Bronica ETR-S1979

History

Bronica launched the ETR in 1976 as a direct answer to photographers seeking a modular 6x4.5 system at sub-Hasselblad prices. The original ETR was fully manual and lacked a built-in meter entirely. By 1979, competing systems (notably Mamiya's 645 line) were beginning to offer metered operation, and Bronica responded with the ETR-S.

The ETR-S introduced the AE-III metered prism and a revised PE-type lens designation to signal AE coupling compatibility. The PE lens family - 75/2.8 PE, 100/2.8 PE, 150/3.5 PE, and others - retains all the leaf-shutter mechanics of the original E lenses but adds the coupling ring necessary for aperture-priority autoexposure through the AE-III finder. All E and PE lenses work in manual mode on any ETR, ETR-S, or ETRSi body.

The ETR-S also formalised multiple-exposure shooting: a dedicated ME control allows the film transport to be cocked without advancing the film, permitting deliberate double and triple exposures with repeatable results.

The ETR-S was in turn replaced by the ETRSi in 1989, which added TTL OTF (off-the-film) flash metering - the primary functional upgrade distinguishing the ETRSi from the ETR-S.

Why It Matters

The ETR-S is the practical sweet spot of the ETR line for most photographers. It is mechanically identical to the original ETR for all basic operations, but adds the multiple-exposure capability and the option for aperture-priority shooting that many photographers find useful. Bodies are typically more affordable than ETRSi units, yet fully compatible with the entire ETR lens and accessory ecosystem.

The aperture-priority AE implementation is noteworthy: because the shutter is in each lens rather than the body, the AE-III prism reads the scene, sets the shutter speed in the lens-mounted Seiko unit via an electronic signal, and fires. The result is a technically elegant if mechanically complex workflow that Bronica refined further in the ETRSi.

For film photographers in 2026, the ETR-S represents a cost-effective way to enter the Bronica 645 system with AE capability retained as an option, without paying ETRSi premiums.

Lenses & Accessories

Bronica ETR bayonet mount. Compatible with all Zenzanon-E (manual) and Zenzanon-PE (AE-capable) lenses. Key optics: 40/4 E (ultra-wide), 50/2.8 E, 60/3.5 E (wide), 75/2.8 PE (standard portrait), 100/2.8 PE, 105/3.5 MC, 150/3.5 PE (short telephoto), 200/4.5 PE, 250/5.6, 500/8.

Key accessories: 120 and 220 film backs (E-series, interchangeable mid-roll); waist-level finder; 45-degree prism; AE-III metered prism (required for AE operation, paired with PE lenses); Speed Grip E; Motor Winder E (4x AA); extension tubes; bellows unit. The AE-III prism is the accessory most commonly sought with ETR-S bodies.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• The ETR-S and ETRSi were common professional tools for portrait and wedding photographers in Japan throughout the 1980s, valued for their 15-frame economy over 6x6 systems.
• Fashion photographers working on editorial budgets in Europe adopted Bronica 645 systems as Hasselblad alternatives, particularly where the leaf shutter's fill-flash capability at any speed was valuable.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Bronica ETR
• Wikipedia: Bronica ETR series