Bronica Medium Format Owners Thread

Peter B said:
Congratulations and respect for choosing the MF path! Don't know if your kit will include a manual, but you can get one here: http://www.butkus.org/chinon/bronica/bronica_etrsi/bronica_etrsi.htm

There also looks to be a Group on Flickr, so I'd think that might be a resource for you in future: https://www.flickr.com/groups/etrs/

Main thing is to enjoy!
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Peter B, thanks for the info. I did download the manual a few days ago and it proved useful in getting to know the camera. I have taken 2 roll sod B&W film and they are now away being developed and scanned. I will have a look at the Flickr site and might even post an image or two. Hope the results are OK!
 
Plumtreelad said:
Peter B, thanks for the info. I did download the manual a few days ago and it proved useful in getting to know the camera. I have taken 2 roll sod B&W film and they are now away being developed and scanned. I will have a look at the Flickr site and might even post an image or two. Hope the results are OK!
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If you don't mind home scanning, a cheap S|H flatbed scanner can give good results for medium format film...and will save you money.
 
excalibur2 said:
If you don't mind home scanning, a cheap S|H flatbed scanner can give good results for medium format film...and will save you money.
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I will have al look in the web. Anything in particular I should look for in a "cheap S/H flatbed scanner"? Make, spec, price?
Thanks
 
Epson V500 is the stock answer it does everything to an acceptable level and can be had for around £100 used. There are more specialised devices but they get really spendy really quickly for mf.
 
Plumtreelad said:
I will have al look in the web. Anything in particular I should look for in a "cheap S/H flatbed scanner"? Make, spec, price?
Thanks
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Also consider the predecessor of the V500, the Epson 4490, which is just about identical in terms of specifications and can usually be found for a bit less. Same for the Epson 4990, which was succeeded by the more recent Epson V700.

Plumtreelad said:
Peter B, thanks for the info. I did download the manual a few days ago and it proved useful in getting to know the camera. I have taken 2 roll sod B&W film and they are now away being developed and scanned. I will have a look at the Flickr site and might even post an image or two. Hope the results are OK!
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While you're dependent upon others for processing and scanning, I would recommend using C41 process film (i.e., colour negative process) and not traditional black and white, as traditional black and white is far more costly (the opposite is true for home development). If you're intent on black and white images, consider using a black and white film that requires colour negative processing such as Ilford XP2 Super or Fuji 400CN. The C41 process B&W films have amazing latitude and dynamic range. I usually shoot them both at 100EI.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Fuji 400CN at the moment:





 
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Thanks guys for your info about scanners. Not sure if the fact that I have a Mac and Mavericks OS might have a bearing on the scanner?
 
Wow! Once again RJ these are great, do you do much processing after the scanning? The shine in the last shot is delicious.

I took your advices aboard and I'm now waiting two film to be developed and scanned by AG so I can see if I still get the banding problem on my negative. So I should be able to find were my trouble are originated from.

So I've been out and shooting mainly with my Olympus but a bit with the Bronica too. I just think that 80mm is either to short or too long for me. On my Olympus OM1, I really like the 35mm much more than the 50mm. I feel a bit cramped in 50mm. And the same with the Bronica I feel cramped in the 80mm. So I've been looking at wider lens and was quiet happy to see that they range from 75£ to 150£ which is affordable. Any advice if either 40mm f/4, the 50mm f/3.5 or the 50mm f/2.8 are all good lenses? Seems like some 50mm f/3.5 are going for really cheap and I think f/3.5 might be good enough for me.
 
Plumtreelad said:
Thanks guys for your info about scanners. Not sure if the fact that I have a Mac and Mavericks OS might have a bearing on the scanner?
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Might do if you want to use the scanners own software, unless Epson or who ever has updated the drivers for that scanner which you should be able to find on the manufactures website.

Other than that Vuescan may work but again I have ho idea if it is compatable with Maverick OS.

I use a dual boot on my Mac to run Snow Leopard and the software for the scanners I use :)
 
Lemaildetom said:
Wow! Once again RJ these are great, do you do much processing after the scanning? The shine in the last shot is delicious.
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Thanks! I do a very flat scan to start, being sure not to clip any highlights or shadows, and then tweak in Lightroom as necessary.

Lemaildetom said:
I took your advices aboard and I'm now waiting two film to be developed and scanned by AG so I can see if I still get the banding problem on my negative. So I should be able to find were my trouble are originated from.
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A wise move, indeed.

Lemaildetom said:
So I've been out and shooting mainly with my Olympus but a bit with the Bronica too. I just think that 80mm is either to short or too long for me. On my Olympus OM1, I really like the 35mm much more than the 50mm. I feel a bit cramped in 50mm. And the same with the Bronica I feel cramped in the 80mm. So I've been looking at wider lens and was quiet happy to see that they range from 75£ to 150£ which is affordable. Any advice if either 40mm f/4, the 50mm f/3.5 or the 50mm f/2.8 are all good lenses? Seems like some 50mm f/3.5 are going for really cheap and I think f/3.5 might be good enough for me.
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Personally, I'd be careful comparing preferences in 135 to 6x6, because of the widely different aspect ratio. Keep in mind that the vertical angle of view on an 80mm Bronica lens is the equivalent of the angle of view of approximately a 31mm lens in 135 format or something to that effect. Moreover, many of the photographs I see online feel cluttered to me and usually need to get more intimate with the subject, not farther away, so I'm always hesitant to recommend wide angles. I personally don't own anything wider than the 80mm at the moment, anyway

At any rate, with regard to 50mm lenses, it is the SQ-A that you own, right? There is no 50mm f/2.8 in the SQ lineup, only f/3.5; if it is an f/2.8, it is meant for the ETR series. The thing to keep in mind with the 50mm f/3.5 for the SQ is that the S lens has 67mm filter thread, while I believe the PS lens has a 72mm thread.

Plumtreelad said:
Thanks guys for your info about scanners. Not sure if the fact that I have a Mac and Mavericks OS might have a bearing on the scanner?
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I had to go back to OS X 10.8.5, because a few of the programmes I require for my PhD weren't compatible with Mavericks, but I've never had any difficulty with my combination of Epson scanner, OS X, and Vuescan at any point.
 
skysh4rk said:
Thanks! I do a very flat scan to start, being sure not to clip any highlights or shadows, and then tweak in Lightroom as necessary.



A wise move, indeed.



Personally, I'd be careful comparing preferences in 135 to 6x6, because of the widely different aspect ratio. Keep in mind that the vertical angle of view on an 80mm Bronica lens is the equivalent of the angle of view of approximately a 31mm lens in 135 format or something to that effect. Moreover, many of the photographs I see online feel cluttered to me and usually need to get more intimate with the subject, not farther away, so I'm always hesitant to recommend wide angles. I personally don't own anything wider than the 80mm at the moment, anyway

At any rate, with regard to 50mm lenses, it is the SQ-A that you own, right? There is no 50mm f/2.8 in the SQ lineup, only f/3.5; if it is an f/2.8, it is meant for the ETR series. The thing to keep in mind with the 50mm f/3.5 for the SQ is that the S lens has 67mm filter thread, while I believe the PS lens has a 72mm thread.



I had to go back to OS X 10.8.5, because a few of the programmes I require for my PhD weren't compatible with Mavericks, but I've never had any difficulty with my combination of Epson scanner, OS X, and Vuescan at any point.
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Thanks all these clarification RJ. I'll give it a good thought!
I was on out on an archaeological dig and the confined space made the 80mm really hard to use. I know it might no be comparable but when I got my 35mm lens on 35mm format film camera it made the camera so much more appealing to me.
 
Lemaildetom said:
Thanks all these clarification RJ. I'll give it a good thought!
I was on out on an archaeological dig and the confined space made the 80mm really hard to use. I know it might no be comparable but when I got my 35mm lens on 35mm format film camera it made the camera so much more appealing to me.
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If space is tight, then go wider by all means! Just pick one of the wider lenses up and see how you go. If you like it, keep it; If not, you should be able to sell it for nearly what you paid, provided you don't pay over the odds.
 
ok noob question but does the battery have to have some life in it to work the shutter? or is it just there to drive the metering of an Etrsi? I just shot a roll and dev'd it only to get a totally blank strip out of the tank, not even a hint of an image to be seen. Actually the batter is charged and the test light comes on so im not sure whats going on with it.
 
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essexash said:
ok noob question but does the battery have to have some life in it to work the shutter? or is it just there to drive the metering of an Etrsi? I just shot a roll and dev'd it only to get a totally blank strip out of the tank, not even a hint of an image to be seen. Actually the batter is charged and the test light comes on so im not sure whats going on with it.
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You need a battery, but have a mechanical shutter speed of 1/500 for an emergency...but have forgotten if you have to select 1/500 or you get it automatically if the battery fails, and can't check my one as I have a film in it, and rather than take the back off someone else would know the answer.
 
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well like i say the battery test light comes on so i think there's a charge there. I was setting up a shot for the POTY thing and used my Nikon to take some test shots to make sure it looked ok, then just copied the settings from that onto the Bronny. There cant be any metering issues between digital and film surely?
 
essexash said:
well like i say the battery test light comes on so i think there's a charge there. I was setting up a shot for the POTY thing and used my Nikon to take some test shots to make sure it looked ok, then just copied the settings from that onto the Bronny. There cant be any metering issues between digital and film surely?
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settings for exposure would be similar whether using digital or film.
 
Turn the multiple-exposure protection off, and dry fire the shutter a few times on different speeds, see if it's opening?
 
abdoujaparov said:
Turn the multiple-exposure protection off, and dry fire the shutter a few times on different speeds, see if it's opening?
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I had to do that with mine because it was missing the check light and it flattened batteries very quickly.


Steve.
 
abdoujaparov said:
Turn the multiple-exposure protection off, and dry fire the shutter a few times on different speeds, see if it's opening?
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Yeah its buggered. The battery check light is clearly no use :) or the camera is just knackered.
 
essexash said:
Yeah its buggered. The battery check light is clearly no use :) or the camera is just knackered.
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Sometimes the battery check button can draw enough energy from the batteries to light the battery indicator, but it won't draw enough to operate the shutter.

Also, check what type of batteries you're using. Bronica recommends silver oxide, says that alkaline are okay, but discourages the use of lithium batteries at all. I believe Lithium batteries will light the battery indicator, but can fail to provide sufficient power when it's time to take a photo.

I myself had a problem with my SQ-A saying that the battery was okay (and it was), but the body no longer seemed to be communicating with the lenses (something was up with the electronics) and it was only firing at 1/500 (I learned this only after shooting a roll of slide film). I sent it along to Miles Whitehead and it came back two weeks later as good as new.
 
Hi all

nice to see this thread

I have had quite a few Bronica MF Cameras over the years ETR, ETRs, ETRsi, SQ, SQA, SQAi and even an old S2A, sadly I no longer own any of them or any of the other MF Cameras I have owned in the past Mamiya 330F, Mamiya 67 Hasselblad 500CM, 500ELM plus a few others I cannot remember.

For scanning I still use an Epson 4490 as recommended above but used to own a Minolta Pro scan that could do MF scans at 4000dpi, which cost a fortune to buy and sold for next to nothing.

Nice to see film still being used.

Paul
 
Paul-H said:
Hi all

nice to see this thread

I have had quite a few Bronica MF Cameras over the years ETR, ETRs, ETRsi, SQ, SQA, SQAi and even an old S2A, sadly I no longer own any of them or any of the other MF Cameras I have owned in the past Mamiya 330F, Mamiya 67 Hasselblad 500CM, 500ELM plus a few others I cannot remember.

For scanning I still use an Epson 4490 as recommended above but used to own a Minolta Pro scan that could do MF scans at 4000dpi, which cost a fortune to buy and sold for next to nothing.

Nice to see film still being used.

Paul
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Hey Paul. Drop in more often, ever think about shooting some Fillum for fun ?
 
trevorbray said:
Hey Paul. Drop in more often, ever think about shooting some Fillum for fun ?
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As I believe a wise man once said... "fillum is the future"
 
Just sold the last of my Hasselblad kit but keeping my Bronica gear, ETRS and RF645. Hasselblad keeps a good price but Bronica you can buy for buttons. Never quite figured it out because as good as Zeiss lenses are, Bronica are up there too.
 
I'm a nub Bronica user, but I'm absolutely lovin' it - not as a No Surrender film die hard, but simply because I find that it gives me rewards, and the results (for fun), that I wasn't getting any longer in digital. I like the medium of film and it's qualities. I get to use cameras that I could not dream of affording new. I like the process of film. With digital, I couldn't find a style. I'm starting slowly to find my way now with home processed b/w 120.

Even now I couldn't justify the expense of a good condition 'Blad. The Bronica SQ system though is plentiful and extremely good value. I use mine quite often as a carry around. I enjoy the challenge of shooting - sometimes even candidly, with a fully manual system camera. The interchangeable film backs are a great feature with changeable British weather and light. I carry two or three with me in a ruck sack - with different films.

It's just such a great camera to use. When I'm in London or Cambridge, I'm surrounded by black plastic entry level Canikons everywhere, but even though my Browni-ka cost significantly less, I'd rather be with it any day.
 
I have a Bronica SQA, 50mm, 80mm 150mm lens, 2 x 120 backs, used to shoot B&W useing Ilford Delta 100. Its a great bit of kit but have moved to LF. Bought a Sinar F1 with a 150mm Nikon lens. So the Bronica is not getting the use it deserves. Needs a new home.

Cliff
 
Good old Hasselblad, every Bronica/Mamiya user used to be made to feel inferior to the Blad owners, Hasselblad the Rolls Royce of Cameras. ;)

As I always said its ok spending three times the cost of a Bronica to get the "Rolls Royce" but should you have a camera that you can shoot 12 photos with no film in the camera, should you be able to make accidental multiple exposures, should you have a camera that has such a small mirror that the top of the screen goes black if you use a lens longer than 80mm, should you have backs that the insert and outer have to be hand matched or risk un even film winding, should you have a camera that is so prone to not cocking the shutter properly that they tell you in the instructions how to fix it with a screw driver, thats what you used to get with the Rolls Royce of medium format cameras, but never got with Bronica, Mamiya, Pentax medium format cameras.

In case you are still wondering I was not quite so impressed with Hasselblad cameras and I have owned a few. :)

They did have a more solid feel though so I will give them that.

Paul
 
I agree about 'blads. Personally (and I know that they were and are excellent) I think the majority of the cost of one is for the name. There are many similar systems out there for a fraction of the cost that give 90+% of the IQ. Similar think with Leica/voigtlander lenses.
 
abdoujaparov said:
More blank frames on my last roll. I completely forgot to take a shot-log, but I can rule out accidentally tripping the shutter. The camera was hanging around my neck with the cap off the entire time, so it would have been shots of my feet, not blank ones.

There's a roll in the camera right now, so I can't check, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's not firing at 1/125.
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Well, I finished the roll, and spent the last hour dry firing it with the back off. The shutter fails to open randomly. It happens on multiple speeds, from 1/500 to 8s. It happens with shutter lock on, and with it off. I changed the battery, and it still happens. I took the lens off, gave the contacts a rub with a lens cloth (I have no alcohol to try that). Still happens. The only extra clue I got is that the red light comes on and stays on when it happens (so at least I'll know when it's happened).

I just sent an email to Miles Whitehead to ask if he thought he could fix it. Ugh. Next time I'm buying from a dealer.
 
abdoujaparov said:
The shutter fails to open randomly. It happens on multiple speeds, from 1/500 to 8s. It happens with shutter lock on, and with it off. I changed the battery, and it still happens.
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How are you getting blank frames with the shutter lock on? Surely the camera shouldn't be taking any picture with the lock on?

abdoujaparov said:
I changed the battery, and it still happens.
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And it's the right kind of battery (i.e., not lithium)?
 
If I remember correctly,with the back off,the lens will only fire with multi exposure lever on, are you sure that you need Miles? Have a good look at the manual,it could be a process problem.
 
skysh4rk said:
How are you getting blank frames with the shutter lock on? Surely the camera shouldn't be taking any picture with the lock on?



And it's the right kind of battery (i.e., not lithium)?
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Sorry, late at night posting. I meant the mirror lock, not the shutter lock. And alkaline battery (4LR4).

medwaygreen said:
If I remember correctly,with the back off,the lens will only fire with multi exposure lever on, are you sure that you need Miles? Have a good look at the manual,it could be a process problem.
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Aye, I was dry-firing with multi-exposure on. Not a process problem, as far as I can tell - it works most of the time, and some times it doesn't.

Miles said either it's not fully cocking, or the release is sticking. £45-55.
 
Miles will always do a great job.
 
abdoujaparov said:
Aye, I was dry-firing with multi-exposure on. Not a process problem, as far as I can tell - it works most of the time, and some times it doesn't.
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Might just need to be used ? Some of my amusing experiences with old gear (maybe an idea for a thread) :- I had a lens that had sticky blades and it took 3 years to work properly (mind you I wasn't using it all the time) and had to use an elastic band to store it at f16 before use....the exposure readings in the view finder on my Konica FT1 decided to light up after about a year, and so on.............................
So what has my ramblings to do with your problem? Well as a last resort you could fire it at all speeds for about 200 times?
 
excalibur2 said:
Well as a last resort you could fire it at all speeds for about 200 times?
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Aye, done that - I'd think "yay, fixed it!" and then it happened again, but you're right, I could stand to do it another 200 times.

As it happens, I've sidestepped the issue of getting it serviced by buying a new lens. I popped into Camera Centre in Cardiff today, and they had a PS 110mm f4 Macro (well, faux macro - macraux?) in stock, and I impulse-bought it. This way I get to use the SQ-A again, confirm it's the lens and not the body, get a different focal length *and* close focussing, for not a whole lot more than the cost of fixing the old lens, and I still have the old one if I need to use it or fix it.
 
abdoujaparov said:
Aye, done that - I'd think "yay, fixed it!" and then it happened again, but you're right, I could stand to do it another 200 times.

As it happens, I've sidestepped the issue of getting it serviced by buying a new lens. I popped into Camera Centre in Cardiff today, and they had a PS 110mm f4 Macro (well, faux macro - macraux?) in stock, and I impulse-bought it. This way I get to use the SQ-A again, confirm it's the lens and not the body, get a different focal length *and* close focussing, for not a whole lot more than the cost of fixing the old lens, and I still have the old one if I need to use it or fix it.
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Yay..nothing works as well as retail therapy..
 
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