Bronica SQ-A

Sorry if this has been asked before but I want a nice Medium Format

too shoot with. I am a fan of the square format so the SQ-A sounds

good. I will primarily be shooting skate photography with it as I

will be using my f5 for most other things. Although I may shoot some

studio portraits with the bronica. I have gotten mixed reviews from

bronicas. I just want some input on it. What are the differences

between all the SQ series and which one would be the best for me. I

am planning to get something used from keh or b&h. And also I need

to know what I should get to start out. The actual body, 80mm lens

and one or two 120 film backs, and a viewfinder. Also what

viewfinder should I get ,a WLF?, like whats the difference between

them. Sorry if I sound so unprofessional I guess its just the

giddiness of getting ready to expand into the MF world. Your help is

much appreciated. Thanks....Andrew

I'm working with Bronica (ETRSi) for some time and I must say I'm impressed of it's quality. Never mind the reviews, most are written by people who have never used a Bronica extensivly and couldn't know anything about it anyway.

 

Depending on your ways you work you can get either a WLF wich requires a seperate lightmeter, a prism without lightmeter (still needs a seperate lightmeter) or a fully metered Prism. A fully metered prism is somewhat more expensive but it has it's advantages (also it's disadvantages of course). You can of course buy one with a metered prism now and later add a WLF. WLF's are more something for the studio IMHO.

I guess I could just get a WLF then. I could use the meter on my f5 or try and pick up a sekonic or something.

I got a prism finder right away when buying my Bronica SQ-A, but I've stopped using it in favor of the waist level. The main reason is that the prism is dimmer and has low magnification, which means that it's hard to focus. I get sharper pictures with the waist level, and I also appreciate the ergonomics of it. I've kept the prism for fast-moving situations and for when I'm shooting downwards.

I've been using a Bronica SQ-Ai as my main camera for nine years, which of course makes me biased in some respects but realistic in others. There's nothing about a Bronica that is going to get you worse photographs than any other 6x6 slr, so if you like it, get it.

 

Think about the following though.

 

The SQ-A was made between 1981 and 1990. So any camera you buy is going to be at least 15 years old and maybe 25 years old. That increases the chance that somewhere in its life there's been a period of hard professional use. Also its lens is likely to be the older S series rather than the newer PS series which are multicoated and supposedly superior. Now medium format cameras have never been made in the quantities that tend to produce a lifetime of use without repair or servicing, and cameras of any and every brand vary a lot on the reliability issue- we all buy hoping we're going to get a good one, and if not, then a warranty. But I guess I have to say that given todays used pricing I'd rather buy a used SQ-Ai from 1990 to approx 2004 with PS lenses than an old one. Not that it gets me any guarantees, but it tilts the odds in my favour a bit.

 

Next, finders. The first question is whether you want to have the camera at eye height or waist height when photographing. If the former you need a prism. If the latter you get to choose between a prism and a waist level finder. The wlf is cheaper but can't meter and gives you a laterally reversed image. Some people get used to this easier than others. Some people spend a lifetime moving the camera the wrong way when they want to change their composition. Prisms generally- but not always- present a laterally correct image. In parallel you need to decide whether you want in-camera metering or use a separate meter. The vehicle for in-camera metering is a prism and there are various types with different capabilities. None of them are as smart as the matrix metering on a modern slr; none of them have a vey narrow spotmeter.

 

If your are intending to use this camera hand-held ( and arguably even if you don't) get a speedgrip. It transforms the handling.

 

When you get a camera try and get/download a set of instructions. Otherwise you'll have a lot of questions. The Bronica is simpler to operate than some mf systems, and there's nothing especially fiendish about them, but most people need some help in working things out initially and used cameras mostly come without instructions - though you can buy them on eBay.

ok sounds like the bronica would be a good cam for me. Im just wondering what exactly do I have to get? like the body, a back, a lens and a WLF thats all?

I like the prism (eye level view finder) mostly because it helped me transition from 35 to MF easily that way, couldint get used to the upside down image with the WLF. Also, you might want to consider a 120 back, mine came with a 220 back. I tried to look for a strap for the camera but no one makes straps for this old bronica sqa.

Hi Andresw,

 

Have you considered a Bronica EC?

 

I started with an EC a couple of years ago, and loved that camera to death. The only reason I upgraded to an SQAI was because I wanted something lighter and that could do fill flash. But I lost features in the process.

 

The Bronica EC can focus very close with the standard 75mm lens, I need close up rings for the SQAI to do the same thing. The EC back is way more sophisticated than the junky plastic back that comes with the SQAI. The EC back allows 220 and 120 film with a simple flick of a switch. The dark slides for the EC back slide into a holder on the back, the SQAI backs do not allow this, you end up having to figure where to stick your dark slide. Also, the SQAI backs only do 220 or 120 not both.

 

Ergonomically, also, I much prefered the EC. One person mentioned the Speedgrip for the SQ. This is handy if you use it at eye level and gives you a hotshoe, but actually it is a hinderance when using the camera at waist level.

 

There are pros and cons with both, but if you are sure you do not need fill flash, and you have strong arms, I would say get the EC instead. Having said that, for skate photography fill flash would seem to be very important, so the SQAI would be the way to go.

 

As for advantages to the SQAI. Well, it is light, no doubt about that, and that is a big plus. I have no problems with the plastic, I love plastic on medium format cameras (with the exception of the Fuji 645, which started sprouting cracks!), because it makes them lighter.

 

The meter prism for the SQAI is superb. I got the simple AE prism, very boxy, looks heavy, but its weighs nothing, and cost close to nothing! The speedgrip was cheap too. For eye level use, the camera is light and easy to use. I am still on the lookout for a 220 insert for the back though.

 

I agree with the poster that said go for an SQAI. They are dead cheap on FleaBay these days. Look out for a clean camera with as many accesories as possible included, such as motor or speedgrip, and prism.

 

Good luck! Look forward to seeing some cool skate shots. They make a nice 40mm you could use to get nice and close.

I did the transition from olympus om4ti to bronica etrsi medium format

about 6 months ago and have no regrets at all.

The second hand prices at www.keh.com where an attraction as was the 100-220 zoom and to a lesser extent the 45-90 zoom. I do a lot of wide angle shoots so I could not justfiy carying around a lot of telephoto primes.

medium format is heavy though. my normal kit is one body, three backs, a 40mm, 50mm 60mm, 75mm, 105 1:1 macro and the 100-220, with a tripod and camera bag plus accessories you are looking at around 14 kilos and in 35mm equivelent terms its only a 24mm to 135mm kit which I could do in about 8 kilos (24mm f2, 28mm f2, 35-70 f3.6, tamron 90mm f2.5 macro and the bigish tamron 80-200 f2.8) with the olympus and gain between 1 and 3 stops in speed! (I have a tamron 80-220 ED f2.8 and thats only 1.2 kilos). I have just brought the 45 - 90 zoom for the bronica and if ti is good that could replace the 50, 60 and 75mm lenses and give me a small weight reduction (about 500 grams :-( ).

what makes it worth while is the big e6 transparencies that hold up to looking at through a 10x loupe so well on a light table. - thats the equivelent of 60cm by 45cm and I am sure there is still more resolution than I can see at 10x. No way I will go back to the olympus except when I need the portability and descretness. Most of my photography is landscape, buildings, sun rise, sun set. Infact I have never taken a hand held shot with the bronica!

 

The wlf makes focusing so much easier and brighter than my 35mm especially with the magnifier which still allows you to see the entire frame so I use the magnifier all the time. The ae III prism goes down to 32 seconds on auto which is enough for the night photography I do.

Taking photos with mirror lock up is clunky though, remeber to lock the exposure on the ae III prism, lock up the mirror, take the shot, remember to move the mirror leave back down before you wind on. If you forget the mirror locks up again and the poor ae III has no idea of the exposure and the next shot is at 1/500th!

 

Regards

James

I should mention the ae III is fairly dark, so I tend to focus using the WLF and pop up magnifier and then swap for the ae III. For very critical focusing I plkace a 10x loupe directly on the focusing screen. Beware this will hack up, scratch and mark your screen eventually....

James

Thanks everyone. Your help has been well taken. I guess Im a fan of the sq-ai. The flash sync at all shutter speeds is really what I to use my PW's and 555's.