I picked up a Zenza Bronica S2A a while back, and I’ve been eager to use it ever since. With so many cameras in my collection to choose from when I go out shooting, it’s hard to get to them all!

It’s a big, clunky 6×6 medium format camera. And it’s a tank. It was released in 1969 and manufactured in Tokoyo. It’s fully mechanical. No meter. It has a removeable film back and accepts 120 or 220 (if you can find it) film.

My Bronica came equipped with a Nikkor-P 75mm / f2.8 lens. One review of this lens I came across had this to say, “I personally think this lens is possibly the most underrated lens out there, and I think it is worth having an early Bronica just to have this lens.” And another review said this, “…the 75mm f/2.8 lens is a highly recommended lens for the Bronica system, offering excellent image quality, a pleasing bokeh, and a versatile field of view. Its robust build and relatively affordable price point make it a great choice for film photographers looking to explore medium format photography.” 

I recently took the setup for its first outing. I shot two rolls of Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros II over two days. I later developed the rolls in Rodinal at a dilution of 1:25 for 6 1/2 minutes at 68°.