C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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slr-medium-format
The Bronica ETR (1976) is the founding model of Zenza Bronica's ETR series — a modular 6×4.5 cm medium-format SLR system positioned between 35mm SLRs and full 6×6 or 6×7 medium-format systems. The 645 format produces 15 frames on a 120 roll, offering more frames than 6×6 or 6×7 while still delivering a negative area roughly 2.7× larger than 35mm. The ETR body is fully modular: lenses (with integral Seiko leaf shutters), film backs, viewfinders, and winders interchange, following the same architectural philosophy as Hasselblad but at a significantly lower price point.
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C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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About this camera
The camera that made professional-grade 645 modular photography affordable — the Bronica ETR launched the ETR system in 1976 and established a lens and accessory ecosystem that lasted until 2004.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220 film (6×4.5 cm, 15/30 frames) |
| Mount | Bronica ETR bayonet |
| Years | 1976–1979 |
| Shutter | Seiko leaf in lens: 8s – 1/500s + B |
| Flash sync | All speeds (leaf shutter) |
| Meter | None built-in |
| Modes | Manual (AE prism available with later PE lenses) |
| Finder | Waist-level (standard); prism options available |
| Weight | ~1,100 g (body only) |
| Battery | Not required for body operation |
Zenza Bronica had been producing medium-format SLRs since the 1959 Bronica Z — a 6×6 focal-plane-shutter camera with interchangeable Nikkor lenses. By the mid-1970s, Hasselblad had established the premium standard for 6×6 leaf-shutter medium-format SLRs, but the market lacked an affordable 6×4.5 professional system. Bronica responded with the ETR, launching a new mount and a comprehensive system of Zenzanon-E lenses from 40mm to 500mm.
The ETR was succeeded by the ETR-S (1979), which added a multiple-exposure capability and a new AE metered finder (the AE-III) compatible with Zenzanon-PE lenses for aperture-priority shooting. The ETRSi (1989) completed the series with TTL OTF flash metering. All ETR, ETR-S, and ETRSi bodies share the same lens mount and are fully cross-compatible with the entire ETR lens and back system.
The Bronica ETR created the affordable professional 645 category. Before it, photographers who wanted modular medium-format had to spend Hasselblad prices for a 6×6 body. The ETR offered most of the same capabilities — interchangeable lenses, backs, and finders; leaf-shutter flash sync at all speeds; robust mechanical construction — at roughly a third of the cost.
For contemporary film photographers, the ETR is the most affordable entry point into the ETR system. Its primary limitation relative to the ETR-S and ETRSi is the absence of multiple-exposure mode and TTL flash metering, but these are rarely critical features. The ETR-mounted Zenzanon-PE lenses (with PE AE-coupling) do not couple for AE on the original ETR body (which has no metered prism circuit of its own), but all lenses function in manual mode.
The 6×4.5 format works natively in a portrait-orientation 645 frame, which many photographers prefer over the square 6×6 for editorial and portrait applications.
Bronica ETR bayonet mount. Zenzanon-E (manual diaphragm) and Zenzanon-PE (AE-coupled) lenses all fit: 40/4 E (fisheye-ish), 50/2.8 E, 60/3.5 E, 75/2.8 PE (standard), 100/2.8 PE, 105/3.5 MC, 150/3.5 PE, 200/4.5 PE, 250/5.6, 500/8. Accessories: 120 and 220 film backs (E-series, interchangeable); waist-level finder; 45° prism; AE-III metered prism (with PE lenses); Motor Winder E (AA batteries); hand grip; extension tubes; bellows unit.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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