imel. They’re crazy!) When you first pull them from your developer tank and raise them into the light to check them it’s quite the experience. I think that is an experience every photographer should have at least once in their lifetime.

Fujica G617 – LOMO800
Fujica G617 – LOMO800

When scanning these huge negatives on my Canoscan 9000F mk2 at 4800dpi, the resulting file at 300ppi is roughly 331mpx! There’s so much resolution it’s mind boggling. Way above what I can achieve with anything except a PhaseOne camera the price of a small car. Just imagine what people could do with drumscanners and Imacon scanners!

Fujica G617 – LOMO800 – You can download the full resolution 250MB .jpeg of this image from the link below
Fujica G617 – LOMO800 – You can download the full resolution 250MB .jpeg of this image from the link below

Just for the fun of it, I’ve uploaded a full resolution jpeg file HERE, so you can download and zoom and marvel to your hearts desire.

Handling and usage

One of the G617’s quirks as well as its strengths is the way it forces you to slow down. Loading the film for example is quite a process, and you need to find a good steady place to do film changes. I usually do them sitting with the camera lens down between my thighs. It takes 120 as well as 220 (if you can find any of that) film but only gives you four! shots per 120 roll. This really means that each shot is precious, a commitment.

The viewfinder, while decently accurate, doesn’t match the exact coverage of the lens, so framing can feel a bit like guesswork—an aspect that some may find frustrating, while others might revel in its unpredictability. In use, the G617 feels like it demands respect.

Its weight and size mean you’re likely going to want a tripod, though shooting handheld is possible if you’re brave enough. And because it’s entirely manual, every setting—from exposure to focus—needs careful consideration. So it really doesn’t feel like it was developed as a camera for fast-paced shooting or spontaneous captures.

Instead, it thrives when you’re intentional, allowing the scene and light to dictate the image.

But even so, I really wanted to push it and see if this camera could actually be used on the streets for various spontaneous image captures. Much to my surprise it is actually doable, but as I stated above, it is not the intended usage scenario for the G617. 

The resulting negatives are breathtaking. A single frame from the G617 captures so much detail it’s not even funny. The tonal range on such a large sheet of film is phenomenal, and on a good scan or print, you see textures and gradients that digital struggles to replicate. In that sense, the G617 is less a camera and more a storyteller, framing scenes that demand to be explored and savored.

Fujica G617 – LOMO 400
Fujica G617 – LOMO 400

Conclusion and sample images

The Fujica G617 isn’t for everyone. It’s cumbersome, it’s slow, and it’s expensive to shoot. But for those willing to invest time and patience, this camera offers a rewarding experience that feels both timeless and utterly unique. It’s an instrument that encourages you to truly see, to slow down, and to capture the world in all its vastness. For anyone in search of a tactile, immersive photographic process, the G617 is as close to a pilgrimage as you’ll find on four frames of film.

All sample images have been shot on various film stocks. All home developed in Cinestill Cs41 chemistry. Scanned using the Cancan 9000F mk2 at 4800dpi 300ppi. scanned to .TIFF files using Silverfast 8 software.

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