Bronica MF cam, any common problems?

[6Speed]

Hey all, I bought a Bronica ETRS medium format camera online, and the guy e-mailed me and said that he tested it before he packed it up, and found that the shutter wasn't working. He said he had 2 and both of them had a malfunction with the shutter, but if I wanted, he would send me both for what I paid for 1. Is there any common problem among these cameras with the shutter?

How likely is it that it would be easy to fix vs. unfixable/not worth fixing?

 

[ksmattfish]

I've never heard that Bronicas are prone to shutter failure. They are professional cameras, and lots of folks use them.

As far as repairs go you'd have to ask a repair shop. If you bought a camera that was supposed to have a working shutter, and now it doesn't, I'd cancel the deal unless you are getting a super good deal. I bet the repair cost will be at least over $200 (possibly much more) if the shutter needs to be replaced.

Two broken cameras do not equal one working camera. Offer to take one broken camera off his hands for 1/2 price, or cancel the deal.

 

[Rob]

I agree with Matt completely. The fact that the guy has offered you two broken ones means that he knows the camera isn't worth half of what you paid for it. The price of film cameras is lowering as digital takes over the entry and mid-market, so there's no reason you can't find another good deal on a popular model such as that elsewhere.