Bronica EC.

<p>Now I am quite new to Bronica. I have crossed paths with a couple over the years but have never succumbed to the urge to own one, not until last year that is.<br>

When I was working, the cameras that I used were Rolleis or Hasselblads, but never a Bronica, even though they were very "in" back in the seventies. I briefly flirted with one of the lovely ETR's, but decided that I preferred square format for commercial work.<br>

Looking through my collection I realized that the Bronica needed to finally be part of it, so I sought out the original S model. Now this is a fine looking camera with more chrome than a fifties Buick, but alas, the prices had become prohibitive. The next best was this EC, a very similar beast but with less chrome.<br>

The EC, as the name would suggest, has an electronically controlled focal plane shutter, and the focusing helicoid is fixed to the camera with just the lens heads being interchangeable. Well, almost true, the helicoid can be removed and replaced with longer ones for lenses over 200mm.<br>

The mirror also has a unique split system, which allows for an oversize mirror, that divides when the exposure is made, so clearing all the vital bits.<br>

Bronicas are beautifully built and equally nice to use with a bright and crisp viewfinder. The lenses are also top notch as you would expect for a camera designed for pro use. My Bronica is supplied with Nikkor lenses, except for the 150mm, which is a Zenzanon. I believe that the Nikkors went out with this model.<br>

I have the 50mm 2.8, 75mm 2.8, 135mm, 150mm and the 200mm.<br>

First the camera.</p><div></div>

<p>..and with the lenses.</p><div></div>

<p>And some happy snaps.</p><div></div>

<p>No.2</p><div></div>

<p>No.3</p><div></div>

<p>No.4</p><div></div>

<p>Whoops..</p><div></div>

<p>No.5</p><div></div>

<p>No.6</p><div></div>

<p>No.7</p><div></div>

<p>No.8</p><div></div>

<p>No.9</p><div></div>

<p>Lucky last!</p><div></div>

<p>Terrific series of images, <strong>Tony</strong>; sensational sky in "High Court..." and "This is it" is a fabulous landscape. Or waterscape... As a long-time fan of the Bronicas, I'd put the lenses up against all comers, and your photographs do them justice. Great tones...Pyrocat dev? As of 30 minutes ago I'm the owner of (hopefully) a fine black S2, a Bronical model I've been lusting after for some time, but it will be hard to meet your standards in the demo post! Lovely post; many thanks.</p>

<p>Lovely post; crisp pictures with a lot of depth. Thanks. sp.</p>

<p>My goodness !</p>

Really, really nice use of the square format, Tony - I'm honestly jealous :-)

<p>Great pictures. A friend's family had a Bronica S2A with 50, 75, and 200mm lenses. Very seductive equipment, but the size and weight meant we rarely actually used it. Didn't suit our style.</p>

<p>Thanks Folks! Rick, film was Across in Pyrocat for most of these, but the High Court and Fountain were taken on a roll of really old Tri-X that I used by mistake, had heaps of base fog but still isn't too bad, although with a fair bit of grain.<br>

Congrats on the S2, really classy looking camera indeed. I found the lenses to be really excellent, and the only one that was a little disappointing was the 135mm Nikkor Q. I found it to be less crisp than the others and with less contrast.</p>

<p>Very nice.<br>

Thanks.</p>

<p>Beautiful images. The ones of Canberra make me a bit homesick. I lived there for 4 years, and used to walk around Lake BG every weekend with my dog. Has it really been ten years since then?</p>

<p>Nice results. Image quality is outstanding. Thanks for posting.</p>

<p>The early Bronicas served many people for whom a Hasselblad was out of reach. By the time I took an interest in Bronicas their prices had already fallen considerably. If I can remember all of them I have one ETR, three ETRSs, three SQ-As, an SQ-AM and three GS-1s. One ETRS is on long term loan to a fellow photo.netter. This gives me three formats, not including 24X56 with the 35W back for the ETR cameras. I thought about an older series Bronica for the focal plane shutter but I started a Mamiya 645 outfit instead. An EC TL with just a 75 Nikkor might be nice. The film choices have narrowed for 120 but I am still enjoying using the films we have left and the Bronicas and Mamiyas. </p>

<p>Wonderfully crisp images with beautiful contrast. The photo lab where I used to get my pictures developed does mainly minilab work for the majority of people who go there. There is a small studio in the back as well. However, one of the lads who work there has the same camera as you and always talks to me when I take my medium format scanned images with me for printing. Twice he had asked me to bring along the cameras so he could have a look!</p>

<p>Great machines aren't they? I have the S2 (with only 75 mm and 50 mm Nikkors so far) and dig it. I think I might have posted the pic below before, but even if a repeat, hey it's easy on they eyes. I've always had some interest in the EC, but wondered whether the electronics are likely to go dodgy and then have no-one on the planet able to repair it. (Jimmy Koh having retired from that line of work.)<br>

Pics of and by my S2 on (I hope ... if that link works)<br>

<em>--Dave</em></p><div></div>