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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The Bronica SQ-MF (1995) is a simplified variant of the SQ series - Bronica's 6x6 cm square-format medium-format SLR line - produced specifically for the educational and student market. The body retains the core SQ architecture: Seiko electronic leaf shutters in each interchangeable Zenzanon-S lens, modular interchangeable film backs, and waist-level viewing, but strips out the multi-exposure function, removes the metered-body electronics of the SQ-Ai, and uses a polycarbonate outer shell in place of the aluminum construction found on professional variants. The result is a lighter, lower-cost SQ-mount body fully compatible with the existing SQ ecosystem of lenses and accessories.
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.
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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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Before you buy used
About this camera
A stripped-down SQ-series body aimed at film school and student photographers entering medium format.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220, 6x6 cm (12 frames per 120 roll) |
| Mount | Bronica SQ (bayonet) |
| Years | ~1995 - ~2000 |
| Shutter | 4s - 1/500s, Seiko electronic leaf, in each lens |
| Flash sync | All speeds (leaf shutter) |
| Meter | None (body); optional via metered prism |
| Modes | Manual only |
| Weight | ~1,180 g (estimated; lighter than SQ-B) |
| Battery | 1x 6V (required for shutter operation) |
| Target market | Film school and student photographers |
By the mid-1990s Bronica's SQ line had evolved through the SQ (1980), SQ-A (1982), SQ-Am (1985), SQ-B (1988), and SQ-Ai (1990). The SQ-Ai represented the system's peak: multi-exposure, TTL OTF flash metering, and motor-drive integration. The SQ-MF moved deliberately in the opposite direction. Film schools and photography programs purchasing equipment for student use needed durable, functional, inexpensive-to-replace bodies that would teach the fundamentals of medium-format exposure and handling without the cost or complexity of professional bodies.
The SQ-MF satisfied that requirement: full SQ-mount lens compatibility, correct 6x6 format, leaf-shutter all-speed flash sync, and waist-level viewing, at a price point accessible to academic budgets. The polycarbonate shell reduced weight and manufacturing cost while remaining adequate for classroom and studio environments with reasonable care.
Bronica discontinued the SQ-MF along with much of the SQ line as the brand wound down toward Tamron's eventual 2004 closure. The body's academic distribution meant relatively few units reached the general used market, making it rare among SQ-series variants.
The SQ-MF is a minor historical footnote in Bronica's catalog, but it represents an unusual move for a Japanese medium-format manufacturer: deliberately engineering toward lower cost and simplicity for an educational buyer rather than toward features for a professional one. In the 1990s most medium-format brands competed upward; Bronica with the SQ-MF acknowledged that the educational segment had distinct purchasing criteria.
For contemporary photographers, the SQ-MF's practical capability is identical to any other SQ-series body: the lenses, backs, and finders are shared across the system. The waist-level finder and 6x6 square format that made the SQ compelling for portrait, fashion, and editorial work apply equally here. The reduced weight relative to the SQ-B may make it appealing for casual use.
The manual-only exposure mode is a genuine simplification: photographers must use a handheld meter or rely on the Sunny-16 rule, making it - in keeping with its original purpose - a genuine educational tool.
Bronica SQ bayonet mount. Full compatibility with all Zenzanon-S lenses: 40/4 PS, 50/3.5 S, 65/4 S, 80/2.8 S (standard), 110/4.5 S Macro, 150/3.5 S, 200/4.5 S, 250/5.6 S, 500/8 S. Film backs: 120 and 220 SQ-series backs; Polaroid back. Finders: waist-level folding hood (standard), magnifying chimney finder, metered prism (aperture-priority, optional on SQ-MF), non-metered eye-level prism. Motor winder SQ optional. No multi-exposure capability on this body.
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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