Bronica ETRS Pro1985

History

The ETR system launched in 1976 as Bronica's 645-format product. The ETRC followed, then the ETR-S added a motor drive integrated into the body rather than as a separate accessory. The ETRS refined the ETR-S further. The ETRS Pro, if introduced around 1985, would sit between the standard ETRS and the ETRS Plus (a separate variant with winder enhancements) in the ETR model chronology. The line concluded with the ETRSi in 1988, which remained in production until Tamron closed the Bronica brand in 2004.

The mid-1980s were a competitive period for 645 medium-format cameras. Mamiya had introduced the M645 line, and Hasselblad's 500-series dominated the 6x6 segment. Bronica positioned the ETR system as a more affordable professional 645 option, with the Pro variant presumably intended to address professional photographers who found the standard ETRS insufficiently specified for demanding work.

Why It Matters

The ETRS Pro occupies an intermediate position in the ETR system lineage. For collectors, it represents a less common variant of a well-supported system. For working film photographers, the distinction between the ETRS Pro and the standard ETRS or ETRS Plus is likely marginal; the ETRSi (1988 onward) represents the most practical entry point into the ETR system given its wider parts availability and documentation.

The ETR system as a whole matters for its leaf-shutter architecture, which provides full flash sync at any speed - a practical advantage for location and studio flash work. The 645 format yields significantly larger negatives than 35mm while keeping the camera more portable than 6x6 or 6x7 systems. Zenzanon lenses are optically well-regarded and represent good value relative to comparable Hasselblad or Rollei glass.

Lenses & Accessories

The ETRS Pro accepts all Bronica ETR-mount lenses available at the time. Notable optics from the mid-1980s period:

• Zenzanon-E 75mm f/2.8 - standard normal lens
• Zenzanon-E 50mm f/2.8 - wide angle
• Zenzanon-E 150mm f/3.5 - portrait telephoto
• Zenzanon-E 40mm f/4 - ultra-wide
• Zenzanon-E 200mm f/4.5 - long telephoto

The later PE-series lenses (introduced with the ETRSi) are also compatible with the ETR mount. Accessories include:

• Film backs - 120 (15 exp), 220 (30 exp), Polaroid
• Viewfinders - waist-level finder, AE prism finders, metering prisms
• Motor drive - integral to the body; battery-powered film advance

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• The ETR system broadly was used by wedding, portrait, and commercial photographers in the 1980s as a more affordable 645 alternative to Hasselblad.
• Full-speed leaf-shutter flash sync made the system practical for strobe-heavy commercial and fashion work of the era.
• Specific documented use of the ETRS Pro variant (as distinct from the ETRS or ETRSi) is not confirmed in sources available to this document.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Bronica ETRSi - covers the full ETR system lineage including earlier ETRS variants