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 SQ-i (1995) is a simplified variant of the SQ-Ai 6x6 medium-format SLR. Where the SQ-Ai was Bronica's fully specified flagship 6x6 body with TTL off-the-film flash metering, the SQ-i strips that circuitry to produce a more affordable body in the same modular system. The underlying platform is the same: electronic Seiko leaf shutters in each Zenzanon lens, interchangeable 120/220 film backs, interchangeable viewfinders, and compatibility with the full Zenzanon-S and Zenzanon-PS lens range.
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 SQ-Ai simplified — 6x6 modular leaf-shutter medium format without the TTL flash circuitry.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220, 6x6 cm (12 frames per 120 roll) |
| Mount | Bronica SQ (bayonet) |
| Years | ~1995-2004 |
| Shutter | 16s - 1/500s, Seiko electronic leaf, in each lens |
| Flash sync | All speeds |
| TTL flash | Not available (SQ-Ai has TTL) |
| Meter | None (body); via compatible AE prism finder |
| Modes | Manual; aperture priority via AE prism |
| Weight | ~1,600 g (estimated, body only) |
| Battery | 1x 6V (required) |
The SQ line began in 1980 with the original Bronica SQ, followed by the SQ-A (1982) and SQ-Ai (1990). By the mid-1990s Bronica's parent company Tamron was consolidating the product line; the SQ-i and SQ-B appeared to extend the SQ system's commercial life by offering differentiated price tiers without introducing new technology.
SQ-line chronology:
Production of all SQ bodies ended in 2004 when Tamron closed the Bronica brand. The SQ-i thus shares the same end date as the SQ-Ai and SQ-B.
The SQ-i makes the Bronica 6x6 system accessible at a lower entry price than the SQ-Ai. For photographers who do not use TTL flash automation - landscape, portrait with manual flash, studio strobe work - the SQ-i offers the identical imaging chain at a meaningful discount. The Zenzanon-PS and Zenzanon-S lenses, the leaf-shutter flash sync at all speeds up to 1/500s, and the modular back system are all unchanged from the SQ-Ai.
In the contemporary used market the SQ-i is less frequently encountered than the SQ-Ai or SQ-A, which makes it slightly harder to find but not significantly more expensive. Its relative scarcity on the used market compared to the SQ-Ai means buyers should inspect any example carefully, as service documentation for SQ-i-specific differences is sparse.
Full Bronica SQ bayonet compatibility. Zenzanon-PS lenses (electronic leaf shutter): 40/4 PS, 50/3.5 PS, 65/4 PS, 80/2.8 PS (standard kit), 110/4.5 PS Macro, 150/3.5 PS, 200/4.5 PS, 250/5.6 PS. Older Zenzanon-S (mechanical leaf) lenses are also compatible. Film backs: 120 and 220 SQ-series backs interchange with the SQ-i body as on all SQ bodies; Polaroid and 6x4.5 mask backs are compatible. Finders: folding waist-level (standard), magnifying chimney, AE Prism PE-II (required for aperture-priority and metering). Note: TTL flash coupling in the AE finder may not function on the SQ-i; confirm before purchasing.
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 →