bbCity Review Bronica ETRS

#1 Tom Morris

Thanks for the link. This is a pretty cool blog - and yes, it is 'disconcerting'! At first. But, if you have the cash to flash you always have the option of grabbing a Autoexposure Prism finder to get that "just like 35mm" feel!

4:31 am - Friday, February 28, 2003

#2 Mark Goldstein

So how much is an Autoexposure Prism?

Have you posted any photos taken with the Bronica? I'd like to see some real-world samples, especially from a new owner, to get a sense of what the camera can do.

3:11 pm - Friday, February 28, 2003

#3 Tom Morris

The autoexposure prism is basically a replacement for the waist level finder enabling you to look through the ETRS as you would look through a 35mm camera. Although it remains manual focus, you do get the advantage that the pictures are the right way round, and you get a meter inside. You can set the ASA on the side, and then fire away. It's another few hundred quid though.

I haven't posted any samples yet, I've been too busy printing in the darkroom. I will do soon though...

11:19 pm - Friday, February 28, 2003

#4 Mark Goldstein

"another few hundred quid"! So it costs more than the camera? How are you metering then - with a handheld lightmeter?

Let me know when you've got some samples online.

2:56 pm - Saturday, March 1, 2003

#5 Tom Morris

Yep. I'm using a Weston Master V (anybody remember these?).

The new URL for the review is...
http://www.bbcity.co.uk/node.php?id=19

5:48 pm - Tuesday, March 4, 2003

#6 Mark Goldstein

Thanks Tom - its correctly linked now.

6:03 pm - Tuesday, March 4, 2003

#7 markos

i have been offered an ETRS w/ prism and standard 75 lens for around 600 euro. should i go for it? what quirks should one look for?

5:33 pm - Wednesday, July 16, 2003

#8 Mark Goldstein

I don't know too much about the Bronica ETRS, but here are some general points that you may want to consider:

Is the camera 2nd-hand or new?

Check eBay and see what price a similar model is being sold for.

Do the same with your local camera shops.

If it is 2nd-hand, how well do you know the person who is selling it (in case anything goes wrong...)?

[url=http://www.photographyreview.com]http://www.photographyreview.com[/url] will have loads of user reviews of the ERTS.

Mark

6:15 pm - Wednesday, July 16, 2003

#9 markos

mark,

thanks for the tips. the problem, here in spain at least, there is a very small second-hand market. in the madrid camera shops, they are asking higher than this fellow i am dealing with. the prices on ebay, well i'm not sure how indicative they are of market value. i am always leary of second-hand equipment, but this camera seems to have little wear, i shot a roll with it today. another concern is the lack of digital potential, something which the new cameras are coming with.

8:01 pm - Saturday, July 19, 2003

#10 markos

checked out the reviews you had recommended. a spilt opinion, which doesn't exactly help matters, since the negative opinions were quite extreme. a note on the waist viewfinder: this is one of the things i like about MF, although i confess that squaring up the image seems slightly more difficult. also, i like 6x6 better than 6x4.5, personal preference.

8:07 pm - Saturday, July 19, 2003

#11 Mark Goldstein

Maybe you could email Collin (another PhotographyBLOG member) and ask what he thinks - he's recently bought a Bronica ERTS, and has also posted about it on the Forums. Just click the Members link the top of this page.

Maybe you can ask the person that you're buying it off if you could borrow it for a day/few days/week and see how you get on with it?

Mark

9:11 pm - Saturday, July 19, 2003

#12 Azem Koleci

Bronica ETRSi is the best entry level to Medium format.
It is built to last and the result are superb.

11:02 am - Sunday, March 22, 2009

#13 Brian Levytings.

I've been using a ETRS for about 20 years and though not an equipment nut, I've yet to find another camera that can be configured in so many differnet ways for anything near the costs. It was built to meet the needs and life for a professional shooter so in the hands of us amateurs, they will last almost forever. The leaf shutters in lens means if a shutter does hang up, all is not lost.

I enjoy the basic system, waist level finder and 75mm lens as it is light and so easy to use hand held. Only negative is the format is landscape and it makes it difficult with the waist level finder to use it in portrait but, with some practice it can be done though a bit awkward. I carry the non-metered prism that is light and small so if I want portrait for more than an occaisional shot, I slip off the wait level finder that can fit in your shirt pocket and slip on the prism finder. Just add a decent light meter.

I also have the 35mm backs so I can slide on the metered prism and the speedgrip and have an excellent 35mm camera that has lenses better than most 35mm cameras out there. When I went out with the guys on weekends for shoots for contests, I won more than my fair share usiing the camera in this setup; going up against Nikon and Canon rigs that owners paid far more for so it is not compromised in this arrangement.

I've recommended the ETR with 35mm backs, speedgrip and meter prism to a number of students who were looking for their 1st 35mm system. While some thought I was on drugs, most bought into the concept when they realized the system could do something most 35mm cameras could not; quickly change film to various types such as transparency or b&w or even quick changes during a shoot. Slip in the dark slide, hit the release button, align the top tabs, click into place and pull the slide and you are ready to go, just adjust the meter speed if the ISO is changed. It takes less time to do it than it takes to describe the process. The students found out quickly they only needed the 120 back to try MF and did not have to invest in new systems so most were MF converts within a few months.

While there seems to be little doubt from reviewers the the last PE lenses are the sharpest, I have a mix of versions, the majority being the MC that gets diced when compared to the PE. However, the negative press of the MC is only in relation to the PE and should not be taken to mean they are anything near a poor lens. They are excellent.

I've had a lot of cameras over the decades and when I got the ETR, my intial thoughts were it could be the best camera for anyone wanting a single, versatile system to rather than a MF and 35mm system and after 30+ years my opinion has not changed. The only negative as to this is the inability to justify dumping it for a newer system.

I did justify adding a digital camera and start ed with an Olympus E-500 and finally going to a E-520. I've always liked Olympus glass. However, after having the Olympus for about 3 years now, I find when I go out, I am still reaching for the Bronica if I know I'm going to want some memories or my Leica if just meandering around so digital still is not as good for my tastes.

Quirks? Only one I can think of is there are 2 major versions for the backs. The earlier used a single release and later there was the 2 release version. I read the single release version over time would possibly have light leaks and some inadvertantly would hit the release opening the cassette and ruining the film. I have both single and two release cassettes and never experienced either of these with either version. They are interchangable so a single release will work on the ETRSi and a dual will work on the original ETR.

I am thinking about getting an ETRSi body as I do like to do closeup and macro work. I've not had seen any photo I've shot where there is apparent mirror bounce but add MLU and the flash sync capability with the going price of a used ETRSi body and it is like buying a couple of 6-packs to get a second body today. Only other things I'd like to add are the later Tamron period zooms and the newer prism meter that was intorduced with the ETRSi.

Hope this is helpful.

7:58 pm - Sunday, October 17, 2010