Bronica SQA mirror lockup?

[Tammyk]

I know there are quite a few users of the SQA here, and am hoping someone can help me out.

I have a new-to-me SQA and I'm having a few problems with the mirror lockup.

Could someone give me the sequence of things regarding using the lock up?

I followed the manual, but my trouble seems to be that the shutter doesn't fire if I have it in "S" position. I have to return to N to reset things, then I have to advance to the next frame and I suspect that the shutter has fired and cocked all over again. I'm losing a few frames of film (more than a few) trying to figure it out.

I tried in "C" and things are fine, as the shutter closes, mirror lifts and I can fire the shutter and then it recocks and stays closed for next exposure. This isn't very practical for case by case photos, though.

I've never used this type of system before, being more accustomed to my twin lens reflex or 35 mm camera. I hope I posed the question correctly.

Thanks in advance.
-Tammy

 

[bobfowler]

I know there are quite a few users of the SQA here, and am hoping someone can help me out.

I have a new-to-me SQA and I'm having a few problems with the mirror lockup.

Could someone give me the sequence of things regarding using the lock up?

I followed the manual, but my trouble seems to be that the shutter doesn't fire if I have it in "S" position. I have to return to N to reset things, then I have to advance to the next frame and I suspect that the shutter has fired and cocked all over again. I'm losing a few frames of film (more than a few) trying to figure it out.

I tried in "C" and things are fine, as the shutter closes, mirror lifts and I can fire the shutter and then it recocks and stays closed for next exposure. This isn't very practical for case by case photos, though.

I've never used this type of system before, being more accustomed to my twin lens reflex or 35 mm camera. I hope I posed the question correctly.

Thanks in advance.
-Tammy

In the S position, the mirror will return when you wind the film for the next exposure, in the C position, the mirror will stay up until you move the level back to N (or you can put the lever back to S and it will drop when you wind on).

Wind the film BEFORE setting to S or the mirror will drop as soon as you advance the film/cock the camera.

With the lever in the C position, the mirror will drop and pop back up as you wind the film - that's completely normal.

 

[David Henderson]

Just another take on the above really. The way to manage a Bronica in my view is to wind on completely immediately after an exposure. Indeed things get kind of black through the finder or prism unless you do so, and it isn't really tenable to re-apply MLU before winding on, not least because you can't see to compose. You use the collar round the shutter button to prevent accidental exposure.

Wound -on, the S setting on MLU raises the mirror and the finder blacks out. The shutter will fire in this mode if the camera is working properly, but it will be much quieter than when not using MLU. Of course it requires that the basic conditions for firing are in place . After exposure the screen remains blacked out until you wind on fully.

In C setting the act of winding on will bring down the mirror momentarily during the winding process, but by the time the wind-on is complete the mirror has reverted to up and you can't see through the finder. As indicated C is not really appropriate for single shots.