Bronica ETR
The Bronica ETR is a series of 4.5×6 SLRs made by Bronica.
Contents
ETR series special editions
- 20th Anniversary ETRS (probably 1979): Matching body, 120 back, and AE-II finder in black painted metal with brown leather. See this page of Koh's Camera website.
- Safari ETRS (sometime between 1982 and 1988): a surprisingly complete color-coordinated system with ETRS body, 75mm lens, 120 E back, AE-II finder, waist-level finder, speed grip, professional lens hood, and system case in green (possibly painted) polycarbonate with tan leather and accents.
- “William Fox Talbot the 150th Anniversary Special Edition” ETRSi (1990): Standard black polycarbonate ETRSi body with gold plaque below the shutter speed dial.
- “300,000 ETR Series Cameras Sold” ETRSi (Chrome Limited Edition, 1996): Matching body and 120 back in silver metal chrome with fine-grained black leather. See this page, this page, and this page in Raymond Bradlau's pbase Camera gallery.
- 40th Anniversary Limited Edition ETRSi (1999): Matching body, 75mm PE Lens, 120 Ei back, AE-III Finder, and Speed Grip all in silver-colored polycarbonate (plastic) with grey leatherette— even the lens barrel is polycarbonate.
Chrome bodies and accessories
http://friendsofteched.org/resources/jt-ETR-256.jpg
An original chrome Bronica ETR.
Throughout the life of the ETR line Bronica kept producing chrome bodies and backs, starting with the line's introduction in 1976. They made chrome ETR and ETRS bodies and chrome 120, 220, and 70mm backs probably until 1981 when they switched from metal body panels to polycarbonate. Then in 1996 they produced the Limited Edition chrome ETR-Si body and matching chrome Ei 120 back. The original chrome ETR and ETRS bodies came with chrome winding cranks, while the 1996 Limited ETRSi came with a standard black crank. Also the ETR and ETRS backs had chrome shells/frames and chrome inserts, while the 1996 chrome 120 backs had a standard black painted shell with a chrome insert.
You can view an ETR manual that shows the original chrome components of the system in this page at butkus.org.
There were never any chrome metal finders, though most of the pre-1981 finders seem to have been black painted metal just like the standard black bodies.
http://friendsofteched.org/resources/jt-ETRSi-256.jpg
A 1996 chrome Special Edition Bronica ETRSi.
To confuse buyers greatly however there was a later, silver colored polycarbonate (plastic) 40th Anniversary edition that did have it's own matching AE-III Finder, Speed Grip, and 75mm lens. This set uses grey instead of black leatherette. It is very pretty (and Bronica finally got rid of the typographic mishmash of the ETRSi line and used their great original type and logo from the 60s)-- but no part of it is metal chrome.
Original ETR and ETRS chrome bodies, backs, and cranks all look good and work well together with the other standard black components and the 1996 chrome Special Edition. Raymond Bradlau's photos referenced above make a nice example of mixing the 1996 chrome ETRSi with the older components.
In conclusion, one can replace the black plastic ME and MLU levers and the whole winder cover of the 1996 edition with metal chrome versions scavenged from any black metal paint ETR or early ETRS parts bodies. Doing so makes a thoroughly modern ETRSi body hark back to the looks of the legendary Bronica S and S2 series-- and more importantly gives you a very rugged, compact, modern medium format body.
Bibliography
- McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). Pp. 159–62.
Links
General links
In English:
- Bronica Users Group (BUG) at the Yahoo Groups site
- Bronica Learning Center: ETR guide at the Tamron official website
- ETRSi Product Overview at the Tamron official website
- ETRSi Specifications and PE Lens Series Information at the Tamron Japan official website
- Bronica Discontinued Products List at the Tamron Japan official website
- Bronica ETR at medfmt
- Bronica ETRS/Si at medfmt
- Excel spreadsheet listing complete ETR lens production from 1976 - 2004 at Jonathan Taylor's personal webspace.
In Spanish:
In French :
- ETR Si at www.collection-appareils.com by Sylvain Halgand
User manuals
- Bronica manuals at the Tamron official website, including the ETRS and ETRSi
- Bronica ETR manual and Bronica ETRS / ETRC manual at butkus.org
