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.
View profile →
slr-medium-format
The Bronica ETRSi Q is a variant of the standard ETRSi 645-format modular SLR, distinguished by the addition of an integrated quartz date-imprinting back. Released in 1992, the Q edition combines the full ETRSi feature set - leaf-shutter lenses, interchangeable viewfinders, integral motor drive, and the complete ETR accessory ecosystem - with an on-film date and time imprinting capability driven by a quartz oscillator.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the — format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →C41
Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Develop — film
We're growing the lab directory near you. Browse all labs.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The ETRSi with an integrated quartz date back - a practical 645 SLR for documentary and reportage work.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 film, 6x4.5cm (~15 exp per roll) |
| Mount | Bronica ETR |
| Shutter | Leaf (in lens): 8s - 1/500s + B |
| Flash sync | 1/500s (all speeds) |
| Exposure modes | Manual; aperture-priority (with AE-II prism) |
| ISO range | 25 - 3200 |
| Film advance | Motor-drive integral (battery dependent) |
| Date back | Quartz imprinting (date/time on film) |
| Film backs | Interchangeable (120, 220, Polaroid) |
| Viewfinder | Interchangeable (WLF, AE-II prism, speed grip) |
| Battery | 4x AA |
| Battery required | Yes |
| Year | 1992 |
The ETR system launched in 1976 as Bronica's 645-format answer to growing demand for medium-format cameras smaller and lighter than 6x6 or 6x7 bodies. The ETRSi, introduced in 1988, was the most developed variant of the line, adding improved electronics and compatibility with the expanding PE-series lens range. The Q variant followed in 1992, addressing a specific professional need for date verification without requiring a separate data back accessory.
By 1992 Bronica offered a complete professional ecosystem around the ETRSi: multiple metered prisms, speed grips, 120 and 220 backs, a Polaroid proofing back, and a broad range of Zenzanon-PE lenses. The Q slotted into this ecosystem as a specialised body variant rather than a new system. Tamron acquired Bronica in the late 1990s and continued producing the ETRSi line, including the Q, until announcing the brand's closure in 2004.
The Q's quartz date capability was a practical professional tool in a pre-digital era when on-film date evidence was used in news, legal, and scientific photography. In that context, the ETRSi Q offered a relatively compact 645 solution with date verification built in, without the cost or complexity of a Hasselblad or Mamiya RB67 system.
Today the date-imprinting function is largely a curiosity - most buyers disable it to avoid obscuring the image. The functional value of an ETRSi Q on the used market is essentially identical to a standard ETRSi body. The quartz date mechanism adds minor complexity and one more potential failure point, but it does not fundamentally alter the camera's optical or mechanical character.
The ETRSi Q accepts all Bronica ETR-mount lenses. Core Zenzanon-PE optics:
Interchangeable system accessories:
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →