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Author Topic: Bronica 6x7  (Read 1605 times)

Rob C

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Bronica 6x7
« on: May 12, 2019, 10:01:23 am »

I once owned a Bronica GS-1 with a trio of lenses.

I let it go because, from new, the mirror-up switch didn't work, and I didn't think the wide was much good at all. Unfortunately, I bought the camera system on a trip back to the UK and pretty much all of my stuff was bought back there in the day rather than here, in Mallorca. So, rather than find myself caught in a trap of shoving the responsibility backwards and forwards from country to country, I just traded it all in for more Nikon stuff the next time I went back.

Recently, I realised from looking at a poster that I made from a shot via the 250mm, that that one lens was pretty damned good. I should have had the sense to retain the camera for that single optic and the use it would have been to me. But no, off it went. Ironically, I have never used mirror-up mode with model subjects.

The point being, I suppose, that perhaps if we can afford it, we should just keep what works and not get all wound up in system thinking.

Does anyone else run parallel systems in the same format?

Rob

Fotophil

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2019, 12:33:02 pm »

My wife used the Bronica GS6x7 System for years during the days of film. Very heavy system but beautiful image quality. The 6x7 Bronicas did not seem to have as many mechanical problems as the smaller format Bronicas. Overall the GS 6x7 was a great system with great Nikkor Lenses. I have no idea what the used market is for Bronica GS System.
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Rob C

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2019, 04:39:24 pm »

Not sure about the lenses: I think the early lenses for 6x6 were by Nikon, but the later, 6x7 ones - it was long ago - were called Zenzanons, and I think Bronica made those themselves, but I could be wrong. It was back in the early 80s...

Rob

Jim Kasson

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2019, 11:30:00 am »

"Does anyone else run parallel systems in the same format?"

I did: 1) Arca-Swiss monorail 4x5 and Linhof Technika 4x5, 2) Arca-Swiss MF folding monorail with 6x8 back and Plaubel Makina 67, 3) Nikon F, Nikon S2

I still do: D5, a9, Z6, Z7, a7RIII.

Jim

Rob C

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2019, 02:27:38 pm »

"Does anyone else run parallel systems in the same format?"

I did: 1) Arca-Swiss monorail 4x5 and Linhof Technika 4x5, 2) Arca-Swiss MF folding monorail with 6x8 back and Plaubel Makina 67, 3) Nikon F, Nikon S2

I still do: D5, a9, Z6, Z7, a7RIII.

Jim

For some reason, I hadn't seen your website before.

I love those "staccato" gallery shots; when I moved onto "Bakery, Washington Heights, NYC, 2010" I thought for a moment that you'd found the mythical "Nighthawks" diner!

Rob
« Last Edit: May 17, 2019, 05:53:39 am by Rob C »
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Jim Kasson

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2019, 02:53:06 pm »

For some reason, I hadn't seen your website before.

I love those "staccato" gallery shots; when I moved onto "Bakery, Washington Heights, NYC, 2010" I thought for a moment that you'd found the mythical "Nighhawks" diner!

Rob

Thank you.

mcbroomf

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2019, 09:42:37 pm »

While not full systems I do maintain sets of lenses that I now use on Sony bodies (migrated from Canon bodies where I also adapted). Lenses from; Canon, Zeiss,  Leica R,  Rollei, Olympus. I used to use a few medium format lenses including some Rollei.
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KLaban

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2019, 03:18:25 am »

...Does anyone else run parallel systems in the same format?

For the moment, unfortunately, yes.

HSakols

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2019, 08:52:30 am »

I still have my Bronica SQa and a few lenses.  As a landscape person, I had to make sure to use the mirror lock up or else the earth would shake.  Yes, I have cropped these square images into whatever format I need, but I always liked the square.  The reason I didn't go with 6x7 is that I wanted to be able to project my Velvia transparencies.
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Rob C

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2019, 11:23:46 am »

I still have my Bronica SQa and a few lenses.  As a landscape person, I had to make sure to use the mirror lock up or else the earth would shake.  Yes, I have cropped these square images into whatever format I need, but I always liked the square.  The reason I didn't go with 6x7 is that I wanted to be able to project my Velvia transparencies.

So why couldn't you protect your 6x7s?

I could get Diane Wylie Archival Sleeves for all formats. On giving up the 6x7, they were even kind enough to take back boxes of them and replace with those for 135 format, to which I'd inevitably returned.

HSakols

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2019, 01:30:54 pm »

I ended up putting key transparencies in glass mounts and projected them using a manual Kinderman projector.  I even took my Bronica backpacking for up to 7 days. 
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Rob C

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Re: Bronica 6x7
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2019, 05:01:35 pm »

I ended up putting key transparencies in glass mounts and projected them using a manual Kinderman projector.  I even took my Bronica backpacking for up to 7 days.


Bad decision: I found that some slides I'd sandwiched in glass mounts turned mouldy; I settled for glassless GeePees and still have a box or two left (135mm) and hanging in those Wylie folders in the filing cabinet, they remain good to go. If there was anywhere to go.

:-)
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