Bronica first experience

[marko1953]

Just got a Bronica ETRSi 645 camera off ebay with 75 mm lens and AEII prism finder and speed grip. It was my first experience with Bronica . (I have used a Yashica 6 X 6 before). What surprised me most was the weight! This is a very solid camera! It took me a little while to get used to where everything was but after only one day I feel reasonably confident, shot almost a full roll this morning. The camera just feels so solid compared to my Canon 7D etc. The weight inspires confidence and the solid feel makes you feel like you are really shooting something of significance!. I know there will be others who are shooting Mamiya RB'67s etc who will say the Bronica is light in comparison. I am so looking forward to seeing the results from my return to film after so many years in digital. I am lucky enough to have use of a darkroom at school, so will make some old fashioned enlargements soon.

 

[andrew.roos]

I also have an ETRSi. Lovely camera and nice and compact for travel or hiking (especially with the waistlevel finder) but as you say quite solid. The combination of leaf shutter with mirror-up makes for very little vibration, which is great for landscapes. Enjoy your new toy!

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

If I am not wrong , lenses made by Nikon. Its a ultra good quality lens and best lens I have ever seen on a MF. It does not characterised the picture colors and textures like Pentax , or it does not have out of control contrast like Mamiya. You did the correct selection.

 

[Tony-S]

Only some of the early lenses for the SQ series were made by Nikon. Bronica started making their own before the ETR and GS-1 series.

 

[artonpaper]

I have been using the same camera for about three years now. I think it a nice compromise between 35mm and 4 x 5. I have been making hybrid images in Pd that can be seen on DPUG should you be interested. Andrew mentions mirror lock up, which I did know it had. I will have to look for that feature. My only negative experience with that camera is its inability to perform in very cold temperatures. I had the battery drain away to nothing in about 30 minutes in 20º F temps.

 

[andrew.roos]

Only the ETRSi has mirror lock-up (not the ETRS or before). The MLU lever is immediately in front of the film winding crank. To operate it, once you have framed the shot with the camera mounted on tripod just flick it up to show the red spot; the mirror will go up. As soon as the exposure is complete, reset it so the red dot is not displayed BEFORE winding on. If you wind on first, then you can't reset the MLU because it will trigger the shutter. Don't confuse it with the multiple exposure lever which is above the crank. Been there, done that when shooting in pre-dawn light.

 

[lxdude]

Only some of the early lenses for the SQ series were made by Nikon. Bronica started making their own before the ETR and GS-1 series.

I have to disagree with this. The ETR predated the SQ by over 4 years. The SQ series never had the Nikon lenses- it was the older focal-plane-shutter 6x6 cameras before the SQ that had the Nikkor lenses (also some Zenzanons, and Komura made some for them,too).

BTW- Welcome to APUG, Marko!

 

[lxdude]

My only negative experience with that camera is its inability to perform in very cold temperatures. I had the battery drain away to nothing in about 30 minutes in 20º F temps.

Koh's Camera has the Cold Weather Battery Pack for $49.

I've never had a negative experience with the ETRSi. I've only shot transparency film with it.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Enjoy!

 

[andrew.roos]

My only negative experience with that camera is its inability to perform in very cold temperatures. I had the battery drain away to nothing in about 30 minutes in 20º F temps.

For cold weather lithium batteries are much better than other types. One test showed lithium batteries losing only 12% capacity at -20 deg C while alkalai lost 90%.

 

[Tony-S]

I have to disagree with this.

Yes, you are right - I had my cameras mixed up. But none of the 645s had Nikon-manufactured lenses, right?

 

[lxdude]

Right.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Only the classic models--Z, D, S, S2, C, S2a, EC, and EC-TL had Nikkor lenses, as well as others (mostly Zenzanon and Komura). These were 6x6 cameras, but there were 645 backs available for some of the later models.

 

[TorreyS]

Congrats Marko1953, I just purchased on myself and received it last Tuesday. Already put one roll of film through it and it what an experience. I have to say that due to the bigger and brighter focus screen it's faster than my manual focus 35mm. I believe that the 35 will be staying back more now. I shot some b/w, processed and printed it and it was just awesome to see the sharpness and smoothness.

 

[jime11]

Schneider made a couple of lenses for the ETRs & ETRsi - i have the 125-250 & although it is large & heavy it is quite sharp

 

[lxdude]

Schneider made a couple of lenses for the ETRs & ETRsi - i have the 125-250 & although it is large & heavy it is quite sharp

Yep, the 125-250/5.6 Zenzanon-E Variogon and the 70-140/4.5 Zenzanon-E Variogon.

They also supplied a 55/4.5 tilt-shift called the Zenzanon-E PCS Super-Angulon. Not a preset lens either--fully coupled. It is hard to find, to put it mildly. Truly drool-worthy.

ZOOMS
http://schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/vgn_45_70_140.pdf

http://schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/vgn_56_125_250.pdf


TILT-SHIFT
http://schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/pc_san_45_55.pdf