Bronica 2-1/4 SLRs: The Agony & The Ecstasy, Part 2
The Bronica S series, the cameras that put Bronica in contention
By Jason Schneider
The original ZenzaBronica Z of 1959 and the slightly modified ZenzaBronica D (DeLuxe) of 1960 were exquisitely made, beautiful to behold, and capable of delivering exceptional results. But while they dazzled the world with their gorgeous styling and a host of advanced features, they were also quite expensive, somewhat temperamental, and difficult to repair. And so, in 1961 the company did the logical thing and brought forth the Bronica S, a simplified, less costly version of the Bronica D that took the same Nikkor lenses but used different, non-compatible film magazines with a more foolproof dark slide system that prevents the camera from functioning with a dark side in placeand prevents the back from being removed until the dark slide is fully inserted. Should you try to operate the S with a dark slide in place it slowly pushes out partway to remind you, which looks weird but is very effective.
The Bronica S with original 75mm f/2.8 "Nippon Kogaku" Nikkor-P.
Bronica D features deleted on the Bronica S includeslow shutter speeds from 2-10 sec and the 1/1250 sec top shutter speed (the vertical travel cloth focal plane shutter now provides geometric speeds of 1-1/1000 sec plus B with X sync at 1/50 sec), the self-timer, a dedicated multi exposure control (multiple exposures are still possible by removing the magazine and cocking the shutter), the focus lock, and the de-jamming screw. On the plus side, the Bronica S has dual cable release sockets (one in the shutter release, another on the base of the camera) a mirror lock switch on the bottom of the camera, directly below the shutter release, and a standard tripod socket in lieu of a special bayonet tripod fitting.
The Bronica S is sometimes described as a “cheapened” version of its elite predecessors, but this is harsh—it’s still beautifully made with a (mostly) stainless steel body, uses the same telescoping tube focusing system (albeit with a concentric film wind knob/crank), and accepts the same line of superb Nikkor lenses. The deleted features are all relatively inconsequential, and its overall performance has hardly been compromised. While some may find its styling, especially its striated stainless steel bottom side panels and broader brightwork, gaudy compared to the attractively understated 2-tone gray of the Z and D.Personally I don’t find its styling offensive or over the top,but as the Romans said, de gustibus non estdisputandum, there’s no disputing taste. Bottom line: if you hanker for a Bronica Z or D and don’t feel like dropping about 2 grand for a clean one you can probably find a nice functional Bronica S for less than one quarter of that price.
Bronica did not start out making its own lenses and so hired Nikon for Bronica lens making. This offered Bronica an exceptional series of long Nikkor lenses made for the Nikon including the 400/4.5 Nikkor, 600/5.6 Nikkor, 800/8 Nikkor and 1200/11 Nikkor – all huge heavy expensive lenses. They were great for bragging rights over Hasselblad’s longest 500mm lens, but in real world terms they resulted in few sales. While the Nikkor lenses were of excellent quality, most professionally gave the optical edge to the more expensive and more varied Zeiss Haselblad lenses. True or not, Zeiss lenses helped propel Hasselblad camera sales through the 1950s to the early 2000s.
The Bronica S2, updated with removable helical mount, sold quite well especially in Japan.
The Bronica S2 unveiled in 1965 incorporated several new features, but the primary change was ditching the extending focusing tube and switching to a removable helical type focusing mount controlled by a large black knurled ring on the front of the body. The entire helical mounts to the body via a huge 3-claw bayonet mount, and it can be removed to attach, for example, a focusing bellows for macro work. It accommodates lenses from 40-200mm—longer lenses have their own separate or integrated helicoids. The film back has also been improved and now accepts 220 or i20 film, the number of frames selectable with a small 12/24-exposue control on the side of the magazine. Other changes: adding a small release button for releasing the helical on the front of the body, moving the PC contact to the left side of the body, and deleting the mirror lock. Finally, the Bronica S2 body was the first of the breed available in black or chrome finish.It’s readily available at used camera dealers and online auction sites at priced ranging from $250-$450 with 75mm f/2.8Nikkor-P lens.
Note: Many first-time users of Bronica S-series cameras are surprised to find that the camera requires 3-4 turns of the film wind knob or crank to advance the film to the first frame, and 2 full turns to advance the film to subsequent frames, at which point it feels like it stops, but you’ve got to turn it a little bit farther until the shutter cocks with a crunch. It sounds like the camera might be broken, but it’s just one of the charming quirks of older Bronicas that was improved on the Bronica S2A and effectively eliminated on the EC series. One thing Bronica never fully resolved, at least on the focal plane shutter models, is the loud “thwack” of the mirror/shutter mechanism when you press the shutter release. These are great cameras for many things but shooting unobtrusively is not one of them.
The Bronica C2: A price point camera similar to the S2 but without interchangeable film magazines, it's a nice camera but wasn't a rousing success sales wise.
In 1964 Bronica released the Bronica C a less expensive, simplified model based primarily on the Bronica S, but lacking interchangeable film backs, incompatible with 220 film, and with a top shutter speed of only 1/500 sec, but including a multiple exposure dial above the frame counter. However, the rarish Bronica C pioneered the removable helical focusing mount that was used on the S2 and all subsequent focal plane shutter Bronica SLRs. In 1965 they unveiled an improved version called the C2 that incorporated the S2’s mechanical improvements, added a 120/220 film selector lever and (on most examples) a marked 1/1000 sec top shutter speed. The Bronica C is currently available used at about $400-500 with normal lens; the C2 at about $100 less.
Bronica S2A, last of the S series, shown here in handsome black finish, had upgraded film-wind gears to improve reliability. It sold quite well.
In 1969, Bronica released the successor to the S2, the S2A which is a dead ringer for the S2. The main difference is improved gearing in the film advance mechanism (revised gear profiles and upgraded metallurgy). The modifications are said to improve reliability and result in fewer jams, an occasional problem with the S2 especially when advanced too roughly. The film advance knob/crank was also made slightly smaller in diameter to alleviate the problem. The camera was the most successful of the all-mechanical focal plane shutter Bronicas and was in production until 1977 when it was overshadowed by the Bronica EC with an electronically controlled shutter. The initial run of Bronica S2As is identifiable by having an “S2A” after the serial number, but this system was dropped on the last series of S2A cameras beginning with body serial number 150037. All prisms, hoods, backs, grips, etc. that fit the S2A also fit the S2. A clean, functional chrome or black finished Bronica S2A with 75mm f/2.8 Nikkor P lens currently fetches $400-$600 on online auction sites or at used camera specialists.
The Bronica S series, the cameras that put Bronica in contention
By Jason Schneider
The original ZenzaBronica Z of 1959 and the slightly modified ZenzaBronica D (DeLuxe) of 1960 were exquisitely made, beautiful to behold, and capable of delivering exceptional results. But while they dazzled the world with their gorgeous styling and a host of advanced features, they were also quite expensive, somewhat temperamental, and difficult to repair. And so, in 1961 the company did the logical thing and brought forth the Bronica S, a simplified, less costly version of the Bronica D that took the same Nikkor lenses but used different, non-compatible film magazines with a more foolproof dark slide system that prevents the camera from functioning with a dark side in placeand prevents the back from being removed until the dark slide is fully inserted. Should you try to operate the S with a dark slide in place it slowly pushes out partway to remind you, which looks weird but is very effective.
The Bronica S with original 75mm f/2.8 "Nippon Kogaku" Nikkor-P.
Bronica D features deleted on the Bronica S includeslow shutter speeds from 2-10 sec and the 1/1250 sec top shutter speed (the vertical travel cloth focal plane shutter now provides geometric speeds of 1-1/1000 sec plus B with X sync at 1/50 sec), the self-timer, a dedicated multi exposure control (multiple exposures are still possible by removing the magazine and cocking the shutter), the focus lock, and the de-jamming screw. On the plus side, the Bronica S has dual cable release sockets (one in the shutter release, another on the base of the camera) a mirror lock switch on the bottom of the camera, directly below the shutter release, and a standard tripod socket in lieu of a special bayonet tripod fitting.
The Bronica S is sometimes described as a “cheapened” version of its elite predecessors, but this is harsh—it’s still beautifully made with a (mostly) stainless steel body, uses the same telescoping tube focusing system (albeit with a concentric film wind knob/crank), and accepts the same line of superb Nikkor lenses. The deleted features are all relatively inconsequential, and its overall performance has hardly been compromised. While some may find its styling, especially its striated stainless steel bottom side panels and broader brightwork, gaudy compared to the attractively understated 2-tone gray of the Z and D.Personally I don’t find its styling offensive or over the top,but as the Romans said, de gustibus non estdisputandum, there’s no disputing taste. Bottom line: if you hanker for a Bronica Z or D and don’t feel like dropping about 2 grand for a clean one you can probably find a nice functional Bronica S for less than one quarter of that price.
Bronica did not start out making its own lenses and so hired Nikon for Bronica lens making. This offered Bronica an exceptional series of long Nikkor lenses made for the Nikon including the 400/4.5 Nikkor, 600/5.6 Nikkor, 800/8 Nikkor and 1200/11 Nikkor – all huge heavy expensive lenses. They were great for bragging rights over Hasselblad’s longest 500mm lens, but in real world terms they resulted in few sales. While the Nikkor lenses were of excellent quality, most professionally gave the optical edge to the more expensive and more varied Zeiss Haselblad lenses. True or not, Zeiss lenses helped propel Hasselblad camera sales through the 1950s to the early 2000s.
The Bronica S2, updated with removable helical mount, sold quite well especially in Japan.
The Bronica S2 unveiled in 1965 incorporated several new features, but the primary change was ditching the extending focusing tube and switching to a removable helical type focusing mount controlled by a large black knurled ring on the front of the body. The entire helical mounts to the body via a huge 3-claw bayonet mount, and it can be removed to attach, for example, a focusing bellows for macro work. It accommodates lenses from 40-200mm—longer lenses have their own separate or integrated helicoids. The film back has also been improved and now accepts 220 or i20 film, the number of frames selectable with a small 12/24-exposue control on the side of the magazine. Other changes: adding a small release button for releasing the helical on the front of the body, moving the PC contact to the left side of the body, and deleting the mirror lock. Finally, the Bronica S2 body was the first of the breed available in black or chrome finish.It’s readily available at used camera dealers and online auction sites at priced ranging from $250-$450 with 75mm f/2.8Nikkor-P lens.
Note: Many first-time users of Bronica S-series cameras are surprised to find that the camera requires 3-4 turns of the film wind knob or crank to advance the film to the first frame, and 2 full turns to advance the film to subsequent frames, at which point it feels like it stops, but you’ve got to turn it a little bit farther until the shutter cocks with a crunch. It sounds like the camera might be broken, but it’s just one of the charming quirks of older Bronicas that was improved on the Bronica S2A and effectively eliminated on the EC series. One thing Bronica never fully resolved, at least on the focal plane shutter models, is the loud “thwack” of the mirror/shutter mechanism when you press the shutter release. These are great cameras for many things but shooting unobtrusively is not one of them.
The Bronica C2: A price point camera similar to the S2 but without interchangeable film magazines, it's a nice camera but wasn't a rousing success sales wise.
In 1964 Bronica released the Bronica C a less expensive, simplified model based primarily on the Bronica S, but lacking interchangeable film backs, incompatible with 220 film, and with a top shutter speed of only 1/500 sec, but including a multiple exposure dial above the frame counter. However, the rarish Bronica C pioneered the removable helical focusing mount that was used on the S2 and all subsequent focal plane shutter Bronica SLRs. In 1965 they unveiled an improved version called the C2 that incorporated the S2’s mechanical improvements, added a 120/220 film selector lever and (on most examples) a marked 1/1000 sec top shutter speed. The Bronica C is currently available used at about $400-500 with normal lens; the C2 at about $100 less.
Bronica S2A, last of the S series, shown here in handsome black finish, had upgraded film-wind gears to improve reliability. It sold quite well.
In 1969, Bronica released the successor to the S2, the S2A which is a dead ringer for the S2. The main difference is improved gearing in the film advance mechanism (revised gear profiles and upgraded metallurgy). The modifications are said to improve reliability and result in fewer jams, an occasional problem with the S2 especially when advanced too roughly. The film advance knob/crank was also made slightly smaller in diameter to alleviate the problem. The camera was the most successful of the all-mechanical focal plane shutter Bronicas and was in production until 1977 when it was overshadowed by the Bronica EC with an electronically controlled shutter. The initial run of Bronica S2As is identifiable by having an “S2A” after the serial number, but this system was dropped on the last series of S2A cameras beginning with body serial number 150037. All prisms, hoods, backs, grips, etc. that fit the S2A also fit the S2. A clean, functional chrome or black finished Bronica S2A with 75mm f/2.8 Nikkor P lens currently fetches $400-$600 on online auction sites or at used camera specialists.
