Bronica S2A worth buying

David A. Goldfarb

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• Oct 17, 2008

• #26

The focusing lever is a real necessity, in my opinion, on the S2 and later cameras with the helical.

For really quick focus, I like the Type 2 bellows, which also has full view camera movements for macro. It makes the camera bulkier, but I find it easier to follow focus with the rack and pinion mechanism on the bellows.

I tried an SQ-A once, and it focuses much more easily than the S2a. The camera is lighter, and with the lever-wind grip and a prism it feels like a 35mm SLR.

 

epraus

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• Oct 17, 2008

• #27

My first medium format camera was a Bronica and it was THE WORST PIECE OF JUNK I have ever owned. Get a Hassey, you get what you pay for!!!!

 

IloveTLRs

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• Oct 17, 2008

• #28

I have an S myself. The problems I had, I'm guessing, were from bad backs (I had overlapping frames.) Fortunately backs can be had for as little as $15 over here.
I have the Nikkor 75mm lens and it is fantastically sharp. Makes the whole setup worth it.

 

Trond

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• Oct 18, 2008

• #29

IloveTLRs said:

I have an S myself. The problems I had, I'm guessing, were from bad backs (I had overlapping frames.) Fortunately backs can be had for as little as $15 over here.
I have the Nikkor 75mm lens and it is fantastically sharp. Makes the whole setup worth it.

Click to expand...

I have one S back and several S2 backs. They look similar on the outside, but are mechanically very different. The S2 backs are much better, and they take 220 film as well.

All lenses I have for the S2A, Zenzanon or Nikkor, are very good. I have recently upgraded my Nikkor-O 50mm 2.8 to the multicoated version, Nikkor-OC, hoping that this will cure some of the flare problems I've had with this lens.

Trond

 

Mr.Helberg^^

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• Oct 25, 2008

• #30

the bronica S2 is truly a wonderful camera! my first real MF camera and a life companion <3 it will give some amazing slides with those lovely Nikkors : D

 

nworth

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• Oct 27, 2008

• #31

darinwc said:

...
I really liked the S that I had but it didnt last. On the S you focus using the knob on the side. The S2 and S2a changed from a rack-and-pinion focus to a helical focus. That means that you have to use the (Rather large) ring around the lens to focus. This is quite a pain but is improved alot if you can find one of the lever attachments. ...

Click to expand...

One interesting and rather strange note about these cameras is that the helical focusing mount is separate from the lenses. It is also removable from the camera, just like the lenses. I have only one focusing mount, and all three lenses that I have (50, 75, and 150mm) fit it and focus properly. But the focusing mount is made for a 75mm lens, and the scale values only apply to that lens. It is only a very minor problem not having a focus scale for the other lenses, however. The important thing is that the helical focusing mount is separate from the lenses and that the 75mm one seems to work with everything.

 

David A. Goldfarb

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• Oct 27, 2008

• #32

The later versions of the mount have scales for 50mm, 75mm, 135mm and 200mm, and there are versions with the scales in meters and others with the scale in feet. Any lens that fits, though, can be used on the same helical. One attraction of this design is that shorter lenses will focus very close on the helical.

There were other helicals for longer lenses. Komura made a set with 300mm, 400mm, and 500mm heads that came with a long helical called the Uni Helical II. Nikon also made long lenses with their own long helical, but theses are usually rare and quite expensive. If you can get one of these long helicals, you can adapt other long lenses to them, just like you can adapt LF lenses to the screw mount on the regular helical.

 

Mike Reyburn

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• Oct 28, 2008

• #33

I purchased a new S2 in January 1969 and the only change I made was to replace the original urethane foam under the ground glass with mole skin. This modification was outlined in detail a few years ago on the Bronica website. I've always wound the film using the knob on the magazine, then cocked the shutter using the main winding knob. This takes longer but reduces the stress on the winding mechanism. I have the 105mm Nikkor leaf shutter lens and it is very sharp.

 

Mr.Helberg^^

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• Nov 5, 2008

• #34

Bronica is my first bought MF camera and i still trust her today
but one question...where the hell do you guys find your lenses because i cant find nothin D: (sorry to hijack)

 

David A. Goldfarb

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• Nov 5, 2008

• #35

eBay, keh.com, www.kohscamera.com, and the Bronica group on Yahoo!Groups. There are a lot of interesting things for sale over there right now. Tony Hilton, who wrote a book about the Bronica system is selling off his collection, and he has a lot of unusual and rare items.