---> HELP WITH BRONICA ETRS!!!!! HELP PLEASE!

[rgperedo]

Hello all, I just got my hands on a nice Bronica ETRS. I found a manual for it online and I've been trying to do some research on a specific problem this seems to have.

This is the first time I encounter a Bronica so I am definitely not experienced with this camera.

The problem is as follows: Once film is loaded (or without) the film winding crank does its job, but then the camera won't shoot. I have to put the multiple exposure lever down to make the camera shoot, but then the crank doesn't wind the film (obviously, since it thinks it's going to take multiple exposures you say) but the problem is that the film isn't moved over the the next frame. I don't think this camera was meant to be constantly placed into multiple exposure mode to shoot then placed back to wind the film and so on and so forth, that quickly becomes tedious and difficult to keep track of.

Please tell me this is a simple problem that can be fixed easily. I really like the camera and the lens is nice and crisp. The waist level viewfinder is clean. I put a new battery in the compartment, which was clean. I even tested the battery in the camera (the button that does this lights up). I just can't find how to make this shoot without being in multiple exposure mode, please help.

Thank you all so much ahead of time for your advice. I am so excited to shoot this, but so far I've been disappointed.

 

[macfred]

I have a Bronica ERTSi - don't know the ERTS.

From the manual :

The shutter cannot be released in the following cases:

1. Shutter release button is locked.
2. Dark slide is inserted.
3. Film winding crank has not been rotated fully. (same when the exposure counter isstill between "S" and "1".)
4. Shutter is not cocked.
5. Lens is not properly attached.
6. Lens release button is being depressed.
7. All frames (15 on 120 roll film and 30 on 220 roll film) have been exposed already.

http://bronica.net/ETR/ETRSi.pdf

Did you play with the `mirror lockup´? This can cause problems too.

 

[Hilo]

I had the same but I never knew how I solved it. Bought the camera from the net, it arrived and it did that. I left it sitting in my workspace and came back to it the next day. I think in the mean time I read to clean the contacts, which is what I did. A friend also suggested to put all electronic switches to work intensely (by moving them on and off many times, or to differenent positions back and forth) and I did that too. After that the camera worked quite well. I shot several films with it, which came out wrongly exposed and I could not figure out if that was because of the camera, the lens or the AE finder. I returned the whole lot . . .

Good luck !

 

[macfred]

Just to be clear …
The Bronica ETRS(i) won't fire dry - you can't cock the shutter without a loaded film back attached.

 

[Alex Muir]

Make sure you have pulled the dark slide out of the back. Also check that the lens is fully locked in place, and the time exposure switch on the lens is in the 'off' position.
Alex

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

lots of buttons and functions for to build your lack of self trust , japan put the notion as control feeling everything they produced , look at their amps , millions of buttons not for anything , they work best at their max setting , now they changed from lots of control to we control everything for you , people are looser.

 

[hsandler]

I recall reading about similar problems, although when I had an ETRSi I did not have this problem. It has to do with the pin that extends from the back into the body.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[wiltw]

The film magazine, when loaded properly (yes, you can 'load' film improperly when you don't know how to load it!) and advanced, has an interlock pin (which resides inside a metal 'tube' which protects the pin) which protrudes from the film back into the ETRS body. This pin is detected by the body to allow the shutter to first be cocked, and also released.

Advancing the film advance lever (on the body) normally first advances the film (so the pin protrudes) and then cocks the shutter.

Moving the multi-exposure lever allows the shutter to be cocked and released WITHOUT the interlock pin protruding into the body.

Are you CERTAIN that you inserted film into the magazine properly? The backing paper's black surface has to be pointing outward away from the pressure plate. If it points TOWARD the pressure plate of the film magazine, it is WRONG.

 

[macfred]

This is a nice video tutorial for the Bronica ETRS(i) - John Sullivan from UCA Maidstone demonstrates how to load film and other basic functions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdvFECal_2I

 

[rgperedo]

Thank you all for the help. I have read the manual and I have checked the lens as well as the batteries and the whole check list. I am going to load a roll and I suppose I'll hope for the best. I just dislike not knowing if it'll wind the film or not! I'll watch the tutorial video Macfred posted and I'll see how it goes. Thanks again. Cheers.

 

[f8&bthere]

Just to be clear …
The Bronica ETRS(i) won't fire dry - you can't cock the shutter without a loaded film back attached.

Yes you can - using the MLU lever.

 

[f8&bthere]

Hello all, I just got my hands on a nice Bronica ETRS. I found a manual for it online and I've been trying to do some research on a specific problem this seems to have.

This is the first time I encounter a Bronica so I am definitely not experienced with this camera.

The problem is as follows: Once film is loaded (or without) the film winding crank does its job, but then the camera won't shoot. I have to put the multiple exposure lever down to make the camera shoot, but then the crank doesn't wind the film (obviously, since it thinks it's going to take multiple exposures you say) but the problem is that the film isn't moved over the the next frame. I don't think this camera was meant to be constantly placed into multiple exposure mode to shoot then placed back to wind the film and so on and so forth, that quickly becomes tedious and difficult to keep track of.

Please tell me this is a simple problem that can be fixed easily. I really like the camera and the lens is nice and crisp. The waist level viewfinder is clean. I put a new battery in the compartment, which was clean. I even tested the battery in the camera (the button that does this lights up). I just can't find how to make this shoot without being in multiple exposure mode, please help.

Thank you all so much ahead of time for your advice. I am so excited to shoot this, but so far I've been disappointed.

It should be fairly straight forward.

Make sure that [1] film is loaded properly, [2] neither the MLU or ME levers are engaged, [3] that the shutter safety lock in is the [non-motor drive] operating position [lever to the left], [4] you have a good battery, and [5] you have removed the dark slide from the film back.

If you have done all of the above and it still won't fire then I would consider [1] a bad back that does not properly "communicate" [mechanically] with the body or [2] a problem with the shutter release and/or lock.

Good luck.

 

[macfred]

Yes you can - using the MLU lever.

Yes, I know … - rgperedo knows it too (see post 1).
His problem is about firing the shutter in single exposure mode.

 

[NJH]

No MLU on the ETRS, I didn't have these problems with mine and found it all worked perfectly with film loaded. Some easy gotchas though could include the shutter button lock and the wind on as mine has a fairly stiff bit right at the end of the travel round and both of these have caught me out but only when I first got the camera and was trying to get it to dry fire. I would like to say forgetting to take the dark slide out doesn't happen but I can't be the only person who has done that more than once as I tend to leave mine in and the shutter locked out when the camera is in the bag. OP you will know that your film is winding on fine as the the counter in the film back is directly linked to the mechanism.

Really love my ETRS with the Rotary Finder.

 

[rgperedo]

Thank you all for the help and advice. I looked into every single thing that was mentioned. I re-applied the lens making sure it was placed properly. I bought a new battery, I also made sure that the shutter wasn't locked as well as making sure the double exposure setting wasn't in place. I watched several videos to load the film in correctly. So long story....um long it was the back that I had. I bought a back (and a prism finder) and the second back seems to be working perfectly. I put a roll of HP5 through it already and I have a roll of Portra 400 in it now. I will post some updates once I develop the HP5 and/or get the portra developed and scanned. I am very very grateful for all the help. I am so glad I have somewhere to discuss these things. Hopefully I'll be just as helpful in other situations. Thanks again everyone. Cheers.