Nippon Kogaku 50mm F3.5 for Bronica any good?

pete_mod · Mar 9, 2016

It looks like a Bronica S or S2 and a 50mm F3.5 is an inexpensive way to get into a wide angle 6x6 SLR with waist level finder. Does anyone have experience with this lens? How is the distortion and corner sharpness? Any comparisons to a Zeiss 50mm of the same vintage for a Hassy?

Thanks!

cooltouch · Mar 10, 2016

It's been over 20 years since I shot with my Bronica EC-TL outfit and lenses. I had an assortment of lenses -- some Nikkors and some Zenzas. Looking back at the slides and negatives I shot, all I can say is that all the lenses I had for that old EC-TL did an excellent job. No vignetting, great corner-to-corner sharpness. I don't have any specific recollections regarding the wide angle I had. I don't even recall if it was a Nikkor, but it did a good job. Here's a shot taken with my 75mm f/2.8 Nikkor.

A section of the Painted Desert in northern Arizona. Bronica EC-TL, Nikkor 75mm f/2.8, Fujichrome 100. Scanned at 2400ppi with an Epson 4990.

Oh, and I recommend that you go for the S2 over the S. The S2 is much more reliable. The EC and EC-TL are also great choices. They're battery dependent, but well made, and they take the same lenses as the S and S2. I like the EC-TL because it has a built-in TTL meter, which I found to be quite accurate.

mgb74 · Mar 10, 2016

Shot chrome with one on a S2 many years ago. Impressive. But, with any lens this old, there may be as much sample to sample difference as inherent quality (when new).

pete_mod · Mar 10, 2016

Thanks for the replies.

What appeals to be about this combo is the size of the camera with a 50mm lens. I like the Hasselblad, but not the size of it with a 50mm and that is the lens I plan on using the most. The fact that the Bronica is inexpensive is really just a bonus as long as the quality of the lens is worthy of the film.

I ended up buying the kit in the photo below for only $300. For me it seems like a huge bargain for a medium format kit. Hopefully that 50mm will good.

mgb74 · Mar 10, 2016

pete_mod said:
Thanks for the replies.

What appeals to be about this combo is the size of the camera with a 50mm lens. I like the Hasselblad, but not the size of it with a 50mm and that is the lens I plan on using the most. The fact that the Bronica is inexpensive is really just a bonus as long as the quality of the lens is worthy of the film.

I ended up buying the kit in the photo below for only $300. For me it seems like a huge bargain for a medium format kit. Hopefully that 50mm will good.

I'm going on memory here, but I think the Bronica S2 body is larger than 500-series Hasselblad but the lens is smaller. Without side by side comparison, I'd assume about the same overall size.

If the Bronica shutter is reliable, you should be very happy with that kit.

frank · Mar 10, 2016

The Bronica is 1 1/4 shorter, but at least that much wider. The Bronica winding knob is quite big. I just placed then side by each to check.

pete_mod · Mar 10, 2016

Hi Frank, thanks for the comparison photo. Any comments on how the two lenses compare?

Trond · Mar 11, 2016

I have the Nikkor-OC 50mm 2.8, and have previously owned and used both the Nikkor-O 50mm 2.8 (same lens as the one mentioned earlier, but without multi coating) and the Nikkor-H 50mm 3.5.

My experiences are that:

The 2.8 version is very sharp, also wide open, and sharper than the 3.5
The 3.5 vignettes noticeably more than the 2.8
The 2.8 without multi coating flares quite easily (using a hood is important!), so I would recommend the multi coated version (it took me some time to find one)
The 2.8 is larger (although it uses smaller filters)

Trond

pete_mod · Mar 11, 2016

Hi Trond,

Thanks for the insights. I will play with the kit and see how it goes. If I like the format (I've only used Rollei TLRs up to this point) then maybe I will just get the Hasselblad equivalent. Although I do like how cheap the Bronica is as I could just go out and shoot and not have to 'baby it' like I would with a Hasselblad (or my Rollei).

frank · Mar 11, 2016

pete_mod said:
Hi Frank, thanks for the comparison photo. Any comments on how the two lenses compare?

Hello Pete. I acquired both 50mm lenses just last year and a hip operation has interfered with me using them, so I can't say. I'm extrapolating from using the normal lenses from both systems: if you are a stickler for technical perfection (and cost is no consideration), Hasselblad would have an edge, but those results sometimes feel a bit cold and clinical compared to Bronca's Nikkors. We don't live far from each other so if you wanted, we could arrange to meet and I'll bring both cameras with their 50's.

cooltouch · Mar 11, 2016

Pete, that's a nice looking S2 outfit. Be sure to let us know what you think of it once you've had a chance to use it some.

frank · Mar 11, 2016

pete_mod said:
Thanks for the replies.

What appeals to be about this combo is the size of the camera with a 50mm lens. I like the Hasselblad, but not the size of it with a 50mm and that is the lens I plan on using the most. The fact that the Bronica is inexpensive is really just a bonus as long as the quality of the lens is worthy of the film.

I ended up buying the kit in the photo below for only $300. For me it seems like a huge bargain for a medium format kit. Hopefully that 50mm will good.

Excellent!

Sirius Glass · Mar 11, 2016

Bronica lenses and others made by them [for example: Tamron] are well made and optically good lenses. There is nothing wrong with them.

Alan Gales · Mar 11, 2016

I've never shot the 50mm Nikkor but I owned the 40mm Nikkor. It was amazing. The 40mm's are pretty rare now. I sold mine to a collector.

The 75mm Nikkor is also a great lens. Sharp, sharp, sharp. I would suspect the 50mm to be a great performer as well.

Just get the S2a or the EC. They both have improved steel gearing over the brass gearing of the earlier S camera's film advance. If you do get an older model then advance the film with the knob and don't fold out the handle or you could strip the gears. The ECtl's were fine cameras but if the electronic meters fail you end up with a doorstop.

If you like portraiture then get the 150mm Bronica lens. Not as sharp as the Nikkors but a real peach for portraits.

pete_mod · Mar 12, 2016

Thanks again for the replies.

Camera is on its way, so I am looking forward to trying it out. I think the 50mm lens will appeal to me as 35mm is my favorite focal length on 35mm film.

Frank, I will send you a PM regarding meeting up in the near future. I would love to take a look at your Hasselblad up close to see if I like it better than the Bronica (while trying to ignore the fact that it says Hasselblad on it). I can bring my Rolleiflex 2.8e, not sure if you have one, but you are welcome to take it for a spin (I have a complete filter and Rolleinar set). Also, you don't happen to have a Rolleiflex SL66 in your collection do you? That's another camera that's on my list of "potentialy perfect cameras for me".

frank · Mar 12, 2016

Okay, Pete. I've got a Rollei TLR, a 3.5E. I don't have an SL66 but I do have a 6003.

rubbernglue · Apr 27, 2016

Just stumbled upon this thread and I felt I had to respond as I love that 50/3.5 lens! Several times I have thought about getting the 2.8 for the half stop of light, but have yet to find a better reason since I find the depth of field absolutely amazing with this one. I have the 50/3.5 75/2.8 135/3.5 200/4 and I rarely use any of the other, not because they are bad, but because the 50 is that good It may not be tha sharpest lens in the world, but definitely sharp enough for me. It is also a great lens to use along with the extension rings!

Bronica S with 50/3.5

Nippon Kogaku 50mm F3.5 for Bronica any good?

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