Bronica ETR Special1980

History

By 1980 the ETR-S had superseded the original ETR, adding multiple-exposure capability and refined AE finder compatibility. The Special was developed in parallel to address a different market need: photographers who wanted the ETR system's optics in a self-contained body without a dangling winder attachment. The integral motor made the Special physically more compact and balanced when shooting handheld, at the cost of a heavier body baseline.

The ETR Special occupied a niche alongside rather than within the main ETR upgrade path. It did not receive the TTL flash metering that would come with the ETRSi in 1989, and it was phased out before the ETRSi's introduction. Its production run is relatively obscure and it appears less frequently on the used market than either the ETR-S or ETRSi.

ETR series context:

• ETR (1976) - founding modular body, manual winder accessory optional
• ETR-S (1979) - multiple exposure, AE finder refined
• ETR Special (~1980) - integrated motor drive body
• ETRSi (1989) - TTL OTF flash metering, final series body

Why It Matters

The ETR Special illustrates how Bronica actively managed its product line to address different photographer workflows rather than simply iterating the main body. For event and wedding photographers in 1980, a 645 medium-format body with automatic advance — without attaching a separate winder — offered a faster shooting rhythm closer to 35mm SLR practice.

In the contemporary used market the Special is less commonly encountered than the ETR-S or ETRSi, making it something of a curiosity within the ETR family. Its integrated motor means the body is heavier than a bare ETR-S but eliminates the mechanical joint between body and winder. All Zenzanon-E and Zenzanon-PE lenses and ETR-system accessories remain fully compatible.

Lenses & Accessories

Bronica ETR bayonet mount. Full Zenzanon-E and Zenzanon-PE lens compatibility: 40/4 E, 50/2.8 E, 60/3.5 E, 75/2.8 PE (standard), 100/2.8 PE, 150/3.5 PE, 200/4.5 PE, 250/5.6, and others. Film backs: 120 and 220 E-series backs interchange normally. Finders: waist-level (standard), 45-degree chimney prism, AE-III metered prism (aperture-priority via PE lenses). Motor winder accessory is not needed or applicable (motor is integral).

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• Wedding and portrait photographers in Japan and Europe in the early 1980s who prioritized single-body convenience for faster shooting.
• Rarely documented in specific editorial contexts; the ETR Special's limited production run means published references are sparse.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Bronica ETR - covers ETR family variants
• Wikipedia: Bronica ETR series