b/w slides:
Thanks for the link. I am one of those people that learns best visually so sometimes manuals go over my head (and not as I throw them!). A lot of interlocks to remember there. I think I will need to type out a sort of cheat-sheet to remember them all.Nobody mentioned reading the manual. I strongly suggest reading the manual for the Bronica ETRS before diving in head first. If you don't have it you can get a copy from https://www.butkus.org/chinon/bronica.htm
Loading the film is not really difficult if you follow the instructions, but it isn't as simple as loading a 35mm film. The camera needs a 6v battery to operate (PX28 or 4LR44 or equivalent), this battery is in current production and easily available but you may need to buy it online. There are various interlocks that will confuse you if you don't remember them, eg the shutter doesn't fire unless the darkslide is removed. There is a shutter in each of the lenses. The body and lenses need to be cocked to (a) see through the finder, and (b) dismount or mount lens from body.
The shutter doesn't test-fire without film in the camera unless either (1) you take off the film back, or (2) operate the multi-exposure switch (don't forget to put it back). You can wind a roll of backing paper without film through to test the winding and shutter, but you don't have an extra roll of backing paper yet.
This is a good spot to interject our recent exchange regarding this problem:
What Medium Format Cameras Are Members Here Using?
Really? I haven't investigated the Bronica lenses much, but I'd particularly like to get the 50mm working. Thanks for reminding me of this thread - I had planned to find where I've hidden those lenses, now I should be able to remember to do it. I posted how to do it in photo.net a long time...www.photrio.com
I would definitely second the recommendation for reading the manual, it didn’t take me long to get one after I got my ETRSi as it did not come with one, very helpful. Also it is definitely best to learn how to load the film before you try to do that, it is possible to load it backwards and still run it through the camera “taking pictures” and unload it all without knowing that you have not taken a single picture. Or so I have heard
Hi Keezly
I have this camera and shoot with it occasionally.
I got it second hand a few years ago and it came with the matte screen.
I wear glasses and found this screen to be OK but had the chance to buy the microprism split image screen - this is much better for me. It cost about £25 but now they go for much more as they are scarce. I much prefer this screen as it's easier to get focus.
See attached page from Bronica manual
Also I recommend Fomapan as it's the cheapest in the UK (but not Fomapan Retro 320 ), my choice is Fomapan 200
That cat shot is fabulous. What film type is that: I love the colour rendition.Medium format negative film playing neck and neck with euro 50k sensors:
This is golden.
My variations on this:
- no stop bath (ymmv)
- after testing, I think I am halving or 1/3 recommended dose of photoflo (ymmv)
Also golden, trim the edges of film before loading, you will learn to do it in the changing bag.
If you don't buy a changing bag, you will get traces of light on your film, no matter how dark the room seems.
Re. expired film - I went to every store in town and bought all their expired film, and was free to take whatever crazy shot, it was so cheap! Your photos will be anything from horrible to excellent.
Re. slide film - feel free to experiment, a very general rule of thumb is to point at the brightest light on the scene and meter there - only problem, cost of developing color slide film will make you cry...
Re. b/w slide film - yes it exists and it will blow your mind and you can develop it at home, just a little bit more complicated
When in doubt - ask here - you will learn so very much faster. Medium format is the one exception to the rule of photography "the quality of your images is proportional to the cost of the hardware", a well exposed piece of film is equal or better than a 100Mpixel 6x6 sensor, people will not believe it came out of film.
One other thing related to reading the manual. The lenses for Bronica ETR (and the other modern Bronica SLRs, SQ and GS) all mount/dismount the opposite way from what you expect. They are righty-loosey, not lefty-loosey. Like Nikon SLRs, and unlike nearly all other cameras (with a few exceptions). This is related to the lens cocking mechanism, IMO. Just do it their way and nobody gets hurt.
The reason is your personal preference. Try all 3 and decide what you like more. You may decide to purchase a slide projector, or scan them, or both. Some people are perfectly happy just looking at MF transparencies on a light table
A note about labs…since there has been a “gap” in interest in film, many have sold their film equipment and outsource film work. This means it will take weeks to get film developed and the quality of the scans WILL be bad. If you don’t live in a major city, where a lab with film equipment is, you might be better off sending it to a lab through the mail.
An anecdote…once I was trying my new Bessa R and the fantastic voigtlander 50/1.5 LTM. So I shoot a roll and bring it to my local lab, which gave it back to me in 4 weeks. The photos were very so-so, almost point and shoot level. Out of curiosity, I brought the film to a lab with a noritsu scanner…basically the first lab had spread butter on their scanner…and photos from the nokton were SCREAMING GOOD.
b/w slides:
If you don't buy a changing bag, you will get traces of light on your film, no matter how dark the room seems.
If it is completely dark how do you see what you are doing?As posted above - ymmv.
I consider changing bags to be the worst thing ever, unless there is absolutely no option.
If you have a room that you can darken by turning the lights off - including anything that illuminates when plugged in or operating - it is far easier to use that to load films on reels.
Sometimes that means scheduling that task for after dark, and then developing the loaded film the next day.
If it is completely dark how do you see what you are doing?
You don't. You work by feel, put things in a logical order on your work surface and always the same place or order.
One trick to loading 120 is to carefully peel the start-of-roll tape off the backing paper and fold it evenly around the film.
That will stiffen the leading edge going into the reel, making loading and the whole travel through the spiral easier.
Also run the tip of a soft pencil around the whole spiral including ball bearing a dozen times.
That will make everything much smoother.
The reel needs to be super dry when loading.
Wash the reel I chlorine and scrub with a soft, clean brush from time to time.
I bet that is fun the first few times you try!
I bet that is fun the first few times you try!
I prefer metal reels since they dry more quickly if you're processing a bunch of film. The Hewes reels are great, but my favourites are the Kinderman 35 and 120 reels for which they made loaders. A breeze to load.
This is golden.
My variations on this:
- no stop bath (ymmv)
- after testing, I think I am halving or 1/3 recommended dose of photoflo (ymmv)
As posted above - ymmv.
I consider changing bags to be the worst thing ever, unless there is absolutely no option.
If you have a room that you can darken by turning the lights off - including anything that illuminates when plugged in or operating - it is far easier to use that to load films on reels.
Sometimes that means scheduling that task for after dark, and then developing the loaded film the next day.
Good to know the main reason to recommend Hewes reels is film loading.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?