Bronica EC-TL

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hap

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Does anybody here have or once used this 6x6 relatively early Bronica model. I have a Bronica S and find it very much fun to use. Considering the EC-TL since it has a meter, will take the S model lenses, and more. Usually don't see these models on the usual forums. Seems Japan only. Although with meters the lamps in the finders tend not to light up.

Thanks for input.
 
I have an EC-TL that I was given about 20 years ago. I enjoyed using it as a second camera to a Hasselblad 500 Classic. Both shot the same format but were very different in usage. I ended up switching to Sony A7R digitals and the EC-TL has been idle for some years, but I have fond memories of it. As you said the meter lights in the finder tend to not light.
 
I started with an S2, then added an EC-TL. I eventually wound up selling the EC-TL because I had some concerns that the TTL meter was not operating properly -- I'd get some good exposures, then some that were off. I also could never find the split-image focusing screen for the EC-TL -- it takes special EC-TL screens that have all the shutter speeds that the TTL meter could set. I did like the electronic control of the shutter, so I eventually got an EC to go with the S2. I also thought the EC-TL was perhaps heavier than the S2 -- I once mounted it on the pistol grip, added a chimney and tried walking around with it, pretty hefty!
 
All of the EC series are massive and heavy, even in comparison to the S2. But they give a more refined shooting experience over the S series, without that deafening mirror slap and with a much smoother shutter release. The electronic shutter timing is more accurate, down to 8 seconds, and the folding waist level finder collapses in one smooth movement. The EC has a metered chimney finder that is also massive but astonishingly accurate, but without auto exposure like the EC-TL.
Bear in mind that the electronics in the EC series are getting long in the tooth. Own one, use one, but plan on it becoming a doorstop, maybe after a week, maybe after 20 years.
I have an S2A and an EC, and really enjoy both. Despite the advantages of the EC, I more often take my S2A along. It's a weird sentimental thing, mostly because the S2A is just so damned beautiful!
 
I see the Bronica EC and EC-TL as easily the best buys in 120 film SLRs.

Lenses competitive with Zeiss, many more features than the Hasselblad 500C variants at a fraction of the price. The EC magazine takes either 120 or 220 film. The Hasselblad 120 and Hasselblad 220 magazine alone cost more than an EC-TL body, magazine, finder, and normal lens!

I have two EC-TL's with reliable meters. Even if the meters die, still a better buy overall than the 500C's.

I hate the Bronicas before the EC - way too noisy with too much vibration for me.

Many of same folks who consider the Bronica EC's massive have no problem shooting much larger and heavier LF cameras - go figure.
 
Sourcing EC TL almost 100% Japan. Shipping charges can really increase the transaction costs. Sometimes confusion ec tl II.

seems to me that anything you buy would need something like cla.

do ec tl have focus issues like the earlier cams Due to degeneration of the finder base seals?
 
hap said:
Sourcing EC TL almost 100% Japan. Shipping charges can really increase the transaction costs. Sometimes confusion ec tl II.

seems to me that anything you buy would need something like cla.

do ec tl have focus issues like the earlier cams Due to degeneration of the finder base seals?
Click to expand...
The EC series uses a different method from the S series for mounting the ground glass, so no problem with the focus shifting over time. The ground glass sits in a hinged metal frame that swings upward to permit interchangeability. The EC's ground glass also seems brighter to me.
However, they come with different viewing concerns. The mirror, being two-part, can develop misalignment between the two sections. This manifests as a double image at the top edge of the screen. It's pretty easy to ignore, however, and doesn't affect accurate focus on the rest of the screen.
I think the need for a CLA is a given, even though electronic shutters hold their accuracy much better than mechanical ones. And given the more complicated electronics of the EC-TL, the EC might be a wiser choice at this point in time. But don't expect to easily find a tech who can do much more than a CLA; the older Bronicas, both S and EC series, are considered nightmares to service. The only tech I know of in the US is Frank Marshman, who has a stellar reputation, but I suspect he has an enormous backlog.
In short, though I love my Bronicas, they are not my primary 6x6 system. My suggestion for anyone who purchases one from either series is to buy one in the very best condition possible, that has had a CLA already done. Use it and enjoy it, but at least be prepared for problems down the line. If you're reasonably fortunate, they won't come. But isn't that the game with all used cameras, at this point?
 
Just find examples that don't need servicing.

For May 2023, EC and EC-TLs are currently such bargains that it makes little sense to repair or CLA them.

Ebay has offers for $400 or slightly less complete with back and normal lens!

You can likely find a nice example for less than you have one repaired or CLA'd.

articles that I need to update Bronica EC-TL Bronica EC

BTW, I found my two TL's in the US, just be patient.
 
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CameraQuest said:
Just find examples that don't need servicing.

For May 2023, EC and EC-TLs are currently such bargains that it makes little sense to repair or CLA them.

Ebay has offers for $400 or slightly less complete with back and normal lens!

You can likely find a nice example for less than you have one repaired or CLA'd.

articles that I need to update Bronica EC-TL Bronica EC

BTW, I found my two TL's in the US, just be patient.
Click to expand...
Perhaps, from a purely monetary standpoint, "use and discard" makes some sense. Certainly I would hesitate to attempt getting one repaired. However, I do very much appreciate the peace of mind that a CLA provides, and both the sentimentalist and environmentalist in me would much rather see a beautiful old piece of equipment kept working and doing its job. At the worst, when I have a piece of equipment that is truly beyond repair, I donate it to my favorite local tech. She has told me that techs maintain an informal sharing network to source obscure, out-of-production parts for repairs, much like the auto salvage business.
 
i've not seen completed transactions on Japan cameras for May in the 400$/s . Most of them have problems , especially meters or lamps. I might have seen one that was claimed to be CLA...but who knows?

another issue is that I don't want to duplicate my 75mm Nikkor. Sometimes there is a 80,150 , 100, 200mm lenses on very fvery few cameras FS.

You can buy a SQ series camera with 80mm and back for almost 500$. But different animal.

I sat and watched a absolutely MINT Hasselblad 2003fcw on FM. It was 2K with two backs and no lens. It was a killer and did not sell for months. On ebay the prices are obscene.
 
hap said:
i've not seen completed transactions on Japan cameras for May in the 400$/s . Most of them have problems , especially meters or lamps. I might have seen one that was claimed to be CLA...but who knows?

another issue is that I don't want to duplicate my 75mm Nikkor. Sometimes there is a 80,150 , 100, 200mm lenses on very fvery few cameras FS.

You can buy a SQ series camera with 80mm and back for almost 500$. But different animal.

I sat and watched a absolutely MINT Hasselblad 2003fcw on FM. It was 2K with two backs and no lens. It was a killer and did not sell for months. On ebay the prices are obscene.
Click to expand...
Agreed about the prices! And you are correct about finding a body without a lens. When I wsas shopping for my second Bronica, the EC, I finally gave up and purchased one with a lens. The 75mm sells for very little, so I don't think it added much to the price.
If you decide to do as I did, keep your eyes open for the 75mm designated "P-C" rather than just "P". The C designation indicates that it is a later multicoated version, and in my experience it does provide noticeable improvement in flare reduction. An EC series camera is more likely to have the P-C, since they were made later, but that's not always the case. Maybe I got a particularly good sample, but my Nikkor is the equal of the 80mm Planar on my Hasselblad. Different, but just as good!
 
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