<s>
Bronica	B-Algorithm
also	O
Zenza	B-Algorithm
Bronica	I-Algorithm
(	O
in	O
Japanese	O
:	O
)	O
was	O
a	O
Japanese	O
manufacturer	O
of	O
classic	O
medium-format	O
roll	O
film	O
cameras	O
and	O
photographic	O
equipment	O
based	O
in	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
single-lens	B-Algorithm
reflex	I-Algorithm
(	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
)	O
system-cameras	O
competed	O
with	O
Pentax	B-Application
,	O
Hasselblad	B-Algorithm
,	O
Mamiya	O
and	O
others	O
in	O
the	O
medium-format	O
camera	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
introduction	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
of	O
what	O
would	O
become	O
a	O
dynasty	O
of	O
Zenza	B-Algorithm
Bronica	I-Algorithm
cameras	O
in	O
1959	O
,	O
the	O
Latinized	O
Zenza	B-Algorithm
Bronica	I-Algorithm
name	O
was	O
already	O
a	O
popular	O
Japanese	O
luxury	O
goods	O
brand	O
of	O
the	O
Shinkodo	O
Works	O
(	O
in	O
Japanese	O
:	O
)	O
since	O
1947	O
,	O
specialized	O
in	O
the	O
production	O
of	O
intricate	O
crafted	O
and	O
decorated	O
personal	O
accessories	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
metal	O
cigarette	O
lighters	O
and	O
cases	O
,	O
cosmetic	O
compacts	O
,	O
and	O
watches	O
,	O
of	O
diverse	O
styles	O
and	O
designs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
25	O
January	O
1911	O
—	O
d	O
.	O
23	O
November	O
1988	O
)	O
,	O
wherefrom	O
the	O
Latinized	O
Zenza	B-Algorithm
Bronica	I-Algorithm
brand	O
name	O
is	O
derived	O
,	O
was	O
the	O
third	O
son	O
born	O
into	O
a	O
Japanese	O
rice	O
merchant	O
family	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
fascinated	O
and	O
yet	O
increasingly	O
frustrated	O
by	O
the	O
limitations	O
of	O
the	O
cameras	O
produced	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
period	O
,	O
where	O
each	O
camera	O
's	O
merits	O
and	O
demerits	O
were	O
not	O
solved	O
by	O
just	O
one	O
camera	O
,	O
Yoshino	O
visioned	O
creating	O
a	O
high-precision	O
interchangeable	O
single-lens	B-Algorithm
reflex	I-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
modular	O
system	O
of	O
his	O
own	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
formed	O
the	O
funding	O
basis	O
for	O
his	O
founding	O
in	O
1947	O
of	O
the	O
Shinkodo	O
Works	O
with	O
a	O
vision	O
of	O
camera	O
production	O
,	O
which	O
at	O
first	O
produced	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
brand	O
luxury	O
art	O
deco	O
accessories	O
such	O
as	O
cigarette	O
lighters	O
and	O
cases	O
including	O
watches	O
,	O
and	O
positioned	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
as	O
a	O
luxury	O
brand	O
in	O
Japanese	O
department	O
stores	O
,	O
with	O
popularity	O
thriving	O
among	O
US	O
Army	O
soldiers	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Shinkodo	O
Works	O
was	O
Yoshino	O
's	O
precursor	O
production	O
base	O
and	O
funding	O
source	O
for	O
what	O
would	O
later	O
serve	O
his	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
camera	O
and	O
photographic	O
equipment	O
manufacturing	O
;	O
later	O
consolidated	O
under	O
the	O
Zenza	B-Algorithm
Bronica	I-Algorithm
Kogyo	O
Kabushiki	O
Kaisha	O
(	O
Zenza	B-Algorithm
Bronica	I-Algorithm
Industries	O
,	O
Inc	O
)	O
company	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
17	O
January	O
1952	O
,	O
the	O
Shinkodo	O
Works	O
was	O
directed	O
by	O
Yoshino	O
to	O
begin	O
research	O
and	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
prototype	B-Application
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
prototype	B-Application
was	O
a	O
modular	O
camera	O
named	O
the	O
"	O
Yoshino	O
Flex	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
1956	O
the	O
Shinkodo	O
Works	O
created	O
its	O
first	O
handmade	O
example	O
camera	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
reaching	O
perfection	O
in	O
October	O
1958	O
with	O
Yoshino	O
's	O
eighth	O
prototype	B-Application
camera	O
,	O
the	O
development	O
costs	O
had	O
reached	O
a	O
sum	O
of	O
200	O
million	O
Yen	O
,	O
a	O
huge	O
sum	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
final	O
prototype	B-Application
bore	O
the	O
Latinized	O
nameplate	O
"	O
ZENZA	B-Algorithm
BRONICA	I-Algorithm
"	O
—	O
the	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
Z	O
(	O
Zen-za	O
)	O
rollfilm	O
camera	O
—	O
and	O
first	O
appeared	O
at	O
the	O
Philadelphia	O
Camera	O
Show	O
in	O
March	O
1959	O
,	O
where	O
it	O
received	O
ecstatic	O
industry	O
press	O
coverage	O
and	O
left	O
a	O
deep	O
lasting	O
impression	O
of	O
being	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
dream	O
camera	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
Z	O
modular	O
camera	O
system	O
,	O
shortly	O
later	O
with	O
slight	O
modifications	O
renamed	O
the	O
Zenza	B-Algorithm
Bronica	I-Algorithm
D	O
(	O
Deluxe	O
)	O
and	O
successor	O
Bronicas	B-Algorithm
,	O
using	O
large-coverage	O
film	O
format	O
,	O
high-quality	O
Nikkor	O
lenses	O
supplied	O
by	O
the	O
then	O
Japan	O
Optical	O
Industries	O
Co.	O
,	O
Ltd.	O
,	O
(	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
Corporation	O
)	O
became	O
instant	O
successes	O
in	O
the	O
deluxe	O
camera	O
market	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
D	O
was	O
the	O
Japanese	O
answer	O
and	O
first	O
serious	O
challenger	O
to	O
the	O
Swedish	O
Hasselblad	B-Algorithm
cameras	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
several	O
technical	O
ways	O
outclassed	O
the	O
Swedish	O
offerings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Such	O
was	O
the	O
design	O
success	O
of	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
,	O
that	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
it	O
attracted	O
influential	O
figures	O
from	O
the	O
photographic	O
industry	O
such	O
as	O
Burt	O
Keppler	O
who	O
met	O
with	O
Yoshino	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bronica	B-Algorithm
later	O
introduced	O
optics	O
and	O
lens	O
units	O
of	O
its	O
own	O
manufacture	O
incorporating	O
Seiko	O
shutters	O
with	O
its	O
later	O
camera	O
designs	O
and	O
held	O
a	O
portfolio	O
of	O
international	O
patents	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bronica	B-Algorithm
was	O
eventually	O
acquired	O
by	O
the	O
lens	O
manufacturer	O
Tamron	O
Co.	O
,	O
Ltd.	O
,	O
in	O
1998	O
with	O
emphasis	O
on	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
's	O
optical	O
lens	O
manufacturing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2000	O
,	O
Tamron	O
introduced	O
under	O
the	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
brand	O
the	O
RF645	O
rangefinder	B-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tamron	O
discontinued	O
the	O
brand	O
's	O
single-lens	B-Algorithm
reflex	I-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
models	O
(	O
ETRSi	O
,	O
SQ-Ai	O
,	O
SQ-B	O
and	O
GS-1	O
)	O
between	O
June	O
2002	O
and	O
December	O
2004	O
,	O
sales	O
having	O
suffered	O
from	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
consideration	O
to	O
a	O
digital	B-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
back	I-Algorithm
and	O
loss	O
of	O
market	O
share	O
to	O
digital	B-Application
photography	I-Application
and	O
digital	B-Device
single-lens	I-Device
reflex	I-Device
(	O
DSLR	B-Device
)	O
cameras	O
,	O
particularly	O
for	O
the	O
wedding	O
and	O
portrait	O
photography	O
business	O
which	O
had	O
previously	O
been	O
a	O
heavy	O
user	O
of	O
medium-format	O
photographic	O
film	O
but	O
switched	O
quickly	O
to	O
digital	B-Application
photography	I-Application
for	O
its	O
commercial	O
workflow	O
benefits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bronica	B-Algorithm
's	O
last	O
model	O
,	O
the	O
RF645	O
rangefinder	B-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
,	O
was	O
discontinued	O
in	O
September	O
2005	O
,	O
and	O
marked	O
the	O
termination	O
of	O
the	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
camera	O
brand	O
business	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bronicas	B-Algorithm
were	O
workhorse	O
photographic	O
film	O
cameras	O
used	O
by	O
professional	O
photographers	O
for	O
many	O
years	O
until	O
the	O
process	O
of	O
digital	B-Application
photography	I-Application
became	O
widely	O
adopted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bronica	B-Algorithm
cameras	O
are	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
still	O
widely	O
used	O
by	O
photographers	O
—	O
both	O
professional	O
and	O
advanced	O
amateurs	O
—	O
whilst	O
the	O
commercial	O
production	O
of	O
photographic	O
120	O
film	O
remains	O
available	O
,	O
in	O
no	O
small	O
part	O
due	O
to	O
superior	O
image	O
quality	O
of	O
6x4.5	O
,	O
6x6	O
and	O
6x7cm	O
photographic	O
film	O
formats	O
over	O
smaller	O
film	O
(	O
35mm	O
)	O
and	O
digital	B-Algorithm
image	I-Algorithm
sensor	I-Algorithm
formats	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Japan	O
Camera	O
and	O
Optical	O
Instruments	O
Inspection	O
and	O
Testing	O
Institute	O
(	O
JCII	O
)	O
at	O
its	O
camera	O
museum	O
located	O
in	O
Ichibanchō	O
district	O
,	O
central	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
has	O
a	O
selection	O
of	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
camera	O
models	O
preserved	O
among	O
its	O
museum	O
display	O
collections	O
;	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
museum	O
's	O
designation	O
"	O
preserving	O
cameras	O
considered	O
of	O
historical	O
significance	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bronica	B-Algorithm
SLR	B-Algorithm
system-cameras	O
employed	O
a	O
modular	O
design	O
:	O
The	O
major	O
components	O
of	O
the	O
camera	O
—	O
lens	O
,	O
body	O
,	O
film-back	O
and	O
viewfinder	O
were	O
separate	O
and	O
interchangeable	O
,	O
providing	O
options	O
to	O
match	O
the	O
specific	O
photography	O
or	O
workflow	O
needs	O
of	O
the	O
photographer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
its	O
start	O
,	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
introduced	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
6x6cm	O
medium-format	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
cameras	I-Algorithm
with	O
focal	O
plane	O
shutter	O
,	O
which	O
used	O
Nikkor	O
lenses	O
from	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
,	O
until	O
this	O
line	O
was	O
discontinued	O
with	O
the	O
introduction	O
of	O
the	O
successor	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
SQ-series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Notably	O
,	O
the	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
EC	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
medium-format	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
with	O
an	O
electrically	O
operated	O
focal	O
plane	O
shutter	O
(	O
Japan	O
Patent	O
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
US3696727	O
)	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
EC-TL	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
medium-format	O
camera	O
with	O
Aperture	B-Algorithm
priority	I-Algorithm
automatic	O
exposure	O
(	O
AE	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lens	O
optics	O
supplied	O
by	O
Carl	O
Zeiss	O
in	O
Jena	B-Application
,	O
Tokyo	O
Optical	O
Co.	O
,	O
Ltd.	O
,	O
Norita	O
optics	O
,	O
Komura-Komuranon	O
(	O
Sankyo	O
Kohki	O
)	O
,	O
Schneider	O
Kreuznach	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
lens	O
optics	O
later	O
manufactured	O
by	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
itself	O
(	O
Zenzanon	O
)	O
based	O
on	O
designs	O
by	O
Zeiss	O
and	O
Japanese	O
lens	O
manufacturers	O
were	O
available	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
wide	O
range	O
of	O
accessories	O
,	O
including	O
different	O
film	O
magazines	O
,	O
bellows	B-Algorithm
,	O
and	O
viewfinders	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Advanced	O
,	O
compact	O
,	O
modular	O
electronic	O
6x4.5cm	O
medium-format	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
system	O
with	O
a	O
vast	O
array	O
of	O
finders	O
,	O
film-backs	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
accessories	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
SQ	O
:	O
Introduced	O
August	O
1980	O
as	O
replacement	O
and	O
successor	O
to	O
Bronica	B-Algorithm
's	O
classic	O
and	O
increasingly	O
bulky	O
Nikkor-lens	O
based	O
cameras	O
,	O
production	O
discontinued	O
September	O
1984	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Modular	O
6x6cm	O
traditional	O
"	O
square	O
film	O
"	O
medium-format	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
system	O
with	O
leaf	O
shutter	O
lenses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
SQ-B	O
was	O
a	O
manually	O
operating	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
evolved	O
from	O
the	O
SQ-Ai	O
,	O
built	O
to	O
primarily	O
satisfy	O
the	O
needs	O
of	O
professional	O
"	O
studio	O
"	O
photographers	O
who	O
work	O
with	O
hand-held	O
light	O
meters	O
,	O
studio	O
or	O
portable	O
flash	O
equipment	O
and	O
various	O
other	O
accessories	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lightweight	O
,	O
electronically	O
controlled	O
,	O
modular	O
6x7cm	O
medium-format	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
system	O
with	O
leaf	O
shutter	O
lenses	O
,	O
four	O
interchangeable	O
viewfinders	O
,	O
speed	O
grip	O
,	O
and	O
optional	O
film-backs	O
for	O
Polaroid	O
Land	O
pack	O
film	O
,	O
6x4.5cm	O
,	O
6x6cm	O
,	O
and	O
6x7cm	O
rollfilm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Extremely	O
light	O
and	O
compact	O
6x4.5cm	O
film	O
format	O
coupled	B-Algorithm
rangefinder	I-Algorithm
camera	I-Algorithm
system	O
with	O
four	O
interchangeable	O
leaf	O
shutter	O
lenses	O
:	O
45mm	O
,	O
65mm	O
,	O
100mm	O
and	O
135mm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
135mm	O
Tele	O
Lens	O
soon	O
was	O
discontinued	O
due	O
to	O
calibration	O
problems	O
of	O
the	O
rangefinder-system	O
.	O
</s>
