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I bought this camera with the metered prism II, speed grip and standard lens for $200 via Buy it now. This is my second ETRSI and the reason I bought it was, I had several lenses left over from my first Bronica. These I couldn't bare to sell for 1/10th of what I paid back in 2000, so I have held on to them. THE GOOD: What I like most about this camera is that it works much like a large 35mm film SLR. If you have used a manual 35mm camera and are comfortable with it, then you should feel right at home with the Bronica. Its easy to use, has aperture priority shooting with the metered prism and produces wonderful 6x4.5cm negatives. The aspect ratio is similar to 35mm so again its very familiar to use, as well as enlarge/scan. THE BAD: As far as dislikes, Id have to say...not much. Ive found these cameras to be durable, lightweight, reliable and currently very inexpensive. Just remember to carry a spare battery, as they always seem to run-out when you are the furthest from a store. THE UGLY: One thing to consider is the size and weight of this camera and its accessories. Although it has provisions for a strap, at 4.5lbs it can get heavy by the end of the day hanging around your neck. I don't mind carrying it, but then again I shoot large format 8x10. My wife on the other hand, hates it, and says it too heavy. So now she has me carry it...problem solved. So...If your looking to try Medium Format on a budget, but still have a nice durable camera with tack sharp optics.....give the ETRSI a try. Ive tried the others and for the $$ and ease of use, this one is hard to beat.Read full review
I bought my ETR-Si at auction here on eBay back in 2010, and got what I consider to be an incredibly good deal on it. The outfit consisted of the ETR-Si body, a non-metered prism finder, a 120 and a 220 back, and a 75mm f/2.8 PE lens. The camera had some wear and a couple of issues that I was able to correct/repair, but I didn't mind for the price I paid. Like $130 for the outfit. The great thing about most medium format gear these days is it's cheap because the pros who used to pay the big bucks for it have almost all gone over to digital now, creating something of a glut on the market. This glut will not last, though, as serious amateurs like me scoop up the deals, and in the process, drive prices back up. I see this happening since I bought my gear. I think I bought in at the lowest ebb of prices and things are now on the rebound. Still, considering that your basic ETR-Si outfit, when new, sold for over $2,000, look what you can get for that now. So the steals and deals are still around. I've been wanting a good 645 camera for years, but have just been unwilling to pay the bucks to get into the format. So, I've made do with my TLR cameras and cropped the images. This has worked well, but a 645 brings so much more to the party, and the Bronica ETR-Si brings more to it than any of the other 645 cameras out there, IMO, with the possible exception of the Contax 645 -- which still sells for major bucks. And good look finding stuff for that camera. But the ETR-series was very successful for Bronica and so there's lots of stuff out there for it on the used market, which makes for a very useful system to get into. Bronica built an excellent selection of lenses for the ETR-series, from 30mm to 500mm including a few zooms, several finder and film back options, a few different winder/motor drive options, and more. Enough variety to please most anyone. What makes the ETR-Si even more useful is its design. Unlike most (all?) other 645 cameras, the ETR-series use leaf-shutter lenses instead of a focal plane shutter, so you have flash sync at all speeds. Plust, the -Si has mirror lock-up, a very nice feature for high-magnification work. Which is possible with the ETR-series because of readily available extension tubes and bellows. Add the Speed Grip E (a compact, double-throw manual winder) to the ETR and suddenly you have a system that feels like a largish 35mm camera. I don't mind a little heft, so I find it quite comfortable for hand-holding with the Speed Grip E. Much more so than without it. In fact, I consider that grip to be more or less a basic requirement. The photos I've taken with my ETR-Si have been just knock-down stunning. I scan the slides and negs on my Epson 4990 scanner, and get images with sufficient resolution to have poster-sized prints made from them, if I want. Who needs digital when you've got such a big negative to work with? Besides, as cool as digital is, there's something kind of comforting abut taking one's time to get the scene just right before tripping the shutter that seems to have disappeared with digital photography. The ETR-Si and its earlier brethren shall be major players in the "keep film alive" movement, I believe.Read full review
For film shooters a medium format negative yields excellent quality and more detail than 35mm film. Bronica ERTSi cameras give the best value for your buck, has interchangeable lenses and meter heads. Also you can use 120 or 220 film with the film backs in the middle of a roll. I have used Bronica cameras for over 40 years and still love the feel and response of the 35mm type body with a speed grip. Like the 35mm cameras, the Bronica ETRSi will allow one to use bulb and double exposure for creative photography in a studio or out on the road for landscape and architecture.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I still love film cameras. I appreciate the tangibility of film. I think developing film is an art in and of itself. I know you can create wonderful effects with digital--but the darkroom is true art. With that said, this camera works great. It is not too heavy--not as heavy as a Hasselblad--yet sturdy. You can use it without a tri-pod considering the speed of the film and the shudder speed. It allows sharp detail and the lens are precise. It works great for fashion photography. Unless you are blowing up to billboard size (in which case you'd use a 4x5 or and 8x10) I love a Hasselblad and I am fond of Hasselblad created portraits. This Bronica is also great for weddings though because you can take super portraits as well as the spontaneous photos at the reception. It travels well. Needless to say--the price is fantastic. You can get 2 1/4 negatives which blow-up huge and clear without paying thousands. If you work in photography professionally, this will pay for itself.Read full review
For the money..$209...it's a bargain. I added the e-grip and the ae3 Finder, also the 120 back, the 220 back is almost obsolete. Can't wait to run a couple of rolls through this little beauty. I'm getting excited again about film photography. To sum up, I've got a great camera for about 325.00 dollars
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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