Bronica sq a battery manual#

The results were so good that I would wait in anticipation every time I sent some off for developing and scanning. I had never used this film before, but it didn’t let me down. I shot my first six rolls on Kodak Portra, because of its reputation. It’s important to understand light when you’re shooting without a meter, and the choice of film is important as well. From shooting my first roll I’ve been totally amazed by the image quality of the Bronica, especially compared to 35mm. Perhaps the most important reason for buying an ETRS is the results. The battery is easy to replace (on the bottom of the camera body) and there is a test button. The ETRS relies on a battery (4SR44/4LR44), so like any electronic camera it pays to carry a spare. Getting cameras repaired could also become difficult if any parts start to become unavailable. There are plenty of accessories you can bolt on to the camera, but nothing has been made for decades, so certain items might not be available all the time and prices can fluctuate. Also, while some bags I’ve used will fit the camera, its boxy design means it’s not quick to get it out again. The ‘brick like’ Bronica is in no way ergonomically designed for handholding, although a grip will help. The speed grip almost blocks access to the multiple exposure lever, making it quite fiddly to activate it. There is a screw on the lens that you can adjust to give you Bulb mode you will need a screwdriver to do it, though. Like any camera – film or digital – the Bronica ETRS is not without its problems and design issues: Bulb mode

I’m not going to go into every feature on the camera, but it’s worth pointing out that is has a multiple exposure option that is good fun to use, and although the shutter speeds start at 1/500sec and go down to 5 seconds, there is a way to override them on the lens. Certain models have built-in metering so you can meter just like your regular SLR as well. I’ve had to stand on stools and chairs to get above my camera and look down into the viewfinder when I’ve been photographing a standing subject and want to shoot from their eye level.įor those who prefer an SLR-style view, a number of prism viewfinders are available.

Depending on the height of your subject you sometimes have to think about how high you need the camera. I’ve only ever used my ETRS with a waist level finder, which is fine for general use, but there is a slight issue is with portraits. Having the ability to swap backs mid-roll makes it more practical as well, just as long as you’ve got a dark slide to keep your film back light tight. It’s great for trying your hand at street photography with large negatives!īronica ETRS exposure counter on film back This lets me quickly move it up to my eye to shoot and I’ll happily walk around for hours like this. However, it’s not that much different to a high-end DSLR and I carry it in pretty much the same way as a smaller camera – on a shoulder strap that screws to the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera. It’s all relative, though, as by the time you add a lens, viewfinder and grip it starts adding up! Obviously it has good and bad points, but to give you an idea of why I like it we can break it down into five key points:Ī medium format camera will be heavy compared to any 35mm camera, but if you compare the weight of the ETRS to a Mamiya 645 (its nearest rival), the Bronica is noticeably lighter. I know most people say that about their camera, but in this case it’s true. The buggers are more complex than one might think and can indeed be frustrating.The simple reason why you should buy a Bronica ETRS is because it’s a great camera.

Bronica sq a battery manual#

I have an electronic copy of the Ai manual and it doesn't give any assurance one way or the other as to whether the shutter release lock disables all power or is maybe just a mechanical function on the release button.Īnyway as an olde guy troubleshooter, after cleaning the contacts - and perhaps the button cell surfaces - with a cotton swab and alcohol, I'd next grab my voltmeter and contemplate the questions I raised above.

The other possibility these days with low turnover of some of the older more arcane batteries is that even a 'new' battery may be less than 100% - do you have a voltmeter you could use to check each cell and, if there is a way to get test probes on the points, verify the 6-point-something volts for the combination at the button holder terminals? Never held an Ai in hand, are there contacts in the physical holder to grab each button cell or is it just a mechanical piece? If it has contacts there would be two sets of contacts at play. Hmm - makes me glad I targeted the SQ-A!.

Bronica sq-a battery