Fuji's 6x17 panoramic fixed-lens camera — the G617, leaf shutter, scale focus, four frames a roll, 1983.
The Fujifilm G617 is a fixed-lens panoramic medium-format camera released in 1983, producing the extreme wide 6x17 frame on roll film. It was aimed at landscape and panoramic specialists who wanted a very wide aspect ratio in a purpose-built camera rather than by cropping.
This is a fixed-lens panoramic medium-format camera giving four nominal 6x17 frames on a roll of 120 film. It has a permanently fitted wide-angle lens with a leaf shutter in the lens, and it uses scale focusing rather than a coupled rangefinder. A separate viewfinder frames the wide panoramic view, and a centre-graduated filter was supplied to even out illumination across the long frame.
The 6x17 negative gives a sweeping panoramic ratio suited to landscape and travel work where a wide vista is the subject. It is a specialist tool: large, deliberate to use, and limited to four frames per roll, but it captures the full panoramic field on a single continuous negative rather than by stitching.
On the used market, test the leaf shutter for accuracy across its speeds and confirm the scale-focus helicoid moves smoothly. Inspect the fixed wide lens for haze and fungus and check the centre-graduated filter if included. Examine the film-advance and counter, the light seals and the separate viewfinder, since the wide panoramic frame makes any light leak very visible.