Retro-Grouch
Mentor
Anybody besides me have the 135mm f3.5 Nikkor for the S-mount? They have a terrible reputation, reputedly being very soft, but mine is tack sharp and a joy to use. They are cheaper than dirt on the 'bay, probably because of their bad rep; mine was about $60.00 mint with hood and caps. Maybe I just got a good sample, or maybe the internet is a swamp of misinformation... ya think? I'd like to hear others' experiences with this lens.
BTW, the 135 is supposedly identical to Nikon's 135 for its rangefinders. It had a big enough image circle to cover 6x6, so they repurposed it in S- mount.
BTW, the 135 is supposedly identical to Nikon's 135 for its rangefinders. It had a big enough image circle to cover 6x6, so they repurposed it in S- mount.
hap
Well-known
Not sure but i'd lean towards the 100mm Nikkor but I agree that the 135's are going for less than 100$. Although padded by outrageous shipping prices.
Vince Lupo
Untitled
The thing that’s a pain to set up is the knob and that adapter ring on the shutter speed dial. You have to get it set up just right or else your shutter speeds won’t be correct. Once you have it set then all is good - it’s just getting it to that point that’s the pain. BTW I wish I had an instruction manual for that meter, as I don’t know what one of the toggle switches is for.
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Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
Cyriljay
Leica Like
Bronica SQ-A is my first Medium format. I had It during 1985-86. with three lens. I had aded a hand grip/ 45ª view finder and a moter-drive.
SQ-A with the 45ª viewfinder has a exposure meter and that is why I love that camera. Bronica Zuiko Zenza lenses are great quality.
SQ-A had the same Hasselblad features and film backs were better than the the Hasselblad.
I part exchanged my two SQ-A to buy my first Hasselblad. The Hasselblad has a different film loading and if the loading is not done right and set a loading lever to an specific position the film will get messed up and will be torn and goes out of the sprocket.
To fid out that I had to waste several films and taken time for me learn the error I made.
But Bronica had nothing of that sort. Great camera . It is unfortunate I don't have any images of those gears. But I have many negatives and slides that is associated to that camera.
SQ-A with the 45ª viewfinder has a exposure meter and that is why I love that camera. Bronica Zuiko Zenza lenses are great quality.
SQ-A had the same Hasselblad features and film backs were better than the the Hasselblad.
I part exchanged my two SQ-A to buy my first Hasselblad. The Hasselblad has a different film loading and if the loading is not done right and set a loading lever to an specific position the film will get messed up and will be torn and goes out of the sprocket.
To fid out that I had to waste several films and taken time for me learn the error I made.
But Bronica had nothing of that sort. Great camera . It is unfortunate I don't have any images of those gears. But I have many negatives and slides that is associated to that camera.
Vince Lupo
Untitled
Yeah not sure about the CH one - I did manage to figure out the on-off one though 
Retro-Grouch
Mentor
I got curious and started poking around to see if there was anything online. No success, but I did see a video where that other switch was labeled "cancel" and "off". The video did not show it being operated, however, so I have no idea wat it might cancel.Yeah not sure about the CH one - I did manage to figure out the on-off one though
There was nothing online when I wanted to figure out my EC meter, as well. But it's much more straightforward, with three concentric dials for ASA, shutter, and f-stop. Actually, quite self-evident once you wrap your head around its quirky logic.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Interesting cameras ... I'd quite like to see a comparative dive into the magnificent RF 645.
Deardorff38
Mentor
Comparatively, Keith the RF645 was a very brief blip on the radar produced from 2000-2005. Here's the most comprehensive article i've seen:
The Bronica RF645 Review: The Last Bronica
I could never live with the vertical rectangular viewfinder and went with the brilliant Mamiya 6 instead.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Funny you should post that link ... I was reading that yesterday. Yes it was a brief blip and I guess the Mamiya being square format is an easier proposition though the square itself can be challenging composition wise. I stilll have my RF645 though will likely sell it and use my old 500c Hasselblad if I venture back into film in future. I have a friend who worked as a wedding photographer for many rears using the Bronicas being discussed and has nothing but praise for them.
Deardorff38
Mentor
I thought it was a brilliant camera, but i can count how many vertical negatives i have on the fingers of one hand. I naturally see things in landscape mode....or square.
Trask
Established
Yes, I have the 135mm f/35. I never found it to be a bad lens. It may not be as sharp as my 75mm H.C, but it can produce lovely pictures.
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Only slightly less impressive than the Norden bombsight.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
Pretty sure it’s “clearance height” - you can select just how far above the surface the scope should be. Probably useful in rough seas.Yeah not sure about the CH one - I did manage to figure out the on-off one though
Jason Schneider
the Camera Collector
Festooned is indeed a nice verb, often used metaphorically (as I did) as an ironic synonym for "overly ornamented." Festoon is also a noun, defined as "a chain or garland of flowers, leaves, or ribbons hung in a curve as a decoration." It is therefore entirely possible for, say, a presidential podium, to be festooned with festoons, a charming thought-
PRJ
Another Day in Paradise
I've had an EC-TL for about six years now. I've found the standard P Nikkor to be a pretty boring optic. The end of the line Zenzanon 50mm and 150mm though are fantastic lenses. I also have the 2x teleconverter and have found that to be fine as well.
I always shoot manually on a tripod with it, but I have occasionally shot it in auto. Very liberating to use a medium format camera without having to meter.
I always shoot manually on a tripod with it, but I have occasionally shot it in auto. Very liberating to use a medium format camera without having to meter.
pvdhaar
Peter
I bought an SQ-B in 1999. Somehow got distracted by the digital hoopla around 2006 and sold it. Regretted selling it a couple of years later and bought it back in 2011 from the guy I sold it to. I didn't hang on to the 2x converter; it's optically fine, but it upsets the weight balance of the camera too much for it to be convenient to use. The SQ-B however is still a joy to use and a regular companion.
Bob Michaels
nobody special
I bought a SQ-A with 80mm lens, speed grip, and prism finder sight unseen but cheap sometime around 2000. It had been very well used for many years by a very busy wedding photo and certainly showed its age. I was able to add 50mm lens, 110mm macro, 150 tele, additional 120 backs, extra body, all very inexpensively . As the OP mentioned, the WLF and simple winding crank were precious but were finally found. I photographed for about ten years using that system that looked like it had spent its life bouncing around in the bed of a pickup truck. But nothing ever failed. My local repair guy, a Hasselblad specialist, most SQ-A were very reliable. I only sold the system because it had sat unused for years while I was shooting a Mamiya 7.
The late Mr. Curtis Robinson, who I found sitting on his front porch in South Apopka, Florida in 2006
The late Mr. Curtis Robinson, who I found sitting on his front porch in South Apopka, Florida in 2006
shawn
Mentor
Just a guess but does that attempt to 'cancel' the light coming in from the finder itself? The EC-TL talks about having a light sensor to try and remove the influence of ambient light in the finder from the meter reading.
Retro-Grouch
Mentor
Unfortunately, no. That would have been a complex and sophisticated design for an add-on meter finder. The EC-TL has its metering built into the camera body instead, and makes the design for ambient light compensation much more feasible. However, I've never had a problem with ambient light affecting the EC's meter. I'm just careful to keep my eye firmly against the eyecup. That's possible because the chimney finder has a diopter correction ring, allowing me to shoot without my glasses. Altogether a simple but very effective design!