Bronica ETR kit, should I buy it?

[Nathan Riehl]

Hello there fellow APUG users!

So, a woman and her husband were given a Bronica ETR kit by a wedding photographer who moved to digital, but they have given up on it and are selling it to me. It comes with two Sunpak Thrystor flashes, two brackets for the flashes, two Pelican-like cases, an eye-level finder, a 120 back (maybe two, I'm not sure), a 75mm 2.8 lens, another unknown lens (they aren't sure what kind it is), and possibly some other stuff. All in all, she wants $260 for the kit. Does that seem fair on my end? I know the newer ETRS and ETR-Si are more desirable, but it doesn't matter to me. This is somewhat close to me, so I wouldn't need to pay shipping or anything.

 

[Tom1956]

Doesn't sound too bad right off hand.

 

[Nathan Riehl]

Glad someone thinks so. It's only an hour away from me, and originally they wanted 300, but said they'd take 260. Which is good since that's about $15-20 in gas.

 

[Tom1956]

Might want to scope them out on ebay. At a glance, prices look pretty cheap.

 

[Nathan Riehl]

Judging by eBay's prices on that particular model, it looks like I'm getting a good deal. Extra lens and a 120 back instead of a 220 back as well, so that saves me some trouble. I would like to have a WLF, but they're kind of expensive.

 

[Tom1956]

No, you don't want a waist level. Be glad.

 

[removed account4]

you might also want to check out KEH camera brokers
they have a no hassle money back refund ...

i'd pay with paypal and figure the camera + lenses need a CLA
SO ... figure that into the asking price ...
the reason i would pay with paypal is because if the camera
is not as described you have 45 days to return it for a full refund ..
sometimes people that acquire "stuff" lie through their teeth to sell it
and say it is a like new wedding present or found in my grandma's attic or whatever
and it turns out it was harvested at goodwill broken and marked-up 1000%

at the very least ask if you can bring it to a repair guy and have it looked at
( like you would a car to a mechanic ) ...

have fun !
john

 

[Nathan Riehl]

Eh. I guess I could always use my Yashica-D for waist level shooting. I wish my T4 was the Super version with the tiny WLF, then I wouldn't complain at all, haha.

 

[Tom1956]

That ETR and Mamiya 646 came out around 1976 or so, to be a wedding man's 35mm. Fast and easy without the grain. Personally I was never a big fan of waist finders. Just not a naturally comfortable motion. You can't see if people have their eyes closed, and slow. Furthermore I once dated a girl who was 5 feet tall and she eventually became a big time photographer. Imagine a midget like that with a waist level finder photographing regular people. All chins and nostrils.

 

[Nathan Riehl]

Good point, Tom. Definitely gives me insight. Especially since it will probably find itself sitting on a tripod once I get it. I took another look at the photo she sent and it looks like it comes with a bellows attachment and a second back. I'm definitely itching to give it a look.

 

[Paul Cunningham]

Sounds like a reasonable price, not tooo wonderful. I just sold (Thurs.) an etrs plus 75mm, with metered prism for $235. I paid a good bit less than that a year ago.
The extra lens would be nice, but great ones can be had for $65, depending on model. The extra 120 back is of course good, but perhaps not a necessity at all.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I would go for it.

Jeff

 

[Nathan Riehl]

Okay, so apparently there wasn't an extra lens. She thought I meant filter. There are a few filters though, an extra back, a 75/2.8 lens, a non-metered prism (which is fine; I got a Minolta Flash Meter II for $4), a couple SunPak flashes and remote eyes, a speed trigger, and a couple pelican cases for it all. It was all in pristine condition (except the leather on the speed trigger is coming apart a little). Got it for $250.

On another note, I found a Polaroid SX-70 Sonar OneStep at Goodwill for $20!

 

[Nathan Riehl]

Forgot to mention, it has a lens hood that have bellows that you adjust according to the attached lens' focal range. It came with a regular thread mount and a cross screen filter attachment.

 

[lxdude]

A little rubber cement will reattach the leatherette on the Speed Grip. Pliobond is what Bronica recommended.
Which Sunpak flashes?

 

[Nathan Riehl]

Sunpak AP-52 Thyristor and Sunpak Auto 522 Thyristor.

 

[lxdude]

Forgot to mention, it has a lens hood that have bellows that you adjust according to the attached lens' focal range. It came with a regular thread mount and a cross screen filter attachment.

There is a mask plate that slides in the front for the longer focal lengths. Keh usually has them used for 49 cents.

 

[Nathan Riehl]

It came with the mask plate. I forgot to mention that.

 

[lxdude]

Sunpak AP-52 Thyristor and Sunpak Auto 522 Thyristor.

Nice. I like the Sunpaks. I have the 555, and my Pentax flashes are made by Sunpak. They've been very reliable.

 

[wiltw]

Back in the mid-90's when they were new, the ETRSi with speed grip, unmetered prism, 120 film magazine, 75mm lens and pro lens shade (the bellows unit) would have commanded $3100, and even with a number of things available on the used market it would have been $2200.

 

[Nathan Riehl]

I guess this is some serious equipment then. I'm glad I picked it up. I almost didn't, but I figured that if I wanted to, I could just buy other parts. Which I'm looking into doing. Might get an ETRSi body and a Polaroid back. I'm aware of the size of the exposure I get on the Polaroid shots, so it won't come as a surprise to me. It's probably just the side of me that gives into the more gimmicky part of photography, but I'd really love a 135W back for it.

 

[Tom1956]

Already looking to buy new gadgets. Just use it--it's a perfectly good camera.To me, a camera spells g-a-s-o-l-i-n-e, which I can hardly afford to purchase to go places to use the cameras I've got.

 

[Nathan Riehl]

I'm currently using the camera I have, don't worry. I'm in no hurry. I just like to set up my long-term goals ahead of time. I find that my goals are easier to accomplish that way anyways. Looking forward to the RB67 vs. ETR shoot-off I have planned with my friend here, (there was a url link here which no longer exists).

 

[TheToadMen]

Hi,
Congratulations on your new camera. It's a nice model.
I use a Bronica SQ-B and RF-645 and love both cameras. Never used a ETR kit, but it is almost the "same type/system" as the SQ-B, only smaller and handier I guess.
I love the Bronica lenses: they produce beautiful images. Your 75 mm lens is the standard format lens for the ETR film size.
An extra film back is always nice for shooting B&W and colour simultaneously.

So, go out, have fun and get to know your camera.
And don't forget to post some images here ;-)

 

[Nathan Riehl]

I definitely plan on posting some pictures as soon as I can. I'll be having them scanned for me by the friend I'm doing that shoot with because I don't have a 120 scanner right now.