Bronica EC-Tl worth buying?

campy51 · Mar 24, 2018

I'm thinking about buying one of these or maybe the S2A. My other interest is a Kowa Six or Bronice SQ-A. Am I crazy to buy a camera that's this old and with the history of gears stripping?

WilmarcoImaging · Mar 24, 2018

Is there a reason you specifically are considering the Bronicas or Kowas? Have you ruled out a Mamiya or Pentax in 645 or 6x7 format? You're not crazy to buy an older camera. If a camera is known to have a certain type of problem, there would need to be other reasons for buying the camera, in my mind.

Patrick Robert James · Mar 24, 2018

The gear stripping thing was with the S2. The later models didn't have problems.

Bang for the buck the EC-TL is a good camera if you want square. If it is working after all these years, it will probably keep working. I picked one up a few months back. I decided on it because I don't shoot enough medium format to justify getting a Hassy 200/2000, and I wanted a focal plane shutter that didn't eat batteries. One thing to note about the Bronica S series is the later lenses are the best ones, but they are also hard to find and aren't really that cheap. The 50mm Zenzanon MC I have is really good. The EC-TL and TLII are pretty advanced cameras, even for today.

You should probably state what you are looking for and why so people can guide you. Lots of cameras out there.

Trask · Mar 24, 2018

I’ve got an S2, EC-TL and SQ-A. I don’t think you’d be crazy to buy any of these models. To my way of thinking, the SQ-A is clearly a more modern camera, especially in comparison to the S2; I really like the SQ-A with the right-hand grip that allows film advance with a flick of the thumb. Of course, no focal plane shutter in the SQ-A — the upside is fully-sync’d flash at all speeds, but if you wanted to do a little lens hacking the S2 or EC-TL is your ticket. I advance the film in the S2 gently, and have had no problems. Ditto for the EC-TL which, incidentally, is a heavy camera; I’ve done some walking around with it and it’s a handful. With its aperture-priority system, it’s a great “point and shoot” camera. In sum, each brings something to the party.

campy51 · Mar 24, 2018

Well the looks of the S2 and EC-TL will look nice in a small display I have of older cameras when not being used. I owned a Kowa Six for a very short time and always thought the looks were very cool. None will get used much but still would like to do black and white once in a while.

itsdoable · Mar 24, 2018

I have an EC TL, I like the TTL metering (and AE) that works with the waist level finder. Way ahead of it's time.

The meter on mine is a little flaky, and not always reliable. The shutter speeds are fine though, and it work like a regular EC. If you look on line, you will fine several that do not have a working meter, that seems to be the weak spot. The foam seals on most will have to be replaced by now, especially around the viewfinder. The leatherette also tends to peel at this age.

Both the Nikkor and Zenzanon lenses are decent. There is a secondary 57mm thread mount on the focus helical (and bellows) that makes it easy to adapt other lenses. The bellows focuses to infinity, and is great for available light portraits with a 150mm lens, however, your flash sync is 1/60 unless you get the expensive hard to find leaf shutter lens. You can also do scheimpflug corrections a la Rollei66, although it's a little clunkier.

Shot with the standard 75mm Nikkor-pc

With an Imagon 120mm adapter to the 57mm mount

The EC TL is significantly bigger and heavier than a Hasselblad, so keep that in mind. But it is ergonomically well designed.

Alan Gales · Mar 25, 2018

I used to shoot EC's and I had an S2a once. Like said earlier, The early model Bronicas had brass winding gears that would strip in professional use. The S2a and later EC models had stronger metal gears so the problem was eliminated. If you buy an earlier model it is recommended that you wind film with the knob and not fold out the crank. This reduces torque on the brass gears.

EC stands for Electronically Controlled shutter which was powered by a battery. The earlier S2a had a mechanical shutter so it does not use a battery. These cameras are pretty old now. I'd recommend the S2a over the EC models because it doesn't have electronics to fail.

BMbikerider · Mar 25, 2018

I have had both an EC and an ECTL and they are lovely cameras and don't have the shutter clatter of the S2a or the vibration that would register on the Richter scale. The EC and ECTL have a mirror lock-up as well which will makes it a lot quieter.

The lenses are usually pretty easy to find and as they have the same fitting as the S2a and can be quite cheap too. If you can, stick with the the lenses designed for the Bronica. Some are actually made by Nikon, but alternatives made by Komura whilst not up to the mechanical build quality of the 'proper' lenses, they are actually quite decent optically.

However!

As has been mentioned before, the EC is an electronic camera and as these are probably 30+ years old, so spares will be very very few and far between. It may be a case of canibalising one to make another work.

Alan Gales · Mar 25, 2018

As I heard it, Nikon made all the original lenses for the early Bronica cameras. Nikon eventually quit to concentrate on lenses for their 35mm cameras. When this happened Bronica started making their own lenses. As BMbikerider said, Komura sold less expensive options. The Nikkors were very sharp and contrasty. I owned the 40mm and 75mm Nikkor lenses. The Bronica Zenza lenses were also very good. I had the 150mm and it was a great portrait lens. I've never shot a Komura but I have heard that they were pretty good optically. The only lens that I heard anything bad about was the 135mm Nikkor. It was said to be soft. I did hear that some liked it for portraiture. Most of the lenses today are dirt cheap unless you can find a 40mm or one of the really long lenses.

moto-uno · Mar 25, 2018

^ I'd hesitate to call the lens for the Bronicas' dirt cheap , unless we're talking Mamiya 7 or Hasselblad ! Peter

Eric Rose · Mar 25, 2018

Well I had an S2a that was used professionally by me and stripped it's gears. Besides that I loved the camera but not enough to get it fixed. Moved on to a blad and never looked back.

campy51 · Mar 26, 2018

I picked up a S2A off ebay last night. It looks to be good condition and is the later all black model.

Alan Gales · Mar 26, 2018

moto-uno said:
^ I'd hesitate to call the lens for the Bronicas' dirt cheap , unless we're talking Mamiya 7 or Hasselblad ! Peter

Are you talking about the later Bronica leaf shutter lenses or the early Bronica lenses for focal plane shutter cameras? I sold my 150mm Bronica Zenza lens on Ebay and only got $75.00 for it. The 75mm Nikkors went for even less. I've seen 50mm lenses go pretty cheap. I did sell my 40mm lens for $400-$500 but they are rare as hen's teeth and it went to a collector. The later Bronica leaf shutter lenses do bring more money.

moto-uno · Mar 26, 2018

^ The Bronica lens for my Etrsi are quite reasonable ( yeah , almost cheap ), but just a few months ago when I was entertaining
the idea of an EC-TL , any of the wider lenses for that model ( EC-TL) were much more than the equivalent Etrsi lens . I admit
I haven't looked in the last few months . Peter

campy51 · Mar 26, 2018

This is the one I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZENZA-BRON...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Alan Gales · Mar 26, 2018

moto-uno said:
^ The Bronica lens for my Etrsi are quite reasonable ( yeah , almost cheap ), but just a few months ago when I was entertaining
the idea of an EC-TL , any of the wider lenses for that model ( EC-TL) were much more than the equivalent Etrsi lens . I admit
I haven't looked in the last few months . Peter

Here is a real nice looking Nikkor 50mm lens with hood and original box even for $179.99 buy it now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/99-Spotles...168003?hash=item467924d643:g:1IQAAOSwBJBany2K

I'm sure lenses in not as nice condition and without hood or box will bring quite a bit less even. I'd bet you could get one for close to $100 if patient.

Alan Gales · Mar 26, 2018

campy51 said:
This is the one I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZENZA-BRONICA-S2A-SLR-MEDIUM-FORMAT-CAMERA-W-NIKON-NIKKOR-P-1-2-8-F75MM-LENS/323153942440?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Looks nice!

TheTrailTog · Mar 26, 2018

campy51 said:
This is the one I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZENZA-BRONICA-S2A-SLR-MEDIUM-FORMAT-CAMERA-W-NIKON-NIKKOR-P-1-2-8-F75MM-LENS/323153942440?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

A great camera. I love mine. One known issue with these that you will want to check right off the bat is the focus. The body has some foam that when deteriorated can throw the focusing screen plane off from the film plane. Supposedly an easy fix and you should find a how-to searching here.

Patrick Robert James · Mar 26, 2018

I was going to say the black s2 is really nice, but you went and bought one, so I guess I don't need to make that suggestion. lol.

I have a Bellows II that I got for my EC but it only fits the S2a and before, if you are interested.

The later lenses are better lenses. The Nikkors ending with -C were multicoated and were reformulated. If you like Nikkors, go for those. Komura lenses seem to be hit or miss. The later Zenzanon and Zenzanon MCs are pretty good with the nod going to the MCs. I believe the regular Zenzanons were made by Topcon and the MCs were made by Tamioka. I could be wrong. Zeiss also made a few lenses for Bronica but they are few and far between. Probably overall the best lenses for the S series are the Zenzanon MCs.

campy51 · Mar 28, 2018

Received the camera today and so far not that impressed. The lens has a lot of fungus and it didn't come with a darkslide. Is it supposed to take so many revolutions of the film winder to cock the shutter?

WilmarcoImaging · Mar 28, 2018

At 2:19 in the video it shows winder actuation.

campy51 · Mar 28, 2018

Mine is about 5-6 revolutions. Can that be normal? Any suggestions on a makeshift darkslide so I can remove the back and fire the shutter?

TheTrailTog · Mar 28, 2018

campy51 said:
Received the camera today and so far not that impressed. The lens has a lot of fungus and it didn't come with a darkslide. Is it supposed to take so many revolutions of the film winder to cock the shutter?

With the S2a, there are a lot of little "safety" mechanisms built in, one of which is that the shutter will NOT cock unless there is film in the film back. Without film in the back, the you can turn the crank until the cows come home and nothing will happen.

campy51 · Mar 29, 2018

Xia_Ke said:
With the S2a, there are a lot of little "safety" mechanisms built in, one of which is that the shutter will NOT cock unless there is film in the film back. Without film in the back, the you can turn the crank until the cows come home and nothing will happen.

I have film in it.

choiliefan · Mar 29, 2018

You have to remove the back in order to dry fire the camera. Unfortunately, the dark slide must be inserted to remove the back...
Your new camera was listed as used rather than as-is so If the lens has fungus you should send it back to the seller and find a more complete, fully functional example.
Or, having sated your curiosity, move on to something else.
The EC cameras look terrific on paper but have a serious problem with a rubber mirror bumper which if deteriorated or missing makes it impossible to achieve correct focus.
Too bad that the rubber part is unobtainable and no one has the specs to make a duplicate part.

Bronica EC-Tl worth buying?

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