For the love of the square
My tribute to the Bronica SQ
November 12, 2025
Starting off with some Fujicolor 160NS:
I love Bronica. The story of how Mr Zenza founded the company is awesome and worth a read. The Bronica C/S/S2 are awesome mechanical marvels. I have a fully serviced S2A that is just such an experience to use. But its still the kind of camera I only take out on a nice day. The Bronica SQ on the other hand is a workhorse, and probably my favorite hiking camera. Here is Tri-X on an icy hike:
The SQ uses an electro mechanical shutter. That means they're generally pretty darn reliable until they fail fatally. I've been hording SQ bodies for spare parts because I love these cameras so much, though to date I've yet to have one fail. The shutters are Seiko leaf shutters in the lens and can get sticky and need lubrication over time, but I've honestly had good luck. I shoot Velvia in mine frequently - they're accurate (here is Velvia 100)
In terms of versions, the SQ-A is my favorite. They're newer and have mirror lockup. I do use mirror lockup on a tripod, but find myself not using a tripod very often. The leaf shutter is a big help, but the other trick is that the camera has a decent delay between the mirror flip and the shutter fire. Not enough that its annoying, but enough that shake usually stops. This is in contrast to the Pentax 67 which will give you a blurry exposure if you've skipped breakfast. Some Portra 800:
The bodies have a pretty rigid film/focus path, so focus issues aren't as common as they are on the C/S/S2 cameras. The prisms are cool, but I generally use the waist-level finders. The flip down magnifier is enough to focus pretty quickly. Here's some more Portra 800:
Back on the lenses, they're all basically great. The PS lenses tend to be better but it hardly matters. Watch for condition, these are old lenses. Plenty need a good cleaning, many have been damaged by mold (since most lived their lives in muggy Japan). As with all vintage lens hunting look for sellers who flash light test. (Becoming more common on Yahoo Japan thankfully) My favorite in the lineup is the 65/4. It's relatively small and light, and tack sharp. Here is some E100:
These cameras are a relative bargain, especially the original SQ or a well worn but working SQ-A. The SQ-B is neat because they're much newer, and the plastic that replaced the metal is lighter for a hiking pack, but prices are kind of all over the map. Be patient, watch auctions. Buy bodies without finders and film backs. Then snatch up film backs without bodies. Film backs are well designed, but do watch for light leaks or weak pressure plates. You won't regret it. And lastly, here is some Provia:
