Bronica ETRSi question(s)

FishyFish

FishyFish

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Nige
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Hi,

I've bought myself an ETRSi which arrived in the post this morning. It has the speed grip and AEII prism finder attached. Unfortunately, it came without the dark slide (the seller is sending one through after I contacted them about it).

I tried the camera with no film earlier and the shutter fired as expected, but I noticed that the film-advance lever required two strokes to release the mirror. I'm not sure if this is normal?

I also noticed that the multi-exposure switch was set to active, so I put it back to the horizontal position. However, now that I've done that the shutter no longer fires. Am I right in thinking that you cannot fire the shutter on the camera with no film loaded (but if so, why was it firing previously)?

Thanks.
 
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Hi Nige,

Nice pressie you bought yourself then!

I used to have an etrs 645 so presuming there is little difference in the models and if I can recall bits, I'll try and help until the more clever guys arrive!

From what I remember the film advanced required the best part of two strokes to advance the film and cock the shutter so that sounds about normal.

Without a doubt firing the shutter without a film back on the camera is possible ( remember I'm not talking from experience with the etrsi !!).
Nonetheless I cannot 100% recall how it was done…...I seem to recall there was a lever on the rhs of the body which had two, maybe three settings...One of these allowed the shutter to fire without a fim back.

I found the etrs a bit like the RZ67 with a number of "safety" features ….Not a bad thing if using the gear regularly but if left for several months, trying to figure out how to operate it again can be frustrating.

Im sure that the issues you're experienceing are user error and the cmera is fine.

Have you searched for an instruction manual PDF online ...butkus or similar?
 
Both are normal :) The film advance lever on the speed grip to needs two strokes to advance to the next frame, and if you don't have any film in the camera then it needs to be set to multiexposure mode to fire the shutter. On single exposure with no film loaded, it won't fire.
 
It was firing previously because the multi-exposure switch was overriding the shutter control system. My ETRs (no 'i') will only fire with a lens attached, film in place and the dark slide removed.

Releasing the mirror is not a thing here. My ETRs requires just short of one turn of the film advance handle to advance the film, cock the shutter and return both the mirror and secondary shutter to their normal positions. If you had no film loaded, the film could not be advanced - that will probably explain why the mirror system is not working as normal.

It is best to try kit as it is intended to work, otherwise won't work.
 
Asha said:
Voila!:

https://www.butkus.org/chinon/bronica/bronica_etrsi/bronica_etrsi.htm
Click to expand...

Thanks Asha - I'd already taken a look at the manual (well, all three - one for the camera, one for the speed-grip, and another for the AEII prism). They probably contain all the info I need, but I wanted to check with the friendly Talk Photography peeps in case I was misunderstanding something. :)

Now I just need to use some dumb-bells to gain the strength to be able to handle it easily!
 
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FishyFish said:
Now I just need to use some dumb-bells to gain the strength to be able to handle it easily!
Click to expand...

Now let's get this right:

You need to get out with the Bronny everyday for 6 weeks to build up muscles to enable you to start lifting dumbells in the gym!;):LOL:
 
FishyFish said:
Thanks Asha - I'd already taken a look at the manual (well, all three - one for the camera, one for the speed-grip, and another for the AEII prism). They probably contain all the info I need, but I wanted to check with the friendly Talk Photography peeps in case I was misunderstanding something. :)

Now I just need to use some dumb-bells to gain the strength to be able to handle it easily!
Click to expand...


LOL. Try carting a 1dx2 and a 300mm 2.8 mkii around, the ETRSI will fell like a P&S.

Gotta love the ETRSI though. Well done.
 
FishyFish said:
Another question - does anyone know where I might acquire a film advance crank (in case I want to use it without the speed grip)?
Click to expand...

I spent some time looking for one last year when I wanted to use my ETRS without the speed grip. They don't seem to be that common and are silly money for a little plastic handle, so I didn't bother getting one. Occasionally they go on eBay for <£30 but are usually £40-50 or more. I might just make one out of wood :LOL:
 
Carl Hall said:
I spent some time looking for one last year when I wanted to use my ETRS without the speed grip. They don't seem to be that common and are silly money for a little plastic handle, so I didn't bother getting one. Occasionally they go on eBay for <£30 but are usually £40-50 or more. I might just make one out of wood :LOL:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw one earlier for a similary inflated price. I didn't know if it was a chancer or if that was the actual cost - looks like the latter! Maybe one of the friendly 3D-printer owning forumites would be helpful? :wave:

Waist-level finders seem pretty expensive too.
 
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Well I'd swap a mint ETRSi crank handle or waist level viewfinder for a VG condition basic F4 body.
 
I got my first test-roll from the Bronica back today. My model had the plain ground-glass screen when I bought it and I found it pretty difficult to get fine focus - especially at wider apertures and close subjects, but I managed to find a replacement screen on eBay with a microprism / diagonal split-prism centre. The replacement screen is somewhat grungy and scratched when compared to the pristine plain glass screen, but it's FAR easier to focus, so it's staying in the camera. :)

Anyway, here are three shots from today that I've scanned and uploaded so far:

Bronica ETRSi
Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE
Kodak Tri-X (expired)

1

FILM - Little landscapes by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr

2

FILM - Church gate by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr

3

FILM - Resting places by fishyfish_arcade, on Flickr
 
Any sharper and you'd be cutting yourself on these shots Nige! How did you dev the Tri-x?
 
Peter B said:
Any sharper and you'd be cutting yourself on these shots Nige! How did you dev the Tri-x?
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Thanks Peter. I devved it by taking it to Peak Imaging and letting them do the work (they use XTOL though). :)

Peak did a great job - I dropped it off at around 1pm and was able to collect the negs before they closed. (y)
 
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