Bronica RF645

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The Bronica RF645 is a medium format rangefinder camera with interchangeable lenses made by the Japanese company Bronica. It captures 6×4.5 images onto 120 or 220 film. This camera was available from November 2000[1] and discontinued in 2005, with Tamron continuing support until 2012.

The camera was awarded Camera Press Club's "Special prize" at the Camera Grand Prix 2001, EISA award for professional camera in 2001-2002, and TIPA's best professional photo product for year 2001-2002.

French photographer Raymond Depardon is reported to have been using this camera.


Development

The Bronica RF645 was the first brand new camera design for Bronica since the Bronica GS-1 in 1983, though the medium format camera development cycle was not as quick as 35mm cameras. The background for developing the camera, was the purchase of Bronica by Tamron in 1996. After the purchase, a variety of new products were explored immediately. At the time there was a trend towards medium format autofocus cameras, in addition to new 35mm cameras. A 6x4.5cm rangefinder was chosen for development because it was a product with a sense of accomplishment for Bronica. There were also many users, both in Japan and abroad, who wanted a medium format camera, but were unable to use it because the equipment was large and heavy. There were many twists and turns as to whether a small, lightweight and highly mobile camera with good operability could be created, but the result in the end was the Bronica RF645.[1]

At the 1980 Photokina Bronica had actually presented prototypes of a Bronica VX-1 and VX-2 35mm rangefinder camera with similar set of lenses (a 28mm, 40mm and 85mm) and leaf shutters. Bronica also adopted a size #00 leaf shutter for the Bronica RF645, and noted that this was both a tradition for the company, the shutter was quiet and could synchronize with daytime fill flash, and that there were many wedding photographers among Bronica users in the US. Furthermore Bronica wanted the camera to be usable not only for nature photography, but also for snapshots in combination with the provided strobe. The inner skeleton is an aluminium die-cast body, the lower cover was made by pressing and the upper cover by thixomolding. The thixomolded magnesium alloy was the same technology as used in the Canon EOS-1V. Many users requested a traditional metal camera, however the designers had particular functional priorities for their choice of materials, including making the top cover thinner by using a magnesium alloy.[1]

The rangefinder baseline length is 53.5mm and the viewfinder magnification is 0.6x, so the effective baseline length is 33mm (compare Mamiya 7 with a baseline of 60mm, magnification of 0.57x and effective baseline 34.2mm). For accuracy a larger baseline length is better, however the designers balanced baseline length with magnification to achieve a small camera size without sacrificing performance. Even though the VX-1 and VX-2 cameras were never released, Bronica took advantage of the know-how from those cameras in designing the RF645 rangefinder. In addition advanced technologies from Tamron, including precision prism processing and multi-layer coating, were added to make a bright and high contrast rangefinder image. Special emphasis was put on designing the exposure compensation dial, so that you can adjust it while looking through the viewfinder and see the correction there, allowing a delicate control of exposure.[1]

Bronica deliberately chose a manual film advance, even though an automatic electric film advance would have been relatively easy to design and produce. This was due to the development concept, including the operational feeling and sense of achievement when shooting. The RF645 was intended to have an easy to use appearance, while the insides were electronic to ensure repeatability and exposure accuracy. For this reason microcomputers were built into the body, lens and strobe to control each function.[1]

After Bronica was purchased by Tamron in 1996, six news lenses for Bronica had been released. Even though Tamron's technology as a lens manufacturer was introduced for the RF645, such as color and contrast characterisics, the lens design concept was not changed by Tamron. The design of medium format lenses was different from the 35mm format, and the previous Bronica head designer was kept in charge of the RF645 lens line. Tamron felt both the Bronica brand and camera concept would continue to be important. The 45mm lens was a Biogon and Super-Angulon derived design equivalent to 27mm in 35mm-format. With a short lens back distance and little internal reflection it produces high contrast images. The 65mm is a symmetrical Orthometar type standard lens equivalent to 39mm in 35mm-format. Astigmatism, field curvature, and distortion are well corrected. The 135mm lens is equivalent to 81mm in 35mm-format, and uses a modified Gaussian design, that had been proven in the Zenzanon P series lenses. The distribution between the front group and the rear group was optimized, and the overall length was been shortened while maintaining the symmetric design.[1]

Camera design

The relatively classic design of a rangefinder camera has been enhanced with modern techniques and some very innovative choices. The body and lens communicate with each other through a mechanical rangefinder coupling and electronic contacts for lens identification, aperture setting and shutter release.

Most notable features include

  • vertical ("portrait") framing due to horizontal film movement, much like some earlier folders
  • leaf shutter lenses with no mechanical cocking by the body (a motor built into the lens does this instead)
  • automatic dark slide when lens is removed : a cloth curtain unfolds to protect the film from exposure
  • center weighted average metering (non TTL), adjusting to the focal length mounted on the body
  • Program mode where the body sets the aperture in the lens electronically
  • multi exposure enabled by pressing the ME button - which also allows to fire even without film roll


The camera relies upon 2 CR2 batteries to operate, and will not work without them.

Viewfinder

The vertical viewfinder is a good design, offering clear vision, distinct patch and good resistance to flare. Frames for 65mm and 100mm lenses are available (and 135mm on early models), and are paralax-compensated. An additional external finder is provided for the 45mm lens, but the main finder can still be used for a rough view of the frame (no frame lines are displayed). Bodies built with 135mm frame lines are early ones with serial numbers starting with a "0" (e.g. 0000570). Later series were manufactured with frame lines for 100mm, and their serial numbers start with a "1" (e.g. 1002124).

Viewfinder displays selected shutter speed and aperture, as well as indicators for AE lock, exposure compensation, P or A mode, need to advance film, and low battery.

Lenses

At the time the camera was issued, three lenses were offered : 45mm/4, 65mm/5 and 135mm/4.5. Shortly after that a 100mm/4.5 was announced to replace the 135mm which was too difficult to focus given the body's rangefinder base. All lenses seem to have very good reputation in terms of sharpness and bokeh.

45mm and 65mm lenses focus as close as 1m (3.5ft). 100mm focuses down to 1.2m (4,3ft) with a recommendation from Bronica to use f/11 and smaller at these short distances due to very shallow depth of field.

The relatively small opening of these lenses is due to the use of leaf shutter, and the use of self-cocking mechanism within the lens. Given the focal lengths in use with medium format, wider aperture would also be more difficult to focus.

Controls

The Bronica RF645 offers the following controls :

  • focus
  • aperture
  • shutter speed / exposure mode (Aperture priority or Program)
  • AE lock
  • exposure compensation
  • film ISO setting
  • self timer
  • multiple exposure
  • 120/220 film type selection

Flash photography

A dedicated lightweight flash unit (Bronica RF20) is offered with the system. Thanks to a dedicated protocol in the hotshoe, the aperture setting and ISO rating is transmitted to the flash unit from the body, which allows for more simple operation of the lot.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Shashin Kōgyō (Photographic Industries) Vol. 58, No. 10 (2000) pp 105-110.

Links

Japan Camera Grand Prix
Camera of the year

1984: Nikon FA | 1985: Minolta α-7000 | 1986: Canon T90 | 1987: Canon EOS 650 | 1988: Kyocera Samurai | 1989: Nikon F4 | 1990: Canon EOS 10 | 1991: Contax RTS III | 1992: Pentax Z-1 | 1993: Canon EOS 5 | 1994: Minolta α-707si | 1995: Contax G1 | 1996: Minolta TC-1 | 1997: Nikon F5 | 1998: Pentax 645N | 1999: Minolta α-9 | 2000: Canon EOS-1V | 2001: Minolta α-7 | 2002: Canon EOS-1D | 2003: Canon EOS-1Ds | 2004: Nikon D70 | 2005: Konica Minolta α-7 Digital | 2006: Nikon D200 | 2007: Pentax K10D | 2008: Nikon D3 | 2009: Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 2010: Olympus Pen E-P1 | 2011: Pentax 645D | 2012: Nikon D800 | 2013: Sony DSC-RX1 | 2014: Nikon Df | 2015: Canon EOS 7D Mark II | 2016: Sony α7R II | 2017: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II | 2018: Sony α9 | 2019: Lumix S1R | 2020: Sony α7R IV | 2021: Sony α1 | 2022: Nikon Z9 | 2023: Sony α7R V

Special Prize
1990: Konica Kanpai | 1991: Fuji Cardia Travel Mini Dual-P | 1992: Konica Hexar | 1993: Nikonos RS | Sigma SA300 | 1994: Olympus µ[mju:] Zoom Panorama | 1995: Ricoh R1 | 1996: Fujifilm GA645 | 1997: Canon IXY | Contax AX | 1998: Olympus C1400L | 1999: Nikon Coolpix 950 | Tamron AF28-300mm F3.5-6.3 LD Aspherical IF MACRO lens | 2000: Nikon D1 | Konica Hexar RF | 2001: Bronica RF645 | Fujichrome 100F/400F film | 2002: Minolta DiMAGE X | Nikon FM3A | 2003: Fujifilm GX645AF | Hasselblad H1 | 2004: Canon EOS Kiss Digital | Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG Aspherical HSM lens | 2005: Nikon F6 | Epson R-D1 | 2006: Ricoh GR Digital | Zeiss Ikon | 2007: Sony α100 | Adobe Lightroom software | 2008: Sigma DP1 | Fujichrome Velvia 50 film | 2009: Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 | Casio EXILIM EX-FC100 | 2010: Sony Exmor R sensor | Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM lens | 2011: Fujifilm X100 | Epson MAXART PX-5V (R3000) printer |

Editor
2012: Sony NEX 7 | 2013: Canon EOS 6D | Sigma DP1 / DP2 / DP3 Merrill 2014: Olympus OM-D EM-1 | Canon EOS 70D | Ricoh Theta