Film Backs For the Bronica SQ-A

Dennis-B · Jun 7, 2018

I just picked up a Bronica SQ-A for a very good price; it came with a 220 film back, WL finder, and 150mm f/4 lens. While familiarizing myself with the camera, reading the instruction book etc., I ordered a 120 film back and the SQ-A/AI.AM ME finder. The back and finder arrived yesterday, and I noticed a difference between the two backs. On the one that came with the camera the ISO dial is on the back; on the one I just received, the ISO dial is on the top.

Some research shows that the back that has the dial on the top, came with the SQ, SQ-A, SQ-B. The back that came with the dial on the back came with the SQ-Ai.

Is there any functional difference between the two backs?

PS - I found an AE Finder S, and that's on it's way here from Japan.

wiltw · Jun 7, 2018

The SQ-A (SQ-Am) back has ISO dial on top of the film magazine. The SQ-Ai back moved ISO to the back of the film magazine. Bronica generally improved functionality of the 'i' backs with interlocks that prevented/allowed certain things to take place only in the right circumstances...dark slide that could be withdrawn only when the back was mounted on the body is a feature of both A and Ai backs however. I am not aware of any changes associated with film speed selection, but I understand that the Ai back does allow Exposure Compensation value selection while the A back does not.

pdeeh · Jun 7, 2018

Dennis-B said:
Is there any functional difference between the two backs?

just to say, in addition to wiltw's answer, backs are interchangeable - they'll all work fine on an -A body (and for that matter a -B body)

hsandler · Jun 7, 2018

The -i back with the ISO dial on the back is generally newer, so more desirable from a wear and tear point of view. I'm not sure if there are any improvements other than the placement of the dial. It was considered an improvement because it could be more easily seen and manipulated when there is prism finder on top of the camera body (which obscures the ISO dial of the older kind of back). I have the older back and it does lock the dark slide when not on the camera.

DWThomas · Jun 7, 2018

I believe the moving of the dial to the back instead of the top was because the prism viewfinders made it hard to see the dial.

Edit: hsandler beat this slow typist ...

Rick A · Jun 7, 2018

DWThomas said:
I believe the moving of the dial to the back instead of the top was because the prism viewfinders made it hard to see the dial.

Edit: hsandler beat this slow typist ...

Not hard to see, but impossible to see. Also, you must remove the prism finder to set film speed with the older style.

mshchem · Jun 7, 2018

Rick A said:
Not hard to see, but impossible to see. Also, you must remove the prism finder to set film speed with the older style.

For a while KEH was selling 220 SQ-AI backs for 29 bucks. The dark slide is worth that. I took a couple nice SQ-A inserts, switched out the nice metal winder for the little plastic crank on the newer 220 insert (left hand threaded turn CW to loosen) No rational reason behind this, but it looks like a genuine SQ-AI back. Bronica never had the wit to put a slot on the back for dark slide.
I just paid 400 bucks for a version 4, 120 Hasselblad back. Damn thing is like a jewel . I use my Bronicas a lot. 501cm is significantly sexier
It's all fun. !
Mike

Dennis-B · Jun 7, 2018

Thanks, folks. Just what I suspected. When I received the 120 back, it had the ASA dial on top. Just how in the h*** do you set the film speed w/o removing the back? I switched around the inserts and everything works perfectly. I have some old (ca 70's) 120 that I use for testing. I also tried using 120 in the 220 insert. After running it through, I examined the emulsion under a 10x loupe for any scratches from the heavier pressure on the film; nothing here, either. The 220 back will be a spare.

johnha · Jun 7, 2018

Dennis-B said:
Some research shows that the back that has the dial on the top, came with the SQ, SQ-A, SQ-B. The back that came with the dial on the back came with the SQ-Ai.

The SQ-B back was a simplified version and doesn't have the ISO dial or the electronics to work with the metered prism, apart from this they're very similar to the SQ-Ai back.

nbagno · Jun 8, 2018

Good camera choice IMO. I really like using mine.

Dennis-B · Jun 8, 2018

nbagno said:
Good camera choice IMO. I really like using mine.

I own a Hasselblad 500 C/M, and I've been very curious about the Bronica cameras. I opted for the SQ over the other two models, although I've used an ETRs that belongs to a friend, mostly to compare to my Mamiya 645 Pro TL (Both of those are about dead even in image quality). I like the 6x6 format, now that I've given it more of a chance than in the past.

Film Backs For the Bronica SQ-A

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