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 Zenza Bronica SQ-Am Date Black is a black-body configuration of the SQ-Am (itself a variant of the SQ-A line), with an integrated date-imprint module. Introduced around 1992, it is a late-production entry in the SQ system - Bronica's 6x6 medium-format SLR line that ran from 1980 through the SQ-Ai (introduced ~1990) and its variants into the 1990s. The SQ system uses leaf shutters in the lenses (Zenzanon-S mount), giving full flash sync at all speeds. The body is modular: interchangeable backs, finders, and motor drives. The "Date" designation refers to a back or integrated module that imprints the date on the film margin - a feature common on late-era professional bodies. The black finish is a variant of the standard chrome/silver body.
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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
A 1992 black-body variant of Bronica's 6x6 modular leaf-shutter SLR, with integrated date-imprint function.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220 (6x6 cm, 12 frames on 120) |
| Mount | Bronica SQ (Zenzanon-S, leaf shutter in lens) |
| Years | ~1992 onward |
| Shutter | 8s - 1/500s + B, leaf shutter in lens |
| Flash sync | 1/500s (all speeds) |
| Meter | None (body); TTL via metering prism |
| Modes | Manual |
| Weight | ~950 g (body only, approximate) |
| Battery | Required for date module and AE prism |
| Viewfinder | Waist-level (standard); prism optional |
| Date imprint | Yes (integrated or back-mounted) |
The Bronica SQ was introduced in 1980 as Bronica's second leaf-shutter line (alongside the 645 ETR), designed to compete with the Hasselblad 500C/M in the 6x6 modular market. The SQ-A followed, adding aperture-priority automation via the AE prism finder. The SQ-Am was a variant with motor drive integrated or bundled capability. The "Date" variant appeared in the early 1990s as the SQ line was winding toward its eventual discontinuation with the SQ-Ai Final (2000s). The black-finish SQ-Am Date represents one of the later and less common configurations of the SQ family.
The SQ-Am Date Black sits at an interesting intersection: a late-era professional 6x6 system body with the practical date-imprint feature (useful for archival and forensic photography) in a less-common black finish. The SQ system's Zenzanon-S lenses are widely regarded as optically competitive with Hasselblad's Zeiss glass at a significantly lower price point. For the 2026 used market, SQ bodies and lenses are among the most accessible routes into a modular 6x6 leaf-shutter system. The black-body variant is scarcer than the chrome and therefore of greater collector interest.
The SQ system uses Bronica SQ-mount Zenzanon-S lenses (leaf shutter in each lens): 40mm f/4, 50mm f/3.5, 65mm f/4, 80mm f/2.8 (standard), 105mm f/3.5 macro, 110mm f/4.5, 135mm f/4, 150mm f/4, 200mm f/4.5, 250mm f/5.6. Film backs: 120 (12 exposures), 220 (24 exposures), Polaroid back. Finders: waist-level, AE prism (TTL metering, aperture-priority AE), standard prism. Winder available.
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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