Jaie Elliott Johnson-Miller



Bye Bronica

1st blog of the year, and it goes like this!! Gonna be about gear. Specifically the Bronica S2.


I got the Bronica in 2016, and the results using expired film and cross process were incredible. If you look at my first photos with the Bronica, I wasn’t able to top them no matter how long I had the camera. The initial high of using it and some unknown technical input resulted in my best work to date. So this is a little farewell to her and and warm welcome to what I am using currently. 

There is plenty to like and dislike about the Bronica. Much of what has been written about online already. I will only confirm a) it’s heavy b) it’s loud c) the foam around the focus screen will cause you issues… other than that it’s a very pretty camera, it’s affordable and you’ll enjoy the heck out of using it. I did! I got 500 or so photos from it before the focusing issue occured and after a while of thinking it would never be fixed, I found the perfect place to get it repaired! 



Feel free to ask me where I got my Bronica repaired.

Sadly I didn’t get to use any of the accesories that go with the Bronica ( polaroid back & prism viewfinder). Pack film is too expensive and the prism viewfinder is just plain conspicuous. It stands out and as a street photographer gives the game up.


Q. Have you used a Bronica or any medium format camera? Maybe you shoot Mamiya and wouldn’t go near a S2? Maybe you’ve used both or a variety, what do you think, which do you prefer? If you are strictly a 35mm shooter what do you or don’t you like about medium format? Are you happy with 35mm do you plan to go MF?? What issues have your camera given you, how did you fix them?


I just want to reflect on what I want a reader to get out of this blog. First of all, welcome, by being here and reading this you are encouraging me to continue in what is sometimes a difficult creative road. I am already inspired and thinking about my next shoot. I find cameras interesting, how they work and what they can do. With each one I get, especially the Bronica, I want to showcase it’s range. How does it do things differently? What is it good at? Bad at? etc. 


This has been a blog.

Thanks for stopping by.

Using Format