john_papandreou

Before sending it in for repair try cleaning the contacts on the lense and the body, I have seen this on my ETRS and that fixed it.

I have used a ETRS for years, It is a very capable camera, the lenses are very sharp, the cameras are very reliable. I have never had a shutter fail or a body fail. I have had one back fail after hundreds of rolls of film.

 

The back does not rotate you just rotate the whole camera.

 

The camera is lighter than a pentax 6x7, any good PRO grade tripod will be fine I use a Bogen/Manfotto

 

The enlargements from T-MAX B&W I have printed taken with my Bronica can Exceed 24x20 with no loss of sharpness - NOTE I am printing with a

DURST L1200 Enlarger with a Rodonstock Rodagon lens on to Ilford paper no digital involved. I have had a number of images taken on NPS Color neg Hand printed to 11x14 with a Enlarger and they are sharp and almost granless.

 

I had the same images printed on a Fuji Fronter to 10x15 they lacked sharpness an had grain ??? I later found out that a Fuji Fronter scans a medium format neg to the same Resolution as a 35mm neg and that was the problem.

 

Also Links

 

http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/mffaq.html

 

http://www.tamron.com/bronica/etr_guide.asp

 

http://www.tamron.com/bronica/prod/etrsi.asp

I would try pulling the camera down and cleaning all contacts ect and the batt contacts. Do you have a different lens or body ? If you could borrow - This would help isolate the fault.

 

I had a strange one with my bronica ETRS it would lock up in a photo shoot at the wrong moment annoying. The stupid thing would be fine every other time . It turned out to be a bad film back !! the camera and lens are fine. I just bought another film back no more problem.

It would all depend on the sort of photo you are trying to take, a standard lens for 6x9 is about 100mm Slightly wide would be 65mm and 150 mm would be Long

 

Most 4x5 lenses around 135mm (standard lens) have heaps of coverage for 6x9 and are the best priced.

 

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/

 

Has a section which list the coverage for most common lenses, and what shutter they use.

 

Lense boards for a older Arca with a 6x9 front are easy and cheap to make, I use the alloy that they made computer cases out of in the 1980's:- Modem or router cases can be bought from most junk shops for a dollar or two. Cut out a lens board file the corners round and spray it black. I cut out the hole by drilling a pilot hole and cutting with a hole saw.

 

The aluminum alloy they made these from is quite Expensive to buy new in sheet form :- it is good to Recycle, helps the environment and the pocket.

A Older used arca swiss are a good buy, very solid :-I just bought a Type B for $800 Aust here in sunny Austalia to get a 65mm and a 90mm Super Angulon's ,Wide Bellows and Recessed Boards to fit my Newer Late 1970's Type C

 

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=019&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=290054869381&rd=1&rd=1

 

Absolute Bargin !!!! the lenses are Spotless, The bellows are great Deal of the year !!! Merry Xmas

I use which of these three lenses fits the Subject and Camera

 

All three were bought over some time, each one has its own personality

 

210mm/360 1955 vintage Simmar Convertible - Very Sharp at 210 bit Soft and Hard to focus at 360 very handy and dependable - Color NPS negs, Have wonderful depth and tone. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

 

240mm Tele xenar 1962 vintage Very Sharp Just covers 4x5 Works well if you have limited bellows (Crown Graphic)the lens is also nice and light weight. GOOD RESULTS

 

305mm F6.3 Radionar 1918 vintage Big old uncoated, bubbles in glass (suppose to be a sign of Quality)Sharpest at F11 and greater has a Sinc added Compound Shutter - Great lens for Close up B&W, Covers 8x10 with movements gives very pleasing results with Tmax and Fuji NPS 160 but you need to Over Expose 1/2 a stop to lift the contrast. I bought it from a dealer in Hollywood 8 years ago so It may have had a interesting history. SUPRISED ME

 

If you Ever see a 305 mm Radionar - Just buy it it might just surprise you too - Amazing lense.

Anything is possible, Can the camera be moved out of the vertical ? to a horizontal position for for photographing your subjects?

 

As long as you can do this with the camera you will be fine you can use a bit of string to work out your focus. tape a length of string to the camera Approx where the film plane will be, measure the string the same as the cameras Distance setting, and mark the string with a Knot. All you would need to do is Sit the Subject in front, load the film focus by

moving the subject to where you have tied a Knot and Expose the film. U se a high F stop to max out the Depth of field

Yes I have found the lack of close Focus with my GS-1 to a bit of a problem My next purchase is going to be a Spacer or a 110mm Macro lense, The Lense Speed hasn't been a issue for me as I live in Sunny Australia and there is lots of light, With Studio work Having a Leaf Shutter is very handy, I Don't miss having a revolving back I just hold the camera on its side, It is light Enough. Reliability hasn't been a issue I have put aroung 30-60 rolls of film through it this 12 months hasn't missed a beat. The metered Prism is avery nice thing It displays every thing clearly and has a Exposure lock, I use this alot when in Auto Mode.

I went through Exactly this last year, I decided Due to the Price tumble of Medum format cameras a 6x7 Was within my reach, So I bought a RB Pro S, I found It to be too Heavy to Lug around and beacause I have Small Hands It was clumbersome to use. I then came across a Bronica GS-1 Body and Finder at one of the camera shops For the crazy price of $100 Because it was missing the Winder. I did the deal and Sold off the RB for more than I paid for it. I now have a Nice Bronica outfit for less than $1000, It is nice to use does everything I need, and lately Everything is priced right on the net I managed to get a 65mm Wide for $100 !!! because of a 1mm Mark on the lense near the edge. The results are Very sharp with no Fall off very pleased with this camera, and you can get 6x4.5 6x6 and 6x7 backs.

 

This is a very under rated Camera and worth a look

I have and use a Bronica ETRsi all the time, I have found it to be a very depenable camera of a high Build Quality, I have used the camera for over 10 years and found it to be a good work horse, There is a vast range of lenses and Accesories avaliable.

 

The only thing I have had a problem with is the Early motor drive -would not sinc and would lockup , and I had one of my Backs Fail after 100's of films.

 

I have also found that the 250mm lense is great for Head Shots, If you use it with the thin spacer. All the lenses have been Sharp and reliable, I have never had a shutter fail or a camera body fail I bought a Second one as a backup and It hardly gets used.

 

The Bronica ETR Camera is highly underated, I had a friend who Sold his Blad and Bought One after he saw the results from mine, He decided that it would be more cost Efective, for his Wedding

Business.

 

 

This is my outfit and Notes about Each Item

 

ETRS Body - My backup Body

ETRsi Body - Main Camera Body

 

Waist Finder - Great for landscapes

 

AE Prism - I still use the Early Model - Works fine

 

Speed Prism - Great for macro work

 

EII Motor Drive - Uses 6 AA Batts Works fime Auto loads film

Grip Winder - Lighter than a motor drive no batts req

 

6 X Backs - The Double latch ones are the best

Polariod back - Works fine

 

3 Focusing Screens - the grid screen is great for landscapes

 

40mm MC Great lens Very sharp

 

75mm MC Very Sharp - 58mm filter can be a pain -other lenses 62mm

 

150mm PE Ultra Sharp Portrait lens

 

250mm MC you need a thin Spacer to close focus but wort it.

 

Macro Spacers - cost alot for what they are, my only complaint

The filters are as follows:-

 

LA-40 Evening light corection

LB-40 B&W -makes Sky Darker

L-1B B&W - Makes Sky Very Dark - Best option for IR Film

Clear - UV filter

 

This is my Best Guess, most fish Eye Lenses have a similar set.

 

Hope this helps.

Food for thought

 

I bought a Bronica GS-1 6x7 Kit for the following $$$

 

Body only $50.00 (no winder)

65mm Lense $95.00 (has a small mark -Who Cares-)

150mm Lense $200.00 (Like new in box)

2 x 120 Backs $200.00 (both clean)

Winder $50.00 (NEW - old stock)

Grip Winder $120.00

AE Prism $150.00

 

Total $865.00

When new would have Retailed at over 6000.00 !!!!!

This is a real nice outfit put on a very tight budget

I have printed up to 16 x 20 the image quality is outstanding this is a very underated camera I have compared prints taken with a 1970's blad and printed the same size I could not tell what took what. If you want to go down the test chart road at 20 x 24 there may be a diference, I use my camera and the Bronica is alot better to actually use, the metered prism and Auto function are great - it also has Exposure Lock , you also set the film speed on the back so you can't getcaught metering for the wrong film speed.

A good place to try is the Photo Swap meet alot of things show up there at give away prices most seller that have something -Heavy- will be glad to be rid of it !!

I am using a old Gitzo No 4 Tripod Designed for 35mm movie camera's

It weighs about 30 kg but $50 to take it away !!! It was just the thing for me.

I have also seen Studio Stands on casters same sort of deal the seller just wants rid of it. As always one man's trash is another's Treasure

I have found Fuji NPS 160 to be a good choice for Neg's

 

It also scans nice, but a analoge print will be almost grainless up to 16x20

I was fortunate to see Ansel Adams Ex in Vegas last month

books do not do these images justice.

 

They also had his 8x10 field camera with a 105mm Kodak Wide his note books stamps and light meter ect

Put the test print under a clean water tap does the yellow wash off?

 

If so :- Try dumping your wash tanks

Hi Everyone, I recently won a govenment auction, for a Manfrotto sky trak

system, for less than $400 !!! I am in the process on moving studio location,

I would like to know the following. Mine came with 2 pano and 2 poles 2 rails

and 2 tracks plus fittings.

 

What is the minimum usable roof height I would need ?

 

Is there a user manual other than the catalog from Manfrotto that I can

download ?

 

Do I need the control pole or can I just use a hook on a stick ?

 

Is there anywhere I can get Safety cables for my lights, with out buying from

Bogen / Manfrotto here in Australia, I was thinking thin chain and joiners or

bike/motorcycle brake cable :- would that be safe ?

 

Thanks

A really budget setup would be a Crown Graphic and a 90mm optar, you should be able to get one for $300-600 depending on condition. You would have limited movements but the camera is light and fold's up into a neat box, If you get the model with a graphic back you can also shoot 6x9 rool film.

 

A arca Swiss is a better choice, I made my own bag bellows for mine out of a old leather jacket made of goats hide leather. The hardest part was cutting and sanding a pair of frames from wood.

As well as a 90mm lense you will need a recessed lense board, they are hard to find for the older model's you may also have to make one.

 

Should be able to get a used Arca Swiss for $600 - $900 depending on type and condition, a 90mm lense will cost $200-900 depending on the lense.

You have a standard back, the following will work

- Double dark film holders

- Polaroid 545 holder

- Polaroid 600 Holder for 3 1/4 x 4 14 (Tight fit)

- Standard grapmatic back

A roll film back that is for a Graflok will NOT FIT

A horsman back or similar with film at one end that is about the thickness of 2 film hoders works fine.

 

Other backs for this camera were made by Arca Swiss including a graflok back but they are normaly very, very expensive when the turnup used on a auction site. You are better off just buying a compatable roll film back, the other option is to have a graflok modified to fit your camera.

A few posts have been placed about

making lense boards, I found this site today

 

http://www.uglx.org/homemadelensboards

 

Hope this helps

It is easy to make up a Adapter board for most Monorail cameras,

I have made a Adapter board that takes Speed graphic boards for my old Type C Arca Swiss. I used a Adapter board for a graphic Camera Had the back milled flat just Bolted it to a Blank Arca board I cut out a sheet of alloy plate.

 

The lens boards on old Arca Swiss cameras are very simple and easy to make, I use the Alloy plate from old 1980's computer case's, Modem hubs, and external diskdrive's. It would be very Easy to make a Wista to Arca board. All you would have to do is take a blank board, make a hole smaller than your wista board, build up a frame to fit around the wista board, and make up a Securing system :-two rubber bands would work or a sliding clip system like on a Speed graphic would work.

 

The best Monorail camera would be one with a simple flat lens board so you can make as many as you need as you add lenses to your system.

 

The arca swiss is a Great camera, only thing is like most all of them Accesorys are Expensive !! Try to buy a camera with as much

as possible in the deal Extra bellows backs and boards ect.

Bogen/Manfrotto are a great choice, try and buy one that uses the HEX plate system as the heads are alot stronger, I also have a old heavy Old 35mm movie camera one :- made by Gitzo Paid $50 Works great in the studio but way too heavy for field work.

you could try using a Leica camera lens spacer

 

I think after market ones were being made as a real leica one

would cost lots

My Largeformat setup is as follows

 

Cameras

Crown Graphic

Arca swiss Type C 4x5 with a tapered bellows and 6x9 front standard

- I have made the followind items to save the $$$

Wide bellows

Speed/Crown Lens Board to Arca Converter(Made from a Graphic camera Adaptor bought on the net.)

Plus lots of other little things like lens boards and a Extension rail(current Project)

 

Enarger

 

Durst L1200 wthe CS501 Head and a B&W Head with a full set of condensors.

 

This is a Wonderfull enlarger a joy to use Fortunatly mine came with just about everything when I bought it including a 150mm Rodagon

 

 

A Speed or Crown Graphic is a good starting point. A Used Arca Swiss, Sinar, Toyo, cambo ect camera is also a option just make sure that you get as many Accessory's as possible as anything for a good high quality camera is $$$

 

I decided to not to go 5x7 or 8x10 due to camera and film costs and the size of the enlarger required. I have been very happy with my 4x5 results.

I am using a 210mm Symar convertable late 1950's and a big 305mm Radinar 1918 vintagein a compound Shutter with a added flash sinc. I have just bought a 240mm tele xenar which I will be using shortly, the images from the 210mm Symar are outstanding I photographed some with Fuji NPS 4x5 and the results are just about grainless :-the hand printed (enlarger based) 8 x 10 images are outstanding, I have had mixed results with the 305mm but I think that the Shutter that has now been cleaned was the problem.

 

I have not used the 210mm in converted 360mm condition as yet as I am with out a Rail Extension on my Old Model C arca swiss, I have just bought a Rail section (300mm) :- I am in the proccess of makeing up a custom Joiner to add it to my 400mm rail.