How to use a Bronica ME Prism Finder S?

I just bought a used Bronica SQ-A which I have not even run the

first roll of film through yet. It has an ME Prism Finder S. I

can't figure out how to use it. The limited info I found on the net

says there is a red LED that indicates over or under exposure and a

green one that indicates correct exposure. I have played around

with various shutter speeds and f-stops with no luck. Does there

need to be film loaded?

 

Help.

 

Steve S.

Did you press the shutter release down 1/2 way?

I don't think you need film loaded. I have the AE S and it works without film loaded.

 

.75x Magnification; Finder field: 52.3 x 52.3mm (94% x 94%) (with standard 80mm lens); Color-coded LED display over screen area with green and red indications (Green "dot" is for proper exposure; Red "+" or "-" is for over/under exposure)

Steve,<br>

Is it <a href="http://www.butkus.org/chinon/bronica_finder_s/bronica_finder_s.htm"> this finder </a> ?<br>

If we are talking about the same prism, and it is the one with the silver button on the inside of the shutter speed dial on the side of the unit, then you have to press that silver button to activate the meter. It stays on for a couple of seconds then shuts off again.

Gabre, that was it. Thank you!

 

Steve S.

<p>My Bronica SQ came with the same finder, and it's only today, after more than one month of intense use, that I realized the shutter speeds on the finder's rotary dial do override the settings on the body! So I guess I'm lucky most of my pictures came out fine… I can't find any documentation for this particular finder and so I'm still wondering 1) what the intermediate "dot" values on the speed dial are for, and 2) what the lock button is for? My guess for question 1) is : intermediate speed values (but then, why don't they exist on the body itself?) and as for question 2) well, probably some kind of AE lock… but that sounds nasty since there ain't no such thing as "automation" on the Bronica and all settings are made manually.</p>

<p>My Bronica SQ came with the same finder, and it's only today, after more than one month of intense use, that I realized the shutter speeds on the finder's rotary dial do override the settings on the body! So I guess I'm lucky most of my pictures came out fine… I can't find any documentation for this particular finder and so I'm still wondering 1) what the intermediate "dot" values on the speed dial are for, and 2) what the lock button is for? My guess for question 1) is : intermediate speed values (but then, why don't they exist on the body itself?) and as for question 2) well, probably some kind of AE lock… but that sounds nasty since there ain't no such thing as "automation" on the Bronica and all settings are made manually.</p>

I bought a manual from CameraBooks. If the lock is not open, silver button doesn't work. Must set ISO first. Just took test B/W roll, will soon find out if exposure is good. Would prefer simple prism and use exposure meter. If I succeed in scanning it to PDF I will post it

I too just purchased an SQ Ai and was feeling my way around the meter prism. Thanks for the info in this thread. I came up with exposure settings the meter finder "agreed with". Green LED on when exposure is correct and red "+" sign or red "-" sign when not. It doesn't seem as friendly as a match needle system used on other (35mm) cameras so it will get some getting used to. Need three hands to flick the silver button, hold the camera, and either change the aperture or the speed setting but like I said it will take some getting used to. The one thing that I need to understand better is the latitude the "correct exposure" has. In other words, when the green LED is on, I can go one stop either way and still be "green". Is this normal?

Hi All. Bringing this post back to life as just acquired the same finder in a kit I've just received.

 

I'm using it on a SQ body tho -- so does this finder's metering still work for that body?? (as I know the SQ has no AE so tad confused) I've been using the WLF but after reading this post just put my prism finder on and indeed see the red '-' & '+' and green 'o'!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXZJIc4BP3o

 

So.. with it installed can I move the shutter on finder & take the 'green dot' as gospel i'm exposed correctly? - so this shutter dial will override my SQ body shutter speed also?

 

if so i'm stoked.. I was thinking i need to carry a light meter with me everywhere.

 

also the Lock switch... is it locked when its pressed in or out? Assuming it just locks the button from being pressed and giving a reading and also assuming it's locked when 'out' bc reading is only displayed when locked is 'in'

 

thanks in advance!

 

I wouldn't take the green dot as gospel until you've verified it at various settings with a known good handheld meter.

I have three various SQ metered finders and all three give different exposure times.

Fortunately, print film has a fairly wide latitude and my favorite finder is pretty close to accurate...