The Zenza Bronica ETR series was a line of medium format cameras produced by Zenza Bronica, a Japanese camera manufacturer known for high-quality, professional cameras. The Zenza Bronica ETR Lenses series includes several models, such as the ETR, ETRC, ETRS, and ETRSi, and they all use a 6×4.5 cm film format. These cameras were widely used in the 1970s through the 1990s, particularly by professional photographers who needed the quality of medium format but preferred a more compact and portable system compared to 6×6 or 6×7 cameras.
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Zenza Bronica ETR Lens Overview
The lenses for the Zenza Bronica ETR were designed by Bronica and produced by various manufacturers, including Nikon and Zenzanon. These lenses are renowned for their sharpness, build quality, and overall performance.
Key Features:
- Bayonet Mount: The ETR uses a proprietary bayonet mount for lenses, making them easily interchangeable between different bodies within the ETR.
- Focal Length Range: The lenses cover a wide range of focal lengths, from wide-angle to telephoto. Common lenses include 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 150mm, and 250mm focal lengths.
- Aperture: The lenses typically have maximum apertures ranging from f/2.8 to f/4, depending on the focal length.
- Manual Focus: All ETR lenses are manual focus, which is typical for medium format systems of this era.
- Leaf Shutter: Many of the lenses feature a leaf shutter, which is built into the lens rather than the camera body. This allows for flash synchronization at all shutter speeds, a significant advantage for studio photography.
Popular Lenses:
- Zenzanon MC 50mm f/2.8: A popular wide-angle lens with excellent sharpness and minimal distortion.
- Zenzanon MC 75mm f/2.8: The standard lens, equivalent to a 45mm lens in 35mm format, known for its versatility and sharpness.
- Zenzanon MC 150mm f/3.5: A short telephoto lens ideal for portraits, offering a good balance between compression and a flattering perspective.
- Zenzanon MC 250mm f/5.6: A longer telephoto option, useful for tighter compositions and distant subjects.
Compatibility and System Flexibility:
- Interchangeable Backs: The ETR system features interchangeable film backs, allowing users to switch between different film types or formats mid-shoot.
- Accessories: The system was highly modular, with a range of accessories including prisms, finders, grips, and more, making it adaptable to various shooting styles.
ETR Series Collectibility and Usage Today
Bronica ETR lenses are still highly regarded by photographers who appreciate the quality of medium format film. They are often sought after by film enthusiasts and collectors due to their solid construction, excellent optical quality, and the overall reliability of the Bronica brand. Prices for these lenses can vary significantly based on condition and rarity.
Overall, the Zenza Bronica ETR lenses are an integral part of a robust medium format system that continues to be valued by photographers who enjoy shooting film in the 6×4.5 format.
All known Zenza Bronica ETR System lenses
| Lens Name | Focal Length | Maximum Aperture | Type | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zenzanon MC 40mm f/4 | 40mm | f/4 | Ultra Wide-Angle | Popular wide-angle lens for landscapes and architecture. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 50mm f/2.8 | 50mm | f/2.8 | Wide-Angle | Well-regarded for its sharpness, good for general wide-angle use. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 60mm f/2.8 | 60mm | f/2.8 | Wide-Angle | Slightly wider than standard, versatile for various shooting scenarios. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 75mm f/2.8 | 75mm | f/2.8 | Standard | Standard lens, equivalent to a 45mm in 35mm format. Excellent sharpness and general-purpose use. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 100mm f/4.5 | 100mm | f/4.5 | Telephoto | Compact telephoto, good for portraits and tighter compositions. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 135mm f/4 | 135mm | f/4 | Telephoto | Medium telephoto lens, useful for portraits with slight compression. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 150mm f/3.5 | 150mm | f/3.5 | Telephoto | Popular portrait lens, offering flattering perspective and shallow depth of field. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 200mm f/4.5 | 200mm | f/4.5 | Telephoto | Longer telephoto, useful for distant subjects and tighter compositions. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 250mm f/5.6 | 250mm | f/5.6 | Telephoto | Longer reach telephoto, ideal for distant and isolated subjects. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 500mm f/8 | 500mm | f/8 | Super Telephoto | Ultra-telephoto lens for extreme distance photography, often used with a tripod. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 105mm f/4.5 Macro | 105mm | f/4.5 | Macro | Specialized macro lens for close-up work with 1:1 magnification capability. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 45-90mm f/4.5 | 45-90mm | f/4.5 | Zoom | Wide-to-normal zoom, versatile for various focal lengths in one lens. |  Screenshot |
| Zenzanon MC 70-140mm f/4.5 | 70-140mm | f/4.5 | Zoom | Telephoto zoom lens, offers flexibility in framing from standard to moderate telephoto. |  |
| Zenzanon MC 2x Teleconverter | N/A | N/A | Teleconverter | Doubles the focal length of attached lenses, reducing the maximum aperture by two stops. |  |
Notes:
- MC: Multi-Coated lenses for improved colour rendition and reduced flare.
- Leaf Shutter: Most ETR lenses include a leaf shutter, which allows for flash synchronization at all speeds.
- Manual Focus: All lenses in the ETR system are manual focus, which is typical for medium format systems.
- Zenzanon: The Zenzanon lenses were primarily manufactured by Nikon, ensuring high optical quality.
These lenses provide a comprehensive range of focal lengths and capabilities, making the Bronica ETR system versatile for various photographic needs.
Third Party Compatible Lenses
There were a few third-party manufacturers that produced lenses and accessories compatible with the Zenza Bronica ETR system. However, the range and availability of these third-party options were limited compared to the lenses produced directly by Zenza Bronica (Zenzanon lenses). Here’s a list of known third-party manufacturers:
1. Tamron
- Tamron SP 500mm f/8 Tele Macro: This is a catadioptric (mirror) lens known for its compact design relative to its focal length. It was available with adapters for various medium format systems, including the Bronica ETR.
2. Komura
- Komura 500mm f/7: Komura produced some telephoto lenses that were available for medium format systems, including the ETR. These lenses were typically designed for long-distance shooting, similar to mirror lenses but without the catadioptric design.
3. Vivitar
- Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f/3.5: The Vivitar Series 1 lenses were known for their high quality and were available in multiple mounts, including one for the Bronica ETR through third-party adapters. This zoom lens was versatile, covering a wide range of telephoto needs.
4. Kowa
- Kowa Prominar: Although more known for their lenses for 35mm systems, Kowa produced a few large-format lenses and accessories that could be adapted for medium format, including the Bronica ETR system.
5. Adaptall-2 Mounts (Tamron)
- Tamron Adaptall-2 System: The Adaptall-2 system allowed photographers to use Tamron lenses on various camera bodies by switching the lens mount. An Adaptall-2 mount for the Bronica ETR was available, allowing for the use of Tamron lenses designed for medium format or adapted from 35mm.
6. Mamiya (through adapters)
- Mamiya Lenses: While not directly manufactured for the Bronica ETR, some photographers used adapters to fit Mamiya 645 lenses onto Bronica ETR bodies. These adapters allowed the use of Mamiya’s extensive lens lineup on Bronica bodies.
Adapters and Custom Solutions:
In addition to third-party lenses, various adapters were made to fit lenses from other medium format systems onto Bronica ETR cameras. For example, adapters were available to mount Mamiya, Pentacon Six, or even large-format lenses to Bronica ETR bodies, though these often required manual focus and aperture control.
Conclusion:
While the primary focus for most photographers using the Bronica ETR system was on the high-quality Zenzanon lenses, these third-party options provided some additional versatility, particularly in specialty areas like super-telephoto or macro photography. The use of adapters also broadened the range of lenses available, though typically at the cost of losing some automation features (like leaf shutter functionality).
