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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slr-medium-format
The Bronica SQ-Am Date is a variant of the manual-only SQ-Am 6x6 medium-format SLR, differentiated by a factory-integrated date-imprinting module in place of the standard film back. All mechanical and optical characteristics are identical to the SQ-Am: the body is manual-only, with no TTL metering coupling and no aperture-priority autoexposure. The shutter lives in each Zenzanon-PS lens (Seiko electronic leaf), the system is fully modular, and all SQ-mount lenses and most finders are compatible. The date variant was marketed primarily at portrait and commercial studios that needed date verification on negatives for client record-keeping.
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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
The rarest SQ-Am: factory-fitted with an integrated date-imprinting back.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220, 6x6 cm |
| Mount | Bronica SQ (bayonet) |
| Years | ~1990–2004 |
| Shutter | 16s – 1/500s, Seiko electronic leaf, in each lens |
| Flash sync | All speeds (leaf shutter) |
| Meter | None |
| Modes | Manual only |
| Battery | 1x 6V silver oxide (body); date module requires separate power |
| Date back | Factory-integrated, imprints date/time on film edge |
Zenza Bronica introduced the SQ-Am alongside the SQ-Ai in 1990, representing the final evolution of the SQ line. The SQ-A had been in production since 1982; the 1990 update split the line into two tiers — the SQ-Ai with full TTL flash and aperture-priority AE, and the SQ-Am as a manual-only entry. The Date variant of the SQ-Am was a factory option rather than an aftermarket modification, available through Bronica's distribution network in Japan and select export markets.
Date-back variants were not unusual among medium-format professional cameras of the era; Hasselblad, Mamiya, and others offered similar options. The SQ-Am Date occupied a niche among studio photographers who valued the manual control and simplicity of the SQ-Am but required date documentation built into the film record. Production ended when Tamron closed the Bronica brand in 2004.
The SQ-Am Date is uncommon enough that many Bronica collectors have not encountered one. It shares every functional characteristic with the standard SQ-Am — meaning all the usual assessments of that body apply — while adding the date module. For most photographers today the date imprinting feature holds limited practical value, which is why the variant is rarely sought. Its significance is primarily as a documentation of how Bronica segmented the professional studio market in the early 1990s.
Used prices tend to track slightly above the standard SQ-Am due to novelty, though condition of the date module electronics is an additional concern. Functionally, if the date module is non-operational, the camera still shoots identically to any SQ-Am body.
Full compatibility with the Bronica SQ lens ecosystem. Zenzanon-PS lenses (electronic leaf shutter, required for body-shutter interface): 80/2.8 PS (standard kit), 50/3.5 PS, 150/3.5 PS, 110/4.5 Macro, 40/4 Fish-eye. Earlier Zenzanon-S mechanical-leaf lenses are also compatible. Film backs (120, 220, Polaroid) can be swapped normally; the Date variant ships with its date module as the default "back," but standard SQ backs fit the body without modification. Finders: waist-level folding hood (default); non-AE prism finders compatible; AE prism does not activate AE on the SQ-Am 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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