Introducing
a new name in fine cameras
a new, spectacular 2 1/4-sq. reflex
the all-new fully automatic zenza Bronica
At first blush, the new Bronica resembles any other reflex of its type,
but that's where the similarity ends. The new Bronica offers automatic
features that distinguish it from any other 2 1/4 square reflex. With the
Bronica, for example, you never lose sight of your subject. The image
remains bright and clear at all times, except at the instant of exposure.
Here's how:
THE INSTANT RETURN AUTOMATIC MIRROR instantly
springs back to viewing position after the exposure. It does not flip up
for exposure; it moves down, allowing more front clearance. The result is
that the Bronica can be equipped with a normal 75mm lens, and is the only
2 1/4 square reflex that can be used with a 50mm wide angle.
THE INSTANT RE-OPEN AUTOMATIC DIAPHRAGM after
closing down automatically for the exposure, instantly reopens to full
aperture, so that the next picture can be focused and viewed without
further adjustment. It is available with the 50mm, 75mm and 135mm lenses.
THE DEPTH-OF-FIELD PREVIEW BUTTON stops the
lens down to the 'taking' aperture for observing depth-of-field. Release
the button, and the diaphragm springs open again.
THE REMOVABLE 'FILMINDER' BACK permits you to
switch films in the middle of a roll. Before the back can be removed, the
darkslide must be inserted to protect the film. This slide cannot be
removed while the back is off the camera. And when on the camera, no
exposure can be made until the slide is completely withdrawn. When a back
is attached to the camera, no attention need be paid as to whether the
film or shutter has been previously wound. Turning the transport knob
will perform only the required function.
INCOMPARABLE NIKKOR OPTICS. World renowned
for their incredible combination of sharpness, resolution and color
correction. Nikkor lenses are available in focal lengths from 50mm
wide-angle through 1000mm super-telephoto.
Other unique features distinguish the new Bronica*
Bronica, with 75mm Nikkkor f/2.8 lens.......... $489.50
There is no other camera quite like the Zenza Bronica
[downward looking view of camera from front with top spinning in
background
Photo occupies 2 left columns of full page ad, text in right column]
the new fully automatic 2 1/4 square single lens
reflex
The new Bronica is in a class by itself. Never - never before in all
photographic history - has so much thought and planning been lavished
upon the design of a single camera. And never has such an effort been
crowned with greater success.
The new Bronica is an instrument to excite immediate admiration. It is
truly the 'dream' camera, designed with imagination and endowed with
unusually ingenious, automatic features that make its use delightfully
simple, effortlessly smooth and fast.
Instant-Return Automatic Mirror - Retracts
for the exposure - then instantly returns to viewing position. The finder
image never blacks out.
Instant-Reopen Automatic Diaphragm- Wide open
for focusing and viewing, automatically closes down for the exposure -
then, instantly reopens to full aperture. The finder image never dims.
Depth-of-field Preview Button - Stops the
lens down for observing depth-of-field, or for selecting 'taking'
aperture on the basis of desired depth. Diaphragm instantly reopens as
button is released.
The Uncanny 'Filminder Back' - You can
interchange film types by interchanging backs. The 'Filminder' back
remembers whether or not the film had been advanced, and whether
or not the shutter had been previously wound. No attention need be paid
to either - the camera and back automatically perform the required
functions.
Film protection is also automatic. The back cannot be removed from the
camera until the dark-slide is inserted - and once removed, the
dark-slide cannot be withdrawn; and when the back is attached, the
shutter will not release unless the dark-slide is completely
withdrawn.
The 'Filminder' back has an Automatic Film Tension System which holds the
film taut and perfectly flat for the exposure, yet automatically relaxes
for advancing the film.
Nikkor Lenses - Acknowledged to be the finest
in 35mm optics, these superb lenses are now available for the 2 1/4
square format as standard Bronica equipment, covering focal lengths from
50mm wide-angle through 1000mm super telephoto.
Wide-Range Shutter - Focal plane shutter of
new and original design has a range of speeds from 10 seconds to 1/1250th
with X and FP Synchronization, and a variable, calibrated self-timer.
BRONICA
A Division of Caprod Ltd.
111 Fifth Ave., N.Y. 3, N.Y.
In Canada:
Anglophoto Ltd., 880 Champaneur St., Montreal, P.Q.
When you are ready to spend $489.50 for a camera...
you are ready for the zenza
BRONICA
2 1/4 square, single-lens reflex
[Photo showing text and chart on right half of page, Bronica Deluxe
with open WLF on top of a checkbook with pen facing us with above text on
top left]
When a man is ready to invest $489.50 in a camera, his choice deserves
the most serious consideration. There are two cameras in the field priced
at $489.50, both 2 1/4 square, single-lens reflexes. The following
comparison table shows certain vital differences between these two
cameras which should prove most valuable in helping you make your
selection.One of these cameras is the Bronica. See if you can tell
which.
| Camera 'X' | Camera 'Y' | |
|---|---|---|
| shutter | between-the-lens | focal plane |
| speeds | 1 sec to 1/500th | 10 sec. to 1/1250th |
| delayed action | approx. 10 sec | adjustable 1-10 sec |
| lenses | interchangeable only when shutter is wound | interchangeable at any time |
| each lens requires shutter | yes | no |
| widest angle lens | 60mm f5.6 | 50mm f3.5 |
| normal lens focusing range | 3 1/2 ft. to infinity | 19 inches to infinity |
| diaphragm action | stops down automatically for exposure - must wind shutter to reopen | automatically stops down for exposure - instantly reopens to full aperture |
| instant-return automatic mirror | no shutter must be wound to reset mirror to focus position | yes automatically returns to focus position after exposure |
| film back interchangeability | to replace or interchange backs attention must be paid to whether film or shutter had been previously wound - and appropriate adjustments made | back may be replaced or interchanged without any attention to whether film or shutter has been wound. Camera responds automatically. |
| film loading | must observe visual indicator with slide slightly withdrawn (1/8'') | automatically stops at #1 exposure position |
| safety film-slide | camera can be fired with slide slightly withdrawn (1/8'') | camera cannot be fired unless slide is completely withdrawn |
| film-slide lock | no slide readily removable when film back is off camera | yes slide cannot be withdrawn when film back is off camera |
| special film flatness device | none | automatic film tension system keeps film flat for exposure - relaxes when film is advanced |
| auto-reset exposure counter | no | yes |
| focusing lock | no | yes |
| price | $489.50 with 80mm f2.8 lens | $489.50 with 75mm f2.8 lens |
There is one special Bronica feature which cannot go unmentioned.
Interchangeable Auto-Nikkor lenses are standard Bronica equipment -
supplied in normal focal length with the camera, and available in
interchangeable wide-angle and telephotos. See the Bronica at your photo
dealer this week. For complete details - write to Dept. PP-10...
[Photo of Bronica Deluxe looking directly into front lens, WLF up
occupies the top 2/3rds of the ad, with two columns of text
underneath]
You don't ordinarily think of a $489.50 camera in terms of a 'bargain'.
Yet, when you consider that 'bargain' is another way of saying 'value',
another way of expressing how much you're getting for your money, the
idea of a Bronica as a 'bargain' begins to make sense.
One way to determine what and how much the Bronica offers is to examine
its features. Comparison will tell you how much more it offers than other
cameras. And a personal, in-hand demonstration, at your dealer, will then
show you what these fetures mean in terms of quality and performance.
The Bronica is the only fully automatic, 2 1/4 square, single lens reflex
in the field. And here are its features:
Now visit your Bronica dealer for a personal in-hand demonstration.
Bronica with 75mm Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens, $489.50. For complete details,
write to Dept. PP-1.
And why not? What is more beautiful than quality? What is more beautiful
than the artistry, the skill and precision evident in fine
craftsmanship?
Everything about the Bronica S attests to such quality. It is a
brilliantly engineered instrument; equipped with incomparable Nikkor
optics. It is as smooth and responsive as a fine '35' - incredibly
versatile, fast and easy to handle.It is as much at home on location as
in the studio, hand-held or on a tripod. There isn't an assignment it
cannot handle.
Moreover, the Bronica S is ingeniously automatic - an automatic 2 1/4
square single lens reflex with automatic return mirror, automatic reopen
diaphragm and depth-of-field preview control.
The crank which advances the film simultaneously winds the shutter. An
automatic tension system holds the film flat and taut for the
exposure.
The Bronica S permits you to interchange films by simply switching film
backs, at any time. The Filminder feature automatically protects
the film. You cannot, for example, inadvertently double-expose or wind
off unexposed film, or fire the shutter unless the dark-slide is
withdrawn.
The Bronica S accepts interchangeable Nikkor lenses from 50mm wide angle
to 500mm telephoto, and a variety of accessories; extension tubes and
focusing bellows for close-ups; prism finders for eyelevel focusing; lens
adapters; hand grip; filters; lens hoods; and a luxurious compartment
case.
See the Bronica S at your dealer.
$419.50 with 75mm Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens.
For 12 page brochure, write Dept. PP-5.
Bronica - A Division of Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries Inc. -
111 Fifth Avenue, New York, 3, New York
[Photo by Art Mayer of camera, lens facing us, on railing overlooking
stream with out of focus water and shoreline. Crank is up, and waist
level finder is up too. Photo occupies top 2/3rds of ad, with header
centered under camera. Three columns of too tiny print under photo.]
[photo in top 2/3rds of page showing two Bronica SLRs side by side
Deluxe and new model S in foreground, viewfinders popped open facing
us]
Another great 2 1/4 square automatic
reflex
new model S is priced at $399.50 with 75mm
Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens
Anyone familiar with the current Bronica Deluxe would find it hard to
believe that Bronica could produce a second model which could 'hold its
own' with the first. Yet, here it is - the new Bronica S now being
featured alongside the Bronica Deluxe - $90 lower in price, offering the
same optics and most of the exclusive features which have distinguished
the Bronica Deluxe reflex from all others.
AUTOMATIC MIRROR AND AUTOMATIC DIAPHRAGM
eliminate blackout and dimming of finder image.
DEPTH-OF-FIELD PREVIEWER lets you observe
depth-of-field at 'taking' aperture, or select aperture for desired
depth.
WINDING CRANK automatically advances film for
each exposure and winds shutter simultaneously. Folds flush. Focusing
knob is separate, and operates independently.
INTERCHANGEABLE BACK WITH AUTOMATIC 'FILMINDER'
FEATURE prevents advancing unexposed film. Also prevents
removal of darkslide with film-back off camera.
AUTOMATIC FILM TENSION SYSTEM holds film taut
and flat for exposure. Relaxes when film is advanced.
INTERCHANGEABLE NIKKOR LENSES for Bronica S
range from 50mm wide angle to 500mm super telephoto.
FOCAL PLANE SHUTTER operates at any speed
from 1 second to 1/1000th. FP synch at all speeds, X at 1/50th. [sic?]
See the new Bronica S at your dealer today! Better still, see both - the
Bronica S at $399.50 and the Bronica Deluxe at $489.50, each with 75mm
f2.8 Auto-Nikkor lens. For further details, write to Dept. PP-7.
Bronica has captured the feel of the fine '35'
Bronica captured the responsiveness of the fine '35' and brought it to
the 2 1/4 square format. It captured the handling ease, the speed and
precision, and embodied them in the Bronica S. And it then equipped the
Bronica S with incomparable Nikkor optics.
Everything about the S attests to quality. Brilliantly engineered and
incredibly versatile, it is as much at home on location as in the studio,
hand-held or on a tripod. There isn't a picture problem it can't
handle.
The Bronica S is ingeniously automatic, provided with automatic-return
mirror, automatic-reopen diaphragm and depth-of-field preview control.
The crank which advances the film simultaneously winds the shutter. And
an automatic tension system holds the film flat and taut for each
exposure.
The Bronica S permits you to interchange films by simply switching film
backs, at any time. And its Filminder feature automatically
protects the film. You cannot, for example, inadvertently double-expose
or wind-off unexposed film, and you cannot fire the shutter unless the
dark slide is completely withdrawn.
The Bronica S accepts interchangeable Nikkor lenses from 50mm wide angle
to 500mm telephoto, and a variety of accessories; extension tubes and
focusing bellows for close-ups; prism finders for eyelevel focusing; lens
adapters; hand grip; filters; lens hoods; and a luxurious compartment
case.
The Bronica S is priced at $419.50 with 75mm Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens. See
it at your dealer today. Write for illustrated 12 page brochure to Dept.
PP-1
Ehrenreich Photo-Optical
Industries, Inc. Garden City, N.Y. 11533. In Canada, Anglophoto Ltd,
Montreal 9, P.Q.
[Photo of left front profile of camera, waist level hood up, being held
in suit jacket man's hands, fills top 2/3rds of page, with header and 2
columns of text in acceptable print type size below.]
The new automatic 2 1/4 sq reflex with the handling
ease, speed and versatility of a fine '35'
Here is the exciting new single lens reflex that has successfully
combined the big 2 1/4 inch format with the handling ease, speed and
versatility of a fine '35'. The Bronica S is a totally new kind of
camera, so original in concept, it took more than seventy-seven patents
to cover its design.
The Bronica-S is the only automatic 2 1/4 square reflex in the field, the
only reflex with interchangeable Nikkor lenses as standard equipment.
Here are some of its features:
Instant-Return Automatic Mirror Finder image never blacks out.
Mirror returns instantly to viewing position.
Instant-Reopen Automatic Diaphragm Finder image never dims,
Diaphragm reopens instantly after exposure.
Independent Mirror Release Permits use of shutter-mounted lenses.
Also desirable for long-duration exposures.
Depth-of-Field Preview Button You see depth-of-field at 'taking'
aperture, or select aperture for depth desired.
Interchangeable Nikkor Lenses Accepts 7 Nikkors now available from
50mm wide angle to 500m telephoto.
Interchangeable Filminder Backs You can switch film at any time.
Prevents accidental exposures and 'blanks'.
Rapid Transport Crank Advances film and winds shutter. Folds flush
into focusing knob when not in use.
Automatic film-flatness system Tension device holds film flat for
exposure. Relaxes while film is advanced.
Focal Plane Shutter Gives you any speed from 1 second to 1/1000th,
FP, M and X synchronization provided.
Accessories Include: eyelevel prism finders, extension tubes, lens
adapters, filters, lens hoods and cases.
Visit you dealer and ask to see and try the new Bronica S. For 12 page
illustrated brochure, write to Dept. PP-7.
Bronica Division, Ehrenreich Photo-Optical
Industries, Inc. 111 Fifth Avenue, New York 3, N.Y.
[Photo of camera in center between headers, wlf is folded, front view;
two columns of text with bold headers, lower right hand corner shows
camera, backs, lenses and tubes with caption The Bronica System of
Photography]
1966 Ad
So What?
But why leave them out when they add so much to operating ease and
performance. And it costs you no more to enjoy them. Bronica S2 with 75mm
Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens is $479.50
If you must leave something out, consider the Bronica C. Costs you $100
less. Substantially the same as the S2, except it doesn't have
interchangeable film backs. Has interchangeable film inserts, though,
like the S2, which handle 220 as well as 120 roll film.
Let your dealer also show you the Bronica system of lenses and
accessories. For details, write:
Ehrenreich Photo-Optical
Industries, Inc. Garden City, N.Y. 11533. In Canada, Anglophoto Ltd,
Montreal 9, P.Q.
[photo of camera, facing forward, huge NEW! text is 40% of top of ad, camera is 40%, So what! is 10%, leaving only small print space for three columns of text at the bottom.]
After the new Bronica C, what could we do for an
encore?
The new deluxe Bronica S2 with interchangeable film backs.
The new S2 is everything you'd expect a Bronica to be: versatile,
responsive, reliable - a 2 1/4 square reflex that hangles with the ease
and speed of a fine 35.
Like the Bronica C, it has an automatic mirror and automatic diaphragm
system, features not generally found in other large-format single lens
reflexes. The film-shutter wind can be operated by rapid crank or
ratchet-action knob. There is a depth-of-field previewer, an
interchangeable viewing hood, and focal plane shutter but with speeds to
1/1000th second. Also, like the Model C, it accepts the new 220 film as
well as 120.
But, where the Bronica C has a fixed back with interchangeable film
inserts, the new S2 has a removable back that lets you change films even
in mid-roll. The Filminder feature provides automatic safeguards
against double exposures and blanks. Both Bronica C and S2 use the same
interchangeable Auto-Nikkor lenses: 50mm f3.5, 75mm f2.8, 135mm f3.5,
200mm f4, 400mm f4.5 and 600mm f5.6, plus a wide array of accessories.
Price of the Bronica C with 75mm Auto-Nikkor f2.8 is $379.50, the new S2,
$479.50. Additional S2 backs are $109.50 each. See both new Bronicas at
your dealer.
For details, write Bronica Division of Ehrenreich Photo-Optical
Industries, Inc. Garden City, N.Y. 11533. In Canada, Anglophoto Ltd,
Montreal 9, P.Q.
[photo of Bronica C in upper left corner, with Bronica S2 body without back, rear facing front in lower right corner, with two backs by camera. Text is very small in two columns under photos in lower fifth of ad.]
Doesn't every slr have an automatic return
mirror?
You'd think so, by now. It's almost 10 years since it was developed.
The automatic mirror eliminated finder blackout, one of the major
drawbacks in early slr design. It also enabled the development and use of
automatic-diaphragm lenses. It gave the single-lens reflex a
responsiveness it had never known - a new ease and speed of handling.
There isn't a 35mm slr of any consequence without this important
feature.
Yet, of the two 2 1/4 square slr makes, currently available, only one is
equipped with an instant return automatic mirror. Only Bronica seems to
recognize that finder blackout is an anachronism, totally inconsistent
with modern slr camera design.
If you're moving up to a 2 1/4 square single-lens reflex, move all the
way up to Bronica. Enjoy all the benefits of modern automatic design and
system versatility. Enjoy the incomparable quality of Nikkor optics.
There are two Bronica models: the S2 and C. The S2 accepts
interchangeable film backs, whereas the model C has a fixed back. The two
are very much alike in all other respects. The S2 is priced at under $480
with 75mm Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens, and the C, at under $380, similarly
equipped.
Both models use the same interchangeable Nikkor lenses, and draw upon the
same system of interchangeable attachments and accessories. See your
Bronica dealer for details, or write for literature to: Bronica camera
division of Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries Inc., Garden City New
York 11533 (In Canada, Anglophoto Ltd. Montreal P.Q.)
[Top 2/3s of ad is solid black, with header in lower right corner in
large white type; camera with wlf up and lens dismounted to its left is
in lower left corner of ad, two columns of moderately tiny text to
right.]
[Bronica 1967 Popular Photography Ad]
Ever get the feeling you're being
followed?
Every newly announced 2 1/4 square SLR will be comin
thru with automatic mirror
Who, in this day and age, would expect any SLR user to put up with the
inconvenience of finder image blackout?
It's 8 or 9 years since the automatic return mirror was developed. And
today there isn't a single 35mm SLR worth its salt without it. Aren't the
advantages as important in 2 1/4 square? Of course!
Bronica pioneered the automatic mirror system in the 2 1/4 square format
and, as of now, offers the only 2 1/4 square SLR without finder blackout.
Even after the new ones join the field, the Bronicas will still be the
only ones using Nikon lenses. And that's pretty hard to beat.
If you're moving up to 2 1/4 square format, there is a clear advantage in
the superior optics, features and system versatility offered by
Bronica.
There are two models to choose from: the S2 with interchangeable film
back, and the C with fixed back, $479.50 and $379.50, respectively, each
with 75mm Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens. Both use the same interchangeable Nikkor
lenses, and draw upon the same system of attachments and accessories.
See your Bronica dealer for details, or write:
Bronica Camera Division/Ehrenreich Photo-Optical
Industries, Inc. Garden City, N.Y. 11533. (In Canada, Anglophoto Ltd,
Montreal, P.Q.
[Photo of camera viewed from 45 degrees above, looking down, with waist
level finder and magnifier popped up, text in two columns between two
headers]
Bronica 1966 Ad (Popular Photography)
to black out the Bronica viewing screen. Otherwise, the image is always
there. Never seems to disappear, though it does for only an instant
during the exposure.
Your Bronica lens is always at full aperture for focusing and viewing.
When you press the shutter release, the mirror scoops out of the way, the
diaphragm closes down, and the exposure is made. Then, instantly,
automatically, the mirror returns and the diaphragm reopens. And there's
the image back on the screen, bright and clear as before. It all happens
in a fraction of a second.
No question about it. The automatic return mirror and automatic reopen
diaphragm made the 35mm slr the responsive instrument that it is today.
Which is why, when speaking of the Bronicas, we say that it has captured
the feel, the handling ease and speed of a fine 35. For, in addition to
its many other features, the Bronica is the only 2 1/4 square slr with
automatic mirror and diaphragm.
There are two Bronica slr's; the S2, with interchangeable film backs and
75mm Auto-Nikkor f2.8 lens at $479.50, and the C, with fixed back and
same optics, at $379.50. Both offer you the use of five interchangeable
Nikkor lenses (50 to 400mm, all with automatic diaphragm) and a growing
system of attachments and accessories for virtually every picture need.
And you can use 220 as well as 120 roll film with both,
interchangeably.
Ask your dealer to show you the new breed of Bronica - both of them. For
further details, write:
Bronica Division of Ehrenreich Photo-Optical
Industries, Inc. Garden City, N.Y. 11533.
[Photo of large hand covering up lens with Bronica logo and finder upside
down but visible occupies top 2/3rds of ad, with very small text header
easily missed above the hand, text in 2 columns against black lower
background.]
[Photo of two men leaning over light table with some 6x6 negatives on it
of woman in fashion shots. Casual clothes, older man intense conversation
with younger man. No photo of camera or Bronica logo visible
anywhere.]
How come 2 1/4 square? Thought you were a Nikon man.
I am. have three of them. But I'm also using 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 for studio and
fashion work.
Twin-lens or SLR?
SLR
Which one? Though I guess they're all pretty good.
They are. But I've gotten to like a lot of my 35 SLR features.
Like what?
Well, the automatic mirror, for example, and the automatic diaphragm.
Makes a camera a lot faster and easier to handle. So why give them up?
And the lenses. But why tell you? You haven't used anything but Nikkor
lenses in years.
And so it goes, back and forth, on and on. Makes sense, too. So, if
you're developing a penchant for 2 1/4 square photography, you better
take a good look at what Bronica offers before you make your choice.
Prices start at $419.50 with 75mm f2.8 Auto-Nikkor lens. See your Bronica
dealer for details or write.
Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries Inc., Garden City, N.Y. 11530
(In Canada: Anglophoto Ltd. P.Q.)
[Ed. note: can you detect that EPOI represented both Nikon and Bronica?
;-)]
[Bronica S2A Ad from Popular Photography December 1971]
Bronica Back-2-Back Sale - Save $100
''We the Bronica dealers listed here offer $100 of on a second back when
you buy a Bronica S2A with any of its lenses! Now you can have the 2 1/4
SLR with the most advanced design in the field, with a second back that
you'd surely want anyway, for $100 under the already moderate price. A
back is usually $149.50, but now you get it for only $49.95! Yes, we
stand behind Bronica because it gives you, our valued customer, rugged
reliability, automatic mirror and diaphragm action, continuously-variable
shutter speeds to 1/1000th, and a host of accessories including
photography's only full-range bellows and a wide selection of Nikkor and
Zenzanon lenses - and now you can save a lot of money too. Just one
catch: this offer is good only until December 31, so check the listing
and come in and see one of us soon.''
At participating dealers only. Void where prohibited by law.
Prices subject to change without notice. Offer expires after December 31,
1971.
Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries Inc., Garden City, N.Y. 11530 [EPOI
logo]
[Bronica S2A - January 1972 - Popular Photography Ad]
Fish Market: On Assignment with Bronica
[Photo of 4 1/2 fishmongers (one cut in half) with dead fish on
bottom]
I got up at 3:30 a.m. to get down to the fish market in time to set up,
and look around before shooting. When the editor assigns you a spread on
a fish market, you keep fishermen's hours.
The available light was definitely on the dim side, so I loaded a couple
of backs with EH, rated at 400, and prayed for enough light to shoot at
1/30th. Actually, I ended up at about 1/17th, (my Bronica has
continuously variable shutter speeds). Needless to say, I squeezed that
button carefully. I also shot a Polaroid to see if the subjects could
hold those smiles that steady -- sure, enough, they could. I'd been
wandering around getting the feel of the place when these guys hammed it
up -- I couldn't resist shooting. The lens was 50mm.
When I stepped outside I discovered that the sun was high enough, so I
switched to a back loaded with EH. I used the 40mm so I could take
advantage of the dark area at right as a design element.
[photo of laborers hauling fish, triangle of black in upper right corner]
The 75mm was just right for this shot. An instant later he looked away,
but thanks to the instant-return mirror, and auto-reopen diaphragm, I
didn't have to wait to find out if I'd caught him.
[Photo of guy looking at yard full of boxes, leaning arm out against
wall]
Here I slipped on the 300mm. I wanted to soften the background, so the
lobster would stand out amidst the confusion. I generally stick with the
Auto-Nikkor and Zenzanon lenses.
[photo of baskets of lobster, narrow depth of focus on mid-ground
crates]
This shot was made for the 150mm. It got me close enough, yet by using
this short tele, I managed not to attract attention.
[photo of man by weighing scales taking a smoke break]
Bellows made this possible. I tilted the front standard to keep that icy
stare perfectly sharp. I was using the 75mm f2.8 lens.
[photo of head of dead fish in ice, some ice crystals on fish, eyes in
focus and so is plane of fish]
Believe it or not, this is a bellows shot too! I still had the bellows on
when I saw these two guys. I was afraid they'd move, so I just refocused
and shot. The Bronica's bellows focus clear back to infinity which -
obviously - can be handy.
[photo of two men framed by columns in market talking]
Somehow I knew right away that this called for a 50mm lens. It did just
the right things to the baskets. I liked this fellow right off, don't you?
[photo of man standing by side of lobster baskets with old building
behind, slight bulge forward in closest lower corner baskets from wide
angle]
Well, I delivered these nice, big 2 1/4 chromes to my editor, and he
loved them. He even asked what kind of camera I used. When I told him it
was a Bronica, he just nodded and said ''Oh, no wonder.''
Bronica S2A
Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries Inc., Garden City, N.Y. 11530 [EPOI
logo]
[photos for this ad are among the least appealing of any ad in the
magazine, and while Hasselblad owners are shooting girls and art, the
Bronica boys are shooting dead fish. Yeech ;-)]
The Electronic Connection
It's the connection between solid state circuitry and consistent exposure
accuracy. Speeds, four full seconds through 1/1000th, permanently,
repeatably accurate.
The connection that links the accessory Electro-Controlled Meter/Finder
with the shutter, for continuously-variable through-the-lens exposure
control.
The connection that doesn't exist between the built-in focal plane
shutter and 10 interchangeable lenses.* One electronically-controlled
shutter for all 10 lenses means perfectly consistent shutter speeds with
all 10 lenses.
Three reasons why Bronica EC delivers most consistently accurate
exposures in 2 1/4 photography. Plus the image quality of Nikkor and
Zenzanon lenses.
A complete system of accessories. Bronica EC. Electronic. Accurate. Get
the connection? Get the details at your dealer, and ask about the S2A. Or
write for Folio 1A. Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries, Inc., 623
Stewart Ave., Garden City, New York. 11530 [EPOI logo]. (In Canada,
Anglophoto Limited, P.Q.)
[Photo of meter prism floating 3 inches above camera body, lens facing
us, with text in two columns, one on either side of meter prism, with
large header below but above camera body.]
*veiled reference to Hasselblad's multiple shutter lenses, each of which
had different speed settings, unlike the single focal plane shutter
Bronicas.
[Feb. 1972 Popular Photography Ad]
The New Bronica EC
The Fantastic Journey
An odyssey within the new Bronica EC
Ours is a journey with a mission.
A voyage through today and tomorrow.
Come with us beyond the conventional to preview the new era of 2 1/4
photography. A remarkable new camera with an electronically controlled
shutter and a host of other meaningful photographic innovations.
The Bronica EC.
Let's journey inside and examine its inner most workings. Discover why it
very much represents the current state of the 2 1/4 art.
Into the lenses
The EC was born with 12 of the finest lenses in the world. From 40mm
ultra-wide angle thru 1200mm telephoto. And seven of them boast the
famous Nikkor name. Every one with instant reopen diaphragm. One even has
its own synchro shutter. Provides electronic flash synch from 1 sec. to
1/500th. Yet all with prices below what you've come to expect for prime 2
1/4 optics.
The magic mirror that splits
Finder blackout is an anachronism no modern photographer can accept - and
naturally, the EC has an instant-return mirror. But the fascination is in
how it works. Ingeniously, it is split. The top section flips up,
covers the finder. The two sections effectively counter-balance each
other. So you get that all-important visual follow-through with no danger
of mirror-induced vibration. Even at slow shutter speeds. And the mirror
is extra large, so there's no corner cutoff with extremely long
lenses.
The meter that links without linkage
The EC Electro-Controlled Meter/Finder is a revolution in inself. Slip it
on in place of the standard hood (itself unique with a patented
sequential folding mechanism), and it connects electronically with
the shutter. No mechanical linkage is needed! Simply pre-set the lens
aperture (and program meter with lens and film speed information), center
the needle within the meter's shutter speed dial. Or you can do it the
other way around. ASA range is 16 to 3200.
Through the looking glass and into the electronic age
You will hear no grating of cams, no grinding of gears in the EC shutter
control. Because there are none. In fact, there are no moving parts!
The EC focal plane shutter is electronically timed. So it is
reliable, repeatable and matchlessly accurate in any extreme of
temperature and even after years of use. The shutter is incredibly
efficient, and actually crosses the 2 1/4'' aperture faster than most
35's cross their 1 1/3'' opening! There are 13 shutter speeds, from 4
seconds through 1/1000th, plus B, and electronic flash synch at
1/60th.
The back with the unloseable dark slide
120/220 backs for the EC (there are 2 1/4 square and 1 5/8 x 2 1/4
versions) incorporate such feeatures as an easy-reading magnified film
counter, double exposure capability and conversion from 120 to 220 and
back by simply setting the exposure counter. But, according to many, the
most important of all, despite its amazing simplicity, the unique
darkslide storage pocket. A Polaroid back is also available, of
course.
Born with a complete system
Beyond lenses and backs, a complete system of accessoires is already
available for the EC, including four instantly interchangeable viewfinder
screens, eyelevel prism, magnifying and sports finders, closeup equipment
including the distance to closeup focusing Bronica Bellows, a copying
stand, and more.
This is the Bronica EC. A combination of the best of 35mm with the best
of 2 1/4. For tomorrow's pro, the future begins now.
Dial 800241-6000 toll-free for the Bronica dealer nearest you. Or
write for details. Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries, Inc., Garden
City, N.Y. 11533. In Canada, call 1-800-882-6600 (In Canada, Anglophoto
Ltd. P.Q.)
[Two page color ad; photos on top 2/3rds of pages, four columns of text
on left page, three on right with tiny photo of camera in profile in last
column. Large 2/3rds page photo of 40mm Nikkor lens with four images of
young female face growing smaller into background; photo of mirror and
finder against black background, split mirror, electronic circuit, mirror
with face upside down. Best and largest eye catching ad ever?]
The New Bronica EC
Created with an Electronically-Controlled
Shutter
The exciting new Bronica EC looks like a handsome, but conventional 2 1/4
square slr on the outside. But on the inside, it's a whole different
world.
Where most focal plane shutter cameras have a clock-like mechanism of
cams and gears that control the shutter, the EC has no mechanism at all.
Instead, resistors, capacitors, an electronic circuit board. Because the
shutter is electronically-controlled.
This means you get an unusually wide choice of shutter speeds; 4 full
seconds through 1/1000th. But more importantly, it means total
repeatability, utter reliability. Cams and gears are metal. No matter how
precisely they are made, they expand and contract in extremes of heat and
cold. And they wear. Inevitably, there are variations, inconsistencies,
breakdowns.
But an electronic circuit has no moving parts. Nothing to wear out.
Temperature changes have no signigicant*[sic] effect. The EC electronics
will give precisely the same impulses to the shutter every winter, every
summer for as many years as you use the camera. To each of the lenses you
use. Change lenses, change climates, shoot and shoot. Exposures will
be perfectly consistent.
And there's more, much more. There is an
ingenious split instant-return mirror that moves off in two
opposite directions to cancel out vibration. An accessory
Electro-Controlled Meter/Finder that can change shutter speeds
directly because the shutter is electronically timed.
A
fast-acting crank that winds the film and cocks the shutter in two quick
turns. A unique synch socket that locks regular PC cords firmly in place.
[Electronic flash synch is 1/60th].
Interchangeable 120/220 backs that
change from 120 to 220 with the turn of a dial, have double exposure
provision - in both 2 1/4 square and 2 1/4 x 1 1/2 formats (and
incorporate a handy dark-slide pocket!). In fact, there's a complete
system, including 12 nikkor and zenzanon lenses, 40mm through 1200mm.
See
it at your dealer. For his name, dial 800 243-6000. In Conn., call
1-800-882-6500 toll-free. Or write for details. Ehrenreich
Photo-Optical Industries Inc., Garden City, N.Y. 11530 [EPOI logo]
(In Canada, Anglophoto Ltd. P.Q.)
*yes, typo is in the original text - yeech.
[Photo - top 60% black except for inverted woman's face on split screen
mirror with small electronic circuit next to her; text in three large
columns, with camera centered in bottom, waist level finder up.]
[Feb, 1973 Popular Photography Ad]
| Awful Ad#1 |
| Awful Ad#2 |
One of the reasons sometimes cited is the lack of marketing and promotion
in the EC and EC/TL time periods. The argument is that the multiple
marketing organization changes and shifts in distributors were at least
partly responsible for the demise of the EC/TL and S2a series.
That is
particularly unfortunate, since the S2a represented a pinacle of
Bronica's 6x6
mechanical cameras that became highly popular as workhorses among
professional photographers, not least of all because of the low cost high
quality nikkor and zenzanon optics. The followup EC and EC/TL provided
more in a long line of firsts, including the first auto-aperture priority
medium format SLR camera.
Just when it seemed that Bronica had finally worked out the glitches in
their mechanical cameras, and come up with a promising and innovative
automatic electronics cameras, they dropped the line for the diminuitive
sized and 6x4.5 format ETR camera. Many professionals sorely missed the 6x6
format, as well as the high quality and low cost nikkor optics of the
earlier S2A and EC/TL models.
I recently completed an informal personal test of this hypothesis. In
several years worth of Popular Photography in the mid 1970s, I found only
2 Bronica ads (text below). By contrast, the superior marketing muscle of
Hasselblad was evident in great ads in every issue. Like Microsoft and
IBM, Hasselblad USA is an amazing marketing machine that just happens to
have some great products to sell. A similar comparison to Mamiya and
Pentax and even Kowas showed higher levels of promotion and marketing.
Another minor issue was that the ads were only 2/3rds of a page in size,
covering two columns, rather than the full-page and higher impact ads
used by Hasselblad and Pentax and other competitors. They also weren't
eye-grabbing photographs, just a large scary header text at the top
and a camera with huge prism growing out of it at the bottom of the ad,
with a lot of tiny and uninviting text inbetween.
Judge the ads text for yourself:
Why do you expect less from a 2 1/4 SLR than you do from your 35?
Would you build a 35mm system around a 17 year old camera?
Or would you expect automatic conveniences and technologically advanced
design as well as practical system capability?
Most 2 1/4 SLR systems haven't kept up with the needs and demands of
today's photographers. And the pros have just had to learn to live with
it.
Now - Bronica EC offers you an alternative. A 2 1/4 square SLR system
designed for today's pros.
Bronica EC has an electronically controlled shutter, so your shutter
speeds are repeatably accurate, year after year.
Bronica EC offers an Electro-Controlled Meter/Finder for shutter-coupled
thru-the-lens exposure control.
Bronica EC has an instant-return mirror - a feature you expect in any
35mm SLR but, surprisingly, not found in some other 2 1/4 SLRs.*
Bronica EC provides the unsurpassed optical quality of Nikkor and
Zenzanon lenses, from 40mm wide angle to 1200mm super telephoto. And you
can rely on the EC shutter's uniform, electronic accuracy with all of
them, so you don't have to worry about exposure variations when switching
lenses.**
Before you sink a lot of money into a 2 1/4 SLR system that was designed
17 years ago***, try the modern one. The Bronica EC. Also, check out the
famous Bronica S2a. Rugged, reliable, and versatile, it accepts the same
great lenses as the EC. At your dealer, or write for more details.
Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries, Inc. Garden City, New York 11530 (in
Canada, Kingsway Films Equipment Ltd. Toronto).
Photo side view of Bronica EC with CDS metering prism (huge) in side profile.
Caption reads "Bronica EC. The end of the double standard."
end of first ad......
So, if you're planning to invest in one, you'll probably ask around and
rely heavily upon the recommendations of other photographers. Which might
lock you into a situation you can't afford to be in!
Once you're committed to a fine 2 1/4 SLR system, you can't afford to
compare it with any newer, more advanced systems. You'd lose too much in
a trade.
That's why you want to compare all SLR systems before you
buy.
All 2 1/4 SLRs don't have an electronically controlled shutter. Bronica
EC does. Its shutter is incomparably accurate, in any temperature
extremes, and also repeatably reliable, even after years of use. And
these advantages work for you with all Bronica system lenses.
All 2 1/4 SLRs don't have the Bronica EC Electro-Controlled Meter/Finder
for shutter-coupled thru-the-lens exposure control.
All 2 1/4 SLRs don't have an instant-return mirror (a feature you take
for granted in any professional 35). Bronica EC has a unique, split
mirror designed to avoid vibration.
All 2 1/4 SLRs don't offer the unsurpassed optical quality of Nikkor and
Zenzanon lenses ranging from 40mm to 1200mm - quality that in itself has
led many professionals to select Bronica.
Yes, all 2 1/4 SLRs are not equal. So, play it really safe. See
and try the Bronica EC yourself. (There's also the rugged, reliable
Bronica S2A, offering many of the same facilities and using the same
great lenses as the EC). See it at your dealer or write Ehrenreich
Photo-Optical Industries Inc., Garden City, N.Y. 11530 (in Canada:
Kingsway Film Equipment Ltd. Toronto).
Photo of Bronica EC with huge CDS meter finder towering over body and
caption that states: "Bronica EC. The electronic alternative."
end of second ad...
At the same time, Hasselblad was running full page ads labeling their
cameras as the "fun cameras" and the "cheap camera", arguing that the
long term costs were low and the quality of results much higher and more
fun. Not a single negative or reference to any competitors either.
The first Bronica ad had lots of negative vibes to me, starting with the
large
print header about "expect(ing) less from a 2 1/4 SLR than you do from
your 35?". Is this how you promote a 35mm user to upgrade to 2 1/4? At the
same time, the references to other brands throughout
this ad would be very confusing to a 35mm user thinking of looking at
medium format cameras. And are they aiming the ad at 35mm users, or at
"today's pros"?
None of the features highlighted in the Bronica ad provided a reason for
a modern 35mm user to upgrade. Electronic shutter speeds and thru the
lens metering, let alone instant return mirrors, were readily available
and old-hat
on 35mm. None of the sizzle and benefits of 2 1/4 photography are used to
promote upgrades.
How about the line that starts "Before you sink a lot of money into a 2
1/4 SLR system". Is that any way to encourage a 35mm user to upgrade?
Still want to contest or protest my blaming bad marketing ads?
The photo also shows a huge CDS metering prism on top of the basic body,
which makes the camera look much more cumbersome than if they had just
used the sleek body and lens for the photo.
The second Bronica ad was better, but it started with a header warning
you some 2 1/4 SLR people "play it safe and get stuck". Ouch! Then the
next line says buying a 2 1/4 SLR is a "serious commitment". Are we
having fun yet? The next paragraph essentially says try to ignore the
advice of other photographers, presumably all telling you to buy a
Hasselblad. After all, once you are "committed to a
fine SLR system, you can't afford to compare it to their Bronicas.
That fine SLR is their competition, right!
After promoting the Bronica EC, they suddenly end with promoting the S2a,
which seems to be the "rugged, reliable Bronica" from the ad. Okay,
now do you want the "rugged, reliable Bronica" or the Bronica EC with the
accurate shutter? And if you
are in Canada, too bad, because we aren't giving you the address of your
distributor.
Finally, they end with reminding you that "all 2 1/4 SLRS are not equal.
So, play it really safe. See the Bronica EC yourself." But wait,
the big header at the start of the ad said "Why some people play it safe
and get stuck". Doesn't this mean that if you play it safe and buy a
Bronica EC, you are going to get stuck? Duh?
So I rest my case. The ads project the psychological message that if you
want to get stuck, buy a Bronica. No wonder their sales weren't great!
*Ed. Note: I think this is a veiled reference to many leaf shutter
lenses which had to have their shutters advanced before the mirror would
return. Examples include the earlier Hasselblads and Kowas.
**Ed. Note: This is a problem with leaf shutter lenses, which have
separate leaf shutters in each lens. Not only does this add to the cost
by duplicating shutters for each lens, but each lens has a different set
of actual shutter speeds. Learning these variations and shutter
personalities was an issue for some professional users. The single
focal plane shutter cameras like the Bronica EC/S2 series made
life easier, since the shutter speeds remained the same regardless of
which lens was on the camera body.
**Ed. Note: Subtracting 17 from 1975 gives 1958, presumably referring to
the Hasselblad cameras developed in the 1957 time frame.
[Ed. note: an echo and proof times change? ;-)]
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998
From: Les Alvis [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Weak Hasselblad Marketing
Has anyone paid any attention to the recent Hasselblad ads in Shutterbug?
Compare the Hasselblad ad on the back cover of the October issue to the
Rollei ad on pages 44-45 and the Bronica ad on pages 54-55 of the same
issue. The Rollei and Bronica ads are quite good. The Hasselblad ad is,
well, amateurish by comparison.
Of course, products ultimately stand or fall on their own merits. Still,
how the product is marketed to the target audience has some impact on
perception of quality. One would think that a high-end concern such as
Hasselblad would want to preserve and build upon its reputation with
high-end marketing.
Is this recent decline in marketing efforts a symptom of a decline in
Hasselblad itself? And does its entry into 35mm in some way indicate the
same thing? Contax is going in the other direction. Might Contax and
Rollei soon leave Hasselblad behind?
Les Alvis
From: [email protected] (Ooffy)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.medium-format
Subject: Re: Bronica S2A vs. Mamiya C and RB
Date: 13 Feb 2000
In reply to GEO and Bob, the EC was very successful for the first rew
years of its life in spite of EPOI, the US distributor. After the passing
of Joe Erienrich, the management was more than a little complacent. They
were the Nikon and Bronica US distributors and the market demand (with no
real help from EPOI's adverstising - it was just as bad for Nikon as well
as Bronica in that era) far outstripped both Nikon and Bronicas production
and EVERYTHING was on allocation to dealers (I was one of the at the
time). EPOI was not the most "supportive" distributor and dealers loathed
dealing with them, but to use Triple-H's term, "they were the game." Part
of the sudden rise in market share in the pro SLR 35mm market by Canon's
F-1 was they had a good product, could delever the goods (which Nikon
couldn't), and they were VERY supportive of their dealers. When the
dealers couldn't get Nikon product but caould have all the Canon product
they wnated, who do you think they pushed?
Nikon, a wise decision for themselves, cut off all OEM contracts to
concentrate on making product for their own brandname. This suddenly left
Bronica without a front-line lens supplier (they had were just into their
first year relationship with Tamron for the Zenzanon lenses). Now, the
loss of Nikon lenses and EPOI's complacent and incompentent marketing is
what killed the EC (and gave Canon a major foothold in the market).
On the subject of the early EC shutter circuit problems - as long as the
work, they are very reliable (this is the first production-run camera I'm
talking about). The early shutter timing circuit is a capacitor/resistor
timed system and is east to fix but EXTREMELY difficult to readjust since
all the adjustments are interactive. Later EC (and EC-TLs), that's 99.5%
of all the ECs, have a TTL timed system and are very robust.
Just as a side note, when we closed our studio and adversting agency,
almost the first thing I did (after selling off all the duplicate large
format equipment - we had three of everything), was to sell off all of the
RB-67s and Hasselblads and put together a EC-TL system.
.....