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Japanese medium-format SLR (edit)
6×9 Rittreck (6×9)
6×8 Fujifilm GX680
Japanese TLR and pseudo TLR ->
Other Japanese 6×6, 4.5×6, 3×4 and 4×4 ->

The first Zenza Bronica cameras were a series a 6×6 focal plane shutter SLRs, similar in concept to the Hasselblad 1000F.

Evolution[]

The first model is the Zenza Bronica Z. The Zenza Bronica D is a similar camera.

The ZenzaBronica S has new incompatible finders and backs, and the Zenza Bronica C is the corresponding budget version, without the interchangeable back.

The Zenza Bronica S2, released in 1965, is the successor of the Zenza Bronica S. The new model included a number of minor changes, but the main improvement was the switch to a removable helical focusing mount. This helical mount could focus lenses with focal lengths from 40mm to 200mm; longer lenses had their own helicoids.

Because all of the camera functions are fully mechanical, no batteries are needed to operate it.

The S2 uses a vertical-travelling cloth focal plane shutter. Shutter speeds are available from 1 to 1/1000s and B. Flash sync uses X and FP on an automatic PC terminal at a 1/40s sync speed. The shutter must be cocked before each shot by cranking the film winding lever. The "Filminder" rollfilm back can use 120 or 220 film, selectable with a small dial on the film back. A peel-apart Polaroid back was also available for the S2. Film backs are removed from the camera by inserting a dark slide. As a safety feature, the shutter will not fire if the dark slide is not removed.

The standard lens for the S2 was a 75mm f/2.8 Nikkor P.

The Zenza Bronica S2A is the successor of the S2. The main difference is an improved film advance gear mechanism, reputed to result in fewer jams. Official S2A bodies have S2A engraved after the serial number on the body.

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