Bronica SQA (2nd EDIT - won SQA + bits!)

ekimeno

ekimeno

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Thinking of treating myself with my Xmas bonus this year by getting an SQA and a 50mm lens. Just a couple of questions, though...

I currently have a ETRS 6x4.5 which works great and love the waist level finder - wouldn't change it for the world and will keep this camera. Would I be able to use any bits from the ETRS on an SQA body at all? ie. the WLF, 6x4.5 back and my 75mm lens or would I need a special bits for the SQA?

Obviously trying to buy my way into an SQA as cheaply as possible, hence the request for some kind of sharing of parts with the ETRS... mainly I think the lenses and WLF would be the big expense. I can live with using just a 6x6 back, but using 6x4.5 once in a while would be nice.

Also, any suggestions other than eBay to buy one of these babies - body only or complete...?
 
AFAIK nothing is interchangeable between the two systems, they're completely separate designs I think. As for places to shop try mxv.co.uk or ffordes. Mr CAD has quite a bit of stock but is waaaaay overpriced in my opinion.
 
Ffordes have quite a few used SQAs in stock. I find their descriptions reliable and their prices usually pretty reasonable.

I agree with Kev - Mr Cad's prices are way OTT!
 
Mr Cad have stock.....................but PRICES!!!!!!

Ffordes have some nice deals, same with MXV.

I got mine from eBay and just bought nice little set up with body, lens, two 6x6 backs, WLF, polaroid and other bits. Nice little buy really.

So worth checking out eBay really ;)
 
I can confirm (having owned both) that there is no possibility of using your ETRS bits on an SQa.

(Apart from "universal" things like cable or air releases)
 
Thanks all for these confirmations and advice. I'm thinking the best way forward would be to just get an SQA complete with 80mm lens and then go for a 50mm lens, spare 6x6 and a 6x4.5 back... and then sell my ETRS since I'll be sorted for backs and lenses with the SQA.

MXV does look best for pricing. I bought my ETRS at Mr Cad last time and though their service was excellent, their pricing was substantially higher than most other places.
 
Ekimino try ffordes I just bought a mb15 for £39.00 MINT well packed fast delivery resonable postage.
Guid health:beer:
 
Anyone have any comments on a Bronica S2A? Also a 6x6... any real difference to an SQA apart from it looking really cool :shrug:
 
The flash sync speed on them is ridiculously slow, may or may not be an isue for you. It's a nicer looking camera though IMO, if I had the money I'd buy one just to put on my desk and look at. Try a search on here I'm sure I asked simliar questions a few months back.
 
Hi

I had an SQA and it was a really nice camera. I also remember looking at an S2A and not being that impressed but its so long ago I really can't remember why.

I would ask for a part exchange deal with ffordes, it might not be that easy to sell the etrs
 
ekimeno said:
Anyone have any comments on a Bronica S2A? Also a 6x6... any real difference to an SQA apart from it looking really cool :shrug:
Click to expand...


:LOL: I watched an S2 on ebay for you after reading this thread, I contemplated mentioning it, but I thought you'd want something newer....

OOO, I lie, I watched an S2a too, 11 minutes and counting :LOL:

I know a far bit about this range, I had an EC for 4 years which is almost identical except for the split mirror and electronic shutter control, rather than mechanical.
Bronica S, S2, S2A, EC & ECTL (adds metering to an EC) are completely different to the SQ range, they are mostly metal and built like tanks, the SQ has a lot of plastic in its make-up, still well built but more fragile.
Age is the caveat, the S and the S2 are reported to be less reliable mechanically than the S2A and EC, they all suffer from seal degradation, the youngest model is the EC, mid 70's, I had to replace the seals on it.
Apart from that, if you get a good'en it'll out live you, if you don't, repairs are costly, there aren't as many parts around as there is for the SQ range.
Same with extras, they are available, just thin on the ground.
Prices vary, a lot !, but you can pick up bargains, lenses are interchangable between all models with the right helical.
I bought a 50 for the EC, it was completely beau, and nothing like the lenses I had seen before, 82mm filter thread on an F/3.5 50....:eek:...it was enormous but sexy as hell.
Shutter speeds are (on the EC anyway) bulb - 1/1000th, flash sync is 1/60th unless you have a leaf shutter lens.

2r62zk6.jpg
 
Is it wrong that looking at S2's give me a funny feeling in my tummy that my SQ doesn't?
 
Its not the body so much as the glass, I dunno why there is so much difference between an SQ and an S serise 50.
There's, like 20 acres of domey rainbow glass real estate as a front element on the S, the SQ is no less a performer but just nothing like..:shrug:
This mamiya 6 50 is the same, same 6x6 format, ok its a rangefinder but there's no glass in it hardly, comparatively..
 
joxby said:
:LOL: I watched an S2 on ebay for you after reading this thread, I contemplated mentioning it, but I thought you'd want something newer....

OOO, I lie, I watched an S2a too, 11 minutes and counting :LOL:

I know a far bit about this range, I had an EC for 4 years which is almost identical except for the split mirror and electronic shutter control, rather than mechanical.
Bronica S, S2, S2A, EC & ECTL (adds metering to an EC) are completely different to the SQ range, they are mostly metal and built like tanks, the SQ has a lot of plastic in its make-up, still well built but more fragile.
Age is the caveat, the S and the S2 are reported to be less reliable mechanically than the S2A and EC, they all suffer from seal degradation, the youngest model is the EC, mid 70's, I had to replace the seals on it.
Apart from that, if you get a good'en it'll out live you, if you don't, repairs are costly, there aren't as many parts around as there is for the SQ range.
Same with extras, they are available, just thin on the ground.
Prices vary, a lot !, but you can pick up bargains, lenses are interchangable between all models with the right helical.
I bought a 50 for the EC, it was completely beau, and nothing like the lenses I had seen before, 82mm filter thread on an F/3.5 50....:eek:...it was enormous but sexy as hell.
Shutter speeds are (on the EC anyway) bulb - 1/1000th, flash sync is 1/60th unless you have a leaf shutter lens.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this info, joxby. I was bidding on an S2A a couple of days ago, but I was outbid and the camera ended up selling for £170-odd. (EDIT: it was the same bid you were referring to - the 2nd one) Didn't know how much these cameras usually go for, but I now know that this price was about right and am bidding on another...

I don't use flash with my medium format shots, so it's limitations in this don't really worry me. ;)
 
Kev M said:
Is it wrong that looking at S2's give me a funny feeling in my tummy that my SQ doesn't?
Click to expand...

Best reason I can think of for buying a camera, or anything else for that matter. There's something very chunky and appealing about those S2s.
 
Well, didn't end up going for a S2A, but rather an SQ-A which I just won on eBay with a few bits and pieces - sorry to anyone on here that may have been bidding - I was hungry for this and the price I got it for I think was a steal.

SQ-A Camera with 80mm f2.8 PS lens & WLF & 120 back
150mm f/4 PS lens with hood (boxed)
AE Prism finder
Spare 120 back
Polaroid back
Speed grip

All for £362 + £15 delivery :naughty:

EDIT: Oh, and I ended up selling the ETRS on the bay as well - £150.

It's going to be a luurrrrvley Xmas!
 
cherryrig said:
There are words I can't say on this fourm about that deal right there but

:eek::nuts::nuts::geek::bonk::woot:

Those will do
Click to expand...

Yep I was jumping up and down and hit my head on the ceiling when I won this lot! I worked out how much this would have set me back at ffordes (which actually has good prices), and I'd be looking at around £600. Of course, it could all be in crap condition, but from the images, it all looks fairly minty :love:

Still need a 50mm for the wide stuff, but I think I can live without for now while I play with the 80mm and 150mm PS lenses.

cherry, I guess every dog has his day with nice bargains... *cough* £10 worth of polaroid film *cough* :LOL:

53b9_3.JPG
 
I guess now that I have a polaroid back, I'll need polaroid film for it - what kind did you get? Is it the 669 for the SQA back?

I often feel that a lot of film gets wasted by bracketing shots as I'm unsure if the shot will be correctly exposed - I usually only end up keeping 3 or 4 shots out of 15 (on my old 6 x 4.5 ETRS back) due to this. Having a polaroid back gives you a fighting chance at getting the exposure right... I guess :shrug: I suppose polaroid film is a bit hard to find nowadays, though...
 
You can take a lend of my 50mm if you find a use for it and I don't need it, providing you don't hog it that is. Perhaps you'll dislike it, buy a 40mm and return the favour. ;)

Plenty of 5 packs of Fuji 100 Polaroid on Ebay, slightly out of date but who cares right. fuji stuff is actually fairly plentiful at the mnute but it certainl aint cheap for the fresh stuff.
 
Kev, that's a very generous offer and may take you up on it (y)

I'm certainly planning on taking the SQ-A to South Africa in April - I have vast mountain and rocky desert plateaus in mind :woot: But hopefully I'll have either a 50mm or 40mm of my own by then.

Hmm - I'll check eBay out once I get the camera, but at the moment my funds are on a strict diet until end of Jan!
 
ekimeno said:
Kev, that's a very generous offer and may take you up on it (y)

I'm certainly planning on taking the SQ-A to South Africa in April - I have vast mountain and rocky desert plateaus in mind :woot: But hopefully I'll have either a 50mm or 40mm of my own by then.

Hmm - I'll check eBay out once I get the camera, but at the moment my funds are on a strict diet until end of Jan!
Click to expand...

I remember selling a couple of 40mm when I worked in retail they were quite hefty to carry around but a lovely piece of glass !

The S2A was a bit of a cronky beast and that was over ten years ago
 
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