Bronica S2

Since early sixties I dreamed of Bronicas and I finally got my first S2 (with an extra back and a 2.8/75mm Nikkor for 300$). Then, eventually, I could get for 300$ a 2.8/50mm Nikkor and a 3.5/150mm Zenzanon fit for the S2. Finally, recently I could buy an EC-TL with its 2.8/75mm Nikkor for another 300$ ; so I conclude "everything Bronica can be had for 300$". I call the combination of 50mm, 75mm and 150mm the "Holy Trinity" of MF lenses, because :

Bye, POLKa

The S2 and related are cameras that you have to want to use. I have a S2A, EC and C with most focal lengths from 40 to 300mm and a bunch of accessories. I think they're a joy to use, which I didn't feel about the 'Blad that I had for a while.

polka said:

Since early sixties I dreamed of Bronicas and I finally got my first S2 (with an extra back and a 2.8/75mm Nikkor for 300$). Then, eventually, I could get for 300$ a 2.8/50mm Nikkor and a 3.5/150mm Zenzanon fit for the S2. Finally, recently I could buy an EC-TL with its 2.8/75mm Nikkor for another 300$ ; so I conclude "everything Bronica can be had for 300$". I call the combination of 50mm, 75mm and 150mm the "Holy Trinity" of MF lenses, because : View attachment 379020View attachment 379021

Bye, POLKa

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This holy trinity is the way I went. I've only had my S2a for a couple weeks. I got it from Japan with the Nikkor 75mm f2.8 PC lens. I did a lot of research on the 150mm and 50mm and concluded I wanted the Zenzanon MC versions of both lenses, so I found mint versions (the 150mm was even in box!) from Japan and completed my set. I decided on the Zenzanon versions for both performance and weight savings. Also, all of my lenses take a 67mm filter.
I'm going to put some rolls through the camera and probably in the spring decide if I want to get a 200mm and/or the Zenzanon 40mm MC lens (a rare but, I've read, really great lens). I may even go with a 300mm but definitely not going on any hikes with that beast!

I had an S2A outfit a few years ago. I had the S2A body and a second one that for some reason I'm drawing a blank on that was similar to the S2 but didn't have a removable film back and a top shutter speed of 1/500. I had lenses from 50mm to I think 240mm, along with the bellows and some other goodies.

I remember too that I hunted for a while for a dark slide. Mine didn't come with one, and I'm not sure if there's any work around to be able to remove the back without the dark slide. The slide is used to operate the catch that releases the back.

Despite replacing the mirror foam, my success rate with sharp photos handheld was very low. Sharpness was excellent-among the best 6x6 I've used with most lenses-on a tripod but I found it incredibly difficult to hand hold. There's a LOT going on in the body during an exposure-the mirror goes down, the silk bllinds roll out over the focus screen and mirror, and then the shutter opens. There's too much moving in too many different directions.

Also, I seem to recall that the 135mm Nikkor was not a great lens. IIRC, it was the same basic lens as the 135mm meant for use on Nikon S-mount rangefinders paired with a mirror box. It just happened to have a fairly large image circle and was pressed into service in this application. Center sharpness was okay, but the edges were weak even stopped down. My other lenses were a mix of Nikkor and Zenzanon, and the 135mm was the only one I remember noticing being bad.

I never had a working EC, but liked the split mirror concept with it and always thought I'd try to find a nice one. At the time, I also had an SQ-A, which I found an overall more useable camera. Somewhere or another in there I ended up with an ETRS kit too. Bronica made good stuff, but I never took to the ETRS because I didn't find the size/weight savings over the SQ worth it. At the end of the day, they all lost and got sold when I got my 500C.

I have both the s2a and the ec/ectl and I like them a lot. I would like to correct a comment about the 13.5cm Q Nikkor. It is a tessar design and not related in any way to the Nikkor Q lenses used on the 35mm cameras. Those were sonnar designs. I have 2 of the 13.5cm or 135mm and they seem to be very sharp and contrasty. I have had mine since the 1980's and have had a few problems with the ec backs and of course the focus screen foam. I collected the whole bunch of lenses from 40-1200 because at one time nobody wanted them. But I did. I did have at one time the s2 and it failed. I don't see how somebody could use them as a professional photographer due to the slow flash sync but some did in the studio. The only lens with leaf shutter was the 105mm Nikkor, a tessar design. As to who made the Zenzanon lenses, I'v seen one web page that stated that they were out sourced to Topcon, Norita and maybe others. I would like to see more data on that. The 80mm 2.4 and the 100 2.8 are real good. I'v printed 24x30's from both of them and they did good.

Ben Hutcherson said:

I had an S2A outfit a few years ago. I had the S2A body and a second one that for some reason I'm drawing a blank on that was similar to the S2 but didn't have a removable film back and a top shutter speed of 1/500. I had lenses from 50mm to I think 240mm, along with the bellows and some other goodies.

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Probably Bronica C or C2

I agree that the Nikkor-Q 135/3.5 for the Bronica is not the same design as the 135/3.5 for the Nikon rangefinder. The lore that the RF lens was repurposed for the Bronica seems to have spread on the internet (IIRC there was somebody on photo.net who promoted it volubly), but it doesn't make sense from a lens design point of view. And in a Bronica brochure there is a diagram of the 135/3.5 that clearly shows a Tessar type. I think I was able to compare the lenses once, and you can see the glass/reflections aren't the same. Anyway, these lenses are old now and it is possible that there's sample variance or examples that have been knocked around and don't perform well.

I believe that some telephoto Nikkor RF lenses (meant to be used with a reflex housing, e.g. Visoflex) were also adapted for the early Bronica S and maybe the Z/D. Those bodies have an external bayonet fixed on the body separate from the focusing tube. The mirror box on the lens would be replaced by an adapter to fit on the bayonet. The lenses are preset type with their own helicoid. The image circle is apparently sufficient. There was the 18cm f/2.5, 25cm f/4, etc... Those adapted lenses are pretty rare I think.

The original listing that OP asked about has been updated to say that it requires $275 worth of repairs. I'm actually curious where he took it because I don't think any local shops here do their own repairs, but maybe it was something easy. The listing hasn't been pulled yet, so I guess he has no takers on it. (Although with FB marketplace it's entirely possible that he just didn't delete the listing.)

"Update..Shop says will be $275 to get in perfect working order..Please send your best price offer if you still have interest. It is still at shop until i can get there in late Oct."

Kind of a hard sell on this I think, unless he gets it repaired first then sells it for like $300 and only makes a small bit for his time to take it to the shop and back.

mollyc said:

The original listing that OP asked about has been updated to say that it requires $275 worth of repairs. I'm actually curious where he took it because I don't think any local shops here do their own repairs, but maybe it was something easy. The listing hasn't been pulled yet, so I guess he has no takers on it. (Although with FB marketplace it's entirely possible that he just didn't delete the listing.)

"Update..Shop says will be $275 to get in perfect working order..Please send your best price offer if you still have interest. It is still at shop until i can get there in late Oct."

Kind of a hard sell on this I think, unless he gets it repaired first then sells it for like $300 and only makes a small bit for his time to take it to the shop and back.

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Yeah, when I saw that, I gave it a pass.

FB Marketplace is kind of weird. I've had stuff sell in minutes that I thought would take days or weeks to move (if at all) and things I thought would sell relatively easy sit until I just gave up. There has also been a weird uptick on "tire kickers" who want to ask endless questions and make promises to buy once some random event takes place, but never actually follow through.

Chris