Bronica GS-1

[killerteddybear]

Any opinions on this medium format film camera?
 

[JohnnyB]

2 hours ago, killerteddybear said:

Any opinions on this medium format film camera?
 

I have some medium format experience (TLRs Rolleiflex T and Yashicamat 124G), but none directly with the Bronica. Bronica seemed to be the modular medium format camera for professionals and advanced amateurs who didn't want to get into Hasselblad money. The Wiki article about Bronica is pretty favorable and even says, "The Bronica D was the Japanese answer and first serious challenger to the Swedish Hasselblad cameras, and in several technical ways outclassed the Swedish offerings."

One thing I think is cool about the GS-1 is that it has in-lens leaf shutters for its interchangeable lenses. There are several things I like about leaf shutters:

• They synchronize with flash at any speed. For one, you can get some pretty cool effects shooting flash at 1/500 sec. 
• Leaf shutters create very little vibration compared to focal plane shutters. The less vibration, the sharper the results when shooting handheld.
• Along with the lower vibration is lower noise. I swear, during a wedding, shooting a Hasselblad sounds like you're kicking a chair over. True, the Bronica still has the mirror that flips up, but at least it doesn't have a big-ass focal plane shutter moving sideways at the same time. The two sources sound like Ka-Whop!
• The one downside of in-lens leaf shutters is that sometimes they may lose their speed accuracy and need to be cleaned and/or lubricated.

I like the GS-1's physical package. It looks like a 6x6 format, but they managed to offer a couple of alternative rectangular formats--4.5x6 and 6x7. And I like the grip as well. That makes a medium format camera so much more handleable. I added one to my Rolleiflex. Less chance of dropping it, too.

[killerteddybear]

Thanks JohnnyB. These things are relatively dirt cheap now (all film cameras are going that way) and I can get into a three lens kit locally for $600.
Damn these tax returns!