Bronica ETRS - target group?

After much consideration and pondering, I finally took the mf slr plunge, and ordered a Bronica ETRS from Ffordes. While I am waiting for it to arrive, I was wondering - who was the target group for Bronica ETR* cameras when they where introduced? Fashion, studio, advanced amateur?

I'm not sure if they were the main 'target group' from the outset, but wedding photographers took to the ETR series big time. I still know of a few who use them (and very successfully!) I don't own one at the moment but think I will buy one soon - they are such great value. Nice ergonomics, smallish and light and the lenses are really nice.

I think all the 645 SLR cameras (Bronica ETR*, Mamiya 645 etc) were aimed specifically at wedding photographers.

They're the reason the cameras are so cheap now. They've all gone to 35mm digital.

I bought my ETRSi Bronicas new in the day and used them for weddings and horse show event photography but I am sure most wedding and event photography is digital now. Professional photographers going digital has made available many very nice medium format film cameras at very good prices available to amateurs.

I've had my ETRSi for about 20 years, and would answer the question now the same way if it was asked 20 years ago. Those people who want quality photographs will use medium format over 35mm, the negative/transparancy is about twice the size of 35mm. 645s are smaller, lighter and have so much more avaliable in terms of viewfinders winders and lenses at a more afordable price than larger formats. Forget fast action sports with these things if you take one to a tennis match you would probably be chucked out cos the mirror slap will drown out the players grunts.

Target market now? The same, film users who want great quality negatives/transarancies.

They are fun to use, so have fun.

David

The 'target group' was me...In 1992 I was a newly self employed commmerical photographer in London who couldn't afford a Hasselblad and a Sinar but could stretch to an old Acra Swiss and a new ETRS.
The Bronica was perfect...light enough for hand hold shots but enough quality for A3 spreads. Solid enough to take the knocks, but cheap enough to be replaced once beyond repair. It was ideal for Architectural details whilst the 5x4 was used for the main images. 15 shots per roll kept the costs down and the profit up. It went around the country with me shooting thousands of corporate portraits and I even did a few weddings with it too.
On occasion I had to hire a Mamyia RZ for better quality but for most commerical situations you couldn't ask for more. The Bronica was replaced by a Canon digital system some years ago but I still use it sometimes for my Alamy images.
Hope you have as much fun with yours as I did with mine.
Andy