Bronica or Pentax?

[Waus]

I voted the Pentax 67, I do have a 67II, but for me this was a no brainer:
*the 105mm 1:2,4/ (and 45/55/165) is legend!
*4:3 format, same as my other SLR
*it's weight/shutter-slam/usability with slow speeds can be read all over the internet, but to my experience they are all exagerated...

 

[rivercityrocker]

I like my SQA-i and I'll stick with it over a 6X7 simply because I like the square format. I picked mine up back when everyone was dumping their film gear before it lost too much value because digital was "taking over".

For $400 I got the SQA-i body, WLF, sports finder, metering prism finder. 120, 2 X 220, and Polarid backs. 30mm fisheye, 50mm, and 80mm lenses. And a speed grip.

Made a lot of good photos with it. I should use it more, but honestly they are really a PITA to use.

The sports finder is ridiculous!

Bronica SQ-A by _JDT0505, on Flickr

 

[stompyq]

you'd have to pay me to convince me I wanted another Bronica sq-a.

the pentax 67 is fine if you don't mind the size/weight. it's not a handheld camera IMO. I tried, I failed. I'd get a hasselblad use a tripod. 2c. Loved the 105/2.4 though.

Every single shot I have on my site taken with the Pentax 6x7 was handheld and on the street. As far as I'am concerned it's just a over grown SLR. Treat it like such and you'll get wonderful results.

 

[charjohncarter]

I vote Pentax 6x7. That damn 105/2.5 lens is magical.

I can't vote because I've only used the 6x7, but the 105 f2.4 is magical AND 3D:

 

[venchka]

...

*it's weight/shutter-slam/usability with slow speeds can be read all over the internet, but to my experience they are all exagerated...

Amen Brother!

Wayne

 

[redisburning]

can I join in while we're dismissing the opinions of others despite the fact that they may have actually owned said camera in question?

here Ill give it a try:

the P67 is so big and so heavy that you have to be half giant to carry one as no mortal human can manage it. the Titans didn't place Earth on Atlas' shoulders; it was a Pentax 67. anyone who doesn't think that has never owned. the shutter shock is more akin to a 22 inch gun than anything else. its shear force creates soundwaves that instantly rupture the ear drums of anyone within a mile radius, and the mirror slap has been recorded at 2.2 megatons of force. anyone who says otherwise is just repeating what they read on the internet.

seriously, this place can be disgusting sometimes.

 

[tsiklonaut]

Shot hundreds of rolls on P67, some 95% handhold as well and running ultra-high resolving drum scanner to prove the mirror-slap isn't an issue down to 1/30s when using wide-angle (45mm) skillfully. If you hunt for decent sharpness then with normal (90/105mm) lens 1/60th is the bottom limit and 1/125th is already tack-sharp with steady hands.

The 105mm f2.4 is magic as already said before, but also ability to run unique effect lenses such as 35mm f4.5 fisheye, 120mm soft focus or 400mm f4 bokeh monster without braking your bank.

A single used & abused Pentax 67 is my main workhorse, over 200 000 kilometers on various motorcycle trips, around half of this in offroad (many crashes and falls included) photographed in over 80 countries. Worked flawlessly from 5000+ meters above sealevel (at temperatures -35C) to +45C in Saharan desert with sand blowing beteen lens and it makes grinding noise, pr tropical 100% humidity with water drops forming inside the camera (and killed some of my frames with waterdrops 😛). Mine looks like a piece of crap - lots of paint lost, some rusty parts, some bits are falling off, some screws are missing, BUT mine still fires to 100% of its capability! Couldn't ask for a better camera! Probably have to take it into my own grave since it's without a doubt the best camera I've ever had 😀


That being said I'd get Bronica just because I don't have it (probably never buy it too, but always nice to have more variety in the world!) 😉

 

[venchka]

can I join in while we're dismissing the opinions of others despite the fact that they may have actually owned said camera in question?

here Ill give it a try:

the P67 is so big and so heavy that you have to be half giant to carry one as no mortal human can manage it. the Titans didn't place Earth on Atlas' shoulders; it was a Pentax 67. anyone who doesn't think that has never owned. the shutter shock is more akin to a 22 inch gun than anything else. its shear force creates soundwaves that instantly rupture the ear drums of anyone within a mile radius, and the mirror slap has been recorded at 2.2 megatons of force. anyone who says otherwise is just repeating what they read on the internet.

seriously, this place can be disgusting sometimes.

Shot hundreds of rolls on P67, some 95% handhold as well and running ultra-high resolving drum scanner to prove the mirror-slap isn't an issue down to 1/30s when using wide-angle (45mm) skillfully. If you hunt for decent sharpness then with normal (90/105mm) lens 1/60th is the bottom limit and 1/125th is already tack-sharp with steady hands.

The 105mm f2.4 is magic as already said before, but also ability to run unique effect lenses such as 35mm f4.5 fisheye, 120mm soft focus or 400mm f4 bokeh monster without braking your bank.

A single used & abused Pentax 67 is my main workhorse, over 200 000 kilometers on various motorcycle trips, around half of this in offroad (many crashes and falls included) photographed in over 80 countries. Worked flawlessly from 5000+ meters above sealevel (at temperatures -35C) to +45C in Saharan desert with sand blowing beteen lens and it makes grinding noise, pr tropical 100% humidity with water drops forming inside the camera (and killed some of my frames with waterdrops 😛). Mine looks like a piece of crap - lots of paint lost, some rusty parts, some bits are falling off, some screws are missing, BUT mine still fires to 100% of its capability! Couldn't ask for a better camera! Probably have to take it into my own grave since it's without a doubt the best camera I've ever had 😀


That being said I'd get Bronica just because I don't have it (probably never buy it too, but always nice to have more variety in the world!) 😉

Diametrically opposed, conflicting opinions. One is no doubt true. One is no doubt false. Perhaps a bit of truth and a bit of false in each.

As they say, "Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt."
Tail end of a 4 day backpacking trip in Colorado. Elevations ranging from 9,000' to 12,550'+. Carrying and using a Pentax 6x7 & 105mm lens and many rolls of Kodak Plus-X and Kodak color negative film of the day. Crossing and descending Fall Creek Pass heading toward Holy Cross City.
Pentax 6x7, first version. 105mm f/2.4 lens. Plus-X. Epson 1680 scanner. No tripod.
Fall Creek Pass.

Crop verifying location & elevation.

Dropping down toward treeline.

Have fun!

Wayne

 

[shadowfox]

I like the Bronica S a lot.
I imagine the SQ series is similar but more modern.

But I won't mind trying out a Pentax 67, no doubt about the quality of the lenses, it's just none have passed by me yet with a price that I can't say 'no' to.

 

[redisburning]

Diametrically opposed, conflicting opinions. One is no doubt true. One is no doubt false. Perhaps a bit of truth and a bit of false in each.

Have fun!

Wayne

 

[Swift1]

It's is interesting that many people compare the Pentax 67 (most likely with a prism finder) to other cameras such as Hasselblad (most likely with WLF) and rarely take into account the finders. I would imagine that shooting a Hasselblad at waist level is much easier than shooting a Pentax 67 at eye level, and at slow speeds, the Hasselblad would most likely do better. Put a WLF on the Pentax it's a very different camera.

As an example, I have ALS and my arms are quite weak. Camera shake is much more prevalent with my Contax G2 at eye level than with my Pentax 67 at waist level.
If you've looked through tsiklonaut's flickr stream, you have all the proof you need of what a superb camera (and system) the Pentax 67 is.
I chose the 67 for this poll mainly because I have one and know it. Plus the lenses and lens selection (35,45,55,75,90,100,105,135,165,200,300,400,500,600,800 etc.) are hard to beat.
I've never used a Bronica SQ but I have a Bronica S2 and I will say this, you can have by Bronica when you pry it from my cold dead hands 🙂

 

[Corran]

I have a trick handgrip technique that I use with my Pentax 67. I shot dozens of rolls before I even cared to read all this nonsense about mirror slap widely disseminated on the 'net. I just learned how to hold the damn thing.

Here's the deal - cradle the lens with the palm of your left hand. Focus with your thumb and forefinger or middle finger if you prefer, but either way when you are ready to shoot, use your middle finger to gently trip the MLU button. In one smooth motion, press the shutter release next. If you get good at this, it's trivial to shoot at 1/30 with most lenses, even 1/15 with the 105mm and wider...I've done it consistently.

For vertical shots, I rotate the camera 90 degrees counterclockwise so my right hand is now cradling the lens and I can perform the same procedure above, and my left hand is cupped opposite over top of the camera - so it's like this: ( c ) - with c = camera and the parenthesis are my hands.

In my opinion, the Pentax 67 is an absolutely terrible camera for tripod work. I can get sharper results handheld, because the shutter bounce moves my tripod. The answer of course is to get a beefier tripod, but the tripod I use 95% of the time is my principle tripod for 4x5, either a Chamonix or Linhof, so why the heck would I even shoot MF instead? But that's me.

I don't own a Bronica so I won't comment but I actually do have a lens that could be used on one, so one of these days I'll get one just to play with.

 

[charjohncarter]

Re: tripod and shutter slap. If you use MLU with the tripod wouldn't the shutter be closed when the mirror drops?

I also have more trouble with camera movement with a digital light weight camera that uses screen viewing. If I have the 6x7 tight to my face and cradled to my body, I just seem to have little camera movement. And in fact I think the camera weight helps.

 

[Corran]

The physical shutter slamming back and forth is the problem. No mirror lock-up helps that! Of course it would be even worse without MLU.

But like you said, the weight of the camera pressed into your body is very steady. I'm definitely a lot heavier than my tripod, so no movement from the shutter tripping.

 

[benlees]

I'm a Pentax fan but went with a SQ-B. Bronica stuff is cheap only in price. If you want the square and wide, Bronica is dollar to dollar a bargain. Of course, if the Mamiya 6 line had more lenses and cost half as much...

 

[VTHokiEE]

It seems like the OP really wanted to give the P67 a try but was concerned about slow shutter speeds. Given that at least some people have had success with that, I think the OP should give the P67 a try (the only way to know for certain ;-).

 

[kyonthinh]

Under 1/30 you can still get good picture with P67, of course your hands must be steady.
Lens choices are brilliant, 105 2.4, new 200 f4 and new 55 f4 are legendary, especially 105 2.4.
I also have a SQ A. Man, its mirror sound is crazy. My 2 cents is you shouldn't use it in cemetery. People will wake up like zombie when you do that. IMO I like the old EC TL more than newer SQ system.

 

[Pete B]

I like the Bronica S a lot.
I imagine the SQ series is similar but more modern.

But I won't mind trying out a Pentax 67, no doubt about the quality of the lenses, it's just none have passed by me yet with a price that I can't say 'no' to.

I just bought a mint 67 with ttl viewfinder and 105/2.4 and 55/4 for £600. I thought it was excellent value considering the price of a 500c/m. They look like they've just left the factory and are boxed. Roll on 2014.
I've read someone discovered the speed to avoid is 1/15 due to the first curtain. He felt there was a resonance at that speed. Shooting handheld at 1/60 or above should be very doable. I wouldn't like to use any slr below 1/60.
Pete

 

[dshfoto]

Having used Bronica ECTL with the Nikkor lenses, the Pentax 67, Pentax 645N, Hasselblad, Koni-Omega, and probably some others, I am now using a Pentax 645N with a Hasselbad 100mm lens for portraits. I regret that I gave away the Bronica ECTL and the Nikkor lenses. I think that those lenses were somehow more to my liking than the Pentax 67 line of lenses.