Bronica First Roll thread .....

[djonesii]

I'm back to a RF focusing patch with MF film, the body is great, the focus is one of the smoothest that I have ever dealt with, and the RF is every bit as bright and clear as the M6.....

Plus it's fun to shoot.

Full set here, nothing special ....

http://www.jonesii.net/2009 04 06 Bronica 645 first roll/

Dave

 

[Keith]

Nice shots and I have to say that boy of yours is so much like his mother if I'm reading the pics correctly!

What film is that incidentally? ... it's kinda contrasty which I actually like. 🙂

And yes ... aren't they just a great camera?!! 😛

 

[Zugzwang]

I like the look too. Is Kodak BW400CN for c41 process? I have never tried that stuff. It looks like it scans very well.

 

[dcsang]

Yep.. BW400CN is C-41 B&W.

I have an option on a used RF645 for $1,000 CDN (includes the 65mm) and the owner has the 45mm for $650 CDN more.. don't know if it's worth it or not....hmmm

Dave

 

[Keith]

Yep.. BW400CN is C-41 B&W.

I have an option on a used RF645 for $1,000 CDN (includes the 65mm) and the owner has the 45mm for $650 CDN more.. don't know if it's worth it or not....hmmm

Dave

I think there's better deals around than that Dave ... unless the camera is absolutely like new of course.

'Mint' is the term from memory! 😛

 

[Zugzwang]

I

have an option on a used RF645 for $1,000 CDN (includes the 65mm) and the owner has the 45mm for $650 CDN more.. don't know if it's worth it or not....hmm

m

That's not a terrible price if the body has the 100mm frame line. You could probably do better at E-bay but the you take your chances there. It's an awesome camera.

 

[Doug]

I like the textures and tonality in that palm shot, Dave, and the lens gives lovely bokeh too!

 

[dcsang]

I think there's better deals around than that Dave ... unless the camera is absolutely like new of course.

'Mint' is the term from memory! 😛

Hmm... here's what the seller (who's local to me) says:

All items are in basically “as new” condition. Manuals for the body, flash and lenses (1 manual covers both lenses). Both lenses and the body have their caps and hoods.

Plus, apparently, the camera had been owned by Oscar Peterson (jazz pianist..😕)

ETA: Oh.. and Dave.. I don't mean to jump all over your thread - but had I not looked at this photo (and the others within the link you provided) I would not be mulling this camera right now 😀

Dave

 

[djonesii]

A few answers, yes, the woman in the set is by far my better half. She more than puts up with my GAS, she actually likes it when I take photos.

I have a rule that says I won't photograph anything that I won't show her, so she sees all my figure work.

The boys are my sons.

The film is a Kodak BW400CN processed by a minilab, and scanned at the same place. I'm not sure if they do it in the minilab or on a different machine, I should ask some time. For 120, It's $5 to process and $5 to scan, and 220 is $6 and $5, I cannot scan it as cheap my self, and the resolution hold up to 16X20.

I post process in Lightroom, and it's very simple to get the contrasty look that I like.

I got mine off the clasifieds here, and it was US 650 w/ a hoya filter, in at least E+, in the origional boxes.

I'm now lusting for the 100mm, but I have a few other priorities now.

Can't wait to get this rig in the studio.

In terms of build and feel, it blows away the Fuji ga645 that I have, but IQ is very tough to judge as I have not done an rigorus comparisions.

Dave

 

[Keith]

As long as any RF645 doesn't have the odd advance problem where the film fails to advance and you wind up with a double exposure there appears to be no real problems with them.

I don't use mine for fairly lengthy periods sometimes but then pick it up again and can't get enough of it!

Threads like this don't help of course ... if Bronica had chosen to offer this camera in 6x7 or 6x9 the earth would truly tilt on it's axis for me! 😛

 

[dcsang]

I agree Keith.. wrt threads like this 😀

I really should save my sheckles for a good Epson 3800 though - getting an MF RF (or any MF camera) right now would cause an explosion of associated purchases - an upgrade to the Nikon 5000 (to a Nikon 9000)... for sure a printer...larger dev tanks.... more sheets to store the negs... etc. 😀

Dave

 

[Way]

Camera looks like a keeper! I must use mine more.

 

[Cron]

it definitely IS a keeper ;-)
didn't use it for 3 months or so, but wouldn't sell it because of it's handling and picture quality!

 

[issa918]

I just got a RF645 in HONG KONG too. I costed me USD700 with a 65mm lens. Lens are in E+ condition, body is in E too. Its serial starts with 1, so i think it's the 100mm FL one. Insert a Fuji 160S in it, but no chance to shoot yet! can't wait to have my first roll too!

 

[Keith]

it definitely IS a keeper ;-)
didn't use it for 3 months or so, but wouldn't sell it because of it's handling and picture quality!

That's one of the things that has always impressed me about mine ... it's no harder to use than my Ikon or any other 35mm rangefinder for that matter. I've heard good things about some of the Mamiyas but they'd have to be pretty good to top the Bronica!

 

[Cron]

Keith, I fully agree with you

 

[djonesii]

I thought long and hard about 645 vs 6X6, and in the end, all the good things I read about the Bronica RF swayed me. The quality of the the camera is part of the reason that I like shooting RF vs DSLR. The Mamiya 6 and 7 just did not seem to have the same glowing reports of build quality that the Bronica had, and relative to a D300, the RF is a pleasure to hold.

 

[Zugzwang]

The build quality was one of the reasons I went with the Bronica as well. For me the Bronica shines as a travel camera. I put 220 film in and I have 32 shots before I have to change the roll, or 16 shots on 120 film due to the vertical orientation. The whole system
fits into a small bag and is half the weight as my DSLR system. There is a nice dedicated flash that is very tiny and works well for fill flash when you need it. Overall, I can't find a single fault with the camera. I think you are going to enjoy using it.

 

[momus1]

I had a Mamiya 7 and didn't like the look of how it's lens imaged. I like your Bronica's lens much better. The outdoor shots are killer. Even w/ C 41 film, which ultimately tends to be not as sharp as true B&W, I would have guessed that a couple of those had been taken w/ a Leica. My Fuji GS645s is in the shop getting the shutter repaired for the 2nd time and the Bronica looks like a worthy replacement if the Fuji proves to be unreliable. Actually, judging by the 3-D looking leaves in the house front shot I'd say the Bronica has a better lens.