Bronica SQ-A

[springnar]

Just purchased a bronica sq-a and put a new battery in. Checking the battery the red light flashes but when I try to change the shutter speed the shutter speed is still 1/500th. I tried cleaning the electrical contacts with an air can are there any other ways to fix this problem? And when I press the shutter is the red light suppose to flash?

 

[Jon Shiu]

You can download the manual at butkus.org

Jon

 

[GimliXJ]

The red light is a battery indicator. If it is lit, the batteries are good. Try changing lenses. If the shutter on the different lens works correctly then the lens is the problem. If there is no change, the problem will be in the camera body. Most likely with the electrical contacts on the shutter speed selector.

Best of luck.

P.S. Definately download the manual, if you haven't already, as Jon suggested. There are a lot of buttons and switches on these cameras that don't have much for labels describing their function.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

From the now extinct Bronica website via the Wayback Machine:

Bronica Learning Center :: Batteries

Today, virtually everything man made that measures time uses an electronic timer. Small,
portable timers (watches, pacemakers,etc.) use batteries. All cameras have timers for shutters, and all modern cameras use electronic timers, and therefore, use batteries.

Batteries differ in size, shape and cell type. The type of cell, and its chemistry determines its voltage, voltage stability, useful temperature range, shelf life, and discharge character. When you're looking to put a battery in a Bronica, there are three available cell types

* silver oxide
* alkaline manganese dioxide
* or lithium cells

SILVER OXIDE

It is the recommended battery for all Bronica;ETR-Si, SQ-A, SQ-Ai, SQ-B, and GS-1

The silver oxide battery. It has excellent voltage stability, the best longevity, wide temperature latitude, good shelf life, and a predictable (and comfortable for the power requirements of a camera) discharge character.

ALKALINE MANGANESE DIOXIDE

Next is the alkaline manganese dioxide battery, known simply as the alkaline. It has good voltage stability, reasonable longevity, wide temperature latitude, good shelf life, and a predictable discharge character. It is also the least expensive cell, and works well in all Bronicas.

LITHIUM

The performance of lithiums vary greatly, as there are several types. They can be engineered for high amp draw, and lower shelf life; or low amp draw, but longer shelf life. They have the potential for the highest energy density per volume of any low cost cell, but the trade off has been made, in "consumer" applications, for long shelf life. This allows these cells to be terrific for hearing aids, and pacemakers....but poor for an intermittent high amp draw requirement like a
Bronica.


The following chart outlines the recommended cells for all of the recently manufactured Bronica cameras.
ETR-Si

Best: Silver Oxide 6V(544,PX-28)

Good: Alkaline 6V(544A, Etc.)

OK: Lithium 6V(544L)

SQ-A/SQ-B

Best: 4 Silver Oxide (MS-76)

Good: 4 Alkaline (MS-76A)

Forget it: Lithium

SQ-Ai with AE Finder

Best:
4 Silver Oxide (MS-76)

Good:
4 Alkaline (MS-76A)

Forget it:
Lithium

GS-1

Best:
Silver Oxide 6V(544,PX-28)

Good:
Alkaline 6V(544A, Etc.)

Forget it:
Lithium

* The AE Finders for the SQ-Ai cameras represent an unusual situation. The silver oxide, the tenacious cell that it is, allows there to be a brief period, when it is near exhaustion, where the low voltage threshold of the AE is skirted due to the power demand of the electromagnetic release mechanism. The result is insufficient voltage to
set the correct shutter speed in the Auto mode only. It can occur for a roll of film, or two...so the precaution has been issued to prevent this. This situation is not present in the older SQ-A, SQ-Am, SQ; or the ETR style cameras. It also doesn't affect the GS-1. Keep extra batteries in your camera case.

I have had trouble with Lithium batteries in both my Bronica and Mamiya cameras.

 

[springnar]

thanks guys! I mixed up the fact that when you press the shutter, you hear the mirrors and the shutter is completely something else! it works fine! my mistake.

 

[pasiasty]

You will soon start recognising the weak click of closing shutter.

 

[ZenziFriend]

When i got my first sqa this year i had the same "problem" . You are used to SLR with return mirror so you think it must be loud at the end...

 

[TheToadMen]

I bought a SQ-B about 8 years ago: my first medium format experience.
It's the same as the SQ-A except for the electronics. The SQ-B was the cheaper body, all manual and no light meter build in. So I got me a hand held light meter instead.
It is a wonderful camera and the Bronica lenses are also great!! I know Hasselblad has the name, but to me Bronica is as good and a lot cheaper. Something like a Rolls Royce compared to a Mercedes Benz? There are a lot of lenses out there in good condition for not too much money.

I can remember seeing an image appear for the first time on the screen in the camera. It seemed like magic and I was sold. I like making a composition even better this way than using a 35 mm SLR camera. It gives me more grip on what the results will be like (do I make any sense??). I also like the square format (6x6 cm). And when I really need landscape format, I use my Bronica RF-645 (6x4.5 cm). This is a rangefinder camera that I take with me if I want to travel light and need to "point and shoot". The same great glass here.

Is is good to have some extra film backs. This way you can load different film types and use these (by switching backs) at the same moment, instead of to have to finish one film roll first. I even got me an old film back for 35 mm film. Makes beautiful panoramas, although winding the film is sometimes a problem with this back.

My greatest problem is forgetting to pull out the dark slide and wonder for a second why the shutter won't fire, or forgetting to put the slide back in and wonder why the film back won't come off from the camera. Good thinking & designing of Bronica!

So, enjoy, have fun and show us your first results please.

 

[springnar]

I just ordered some Ektar! hopefully it'll get here this week and I'll be able to shoot with it. I'm excited