Bronica 35mm Back vs. Viewfinder

Nitmoi · Jun 7, 2024

Hello I have a Bronica SQ-B with a 35mm back, loaded and ready to go. BUT how am I going to see what is the film plane? Is there a template or a scheme for a mask for the viewfinder?

Don_ih · Jun 7, 2024

You should be able to cut your own mask out of paper and place it on top of the ground glass. It would look exactly like the film plane frame. I think I'd cut very thin pieces of tape and make the outline so I could use it more like framelines - and be able to see outside the frame.

neilt3 · Jun 7, 2024

Typically you'd have bought the corresponding ground glass that had the frame lines etched onto it .
These are hard to find now .

reddesert · Jun 7, 2024

There was a focusing screen that had lines for 35mm normal and wide formats etched into it, as mentioned above. You can make your own mask. There is also someone who sells 3d printed masks on ebay. I have no personal experience with them, but they're inexpensive.

abruzzi · Jun 7, 2024

Rick Oleson can create a screen with the 35mm frames etched:

https://bright-screen.com/6x6/

loccdor · Jun 7, 2024

Black plastic sheets for making stencils and a utility knife following a metal straightedge can make a nice mask that you could drop in.

abruzzi · Jun 7, 2024

What I was thinking for a d*****l camera I have is to take a sheet of 4x5 throw it in some fixer to clear it, cut that to fit, then with a sharp marker and ruler, draw the frame side. The idea is to make the image frame very visible, but still allow seeing outside the frame.

MattKing · Jun 7, 2024

A grid screen can help as well, even if you have to approximate the relationship between the 35mm frame and the grid lines.

Nitmoi · Jun 8, 2024

Thank you so much. I am pretty handy and could do any of those work arounds sand had figured them all out. What I needed was the plan. There is plenty of clear plastic packaging ready to mark out and drop in with a nib of bluetack. It is just the marking positions. I anticipated a sharpie or gluing cotton thread on or using clear tape to deliniate the area. I'll check out the urls you have offered and see if I can figure out the plan. Btw. the multi-exposure lever was missing but the screw head was still in place. I cut a new lever out of a yale key.

Nitmoi · Jun 8, 2024

Great, the url for Bright screen shows the arrangement I have taken a screen shot enlarged to 4" square and I'll now work out a scale to actual size amn prepare the scree. The one in the camera is damaged and a fake Chinese one is on its way. I'll then figure out whether to convert one or other or make an overlay. Thank you everyone.

Nitmoi · Jun 8, 2024

My photos of the lever making were too large for even one image to be uploaded. I'll sort them out.

Don_ih · Jun 8, 2024

Nitmoi said:
Btw. the multi-exposure lever was missing but the screw head was still in place.

It was probably removed and angrily thrown into the ocean by a previous photographer after he accidentally shot 12 exposures on the first frame for the 5th time or so....

Nitmoi · Jun 8, 2024

Don_ih said:
It was probably removed and angrily thrown into the ocean by a previous photographer after he accidentally shot 12 exposures on the first frame for the 5th time or so....

Yes it was locked in the multi position when I got it! I am told the the plastic was pretty poor.

Nitmoi · Jun 10, 2024

I cut a piece of celluloid and fitted it. I can see the focusing working through it. I drew 2 horizontal lines 15mm from the top and bottom with a fine line marker. Job done.

Nitmoi · Jun 10, 2024

Don_ih said:
You should be able to cut your own mask out of paper and place it on top of the ground glass. It would look exactly like the film plane frame. I think I'd cut very thin pieces of tape and make the outline so I could use it more like framelines - and be able to see outside the frame.

This is basically what I have done. Thanks for your help.

Bronica 35mm Back vs. Viewfinder

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loccdor

abruzzi

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Bronica 35mm Back vs. Viewfinder

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