And many repair shops that still work on film cameras will avoid Bronica cameras like the plague. And the older some electronics get, there’s more a chance of them failing. The first problem is age, I will always knock cameras from the 1980s that have electronics, but this is a camera from 1975, so it’s just that much older. Well, like all Bronica’s it’s the little things that get me. You’re probably wondering at this point, why I can’t recommend this camera after speaking on several awesome points of the camera. And if you’re familiar with how to load and unload film from a Mamiya m645, you can rock the Bronica EC. The film advance is smooth, and the shutter makes a satisfying noise. When it comes to camera operation there is a certain satisfaction with the camera, the WLF opens and closes with only one hand, the shutter speed dial is big, and the camera is far lighter than you’d expect. Combine that with a magnifier loupe that has almost 100% coverage and big enough to shade any stray light. But what’s good glass without a good viewfinder? And I have to say, the waist level finder on the EC is certainly one of the better ones I’ve worked with, I would even rate it higher than that on my Hasselblad 500c, even with a f/3.5 lens on the front. If you have a set of AI-S lenses for your 35mm cameras, then you won’t be disappointed by the Nikkor lenses that come in the Bronica S-Mount. And what a lovely piece of glass, now I only tested out the massive 50mm lens, and I can say I am impressed but not surprised. This is before the Zenza/Nikon split in the 1980s. If you’ve seen the photos on Flickr or glanced at the technical details, the optics are still made by Nikon. The first is a feature that isn’t even made by Bronica, but rather it’s the optics. But the Bronica EC does have some good talking points. Those who like Bronica cameras love ’em, those who dislike them, shy away pretty hard. Thanks to Donna Bitaxi for loaning it out for a review. It’s big, it’s heavy, and continues the tradition of being a polarizing camera in my hands. As the EC in the name suggests, the camera is electronic, reliant on all operations on a battery. At first glance, the EC has the look of an overgrown Kiev 88, a mechanical beast. And the Bronica EC is no different, but it does come to the same point of almost earning a recommendation from me as the GS-1 does. It’s not that they’re bad cameras, it’s just that for me there are too many small issues, minor annoyances that make me shy away from them. Anyone who has read these reviews from the beginning knows I have a bit of a conflict with Bronica cameras.
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March 2023
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