Bronica lens mounts

[Jeremy Greenaway]

I'm somewhat stumped . . . I've acquired a v. nice Bron EC-TL body, back and wlf and was under the impression (from all that's written about the Brons) that while backs aren't compatible with other models, lenses are. I have acquired some Zenzanon S bottles, but am bothered to find that the 50mm f3.5 will NOT fit the TL flange. The lens mount has three lugs plus a narrower one - in different positions to those on the body. I like the TL for its focal plane shutter and - for as long as it works - the electronic shutter, and slightly better handling than the SQ, which is a little smaller.
Any suggestions?

 

[OAPOli]

As far as I know, the 50mm f3.5 lenses made for the focal plane Bronicas were made by Nikkor and Komura. The Zenzanon S 50mm f3.5 has a leaf shutter and is for the SQ cameras. All focal plane Bronicas use the same lenses, the other systems are incompatible.

 

[abruzzi]

As @OAPOli said, you have a camera that needs one of the lenses on this list:

Bronica system

lens-db.com

But it sounds like you have something off this list:

Bronica SQ system

lens-db.com

The EC-TL can't use lenses from a ETR (E and PE series), a GS lens (PG series), or a SQ (S or PS series)

 

[Jeremy Greenaway]

Solved. The Bronicas DON'T share a common lens mount apparently. There are four, possibly five, ranging from the very first from Zenza, through to the SQs etc. The EC-TL has it's own, and these apparently were used on the Nikkor lenses, with the front element detachable from the helicoid camera body section. So, beware!

 

[polka]

In the early sixties, I dreamed of Bronicas, but I had to wait a long time before I could get my first S2 (with another back and a 2.8/75mm Nikkor for 300$). After that, I could get a Nikkor 2.8/50mm and a Zenzanon 3.5/150mm for another 300$, both with the S2 mount. And recently, for the same lenses, I could buy an EC-TL (with its normal Nikkor 2.8/75mm lens) for another 300$. So, I conclude "everything Bronica cost 300$".
Besides IMO, together, the 50mm, 75mm and 150mm may be considered as the "Holy Trinity" of MF lenses

Because :

 

[wiltw]

The Bronica S used a 'small bayonet', with no in-lens shutter

The Bronica Zenza C, S, S2, S2A, and EC used the 'dual bayonet', with no in-lens shutter

The Bronica ETR, ETRS, ETRSi all used a '4-claw' of the 'E' series size, with in-lens Seiko leaf shutter
The Bronica SQ, SQ-A, SQ-Ai all used a '4 claw' of the 'S' series size, with in-lens Seiko leaf shutter
The Bronica GS-1 used a '4 claw'' of 'G' series size, with in-lens Seiko leaf shutter

 

[reddesert]

Wilt's summary is correct, just to add that the same lenses are used on Bronica S, S2, C, EC EC-TL. (And on the original Z and D but those are collector's items.) The difference is that the S and earlier have a focusing mount built into the body that is moved by a knob on the side of the body, while the S2, S2A, EC have a focusing helical that sits in front of the body but can itself be removed.

All of the later ETR, SQ, GS lenses carry their own focusing ring.

 

[abruzzi]

Wilt's summary is correct, just to add that the same lenses are used on Bronica S, S2, C, EC EC-TL. (And on the original Z and D but those are collector's items.) The difference is that the S and earlier have a focusing mount built into the body that is moved by a knob on the side of the body, while the S2, S2A, EC have a focusing helical that sits in front of the body but can itself be removed.

All of the later ETR, SQ, GS lenses carry their own focusing ring.

Interestingly, a third party manufacturer (Komura, I think) made a 2x adapter that fit between the helical and the body, so it doesn't work on the S and older bodies. I know the helicals had different markings (for different focal lengths--mine is marked for 75mm and 100) but I don't know if they made any helicals with different lengths of movement. Usualy the removable helical was to attach a very long lens which would have its own focusing mechanism, or a macro bellows for focusing very close.