light metering: Bronica ETR-C

[elliotjnewman]

Hello all! My first post here...

I have just bought a 1977 Bronica ETR-C Medium format camera. I would like to know how I can light meter? Is there one built into the camera? I dont know how to use it if there is! I have looked at the manual and I cant seem to find aything about it... Will I need to buy a light meter? I usually use digital, or newer 35mm cameras which give you digits for exposure, but I just cant see how I can meter with this old camera!

Little help?

Many thanks in advance.

Elliot.

 

[santino]

get a handheld lightmeter (or a ttl lightmeter prism if there is one for the ETR-C).

 

[ferny]

I found this. I don't know if it'll be any help.
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/bronica_etrs/bronica_etrs.htm

 

[elliotjnewman]

ferny - thanks, I have already read that, but no mention of metering...

santino - whats ttl? I guess I will need another prism then... (if there is one)

I have used a handheld meter before, but only in the studio - are they any good for landscapes?

 

[santino]

ttl just means "through the lens". you would need a new prism, it would have a build in lightmeter and it would meter through the lens.

 

[tr0gd0o0r]

you can also use your slr to meter if you don't have more money or don't feel like investing in a handheld. Its what i do and it works great. Just meter with your slr and use that reading for the other camera

 

[elliotjnewman]

tr0gd0o0r - thanks for the idea with the slr - but I no longer own one! The Bronica is now the only camera I have!

I'll have a look at prisms which come with ttl lightmeter, I want to get a waistlevel viewfinder anyway, so Ill check if it has ttl meter... If not then I will have to get a handheld meter - Shock! How much do those things cost! I can only afford a cheap one, whats the use in a really expensive one? Surely it cant be because of accuracy? I mean, if a camera has, say, like mine, shutter speeds of 60th 125th 250th 500th then how would a really expensive handheld meter be more accurate than a cheapo one? I mean, its not like I can set the camera to a 173.52th of a second becuase my expensive light meter gave me that really precise measure! Im confused... Are we photographers being ripped off on our equipment?...

 

[elliotjnewman]

oh, and also, since we have moved onto exposures...

I have an external flash, which seems to connect up to the Bronica ok, but I havent tested it yet - how will a flash work with this camera? Im used to my digital camera just firing the flash when I push the exposure button - will this be the same with this old camera??