Bronica S2A help please

[MattC]

Hello,

Just new to this forum, and I am hoping some one may be able to help me.

I just picked up today a Bronica S2A camera body, along with a couple of backs, plus the bellows attachment 2 including a Nikkor 75mm lens. All in excellent condition, so I am keen to start using it!

The trouble is, the camera does not seem to have any kind of focusing Helicoid, and I was wondering if these are readily available, or do I just pack the camera back in it's box and forget it?

Any help much appreciated.

Matt

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Didn't someone just post exactly the same question, or is this a duplicate thread?

The helicals sometimes show up on eBay, occasionally with lenses attached. There are also a couple of different types of bellows units for focusing. Helicals may be marked in feet or metres, and later ones usually have distance scales for 50mm/75mm/135mm/200mm, while earlier ones may only have scales for one or two focal lengths. The Type II bellows has full view camera movements on the front standard, but the movements are really only useful for still life and macro work, because of the way the lenses protrude into the mirror box. Komura and Nikon made long helicals with interchangeable heads for telephoto lenses.

 

[MattC]

My apologies - I did not even see that thread.

Sorry.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

No need to apologize. It just seems like a strange coincidence, since I generally notice all the classic Bronica threads, and there aren't so many of them!

 

[MattC]

A quick question if I may - I have found a rapid focusing lever S for the Bronica SQ - I assume that this wont work on the S2A?
I have tried finding some information as to the various lens compatibilities without much luck - is there any good sites with this info?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

There used to be a great site maintained by Robert Monaghan about all things Bronica, but it's kind of become dispersed. If you google, you'll find bits and pieces of it, but maybe the whole thing is preserved in one of the internet archives like the "wayback machine."

Basically, nothing from the classic Bronica systems (D,Z,S,C,S2,S2a,EC,EC-TL) is compatable with the later systems (ETR,SQ,GS). In the older systems, generally lenses are interchangeable, and some but not all backs and finders are compatable between models. The earlier models had a built in focusing mechanism, but once the separate helical was added that was compatible with all the later classic models. Bellows vary, and there are adapters between systems, as well as tricks for using an S2a bellows on an EC-TL.

 

[whlogan]

I suggest you check wit Jimmy a Koh's cameras.....http://kohscamera.com/.... iif its Bronica S2*, Jimmy knows it.... hes really good and a nice guy into the bargain....
Logan