Bronica SQ-B

This is a magnificent camera introduced in 1996 and discontinued in 2003. This camera helped me to learn many technical aspects of analog photography such as the zone system, light metering and also to realize of the limitations of 35 and most medium size cameras. 

The SQ-B model is the simplified version of the SQ-A. It was conceived as an low cost line to Bronica 6×6 photography world. A detail evaluation of the SQ-A model can be found in the blog of  Gregory Owain.

This camera is quite basic (this is why is B) and this is the why I love it. SQ stands for “Square”.  The SQ-B does not include, for example, a light-meter, a motordrive, or the bulb exposure. A comparison of this model with the A-line shown in Camera-Wiki, however, proved that this camera is the precise instrument for me. The fact that the PS lens series that fit all models of the SQ series include the T-exposure, was the decisive factor for me.  

In this camera, everything is manual. You need an external light meter and this was the reason why I ended up buying a Pentax 1° Spotmeter (one of the best investments of my life). The limitations of this camera forced me to learn how to measure light and more important where to measure it. This camera was the beginning for my adventure into the word of large format cameras.

This picture was taken with the Chamonix 4×5 F-2 view camera. The peculiarity of this picture is the perfect focus of the plane on which the name of the camera appears. It is not only the selected aperture that gave me this depth of field but the possibility to change the angles of the front and rear standar planes. I will describe how I focus  this view camera in another post.

Recently I read an interesting article in PetaPixel about the history of this amazing brand and its founder Zenzaburo Yoshino.