Getting Bronica GS-1: what to check/test before buying?

[TheToadMen]

I agreed to buy a Bronica GS-1 camera and will go over this week to check & buy the camera. It comes with:
- GS-1 Body
- film back 6x7
- film back 6x6
- standard lens 100mm
- wide angle lens 50mm
- prism finder
- normal finder
- polaroid back
- speed grip
- aluminum case
(see below for photos from seller)

My question is: can you give me some tips what to check and what to look for to see if the camera is in good working order? I never handled one of these, but I'm familiar with the smaller (non-electric) Bronica SQ-B. Maybe the GS-1 has a special trick to get the shutter to fire (like a Mamiya RB67 does)? Or are there other quirks?
I'll try to get a fresh battery and will bring some film too.

Thanks,
Bert from Holland

PS: I'm only buying this camera because I like the format, I like Bronica and I like GAS
I know I don't need it, but what the heck - life is too short not to enjoy this monster too and the price is right: Euro 435 for the set. And did I mention the 50 mm lens?

 

[wiltw]

The GS-1 has an electronically timed (by the body) shutter (in the lens). So check that the body is correctly altering shutter speed. When the PX-28 battery is dead, the shutter defaults to 1/500. The in-lens shutter has the T function to hold the shutter open for long exposure without electrical drain on the battery. Half press of the shutter button should cause an LED in the viewfinder to light up.

Both the lens and the body have to be cocked in order to mount a lens on the body. The camera cannot normally be operated without film loaded in the magazine due to an interlock. You need to engage the multi-exposure lever in order to operate the camera without film loaded.

Raising the mirror with the mirror lockup, if you then lower the mirror with the mirror lockup it will fire the shutter.

 

[Truzi]

I've not had a problem with mine yet, so can't really comment on what to look for, aside from the obvious (fungus, damage, etc.).
On the backs, make sure the exposure setting and compensation dials move easily when the lock is pulled back. If you load film (or just backing paper to test), make sure the shutter will NOT fire with the dark-slide in. This would usually be an issue with the back (not the camera), and is not a deal-breaker, but it can be hard to remember to remove the dark-slide if the shutter will fire. (I have one back that does this, but that is it's only problem.)

Changing backs can be a bit confusing. If you cock the shutter, then swap backs, I think you will still need to wind again before it will fire. If I remember correctly, you'll have to use the multi-exposure lever to wind once (or waste a frame) after swapping backs.

 

[wiltw]

If I remember correctly, you'll have to use the multi-exposure lever to wind once (or waste a frame) after swapping backs.

This statement is certainly not true of the GS-1's little brother, the ETRS. You wind the film advance lever, and this makes sure the newly mounted back is advanced to a fresh frame (but it does NOT advance the film if it already is on an unexposed frame).

 

[Alan Gales]

Can you run a roll of film through the camera and return it if everything is not right?

I've only shot the early Bronicas like the S2a and EC. The only negative I have heard about the later models is that their film backs are not the most robust.

 

[itsdoable]

That's a pretty nice kit!

In addition to the above recommendations, I would take a spare px28 battery with you in case the existing one is depleted. If you have the paper leader from a 120 roll, you can re-spool and use it in the back to test the mechanism, as you cannot release the shutter without film in the back (unless you enable the multiple exposure lever).

 

[TheToadMen]

Thank you all for the help. I'll get me a fresh battery and I have a very, very old Kodak Gold film that I can use for testing.
I also downloaded the manual and will read it before Wednesday. It seems the GS-1 is rather close to the Sq cameras, operational wise.

 

[ColColt]

I can't comment about what to check as I've never had one but consider the 165 lens for portraits...great focal length for that purpose. What I did when I got my 2nd Pentax 6x7 body was to run a roll of film through it and check for density changes in the frames(i.e., 125@f16 and 250@f11 should look the same) and frame separation between the negatives and any difficulty in film advancing.

 

[mweintraub]

I'm also an SQ series user and when I went to play with my friend's GS-1 it wasn't working. He then told me it had a power button. I was shocked because none of the other Bronica SLRs had one. So, make sure you turn it on. On that note, read the manual, it's not very long and if you can, take it with.

 

[Andre Noble]

That's a nice kit, but moving forward, I would not store it enclosed in case. lenses need air circulation to avoid fungus

 

[TheToadMen]

I went over today to check out the camera. I had a nice time meeting with this photographer. We have the same interests, like salt and carbon printing. The camera and all extras are like new with all the original boxes. The body functions flawlessly and was stored without the battery. The 50 mm lens is beautiful and its shutter perfect. The 100 mm lens also looks like new, but the shutter isn't working properly. It fires, but the blades are opening too slow. Probably something a simple CLA can fix. It comes with a 6x7 and a 6x6 film back too, both tested with an old roll film and working properly. And the grip fits perfectly in my hand. Comes with metered prism finder and waist level finder.

So I bought the set from the original owner (since 1988), who's gonna sail around the world. I was also given (for free) a 40" roll of Ilford MGIV photo paper, a large roll of halftone film (for making alt photo negs), two rolls with transfer film for heliography and a new roll of tissue paper for carbon printing.

I'm a happy camper!! Even without the 100 mm lens this was a good deal, since I was looking for the 50 mm lens in the first place. I already shot a roll of film and it handles beautifully. The camera is even light for its size (compared to a RB67 or Pentax 6x7). This camera has found a good home and is rapidly becoming my new best friend.

Only problem is I want to get me a protective filter for the 50 mm lens, but is an whopping 95 mm filter size.

 

[Tony-S]

I suspect you can buy another 100mm for less than a CLA/fix of the one you have. The 50mm is fantastic, for sure, and the size of the GS-1 is one of the reasons why I chose it over the RB/RZ and P67. Plus, better meter, engineering, contemporary design, etc. etc. The others simply aren't appealing to me.