marian_deaconescu2

I'm 48 and started photography at the tender age of 40. After investing a small fortune (for my possibilities) into a Bronica SQ-Ai system, I'm worried, as many of us are, after hearing that this line is now discontinued, of what future could bring to us, film users.

 

Let's face it: the worries come first from the amount of money we invested in something seemingly without any future and from the fear that film will become less available and more expensive. For those working in colour, the worries are compounded by the need to find a good quality lab to process E6 in the 120 format.

 

These labs are rare enough right now and they usually rely on the professionals using this format. When the entire cohort of professionals will jump on the digital wagon, gone will be the labs and our ability to process those gorgeous large slides.

 

That's the bottom line. It's a mystery to me why on earth Bronica (whose users are in the hudreds of thousands if not in the millions) didn't think of arranging a long term collaboration with one of the back makers, as Hassy did. An adapter is no bid deal and when the prices will go down, very few people, faced with the extinction of film, will balk at spending an additional 3000 USD for such a back.

 

We are talking here about 2 billions in sales and probably half a bilion in profits.

 

These cameras are a low cost, but high quality alternative to the more expensive Rolleis and Hasselblads and many amateurs and profs still use them with delight. You could get a whole system at the price of a single new Hasselblad lens.

 

My letter to Tamron, about five years ago, a letter suggesting the urgency of the jump on the digital back business got no answer.

 

There is, however, a glimmer of hope: that is, somebody will realize the potential of the huge market for Bronica backs. And then we'll see for sure a revival of this nice brand. This apllies to the other brands too.

 

I just want to repeat here the argument that was repeatedly made here and elswhere: digital and film are different. It's not a matter of quality. It's a matter of pride. For you can't fake a slide and you need brains to do it right. B-W speeking, you feel, in the darkroom, that something got out *of your hands*. Something *manual*, like making a table or a chair. Something that *you* and not those (otherwise bright) programmers can be proud of.

 

So many of us are using computers in their day by day job and so many of us perceive their coldness as impersonal and alienating that film will still have a 20 years future. Not more. After that, the generation of my daughters will inherit this earth and *they didn't see the alternative*...

 

The argument that digital is more eco-friendly is fallacious. The chemical factories producing paper are at least as polluting as the heavy silver dumped down the drain. The difference is that these factories are not in plain sight... Everything in life comes at a cost.

 

I'm not so presumptious to dare give advice to others. But I contradict myself right away and say to you: enjoy film as far is available!

 

All the best to the forum buddies,

 

Marian

What you'll find very, very, annoying after paying that price for it (assuming you've bought it new) is that a circular flash as for example Sunpack doesn't syncronize with the camera if mounted on the front of a lens attached to the bellows.

 

And since such a flash is almost mandatory for the work at those magnifications this is a big dissapointment...

If you are going to carry a heavy camera, better do it for a good reason. That good reason (apart from the large area of the captured image) is the flexibility of having intergeangeble backs.

 

Holding is no problem with the speed handle or motordrive for the SQAi - comparable with the Pentax. You'll find that projection of 6x7 transparencies more complicated by the lack of projectors - no problem with 6x6.

 

The only fact that Pentax has for it is that 6x7 frame. rintingwise, the 6x6 format poses no problems: after all, it was good enough for A. A.

 

Even with the advent of digital, the medium format still holds the supremacy in optical projection of transparencies.

After using the 50mm for a while, I've bought the 40mm too from a friend at liquidation price (couldn't resist the temptation, although I knew that I'll use it only sparingly).

 

In my opinion, the 40 is a no-no due to the large filter diameter. And those who need it, need it for landscapes, where filters are mandatory.

 

For landscapes you need many filters; only filters of this diameter are very hand to find. The few you find are extremely expensive.

Hood? easy: try use your hand or a cap: it works fine and you can see the effect at once. Filters! Here is the problem...

You're right, and I'm too late, it seems, but I hope this would help others, now that second hand prices go down. It seems you are just one of many having the same problem. I couldn't solve mine untill I bought a second hand motor drive: this takes 6 AA-type batteries and puts and end to the nightmare.