This is a book I have been waiting many years for.

I advise all user/collectors of classic Bronica focal plane shutter cameras to immediately order this book, as it is not easy to find, and in the future will become very difficult to obtain. Most likely, it is the only book that will ever be written on this subject.

The fact that the author put years of study and research into this work and that the publisher (Hove) went forward at all and printed it, is amazing in a field of shrinking classic camera literature and rising printing costs.

The book can be purchased in the U.S. from:

Koh's Camera Sales and Service
2662 Jerusalem Avenue
North Bellmore, New York 11710
Ph: 516/826-9566 Fax: 516/826-6257
website - http://www.kohscamera.com.

It is inexpensive at US $29. I know of no other US dealer selling this book.

For the first time in print, the author tells the complete story of Zenzaburo Yoshino, planner/inventor/manufacturer of the Bronica camera. The history tells of the man's passion for fine photographic equipment and his dream of creating the "Ideal Camera". He chose the 6x6cm SLR type, studied all previous models and worked on the creation of his own camera, which would incorporate and improve on features offered by earlier products. The tale takes us through his dreams, a war, his survival and his eventual successes, ending in his death. His company continues on after him. The story is well told and sets the stage for the equipment sections of the book.

Each model is given a thorough breakdown as to its chronology and features. If anything, there is too much of this, as some of the same information is repeated several times in the book.

The author has obtained/purchased a great amount of Bronica equipment, some of it quite rare in order to devise this study of the brand. In the section on lenses he goes into great depth on the variants of each lens, even to the inscription changes.

Most of the major and minor accessories for early Bronica are shown and fully explained. In the history section he shows how Zenzaburo studied pioneer 6x6cm cameras, especially the Primarflex, which began this camera style.

It has often been assumed that Hasselblad owned/copied many essential Primarflex designs and features, but until recently it wasn't even known that Victor Hasselblad was an early Primarflex user. Zenzaburo's story is not that coy as his ownership of all these early cameras is covered.

Author Hilton has received minimal assistance from the Bronica company, so much of the exact history is still lost. His publication of a letter from Bronica to a Dealer stating the improvements in the S-2A model and refusal to make these known to the public, demonstrates a form of deception practiced by the Bronica sales people and it is incredible that a letter like this would be released for a book.

While it is amazing that Hove has published this book at all, it is clear that they did not support the author's efforts in the best of style. His photographs of equipment are good, but the cameras on the cover are not in sharp focus. The printing is on inexpensive paper and Hove apparently did not assign editors as fact checkers or spelling correctors. Joe Ehrenreich of EPOI has his name misspelled. The author credits Bronica with the invention of the EC split mirror, when this feature was originated in the Exakta 66 of 1954. The statement that the existence of a model known as Bronica "P" has something to do with how Americans pronounce "C" or "D" has nothing to do with the fact that a Bronica model "P" was widely written up in national photography magazines complete with photographs of a Bronica "S" style camera with a fixed back, years before the model "C" was introduced.

It is also not made clear that the Bronica "C" with fixed back was sold in the US as an economy model not featuring the full 1/1000th second shutter speed. This was just a marketing ploy, as the "C" models sold in the US had that speed as a phantom detent setting on the speed dial, but unmarked as such. Bronica C sold overseas marked the speed correctly on the dial.

The above comments aside, this book remains a must-buy, must-read and a permanent research work for all classic Bronica owners. It is only hoped that Mr. Hilton gets the opportunity to create an expanded, revised version, with full corrections, printing on better paper with more background on how these cameras have been used and are currently being used by photographers all over the world.

Editor's note: European buyers may also order via Mr. Ian Parker in the U.K. at [email protected] directly. Cost is #16 (16 U.K. Pounds or circa $24 US) by Visa or Mastercard - including postage.

See also An Opinionated Short History of the Medium Format SLR by Robert Monaghan