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-Ai (1990) is a 6×6 medium-format SLR system: modular body with interchangeable backs, lenses, and finders, exactly like the Hasselblad V system. Electronic leaf shutters in each lens (sync flash at all speeds), a coupling for AE prism finders that add aperture-priority autoexposure, and TTL flash through a dedicated sensor. Body and lens system were positioned at roughly half the price of the Hasselblad 501CM/503CW.
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Recommended film stocks for the — format your camera takes.
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 Hasselblad alternative that nobody bought. 6×6, leaf shutter, modular — for half the price.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 / 220, 6×6 cm (12 frames per 120 roll) |
| Mount | Bronica SQ (bayonet) |
| Years | 1990–2004 |
| Shutter | 16s – 1/500s, Seiko electronic leaf, in each lens |
| Flash sync | All speeds |
| Meter | None (body); TTL via AE prism (PE-II finder) |
| Modes | Manual, aperture priority (AE finder) |
| Weight | 1,800 g (loaded with 80mm) |
| Battery | 1× 6V silver oxide (required) |
Zenza Bronica (Tokyo) made medium-format SLRs from 1959. The SQ line started 1980 with the SQ; the SQ-A (1982) added refinements; the SQ-Ai (1990) is the final mainline body — auto film advance, improved electronics, TTL flash. The simpler SQ-B (1996) was a budget version. Production ended 2004 when Tamron (Bronica's parent since 1998) closed the Bronica brand. The Bronica name has been dormant since.
The SQ-Ai delivered Hasselblad-equivalent functionality at deep-discount prices throughout its life. The Zenzanon-PS lens line is technically excellent — the 80/2.8 PS, 50/3.5 PS, 150/3.5 PS, and 110/4.5 macro are praised for sharpness and color. The body's "Ai" features — TTL flash, aperture priority via AE finder, electronic shutter timing — were Hasselblad-501CM-equivalent at half the price.
For 2026 buyers, the SQ-Ai is the best-value 6×6 medium-format SLR. A clean SQ-Ai body with 80mm lens and a 120 back runs $700–1,000; the Hasselblad equivalent (501CM, lens, A12 back) is $2,500+. The trade-off is brand depreciation — Bronica isn't Hasselblad, parts/service are harder, but mechanically there's not much in it.
Zenzanon-PS lenses (electronic leaf shutter) and earlier Zenzanon-S (mechanical leaf). Common: 80/2.8 PS (kit), 50/3.5 PS (wide), 150/3.5 PS (portrait), 110/4.5 PS Macro, 200/4.5 PS (tele). Backs: 120, 220, Polaroid, 6×4.5 mask. Finders: waist-level (default), AE Prism PE-II (TTL meter), CdS Prism PE.
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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