Bronica Rocks!

I got my slides back today and rushed home to get my light box and my

50mm 1.8 FD lens I use as a loupe. It is one of the higher quality SC

lenses and works great for this. I expected them to be good but I was

stunned to say the least. I am used to looking at chromes shot

through Canon primes and L glass and for this reason I am damned

critical. After years of shooting through such great glass I guess I

hold to a high standard. I wanted to bu a MF sooner but could not

bring myself to do it. I shouldn't have waited so long!

 

The images are so sharp and contrasty as to have a layered

appearance. From object to object every thing appears to be on it s

own plane and every thing sharp. I relied on the meter in my ELan7 to

intially set the EC on the AEII finder and chromes were dead on,

thoug hI can't wait for my Minolta spot meter to arrive. After

agonizing over which system to buy into and the hours and hours and

days and days of research I know that my dedication paid off. This is

defiently a very capable camear.

 

I went a little over board and spent more than I should including a

new Monfrotto tripod but if I had to sell the rest of my EOS gear to

coner it I know that I would still be well armed and this camear

would do all I asked or required of it. I will try and make it work

so I can keep my 1N and 28 and 50, but if I have to I'll sell it so

the cost will be breaking even. I wanted to keep my Elan7 but my wife

was louping a giant batch of slides I had just shot with it and

requested I keep the 1N instead as it s focus and metering are

unmatched.

 

Anyone wanting to get into MF at this time should really consider

this system. The prices are very low and for $600 you can get a body,

AEfinder, back and 75mm lens and a speed grip.w hot shoe.. I pieced

mine together from an initial$535 for an ETRS body with speed grip,

120back AEII finder and a 75mmMC lens. I then added an MC150mm F4 and

an MC 50mm 2.8, and a 28mm extension tube. I bought a spare back and

a rotary finder, a Minlota M digital spot meter and splurged on a

brandnew Manfrotto 190N feild tripod. I have $1400 in this new

system, and a hell of a lot of shit on ebay for sale!I am also

looking at a ETRSi body as a second body, and a waste level finder.

When its all said and done I may have 1700 wrapped up in a system

that will always do what I need and deliver what I want. The glass is

wonderfully sharp. All mine is MC glass and theer are no complaints

here. Its solid built well and sharp and contraty. sharper than my

Canon 70-200 2.8L and as sharp as my EOS 28 and 50mm if not a bit

better.

 

This camear will defiently get me started into my semi-pro or jus

tserious ametuer work. If I do my part it should pay for itself

hoefully by end of summer. If not, who cares I will have soem

beautiful work to mount and display at the college galeries and in

local galleries. So anyone planning to take advantage of the lower

prices and deciding they can finally aford to get into medium Format

the Bronica systems the ETRS, SQA, and GS1 are all worth taking a

serious look at. When I find the need to get a 6x7 it will definetly

be a GS1. I got lots of great advie from those on this forum, and

have even met a great online freind here who also just bought an

ETRSi system. It was this advice that helped me make my decision

easier. Thanks, Daniel Sandlin

I've heard MC wide angle stuff sucks. PE is much improved in this area though still not up to rangefinder sharpness levels at this level.

Hi Daniel,

<p>

Great to read such enthousiasm! Congrats.

<p>

John, if you are right (and I guess you are) you'd better have written: 'imagine the PE wide angles are even better than the MC you have!'. Sounds a bit more friendly. <p>

<a href="http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl">Wim</a>

Wim,

 

You are correct. My apologies Daniel and congrats on a great system.

John,

<p>

I hope I didn't sound too much like a teacher (I am!) ;-)

<p>

<a href="http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl">Wim</a>

As long as it holds its own stopped down thats all I need. The 50 is for landscapes ,not much else. I was alrmed at first with my 150. It has a slight scratch on the front element. I know this does not normally effect the image but I tend to take car of my glass and get pretty anal about scratches. The barrles can have worn paint as long as the glass is clean. It produces very sharp and contrasty images so I'll try and forget that thge scratch is there...until I have to clean the lens.