Any Bronica Zenza 645 owners out there, whats it like?

Mr Bump

Mr Bump

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Im having a bit of a wobble on my Fuji GS645. Its a phenom camera image quality is just uber sharp its a point and shoot 645 that is impossible to bork a picture. However I really miss a nice big focus screen with that through the lens view.
It is after all a rangfinder. Also now I have my RB67 all up to speed and ready to roll I love the way that handles.

Yesterday when in Leeds I wandered in to see Nick @retrogamer1990 in the Camera shop and just picked up a Bronica Zenza 645 and its like a little RB67.

Its got me wondering....
 
If you miss a big focussing screen, use the RB67, you don't get much bigger than that!

I had a Bronica ETRS for a little while and it was one of the tackiest cameras I'd ever used. Plastic body panels, cheap naff leatherette and a mirror slap that could wake the dead. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone, just felt crap next to my RB67.
 
robhooley167 said:
If you miss a big focussing screen, use the RB67, you don't get much bigger than that!

I had a Bronica ETRS for a little while and it was one of the tackiest cameras I'd ever used. Plastic body panels, cheap naff leatherette and a mirror slap that could wake the dead. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone, just felt crap next to my RB67.
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love the RB67 and cannot wait to use it in anger when weather improves but I do still want a 645 shooter for portability.
 
Could look into the Mamiya 645 system, build quality is a lot better as most if not all are entirely metal.
 
I'll be selling my Mamiya 645 Pro outfit soon ... :)
 
I had an ETRS, back in the day, I loved it and occasionally consider another, they're so cheap now. Build quality could be better, but at the time they were favoured over the Mamiya 645 for the leaf shutter.
 
I'd second having a look at a Mamiya 645 - I picked up a 70's M645J with lens, metered eye level prism finder in really good nick for abut £150 on ebay last year...
 
I have a Mamiya 645 kit and I have a Bronica SQ the SQ was similar in build and feel to the ETRS when I was looking the Bronica does beat the Mamiya for me but I'd say look at both if you can and decide for yourself. I bought the SQ as with square format you can crop the image to suit and you don't have to turn the camera on its side.
 
The ETRS isn't everyone's cup of tea and not helped by the very plastic model that replaced the original all metal version. I have the metal one and find it a solid and robust camera and quite unlike the later lightweight plasticky bodies and backs, lenses are Ok stopped down.
 
@ Mr Bump If it's focusing screen size that you yearn after then simply go LF. If it's portability, then I can thow a 126 instamatic your way :p

Seriously, the ETRS imo is quite a cool piece of kit although as Adrian says, not everyones cup of tea ( that applies to ANY kit!!). I typically use mine with its prism finder and grip more than the WLF. Landscape orientation is fine, Portrait is more awkward but perfectly usable ...for me anyway.
 
Well it doesn't bother me whether any camera is plastic or metal as long as it does the job, doesn't full apart, and is reliable.....I like my ETRs and can't fault it (well I suppose 1/500 top speed might be inconvenient at times)....I did spend many months (about 27 years ago) deciding what 645 to buy and decided on many reviews instead of trying out other 645 cameras. So my experience is limited but hey it takes sharp pictures and quite a few with "pop" so iwhat more can a photographer want.
 
PMN said:
Why don't you just go take some photos rather than obsessing over gear? ;)
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@PMN I think I have taken a lot more pics on film than you have lately.
 
Given that the SQ-A isn't much more expensive, isn't much bigger, can shoot both 6x6 and 6x4.5, and you don't need to rotate the camera when shooting 6x6 (so the WLF is far more useful); I think it's a much better purchase than any of the ETR iterations.

That said, you already have a great combination of cameras in the RB67 and GS645 (big SLR and light rangefinder), so I can't see how any other system, whether Bronica, Mamiya 645, etc., would really further your photography in any meaningful way.
 
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Plus it is yet another system, stick with the RB67 for a while; buy some lenses, shoot it on a tripod and hand held see if it really is too bulky. While your dancing between systems your wasting lens money.
 
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steveo_mcg said:
Plus it is yet another system, stick with the RB67 for a while; buy some lenses, shoot it on a tripod and hand held see if it really is too bulky. While your dancing between systems your wasting lens money.
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....but it's a hobby ;)...well for me I enjoy using different cameras and it's also horses for courses whether using a MTL3 or RB67.
 
excalibur2 said:
....but it's a hobby ;)...well for me I enjoy using different cameras and it's also horses for courses whether using a MTL3 or RB67.
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I agree that it can be really fun to play with different cameras and lenses, but I think it's far more important that we are all actively purchasing film to help keep the market for film alive. The more you spend on gear, the less that you have to spend on film.

Consequently, film is where the bulk of my money is going nowadays, especially since Fuji Pro 160NS is on the brink of discontinuation. Plus, I hear that Fuji will be significantly raising their prices in April, so I'm buying what I can now.
 
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excalibur2 said:
....but it's a hobby ;)...well for me I enjoy using different cameras and it's also horses for courses whether using a MTL3 or RB67.
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It is indeed a hobby, but if you're changing systems every other month then you're never learning how they actually work properly. The way to achieve better images isn't to go through every single camera system you can find, it's get one and learn how to use it properly.

If collecting cameras is your thing then by all means collect them, but don't expect a certain camera to enable you to bypass the hard bit of learning how to actually use one.
 
Mr Bump said:
@excalibur2 your so on my wave length Brian :)
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Well Paul...no matter what camera you choose, you could always say "been there done" if you don't like it...but for me I gave up 6 X 6cm tel-Roleiflex and Roleiflex SL66, 27 years ago because I didn't like the format and it was a waste of expensive colour print paper if I didn't crop....I'm just a rectangular man and rather than crop a square neg would try to get the shot right (rectangular) without cropping.
 
PMN said:
It is indeed a hobby, but if you're changing systems every other month then you're never learning how they actually work properly. The way to achieve better images isn't to go through every single camera system you can find, it's get one and learn how to use it properly.

If collecting cameras is your thing then by all means collect them, but don't expect a certain camera to enable you to bypass the hard bit of learning how to actually use one.
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True but most film cameras are simple to use (providing it's working properly), guys here can switch from digital to film with no problem and anyway all you have to do is get the subject in the view finder and press the shutter which sorts out the Ansell Adams to a snapper ;) .....getting the exposure right is important and that's for any camera.
 
Yeh! Well my dad's two policemen and I've taken a million photos today and I don't even have a camera...:banana::p:D
 
Oh no! the thread has changed into the four Yorkshire mans' sketch :p
 
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excalibur2 said:
Oh no! the thread has changed into the four Yorkshire mans' sketch :p
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That's easy for you to say, but I had to whittle 14 dinosaurs, bury them, wait 65 million years, dig them up and resharpen them before I could even sketch a single Yorkshire man.
 
excalibur2 said:
Oh no! the thread has changed into the four Yorkshire mans' sketch :p
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Its not its Paul aka @PMN the luddite who says you can't have a new toy until you have mastered the one you have.

Blimey that would have seriously restricted the amount of girlfriends I had at school !
 
Frankly no one cares what you do with your money but buying a system to solve a problem that doesn't exist is a bit silly really.
Medium format is not a "portable" system, want portable? Use 35mm.

If wanting to get the best out of my current gear before buying new toys makes me a Luddite too then sign me up now! I dare say there are quite a few of us in the club.

One final note, I haven't taken a frame of film since October, can I still join in this discussion?
 
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I wasn't going to post in this thread as I'm as guilty of trying new kit although I do normally run some film through them first before trying something new :0) I do have to question why you feel like you're missing the WLF experience when you have an RB67 sitting on the shelf? I'm with RJ in saying that you've already got a good combination of kit in the RB67/645 Rangefinder/35mm Nikon so you'd be better off spending your cash on film and get out and use them. Having a WLF on a 645 system isn't going to give you anything the RB67 doesn't for handling or the Fuji does for negative output.

I went out to the Liverpool Chinese New Year yesterday with my Sony NEX5 digital, Canon EOS30 35mm film and Iphone5 so whilst I agree that having a selection of photography toys is nice, it's only beneficial if they all deliver something different.

Steve
 
Part of the fun for me is buying and trying new kit, I'm at a stage in my life where I can usually afford to do this and it gives me great pleasure. I sincerely doubt that I've ever mastered any of the cameras I've owned and I probably never will but I am slowly working out which kit I need and feel happy with, so far its a D7100 for wildlife an F100 for 35mm easy to carry and use fun and my Mamiya TLR system for taking my time 120 loveliness. I just need to see if a modular 6x7 system suits me and I'm sorted.
So, basically if you want it and can afford it and it doesn't hurt anyone, just go and frickin' buy it, and good luck to ya' I say.(y)
 
Well I don't see the logic of some posts as most of us are not pros and film photography is a hobby and fun, so if you have the money buy what you want and enjoy..........and can anyone tell me what is difficult using any 35mm, 645, 6X6, or 6X7, cameras from say 1960...OK it's true "know your camera and film" but that's only necessary if an old camera shutter speeds are not accurate, or dodgy exposure meter, or using 1.5v batteries instead of 1.35v, or you want to play with different lenses (inc very old lenses) for certain results you want...Let's face it most of us can drive different cars and it takes what, about an hour or so to know where all the switches are etc and it doesn't take long to find what it can do on hills and so on.... same for cameras and lenses.
 
Cuchulainn said:
That's easy for you to say, but I had to whittle 14 dinosaurs, bury them, wait 65 million years, dig them up and resharpen them before I could even sketch a single Yorkshire man.
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Only 65 million years???.....................I'm sure I was left to mature much longer than that:D
 
I have mixed views regarding the responses;

Buy and shoot whatever kit you wish if you feel the need, urge,whatever, and enjoy the experience that different cameras can offer.

If you are simply wanting to change gear believing that will enable you to obtain "the perfect photograph" then I agree with what has been said about learning what your present kit can really offer, realising that often it is not the kit that lets our results displease us, but our own human abilities.
 
Mr Bump said:
Its not its Paul aka @PMN the luddite who says you can't have a new toy until you have mastered the one you have.
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You iz missing me point, innit. The point of sticking with one camera for longer than 4 days isn't to learn the camera, it's to learn photography. You know, that thing we do when we pick up a camera. :)

The longer you spend obsessing over gear the less you learn about photography because you're not actually doing it. It seems like every month you talk about a new camera, then get it, you run a few rolls through it and think it's the best thing since the invention of the pint glass, then you find a problem with it and look at getting another toy in the hope it will make taking photos easier/better. That's just silly, it's like being a crap driver and continually changing cars every month in the hope one of them will make you a better driver. It won't. Spend a bit of time in whatever car you have, learn how to drive and you might find you won't have to change because you can get everything you need out of what you already have.

As I said earlier, decide whether you're a collector or a photogrpher. If you're a collector then buy whatever the hell you like, cameras are awesome, toys are awesome and if you collect them then buy as many of the damned things as you possibly can. If you're a photographer chasing great images then stop changing cameras all the time and learn how to take photos, continually changing cameras in the hope of great images will only result in perpetual disappointment.

Just to be clear, I'm not by any means saying you can't be both, what I am saying is taking a collector's perspective on being a photographer won't work. You need to take a photographer's perspective on that bit.

Oh, and considering how much I use modern technology I hardly think "luddite" is appropriate. ;)
 
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Much as I think @PMN you think you are explaining your point your not understanding the original point back in my original post.

I simply don't get on with the rangefinder spot its that simple its not about obsessing about kit and changing all day every day as you seem to have decided its all about.

I simply find the camera hard to use in a casual way which is the way my picture taking is going. The Nikon FE2 and FM2 I have are very much the perfect duo in small handheld easy to carry packages. The Fuji on the other hand is not I find the rangefinder patch difficult in contrasty scenes and close ups also are difficult to judge.

Te RB67 is lush but to much to carry the Fuji was I thought the perfect middle ground

And a few other folk understand that I didn't get into film to master photography blimey I would have done a lot better and improved my skills a lot faster sticking to digital thats for sure. I like film and old gear because I love the process and the workflow and I can now officially build a man cave to fulfill this hobby.


you @PMN have actually steered this thread in the way due to your own thoughts on the subject not reading and understanding the brief. Dude you need to lighten up :-)

I think @Andysnap post no 31 says it right down the line
 
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I am very wise...it has been said.. and with that he laid his weary head the wrong way round upon the bed....
 
I am and I was :-)

Mamiya 645-1000 looks nice.

Anyhooooooo
 
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