First MF camera: Bronica VS. Hassy

[sc_rufctr]

Go with a Hassy... The quality is there and they hold their value better.

I lusted after one for many years and had a small selection of lenses and two bodies. They really are well built and repairable. Which mearns when things do go wrong (and they will) they can be fixed. Mine are mostly gone now because I wasn't using them as much as they deserved.

I've only got one now. A 903 (later SWC) that I can't part with because it's compact, almost perfect condition and stupid simple. I can not believe how expensive the SWCs are right now. 😱

 

[sc_rufctr]

Julien

Some beautiful shots right there. I especially love the tunnel.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Hasselblad will still service any of their cameras, right?
Any word on the metered prisms? Better to go with a handheld? I'd prefer TTL if it's good.
(edit, just saw bottom of your comment)

I'm not certain (as I am not lucky enough to own one) but I don't believe they will service the 1600F or 1000F models. Later ones, generally, yes, I believe they will.
Regards,
Brett

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Great point. I want one for portraits, I pretty much only take pictures of people, and sometimes dogs.

If that's really the case I think you should consider a Tele Rolleiflex. I can't think of a finer medium format portraiture camera. Take a look at Sander's Flickr photostream (much of it NSFW), and tell me I'm wrong.

Canine portraiture I'm not so sure about. But a waist level viewfinder, regardless of camera type, would possibly help (unless you're unusually short, that is).
Regards,
Brett

 

[Johnmcd]

I started out quite recently with a Bronica SQA because I wanted a 6x6. In my search for more lenses, I just purchased another SQAi from the classified here. I only really wanted the 80mm lens but the body was so cheap and with a prism, so why not. I now have the 50, 65, 80 and 150mm lenses, all picked up for an average price of about $80 each. Try to buy Hasselblad stuff that cheaply.

I tried ChrisN's Hasselblad for a couple of hours before I bought the SQA and don't see any difference in handling. I can't really comment on reliability but the SQA is certainly built like a tank and feels very solid in the hand. I shoot the SQA with the metered prism and hand grip as I could never get used to the WLF. Now I just shoot it like a big 35mm SLR.

I also own a Mamiya 7 who's lenses are considered the sharpest around. The Bronica's lens are not shamed at all in this company and I can't see any real difference.

It is noisey though but aren't all large SLRs? My advice would be to get a cheap SQA to experience 6x6 and go from there. If it doesn't work out, sell it and get your money back.

Cheers - John

 

[FrankS]

Hasselblad is kind of like the Leica of medium format (with changeable lenses).

 

[jwicaksana]

My first journey in MF starts with a Rolleicord. Screen wise, it's easy to replace with aftermarket screens. Rick Oleson's are great, I use them on my Cords.
Two days ago I purchased a Bronica EC from a friend, to see if I like focal plane shutter, instant return mirror medium format SLR. Lovely build quality, and unique lens design, similar to RF lenses I think.
For me, portability without tripod is important, so I'll see if I can handhold the Bronica alright.

My $0.02 worth. 😀

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I started out quite recently with a Bronica SQA because I wanted a 6x6. In my search for more lenses, I just purchased another SQAi from the classified here. I only really wanted the 80mm lens but the body was so cheap and with a prism, so why not. I now have the 50, 65, 80 and 150mm lenses, all picked up for an average price of about $80 each. Try to buy Hasselblad stuff that cheaply.

I tried ChrisN's Hasselblad for a couple of hours before I bought the SQA and don't see any difference in handling. I can't really comment on reliability but the SQA is certainly built like a tank and feels very solid in the hand. I shoot the SQA with the metered prism and hand grip as I could never get used to the WLF. Now I just shoot it like a big 35mm SLR.

I also own a Mamiya 7 who's lenses are considered the sharpest around. The Bronica's lens are not shamed at all in this company and I can't see any real difference.

It is noisey though but aren't all large SLRs? My advice would be to get a cheap SQA to experience 6x6 and go from there. If it doesn't work out, sell it and get your money back.
Cheers - John

Not necessarily. I had the use of a Rollei SL66 last year for a couple of months, and it was very quiet for a medium format SLR with 6x6 mirror. The pneumatically damped mirror mechanism must get some credit for that aspect of its operation, and also the absence of the capping plates most leaf shutter SLRs require. As well as making it very quiet it also had the least mirror slap of any MF SLR I've handled. It has a mirror pre-release facility, but even for tripod use much of the time it would be unnecessary, as mirror slap is almost non-existent.

If I did not already own a Hasselblad I would have been sorely tempted to purchase the immaculate example I used, but the lack of full flash synchronisation of the SL and the expense of the leaf shutter lenses for it persuaded me to stay with the Hasselblad system which is relatively more affordable, if not nearly as beautifully made.
Regards,
Brett

 

[FrankS]

The rollei 120 slr is kind of like the Nikon RF in 135 film format.

 

[FrankHarries]

I have owned Hassis and still own one, I have a Rolleiflex and a Mamiya 6! The Immages of the Hasselblads are stunning - but if you want to get into MF it depends, what kind of photography you are on. I am doing street photography most of the time and thinking about taking a Hassi with me while walking through the streets I surely would quit my hobby in about a month of time. If you do mostly landscape, portrait and other still- work, the Hassi is for you ( well, i think a bronica and Mamiya SLR would do the same) - Hassies are not very cheap, not even nowadays, and yo likely have to get serpvice for them. Nearly all of my used equippement needed some - but it' s still worh it. If you don't have a lot of money I would grab a bronica and some lenses, if you'll like to spend your bucks on a Hassy be sure to keep some in order to get a service - a plain CLA will cost about 230 USD for a lens, 8 out of my 10 backs needed service, which was around 100 USD. If you keep that in mind without fear in your eyes and if you are sure you want to combine wheightlifting with photography 😀 a Hassy is just a great MF SLR - and sure suits any kind of GAS because there are is so many stuff to buy around it...
Have fun - not beeing a pro you can't do it wrong with either system.

 

[Mystyler]

Never having used a Hassy, but wanting one, I decided I'd save $1000+ and buy a Bronica. Either way I doubt you can go wrong, the Nikkor I have on my EC is amazing.

 

[grapejohnson]

Never having used a Hassy, but wanting one, I decided I'd save $1000+ and buy a Bronica. Either way I doubt you can go wrong, the Nikkor I have on my EC is amazing.

That's why I considered a Bronica in the first place, the Nikkor glass, and the price. In any case, I don't plan on getting a MF camera for a few months to a year, so I'll save up and educate myself on all of the variations of different cameras, as I tend to do anyway.

I just know myself, and like to have things that are well-made. As the old saying goes, I'm too broke to buy cheap things. I went through three Canon FD bodies before I got the right one for me. I sold one, and now have a backup, but would prefer to just have one really good MF camera system and leave it at that, and not buy a bunch of "starter" stuff in the mean-time. I've considered Kiev 88s, but I feel like I'd just want a "real" camera after that.

 

[grapejohnson]

I guess my main question is that are Bronicas really "second-best"? How's the build quality? I love my Voigtlander Bessa R3A, but I sometimes wish I went Leica, especially after dropping it and smashing the viewfinder and breaking some of the internal RF mechanism.

 

[Mystyler]

I think that the Bronicas are probably second best, but not by enough for me to want to spend the extra on a 501CM I had an eye on. Maybe one day, just because I have always wanted one. However, the Bronicas can hold their own and while old the EC is built to last. I have lovingly come to know mine as the "Brickica"...it is almost 2Kg of steel and glass. Saying that though, I would try to find an SQ-x as they are a lot newer and lenses/parts are easier to find unless you can pick up an EC/EC-TL/etc for cheap (~$200AUD) like I did.

 

[ruby.monkey]

If you want a more civilised Hassy on the cheap, take a look at a Rollei SLX Mk 2, or one of the later 6000-series SLRs. You'll have access to most of the interesting glass, plus some that will never be on a Hasselblad (the 180mm f/2.8 Tele-Xenar springs to mind) plus in-body metering, all for a very reasonable price.

Then again, if you're after a low-cost introduction to medium-format photography then it would be hard to beat a Mamiya C220.

 

[Johnmcd]

I guess my main question is that are Bronicas really "second-best"? How's the build quality? I love my Voigtlander Bessa R3A, but I sometimes wish I went Leica, especially after dropping it and smashing the viewfinder and breaking some of the internal RF mechanism.

I had an R3A (my first rangefinder) and it always felt a little light in the hand and even a little 'cheap'. Though it operated flawlessly, it certainly didn't compare to my Leica M3 and M4. My SQA doesn't feel like that at all. Heavy and solid. I bought both cameras second hand (from RFFer's) and both work perfectly with no CLA. Maybe I was just lucky but they seem very robust.

I was also a little concerned about shooting at slow speeds and mirror vibration but have had no problems down to 1/15. Both these shots were 1/15th from memory, definitely no higher than 1/30th.

And did I say the lenses are sharp? Nothing here that the Hasselblad couldn't do but I don't think the Bronica gives too much away.

Cheers - John

 

[RObert Budding]

Go with a Hassy... The quality is there and they hold their value better. . .
😱

Some people are also saying that Hasselblads are really cheap right now. They can't be both cheap and have held their value.

All MF gear has dropped a great deal in price since new. But the Hasselblad will still cost a good deal more. They are excellent cameras, but there are other cameras that are just as good. As for the 'Hassy Magic', I suspect the placebo effect is in play. The link below compares several MF choices. It's pretty difficult to make a really bad choice.

http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/MF_testing.html

 

[steveclem]

Would you want 6x6 or 6x45?

 

[jamais]

...Are Hasselblads that much better that they're worth the extra $$? I'd prefer not to buy a cheap camera to start out with and the have to buy another more expensive one later, which is why I'm not considering a Kiev or the like...

If money is not an object and you prefer the square, go Hasselblad. Otherwise you can not go wrong with Bronica, Mamiya, Pentax. They were all built for professional use. I would even consider a Kiev 60 for use with fast and cheap telephoto lenses.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

I have both (Bronica SQ-A and Hassie (500C/501 CM) and prefer the Hassie. I think a lot of this is just what you are used to. However, the 500CM is an all-manual camera that will be repairable for a long, long time. They were designed to be used hard, serviced and returned to work. If a circuit board goes bad in an SQ-A . . .I recently bought a Hassie 250/5.6 for $200. That is not as cheap as a Bronica lens, but it is a dime on the dollar compared to what that lens cost new. I actually purchased the Bronica because I had always wanted to try one and the prices were so low that it was hard to live with the curiousity. Good luck with your choice. This is definitely the moment to try that MF gear before 120 film goes away for good.