Bronica ETR-Si Review

Great review and great photos as usual. I have been meaning to try a 6x4.5. It's either a Mamiya or a Bronica, whichever comes first. That panoramic back is a one of the big things going for Bronica.
 
Jerevan said:
Great review and great photos as usual. I have been meaning to try a 6x4.5. It's either a Mamiya or a Bronica, whichever comes first. That panoramic back is a one of the big things going for Bronica.
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The panoramic back is basically the reason I got my ETR-Si in the first place. I believe that Mamiya made a 35mm panoramic back for the later 645, 645 Pro cameras, but it is very difficult to find. I'm not totally certain on that though...
I have often wanted to try the older Mamiya 645 1000S out, but never have.
Don't rule out the Pentax 645 :) It may not have changeable finders and film backs, but it is a great camera.
 
^That exact camera with the 40 mm and 150 mm lens has been my travel kit for
at least a decade now . It's been years since I changed the battery in it , plus it's
proven to be quite robust . All good things . Thanks for the review . Peter
 
Moto-Uno said:
^That exact camera with the 40 mm and 150 mm lens has been my travel kit for
at least a decade now . It's been years since I changed the battery in it , plus it's
proven to be quite robust . All good things . Thanks for the review . Peter
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Thanks Peter.
Which version of the 150mm do you have?
I have the oldest 150/4, and considering that it cost me a total of $30, it's a great lens. I have lately been tempted to upgrade both my 40mm and 150mm to the latest PE versions, but really can't decide if it's worth doing.
 
I've got the F3.5 , 150mm MC lens and it's fine ; for what it's worth , the general consensus is that's the one lens that the PE model didn't improve upon . I'm completely
pleased with my 40 MC , and not too sure if the PE version is worth the money (to me). I think my use of the lens cap reduces the need for the PE version ( and not shooting into the sun probably helps too ) Peter
 
Moto-Uno said:
I've got the F3.5 , 150mm MC lens and it's fine ; for what it's worth , the general consensus is that's the one lens that the PE model didn't improve upon . I'm completely
pleased with my 40 MC , and not too sure if the PE version is worth the money (to me). I think my use of the lens cap reduces the need for the PE version ( and not shooting into the sun probably helps too ) Peter
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That's great info, thanks Peter.
 
Very good write-up, Colton, and some excellent photos to accompany it. The ETR-Si was one of my dream cameras from the day it first hit the market, but over the years I never got around to getting one. I still have the brochure I picked up in Columbus, OH, and every so often I think about maybe starting a kit. But I have other fish to fry at the moment, so it will stay a pipe dream for now.

PF
 
farlymac said:
Very good write-up, Colton, and some excellent photos to accompany it. The ETR-Si was one of my dream cameras from the day it first hit the market, but over the years I never got around to getting one. I still have the brochure I picked up in Columbus, OH, and every so often I think about maybe starting a kit. But I have other fish to fry at the moment, so it will stay a pipe dream for now.

PF
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Thanks :)
You only live one eh... :D
I understand though as I've a few too many cameras and there are cameras I would love to own, but can't justify more.
 
Swift1 said:
The panoramic back is basically the reason I got my ETR-Si in the first place. I believe that Mamiya made a 35mm panoramic back for the later 645, 645 Pro cameras, but it is very difficult to find. I'm not totally certain on that though...
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They frequently are on ebay, fairly affordable too. Mind, "panoramic" is a strange attribution when they actually deliver a much smaller and less wide frame than the regular 120 backs (the back is regular 24x36, croppable with a "panoramic" mask to 13x36) - it is the kind of "crop panoramic" fashionable on early 1990s point-and-shoot cameras. Pros aren't that easily duped, so these backs were rarely used, usually for some film type unavailable in 120 (notably Polaroid Instant Slide), and almost never with that "panoramic" mask.
 
sevo said:
They frequently are on ebay, fairly affordable too. Mind, "panoramic" is a strange attribution when they actually deliver a much smaller and less wide frame than the regular 120 backs (the back is regular 24x36, croppable with a "panoramic" mask to 13x36) - it is the kind of "crop panoramic" fashionable on early 1990s point-and-shoot cameras. Pros aren't that easily duped, so these backs were rarely used, usually for some film type unavailable in 120 (notably Polaroid Instant Slide), and almost never with that "panoramic" mask.
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Are you talking about the Mamiya 135 back?
 
Swift1 said:
Are you talking about the Mamiya 135 back?
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Yes. Like the original ETRS 135N it is a plain 24x36 back. Its only claim to "panoramic" was a 13x36 mask that could crop a bit off the top and bottom of the frame. For the Bronica there also was a genuine panoramic (24x54) 135W back.
 
sevo said:
Yes. Like the original ETRS 135N it is a plain 24x36 back. Its only claim to "panoramic" was a 13x36 mask that could crop a bit off the top and bottom of the frame. For the Bronica there also was a genuine panoramic (24x54) 135W back.
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Ah, didn't know that about the Mamiya.
Ya, I have the Bronica 135W for my ETR-Si and it's my favorite part of the system.
 
The ETRSi is one of the great film bargains these days -- thanks for the great review! I love mine, and shoot with it more than any other camera except for my M4. Your 135W back might just be worth as much as the rest of your system!
 
I too have an ETR-Si and enjoy it. I mostly use the camera with the 75mm f2.8 (not sure which version) and WLF.

Other than number of shots, what's the advantage (if any) of the 135W vs just cropping your 120 negatives? Every now and then I think I'll buy a 135W, but it is bloody expensive, and I don't shoot panoramic enough to ever make up the difference from just shooting 120 and cropping.
 
Dpingr1 said:
The ETRSi is one of the great film bargains these days -- thanks for the great review! I love mine, and shoot with it more than any other camera except for my M4. Your 135W back might just be worth as much as the rest of your system!
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defconfunk said:
I too have an ETR-Si and enjoy it. I mostly use the camera with the 75mm f2.8 (not sure which version) and WLF.

Other than number of shots, what's the advantage (if any) of the 135W vs just cropping your 120 negatives? Every now and then I think I'll buy a 135W, but it is bloody expensive, and I don't shoot panoramic enough to ever make up the difference from just shooting 120 and cropping.
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I got pretty lucky finding my 135W back. I had been looking for one for 9 months and the only one I came across was in the UK and the seller was asking over $600 for it. Then one showed up at KEH while they were having a 40% off sale on all film gear.

Technically, cropping 6x4.5 down to the 1:2.3 aspect ratio should give you the same results. The problem is that if I have the 120 back on, I compose for the full frame and it's very difficult to compose with the plan of cropping later. Plus it feels wrong to crop that much.
The 135W back forces you to think in term of the 1:2.3 frame.
 
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